The Crystal Front: Huntedby EpimetheusGiftChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 1Snow intermingled with ash danced over the cobblestone streets, blown this way and that by the whorls and eddies in the wind. Somewhere in the distance, the charred skeleton of a structure collapsed in a sooty cloud. Though the wind mournfully whistled its way through the ruined hamlet, the air was otherwise silent. It was the peaceful silence of the dead until it was broken by a triumphant cry. “Aw yeah!” A cerulean Pegasus lifted a pair of paper-tabbed bottles in the air. “Score!” she crowed, dancing an impromptu jig around the sooty floor of the burnt husk of a house. A similarly hued Unicorn turned an ire-filled gaze upon the Pegasus from her spot in the town square. “Corporal Lightning,” she barked, “looting is strictly forbidden under military regulations.” At this, the Pegasus stopped shuffling about and cast a soulful look at the Unicorn. “C’mon, Lyra,” she implored, “It’s not like these are doing their owners any good.” This was accompanied by a pointed glance at a pair of charred skeletons nearby. “Besides, I know someone in 3rd Battalion. She’ll pay good money for the rare stuff. You know how much the line units of the Damned will give for luxury goods.” At this, the (supposedly secret) political officer and (most definitely official) senior noncommissioned officer of the Fifth Special Operations Group (Penal) glared at the unfortunate Corporal. “Corporal Lightning, use of that term is severely detrimental to morale.” Lyra was grinding out the words now. “As such, it can and will be punished harshly under military regulation 49-c, with mandatory penalties up to and including demotion and time added to punishment sentences.” Lightning Dust looked around the burned ruins of the once-quaint hamlet, the overcast sky, and the equipment worn by the five ponies in and near the village square: specifically, the patches on the left shoulder of each one. “Riiiiiiiight. Detrimental to morale. Because, y’know, morale is our biggest problem right now. We’re dozens of miles from the nearest friendly unit, tracking down another Imperial infiltration group, technically in violation of orders, technically deserters, facing near-certain death given that if we don’t die in combat we’ll be executed for any failure and probably executed simply for disobeying orders, and oh yeah WE ARE OURSELVES DAMNED!” Lightning snorted. “But sure, morale is our biggest problem. And the demotion and punishment sentence? See the aforementioned bit about being Damned and stick it up your-” Lightning was interrupted by a dull-hued Earth Pony. “Lightning, what have you found?” she called, trotting over. The Pegasus held up her loot. “A couple bottles of 180-proof. ‘Least that’s what it says on the labels. You want some later? ‘Course, that’s if the sarn’t over here doesn’t demote me for pointing out reality, which of course is now a violation of regulations.” At that, the Earth Pony shot an askance look at Lyra, who shrugged. “She was using terms with negative effects on morale and generally behaving in a disrespectful manner. I explained to her what she could expect if she continued using those terms, Lieutenant.” The lieutenant hmphed and looked over her shoulder at a pair of heavily armored figures, a Pegasus and Earth Pony. “Storm, Quartz, do either of you want some cider later? Lightning’s offered to share.” The Earth Pony silently shook his head, while the Pegasus appeared to consider the offer for a moment. “What kind of cider?” he called out. “180-proof, has some apples on the label. I dunno.” Lightning called back. The Pegasus also shook his head. “I only drink the Sweet Apple Acres cider from before they turned off the quality control. Keep it.” “Sweet!” Lightning struck up a small, shuffling jig again. “More for me!” Lyra sighed and began walking toward what had been the town hall. “I’m just going to go curl up in a corner somewhere and sob over this unit and my career. I’ll let you know if I find anything, Lieutenant.” The unit’s commander muttered an acknowledgement and began pawing through the ruins and corpses. The search of the town continued in amicable silence until the darkness fell, at which point the Lieutenant called the team in to their camp in the town hall. The weather had worsened into a howling winter storm as time slipped by, and visibility had dropped to basically nothing by the time everyone got in. “Something doesn’t add up, Lieutenant,” were the first words out of Storm’s mouth after he took off his helmet and set down his lance. The Earth Pony, long since accustomed to Storm’s direct way of getting down to business, nodded for him to continue. “This was supposed to be just another behind-the-lines Imperial probe, right? Something trying to get into our rear areas and wreak some havoc, maybe make us dispatch units we can’t afford to hunt them down and do some damage in the meantime. So why aren’t they acting like it?” Lyra gestured around at the town. “It looks like they’re causing havoc to me.” “But not like an infiltration group should,” Storm persisted. “This has been bugging me ever since we started tracking them. The insertion near Fillydelphia was expected: that was practically textbook. But then they cut sharply to the west, there were all those false trails, and now this town has been absolutely devastated. This isn’t how infiltration groups operate. They look for soft targets vital to the war effort. Farms, small industrial plants, that sort of thing: smash what they can and set some fires on the way out. They don’t inflict this level of devastation, and they certainly don’t wait for weeks before striking an R&R station and supply depot.” “Maybe it’s just a change in tactics,” the Lieutenant suggested, more to see if Storm had really thought this over than anything else. “Celestia knows the Imperials are smart enough to try new things.” “That’s a possibility, but this is still ridiculously inefficient for an infiltration group. And the thoroughness of the destruction here… have you noticed that we haven’t seen any Imperial forces, main or auxiliary, among the dead? And the only signs of Imperial magic are those little shards scattered around the place. It’s like they were covering their tracks, but half the point of an infiltration is the psychological component. And why did they wait for so long before attacking?” Lyra levitated a somewhat damaged sheaf of papers over to the group. “This might help explain. I found these in the protected safe beneath the post commander’s desk.” “What’s the gist?” the Lieutenant asked as she sorted through the papers. “Most of these are routing orders. Logistics movement, reinforcement groups, that sort of thing. But one of the pages references something called Tansy and warns the commander to have this depot –Granite Springs—on high security for its arrival.” “Tansy?” asked the heavily armored Quartz. “Someone’s name, a code, or the actual flower?” “These orders have the seal of High Command. For something demanding this level of security, there’s no way Command would use an actual name, and this fits in right with their standard procedure for code names. They name experimental systems after randomly selected entries in botanical encyclopedias.” The Lieutenant looked up. “So you think the infiltration group is after Tansy, whatever that is?” “Makes sense.” “It would explain the level of devastation and lack of any traces here.” Storm tapped a hoof on the floor pensively. “They were trying to keep anyone on their trail from learning… anything, really. We don’t know how many casualties they took, or what their real capabilities are. If it weren’t for the –I assume deceased commanding officer of this depot?” He shot a look at Lyra, who nodded. “Most definitely dead.” “If it weren’t for his adherence to black box orders, we would have no idea what they were after.” The Lieutenant looked out a window at the howling gale and got up. “We’re not going anywhere for a while, but neither are they. Our enemies can’t be more than a day or two ahead of us, so grab a comfy corner. We’ll move as soon as the weather clears up enough to fly. Quartz, you have first watch. Lightning, you’re not allowed to drink anything except water.” Everyone but Quartz began unrolling sleeping bags accompanied by a steady chorus of Lightning grumbling under her breath. Twilight Sparkle shivered and wrapped the pitifully thin blankets tighter around herself. Outside her tent, the howling wind was piling up snow deeper and deeper. She was cold, miserable, and desperately wishing that she had never left the comfort of the capital. She had protested at the start of this mission that she was doing far more good exploring the nature of her particular… condition… in the relative security of Canterlot. In spite of that, Marshal Snowdrop had been adamant that she get some experience of the front, and her friends had been of absolutely no help at all. Of course they were not, the presence in her mind spoke. They are not really your friends at all. Shut up, she answered back. They let you get sent to the most dangerous place in Equestria with a pitifully inadequate guard force. All because that Marshal decided you needed some motivation. And deep down inside, you know that it was really because he was hoping you would be forced to fight and he could finally get a real understanding of what we can do. It’s only a suspicion, she protested. And you do not find it odd that none of your friends came along on this journey? None of them wanted to go with you on a “field trip” to the Crystal Front? Your only protection was five paltry royal guards, and you were not even allowed to take a train. There were reasons for that. Secrecy is paramount; Sombra’s spies are everywhere. Twilight knew that outside, over a dozen ponies were setting up their own tents under the supervision of her bodyguard, Captain Millstone. She had wanted to help them, but the Captain had insisted that she rest in preparation for the morrow. And why do you suppose that is? The voice asked. Could it be that he does not trust you? There was a laugh full of dark humor. Of course he does not. No one does. Twilight Sparkle, the neurotic filly who cannot control her magic, who certainly cannot control me. Shut up. That’s probably why your “friends” did not really protest when the Marshal sent us out here. Because deep down inside, they were grateful that they finally had an excuse to get you out of their manes. I said shut up. And now ponies are dead because of you. Fifty-three were alive when we arrived at that waystation. Now we are fifteen, and you could not do a thing to stop it. No, that is not quite right, and you and I both know it. You could have stopped it at once, but you did not. The answer is still no. And it will always be that. “Always” is a very long time, child. Shut up, and please just let me sleep in peace. Twilight was begging now, and she knew it and hated it. Her ever-present companion laughed again. Oh, very well. We will need all of our strength to survive the next few days. Pleasant dreams. Her dreams, when they came, were anything but. Instead, she relived the attack over and over in excruciating detail. Every death, every splash of blood and burst of flame sent a fresh spike of terror and panic through her. The night seemed to last forever. Chapter 2The storm exhausted itself overnight and the dawn brought with it a sun that glared remorselessly across the fresh snow. Far to the north, the upper edge of a towering wall of dark cumulonimbi could be glimpsed, but the skies overhead were absolutely clear. The fifteen ponies, all which remained of the Granite Springs detachment, were forced to use snowshoes: those who could not fly, at least. Everyone was putting on the tinted goggles ubiquitous to the Crystal Front. The air was deathly cold, but Twilight knew that as they moved she would start to heat up from the activity and layers of clothing she had piled on. That was scant comfort just then, with her extremities already going numb. Captain Millstone gave the order and everyone began moving out in a ragged column, the three remaining Pegasi flying overhead. The hope was to cut through the evergreen forest to the northwest and get under some concealment so they could not be spotted from the air. They were within sight of the forest when a Pegasus –Twilight thought her name might have been Night Glider—landed in front of the Captain. “Just saw some gryphons to the east. They’re definitely following us,” Twilight heard her say, followed up by a colorful outburst from Millstone. “Could you see their ground forces?” the Captain asked once he finished cursing. “‘Fraid not. Knowing them, they’re probably not far behind. Infiltration groups are big on the whole ‘force unity’ stuff.” “I am well aware of that, sergeant.” Millstone’s tone was as icy as the air around them. Twilight had been dimly aware that there was some amount of rivalry between those who fought on the Front itself –the “line” units—and “rear echelon” units like the Royal Guard. What little interaction she had seen between the two groups since leaving Canterlot had only confirmed that, if anything, the reports she had read had understated the matter. The captain paused, apparently in thought, while the column waited around them. “We’ll split up. Try to draw them off the scent.” The Captain gestured at Night Glider and another pony, this one a toffee-colored unicorn with a corporal’s patch on her shoulder. “Sergeant, you’ll take four of our ground ponies and break north. Corporal, take three other ground ponies and Guardspony Windstreak. You’ll keep going ahead. My team will take the VIP and break west.” Twilight mentally winced at hearing herself described as a Very Important Pony and wished, for what had to be the millionth time, that she had never been afflicted with her… passenger. I am far more than a mere passenger, child. Not. Helping. “Any of us who manage to make it through the forest alive will rendezvous at the next waystation,” Captain Millstone continued. “If you can’t make that, try to get to the friendly lines to the north and have them send help.” The corporal simply nodded her agreement and walked away, but Night Glider stayed where she was. “I don’t think that this is the best idea, Captain,” the Pegasus said hesitantly. “This group seems like it has more than enough troops to split up and still take us all out.” “And you think that staying together will improve our chances of survival any more than splitting up? You have your orders. Carry them out.” Night Glider and Millstone stood, staring at each other, for a few more seconds before the Pegasus turned away without a word. Twilight saw her gesture towards the last group of ponies and launch upwards into the air, then Millstone was at her side and the other Royal Guards were taking up security positions around her. “Are you ready, Twilight?” he asked. Not that he’ll let you rest if you aren’t. The voice chuckled. Twilight simply nodded at the Captain. “Then let’s go. We’re going to have to set a hard pace to make it out.” As they set off, Twilight Sparkle spared a glance at the other two groups, knowing that it was probably the last she would ever see of them. Though she barely knew any of them, it still hurt. Guiscard idly peeled the bark off of a twig with his claws as he listened to a scout give his report. The enemy had been sighted exactly where Sigma had promised they would be, something which boded very well for this operation’s success. For a moment, the mercenary’s head was filled with fantasies of the wealth and prestige this contract would bring him, but it was a fleeting moment. Unlike many of his fellow Gryphons, Guiscard was more than capable of deterring short-term pleasure for long-term gain: it was one of the reasons he had advanced so far in life. The scout, a fellow Gryphon, wrapped up his report and Guiscard dismissed him. “Do you have anything to add, Sigma?” he asked of the pony-like creature next to him. The armor-clad Changeling chittered its fangs together in thought. “I have brothers in each of the three groups. They are far enough away that I cannot say with any accuracy which group our quarry is in.” The first time Guiscard had met Necromancer Sigma, he had expected the Changeling to speak with an insectile, sibilant hiss. Contrary to his assumptions, the Changeling spoke with a deep, smoothly seductive voice. “I will know more once we are closer.” Guiscard nodded thoughtfully. “We’re being slowed down by our ground troops. If I dispatched you, a claw-full of your Changelings, and, say, a dozen Gryphons, do you think you could find and capture the target?” There were over twenty Gryphons and eight Changelings in their group, not counting Guiscard and Sigma. The eight Hussars Sombra had sent along with them were making uneasy progress through the snow, but they were considerably faster than the shock troops that formed the backbone of Sombra’s armies. “Almost certainly,” the Necromancer said confidently. This was followed by a meaningful look at the clouds to the north. “But, depending on how long it takes Sombra’s Hussars to catch up, we may be separated by the next storm.” “I can live with that.” Guiscard shrugged. “They must be fighting one hell of an assault up there, considering the weather around here lately. It makes you wonder just how much King Sombra was actually able to coordinate, doesn’t it?” Necromancer Sigma laughed softly. “It does indeed. But, whether this was intentional or mere serendipity, the timing does allow us nearly free run of this part of the Front, doesn’t it?” “Aye. Go for it, and I will follow with all possible haste. And if you can, see if you can get your brother to slow down our prey –once you get close enough to discern which group we are to hit, of course.” The Changeling dipped his head and launched towards one of the Gryphon squadrons. Three other Changelings followed without a word being said. Guiscard still wasn’t entirely clear on the mechanics of the link all Changelings from a given Hive shared, but he did know that it allowed for limited telepathic communication: unfortunately, the links deteriorated with distance. Had they been able to maintain perfect communications, the Changelings might very well have succeeded in their disastrous invasion of Equestria over six years ago. Lightning Dust alighted on the ground and sketched out a limp salute. “Just saw a Pegasus entering the trees, ma’am, Sarge. He was wearing the old flyer armor. I thought that they had phased that out?” “They phased it out among the elite, front-line units,” Lyra replied. She and the Lieutenant were consulting a map, while Quartz pulled security and Storm continued scouting. The squad had set out from the ruins of Granite Springs before daybreak and had been moving rapidly since they broke camp. The pace would have left most ponies passed out from exhaustion in a few miles: a Special Operations Group could sustain it for days at a time. The Fifth Special Operations Group had entered the forest only a few minutes before Captain Millstone had split up his remaining soldiers. “And those are the only units we ever have any contact with. Honestly, the guards from Granite Springs were lucky to even have armor at all.” “Oh really?” Lightning asked with a conspiratorial tone. Lyra looked at her comrade, bemused, until the Sergeant realized what she had just said. “The war effort proceeds apace, Corporal Dust,” Lyra said in a clipped, professional voice. “Any rumors of shortages are rumors only and are to be dismissed immediately. Am I understood?” “Yeah, yeah,” Lightning sighed. “Whatever. You want me to make contact, or what?” “Will you be able to catch them?” the Lieutenant asked. “It sounds like they’re trying to stay out of sight.” Lightning snorted. “Please. I’m the fastest flier in all of Equestria. They’ll have moved a half a mile, tops, by the time I get there.” With any other Pegasus, that might have been an idle boast. With Lightning Dust, it was still a boast: it was also very close to the truth. The Lieutenant nodded. “Go. And if they’re part of a larger group, try to bring them back here as soon as you can. We need more information on what happened at Granite Springs, and they might know what Tansy is.” Lightning tossed another sardonic salute and launched upwards in a cloud of powdered snow. Twilight Sparkle panted and sobbed for breath as the squad pounded its way through the trees. It felt like she had been running for hours, but the sun wasn’t even halfway to noon. She wanted to stop and rest, but her guards were counting on her: she didn’t dare slow them down. The Pegasus from Granite Springs, Cloudchaser, was flying through the trees above them, so she was surrounded by the Royal Guards that had accompanied her from Canterlot. Dead ponies walking, the voice in her mind said. Twilight didn’t even have the energy to tell her to shut up. I could solve this in ten seconds. Just let me in, and- NO! Twilight screamed inside her head. That moment of distraction was enough for her to trip over a protruding root and collapse in a snowdrift, shivering and retching. The Royal Guards stopped immediately and one of them, an Earth Pony by the name of Jubilee, trotted over. Twilight had known him since she was a foal: he was one of her brother’s friends. “Twilight, we need to hurry,” Jubilee said, not unkindly, as he extended a hoof towards her. She grabbed it and hauled herself upright, nodding as she gasped for air. “Sorry about all this.” Whatever Twilight could have said next was forever interrupted by Cloudchaser landing. “Why are we stopping?” the Pegasus asked. One of the guards shrugged and pointed at Twilight. “She fell.” “Ah.” The Pegasus considered this for a moment. “Just as well, I suppose.” He raised his right forehoof, and the blade attached to it opened outwards with an ominous snick. The Pegasus punched forward and buried the blade deep in the base of a Guardspony’s skull, just underneath the helmet. Captain Millstone stared at Cloudchaser in shock. “Just what the Hell d’you think you’re--” he started to bellow. Without saying another word, Cloudchaser extended the blade on his left hoof and pressed the spring release system. The blade sailed into Millstone’s open mouth and stuck in the back of his throat. The Captain staggered towards Cloudchaser, coughing around the blade lodged firmly in his throat: it took a great deal to kill an Earth Pony. The Pegasus simply shrugged and launched himself at the Captain, grabbed him by the head, and slammed him into the bole of a nearby tree. The Captain’s head burst with a sickening crunch, and Cloudchaser turned to the three remaining Royal Guards and Twilight Sparkle. The whole thing had happened in the blink of an eye, and Twilight stared blankly at the two corpses that had, only seconds earlier, been living, breathing ponies. From the looks on their faces, her remaining Royal Guards were in a similar state. Cloudchaser wasn’t even breathing heavily, and from the look on his face, he might as well have just finished some boring but necessary chore. “Twilight, you need to run,” Jubilee said. “Smart Set, take her and get out of here.” A Unicorn nodded and gestured towards her. Jubilee readied his spear, while the other unicorn enveloped his own blades in a telekinetic field and raised them in preparation for combat. Cloudchaser raised an eyebrow, as if he was surprised that the Royal Guards were about to offer him a fight. “We’ll meet up with you soon. Right now, you just need to get to the rendezvous.” Twilight gulped and took off, Smart Set running alongside her. The sound of combat soon rang out from behind her. It ended about fifteen seconds later. Twilight didn’t particularly care to dwell on what that might have meant, so she just kept running until a serpentine shape shot out from a particularly dense copse of trees to her left. The figure coiled itself around Smart Set, and it was with no small amount of astonishment that Twilight realized she could recognize Cloudchaser’s features in the serpent, from the coloration to the wings to the face, unchanged save for the two dirk-like fangs that protruded from its upper jaw. The monster sank its fangs into her last guard’s neck and latched on firmly, holding its fangs in Smart Set until the Unicorn wrapped a large rock in a magic field and slammed it into Cloudchaser’s head. The creature hissed and launched itself back, releasing Smart Set. The Unicorn staggered upright and began casting one of the combat spells. Cloudchaser, meanwhile, was enveloped in emerald flames and began losing mass and gaining a pony-like shape, one instantly recognizable as the enemy that had come within a hair’s breadth of conquering Equestria six years ago. “Changeling,” Twilight whispered in horror. The Changeling simply stood motionless and watched as Smart Set swayed back and forth, the spell field flickering in and out of existence, until the Unicorn finally collapsed in the snow and stopped breathing. Cloudchaser then turned his gaze on Twilight. “Now then, Twilight Sparkle, can we simply say that you are coming with us and avoid any further unpleasantries?” The Changeling spoke with a deep, soothing voice completely at odds with its appearance. “Or will we have to engage in physical hostilities until you are rendered incapable of resistance, followed by capture at the hands of my lord and brother?” Chapter 3“How do you know my name?” Twilight asked, stalling for time while her mind desperately looked for a way out. The Changeling continued looking at her impassively. “Really, Twilight Sparkle, that is what you are focusing on right now?” It was a very foolish question, her ever-present companion stated with dry amusement. If you’re not going to help me, don’t say anything. Twilight looked back and forth, sidling away from the body of Smart Set and trying to conjure up some magic to help her. Purple sparks shot from her horn and the spell never materialized. Not now! “What is this?” Cloudchaser tilted his head to the side quizzically. “Are you really going to fight? Or shall I say, attempt to fight? You certainly don’t seem to be able to do… anything.” Emerald flames limned the Changeling’s body again. Limbs extended and developed far too many joints, hole-filled claws grew from the tips of its legs, gossamer wings shrank and disappeared, and the body itself thickened and grew overlapping, chitinous scales until it was thrice her size. Twilight redoubled her efforts, concentrating with all her ability on a spell that would strike the Changeling down. Nothing happened, just like it always did. “Honestly, this is pathetic.” The Changeling stared blankly at her with those cold, dead blue eyes. Twilight looked back, feeling utterly helpless in the face of danger yet again. Her companion laughed spitefully, savoring the terror assailing her mind. So that’s what it feels like from this side. Oh, come now, child. We both know what you’re going to do. It’s the only thing you can do, after all. Cloudchaser continued staring at her, its body tensing in anticipation. Twilight broke and ran. She made it about four feet before the Changeling sprang forward, grabbed her by her throat, and slammed her up against a tree. “What was the point of that?” The Changeling frowned, exposing a teeth filled with razor-sharp fangs. “Why not simply surrender, and save yourself the effort? I cannot for the life of me figure out why my Hive was sent to capture you. It is not because you have any potential for fighting.” Truer than he knows. Twilight’s companion laughed again. “So it has to be something inside your head.” Cloudchaser continued looking at her while Twilight battered at its limb in a vain attempt to loosen its grasp. Once again, truer than he knows! “So I suppose that you do not need to be… wholly intact.” The monster’s lips curled upwards with a dark and savage joy, though it retained the same impassive tone. “I can simply remove your limbs and wait for my lord to rejoin me. Yes, I think that is the simplest course of action.” The Changeling brought its arm back and extended dagger-like claws while Twilight continued to struggle. Cloudchaser brought its arm down with a whistling noise emanating from the holes in its limb. Its claws were about to impact when a cyan bolt slammed into its side and the monster was hurled violently away from Twilight, who fell to the ground and lay in the snow, coughing. “Who dares interrupt my revelry?” The Changeling asked with irritation in its voice. Twilight realized, with a start, that this was the first time any sort of emotion had tinged Cloudchaser’s words. Its only answer was another bolt impacting on its rear left leg with a loud crack, snapping the limb in two. This time, Twilight was able to see the a Pegasus wearing plain blue flyer’s armor and tinted flight goggles flare out her wings, flip herself supine in midair, rebound off a tree, and launch a kick as she passed the Changeling that took Cloudchaser on the left side of its face. The Changeling’s left eye exploded in a spray of ocular fluid and the skull deformed, and then the Pegasus was past and skidding to a halt near Twilight Sparkle. Cloudchaser collapsed in the snow, and the Pegasus looked at Twilight. “Hi,” she said as if they were passersby meeting on the street. Her rescuer extended a hoof, Twilight grabbed it, and the Pegasus hauled her to her hooves. “Name’s Lightning Dust. You?” Twilight stared past her at the Changeling’s body. “You’ve never fought a Changeling, have you?” “Nope. Did pretty well for my first time, if I do say so myself.” Lightning Dust replied smugly, jutting her chest out and striking a pose. “Impressive, huh?” “You’re not supposed to stop fighting.” Twilight said numbly. “Huh?” “Changelings like that, the ones who can take combat-tailored forms. You aren’t supposed to stop fighting them until you completely destroy the head or torso. Otherwise…” The young pony trailed off as Cloudchaser jerkily rose to its legs –it once again had both of its hind legs, Twilight noticed. The Changeling hissed as the green fire of its race enveloped its body once again. Lightning hastily wheeled around and stared as, over the next few seconds, the Changeling increased its already considerable mass and armor. Chitin flowed over the head and covered its mouth, nostrils, and eyes, leaving only narrow slits for the Changeling to see and breathe out of. At the end, the Changeling stood with two slightly shorter hind legs, a pair of extremely long front arms that were currently resting on the grounds, and thorn-like scales protruding from random parts of its armor. “Otherwise they’ll just regenerate when you stop damaging them.” Twilight swallowed nervously, and Lightning looked slightly less confident than she had a moment before. “So… what’s your name?” “Twilight Sparkle.” “So, Twilight, you’re some sort of Special Operations veteran, right? Probably a sorceress that can blow up buildings with a thought?” “Nope.” “Line veteran, at least?” “Nope.” “Recruit just out of Basic?” “’Fraid not.” “Can you actually fight? Like, at all?” “No.” Twilight felt a hot flush spreading over her face. “Sorry.” “So… why is this guy after you?” “I was just asking her that very thing.” Cloudchaser chuckled. The two ponies stared at the monster, astonished that it was actually laughing. The Changeling noticed the funny looks they were giving him. “My Hive is capable of feeling amusement at coincidence, much in the same manner as you. Now, shall we give battle? Or do you wish to attempt yet another futile withdrawal?” “Twilight, was it?” Lightning looked at the young pony. “Yeah?” “How do you know so much about Changelings?” “I read a lot.” “Uh huh. Got any other advice if I’m gonna fight this guy?” “They can shift forms quickly and adapt to their opponents, but if you’re fast enough, they won’t have enough time to regenerate damage. But where there’s one Changeling, there are usually more nearby, so it would be really, really nice if you could… kill,” Twilight swallowed, “kill him quickly.” “No sweat.” Lightning launched herself at Cloudchaser and launched another blindingly fast kick at its head. This time, the blow glanced off the thickened armor coating the Changeling’s head, though the force of it was still enough to make the Changeling stagger. The Changeling lashed out with one of its forearms. Lightning Dust dodged nimbly out of the way and the blow smashed through some low-hanging branches. The Pegasus dashed out of sight behind a thicket before reappearing from a different angle far from her original position before blasting through Cloudchaser’s forearm, shattering the limb near the shoulder and detaching it in a spray of blue ichor. The Changeling hissed in pain and the limb soon regrew. Twilight took a moment to marvel at the Pegasus’ speed, then returned to her attempts at spellcasting. Even as the fight continued, the best she was able to manage was a few purple sparks shooting from her horn: she couldn’t even levitate a pebble to help Lightning Dust, and she already knew how any attempt at fighting Cloudchaser up close would end. After several more exchanges, which always ended with Cloudchaser missing Lightning, receiving a blow or two in reply, and hastily regenerating whatever relatively superficial damage the Pegasus had been able to inflict, Twilight saw another pony lurking in cover of the trees around the edges of the fight. For a moment, Twilight thought it was an Alicorn: the figure was large, flying, and had a distinct horn atop its head. Almost as soon as she saw it, though, Twilight realized that was highly unlikely: for a start, the only known Alicorns were both in Canterlot. For another, this pony’s horn was firmly attached to what appeared to be a silver skull being used as a champron. Twilight felt a momentary sense of horror as she looked at the pony’s armor. It appeared to be a black-winged Pegasus wearing a suit of black iron armor that covered its entire body save for its wings: the suit had silver-embossed bones coating it. The upper half of a unicorn’s skull was being used as a champron, while detached rib bones were fused into the breastplate. It looked as though an entire pony’s skeleton had been dipped in silver and attached to a suit of black iron. A lance was resting in the crook of its right foreleg, and the pony seemed to be looking for an angle on the fight taking place in front of Twilight. Silly girl. Tiwlight shook herself to her senses. That’s probably just steel decoration. No one would actually use a pony’s skeleton to make armor. And yet, what sort of pony would willingly appear to desecrate another’s remains in such a manner? Her companion asked. Twilight had no response to that, and it didn’t matter. The newcomer launched himself skyward with a mighty sweep of his wings, lowered his lance, and streaked downward just as Lightning Dust disengaged from another exchange with Cloudchaser. The Changeling, its full attention fixated on the cyan Pegasus, did not see the blow from above until the newcomer had slammed his lance square in the Changeling’s back. The weapon punched through Cloudchaser’s carapace with a dull crunch, continued through, burst out the Changeling’s chest, and carried on until the lance head shattered against the ground. The black-winged Pegasus leveled out and slammed a heavily armored forearm into the Changeling’s head as he passed, cracking the chitin. Cloudchaser shrieked in agony and writhed on the ground, reverting to a more pony-like form as emerald flames blazed and flesh sublimated off. The newcomer glided to a halt next to Lightning Dust and Twilight. “I was afraid that I wasn’t going to get the chance to use that on this mission,” he said as Cloudchaser staggered to its feet, the splintered lance still lodged in its chest. “How are you this fine morn, Corporal Dust?” “Heya, Storm. Apparently, we’re supposed to-“ “We’re supposed to continue attacking until the Changeling’s torso or head has been destroyed. Care to do the honors?” Lightning Dust nodded launched herself at the Changeling once again. Cloudchaser was barely able to generate a thin layer of chitinous armor before Lightning dashed it to the ground and began furiously raining blows on its head. Once, twice, thrice: with the fourth punch, the Changeling’s armor gave way and its head caved in. Lightning landed another few blows, further shattering the head, and then looked at the ichor covering her hands. “Geh.” She grimaced and wiped her hooves in the snow before trotting over and removing her flight goggles. “So, why aren’t you with the rest, Storm?” The Pegasus –now that he was up close, Twilight noticed that his eyes were covered by plates of some material the same shade of silver as the bones on his armor- gestured at the tableau in front of them with a wing. “I was ordered ahead as soon as I reported back in. Apparently, the Sergeant doesn’t trust you to act alone. I can’t possibly imagine why,” Storm said with a dry sarcasm. “And good thing, too. That was a Changeling Commander. Wonderbolts, while they’re good at quite a lot of things, are not ideal against enemies that can’t be worn down over time.” Twilight stared at Lightning Dust. “You’re a Wonderbolt?” “Hardly!” Storm laughed out loud. Lightning glared furiously at her comrade. “But if Lightning doesn’t want to get into that now, I shan’t either. Besides which, we have more urgent matters to attend to. Lightning, you realize that we have been separated in an area with a known Changeling presence?” “Yep,” Lightning sighed. “Shoot.” “What did I give you last Nightmare Night?” “A black eye.” Lightning looked very sour at that. “Where is the Ossuary?” Storm suddenly turned very, very rigid. “Not on your life, Lightning,” he whispered in a voice so low it was almost a hiss. “Or on mine. Pick another one.” “Fine.” Lightning gestured at an amulet affixed just above the sternum of the ribcage on Storm’s breastplate. “What’s that?” “A reliquary.” “And how many are in it?” “Two.” “Alrighty then.” Lightning nodded. “Now that we know we’re us and not a Changeling, introductions. Storm, this is Twilight Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle, this is Storm.” Storm politely inclined his head at Twilight, and Twilight gestured at his armor. “Nice… um… armor. It’s very… intimidating.” “Thank you,” Storm nodded. “I am sure that my battle-brothers would thank you as well, were they present in soul as well as body and spirit.” Twilight looked at him oddly for a few moments until she fully realized what he had just said. The young Unicorn inhaled sharply and backpedaled furiously, stopping only when she slammed her back up against a tree. Her companion, meanwhile, was laughing maniacally inside her head. “Those- are- actual- bones?” she panted out between short, sharp gasps. Storm chuckled with dark humor. “Soldiers of the Regiment serve unto and past death. Integrating the bones of the fallen into our armor was the most reasonable course of action.” Storm spoke with a matter-of-fact tone, as if discussing nothing more controversial than the weather. Lightning Dust rolled her eyes. “Sorry about that, Twilight. Storm is… weird. He’s on our side, though.” “Of course I am.” Storm actually sounded indignant at the mere suggestion that he might not be. “We have more important things to discuss right now than armor design, however. Would you happen to be ‘Tansy’?” Twilight blinked rapidly. “You’re wearing bones. Actual bones. As armor.” “You’re remarkably quick on the uptake, aren’t you? Tansy. Are you or are you not, and if you are not, do you know anything about it?” Storm was starting to sound impatient. Next to him, Lightning Dust shrugged as if to say what can you do? Twilight gulped again. “I think that I’m Tansy. They don’t tell me a lot.” “I assume you were in Granite Springs when it was attacked?” Twilight nodded mutely. The events of the day, one after another, had piled on each other until she was numb inside to any more shocks. Mercifully, her companion was staying silent. It probably meant that Twilight was in for a truly horrendous time later, but right now she was grateful for the relative peace. Storm nodded, once, firmly. “We can’t separate. Where there’s one Changeling, there’s more, and they’ll be looking for you. We need to move, and fast. You can fill us in while we go.” Storm turned to leave, then turned his head around and looked at Twilight, who was staring at the bodies on the ground. “That means now, Twilight. Move.” Storm’s order cracked her out of her reverie. “Smart Set. The other Guards. We can’t just leave them-“ “We can and we are,” Storm interrupted. “Exigencies of combat.” Lightning gave Twilight an apologetic look. “Sorry, Twilight. Nothing we can do. He’s right.” “Changelings have a link" Storm explained. "If this one had fellow Hive-members nearby, they all know where you are.” “I know how Changelings work.” Twilight snapped. “Wonderful. Then move!” Twilight glared at him, but began trotting out nevertheless.
Chapter 1Snow intermingled with ash danced over the cobblestone streets, blown this way and that by the whorls and eddies in the wind. Somewhere in the distance, the charred skeleton of a structure collapsed in a sooty cloud. Though the wind mournfully whistled its way through the ruined hamlet, the air was otherwise silent. It was the peaceful silence of the dead until it was broken by a triumphant cry. “Aw yeah!” A cerulean Pegasus lifted a pair of paper-tabbed bottles in the air. “Score!” she crowed, dancing an impromptu jig around the sooty floor of the burnt husk of a house. A similarly hued Unicorn turned an ire-filled gaze upon the Pegasus from her spot in the town square. “Corporal Lightning,” she barked, “looting is strictly forbidden under military regulations.” At this, the Pegasus stopped shuffling about and cast a soulful look at the Unicorn. “C’mon, Lyra,” she implored, “It’s not like these are doing their owners any good.” This was accompanied by a pointed glance at a pair of charred skeletons nearby. “Besides, I know someone in 3rd Battalion. She’ll pay good money for the rare stuff. You know how much the line units of the Damned will give for luxury goods.” At this, the (supposedly secret) political officer and (most definitely official) senior noncommissioned officer of the Fifth Special Operations Group (Penal) glared at the unfortunate Corporal. “Corporal Lightning, use of that term is severely detrimental to morale.” Lyra was grinding out the words now. “As such, it can and will be punished harshly under military regulation 49-c, with mandatory penalties up to and including demotion and time added to punishment sentences.” Lightning Dust looked around the burned ruins of the once-quaint hamlet, the overcast sky, and the equipment worn by the five ponies in and near the village square: specifically, the patches on the left shoulder of each one. “Riiiiiiiight. Detrimental to morale. Because, y’know, morale is our biggest problem right now. We’re dozens of miles from the nearest friendly unit, tracking down another Imperial infiltration group, technically in violation of orders, technically deserters, facing near-certain death given that if we don’t die in combat we’ll be executed for any failure and probably executed simply for disobeying orders, and oh yeah WE ARE OURSELVES DAMNED!” Lightning snorted. “But sure, morale is our biggest problem. And the demotion and punishment sentence? See the aforementioned bit about being Damned and stick it up your-” Lightning was interrupted by a dull-hued Earth Pony. “Lightning, what have you found?” she called, trotting over. The Pegasus held up her loot. “A couple bottles of 180-proof. ‘Least that’s what it says on the labels. You want some later? ‘Course, that’s if the sarn’t over here doesn’t demote me for pointing out reality, which of course is now a violation of regulations.” At that, the Earth Pony shot an askance look at Lyra, who shrugged. “She was using terms with negative effects on morale and generally behaving in a disrespectful manner. I explained to her what she could expect if she continued using those terms, Lieutenant.” The lieutenant hmphed and looked over her shoulder at a pair of heavily armored figures, a Pegasus and Earth Pony. “Storm, Quartz, do either of you want some cider later? Lightning’s offered to share.” The Earth Pony silently shook his head, while the Pegasus appeared to consider the offer for a moment. “What kind of cider?” he called out. “180-proof, has some apples on the label. I dunno.” Lightning called back. The Pegasus also shook his head. “I only drink the Sweet Apple Acres cider from before they turned off the quality control. Keep it.” “Sweet!” Lightning struck up a small, shuffling jig again. “More for me!” Lyra sighed and began walking toward what had been the town hall. “I’m just going to go curl up in a corner somewhere and sob over this unit and my career. I’ll let you know if I find anything, Lieutenant.” The unit’s commander muttered an acknowledgement and began pawing through the ruins and corpses. The search of the town continued in amicable silence until the darkness fell, at which point the Lieutenant called the team in to their camp in the town hall. The weather had worsened into a howling winter storm as time slipped by, and visibility had dropped to basically nothing by the time everyone got in. “Something doesn’t add up, Lieutenant,” were the first words out of Storm’s mouth after he took off his helmet and set down his lance. The Earth Pony, long since accustomed to Storm’s direct way of getting down to business, nodded for him to continue. “This was supposed to be just another behind-the-lines Imperial probe, right? Something trying to get into our rear areas and wreak some havoc, maybe make us dispatch units we can’t afford to hunt them down and do some damage in the meantime. So why aren’t they acting like it?” Lyra gestured around at the town. “It looks like they’re causing havoc to me.” “But not like an infiltration group should,” Storm persisted. “This has been bugging me ever since we started tracking them. The insertion near Fillydelphia was expected: that was practically textbook. But then they cut sharply to the west, there were all those false trails, and now this town has been absolutely devastated. This isn’t how infiltration groups operate. They look for soft targets vital to the war effort. Farms, small industrial plants, that sort of thing: smash what they can and set some fires on the way out. They don’t inflict this level of devastation, and they certainly don’t wait for weeks before striking an R&R station and supply depot.” “Maybe it’s just a change in tactics,” the Lieutenant suggested, more to see if Storm had really thought this over than anything else. “Celestia knows the Imperials are smart enough to try new things.” “That’s a possibility, but this is still ridiculously inefficient for an infiltration group. And the thoroughness of the destruction here… have you noticed that we haven’t seen any Imperial forces, main or auxiliary, among the dead? And the only signs of Imperial magic are those little shards scattered around the place. It’s like they were covering their tracks, but half the point of an infiltration is the psychological component. And why did they wait for so long before attacking?” Lyra levitated a somewhat damaged sheaf of papers over to the group. “This might help explain. I found these in the protected safe beneath the post commander’s desk.” “What’s the gist?” the Lieutenant asked as she sorted through the papers. “Most of these are routing orders. Logistics movement, reinforcement groups, that sort of thing. But one of the pages references something called Tansy and warns the commander to have this depot –Granite Springs—on high security for its arrival.” “Tansy?” asked the heavily armored Quartz. “Someone’s name, a code, or the actual flower?” “These orders have the seal of High Command. For something demanding this level of security, there’s no way Command would use an actual name, and this fits in right with their standard procedure for code names. They name experimental systems after randomly selected entries in botanical encyclopedias.” The Lieutenant looked up. “So you think the infiltration group is after Tansy, whatever that is?” “Makes sense.” “It would explain the level of devastation and lack of any traces here.” Storm tapped a hoof on the floor pensively. “They were trying to keep anyone on their trail from learning… anything, really. We don’t know how many casualties they took, or what their real capabilities are. If it weren’t for the –I assume deceased commanding officer of this depot?” He shot a look at Lyra, who nodded. “Most definitely dead.” “If it weren’t for his adherence to black box orders, we would have no idea what they were after.” The Lieutenant looked out a window at the howling gale and got up. “We’re not going anywhere for a while, but neither are they. Our enemies can’t be more than a day or two ahead of us, so grab a comfy corner. We’ll move as soon as the weather clears up enough to fly. Quartz, you have first watch. Lightning, you’re not allowed to drink anything except water.” Everyone but Quartz began unrolling sleeping bags accompanied by a steady chorus of Lightning grumbling under her breath. Twilight Sparkle shivered and wrapped the pitifully thin blankets tighter around herself. Outside her tent, the howling wind was piling up snow deeper and deeper. She was cold, miserable, and desperately wishing that she had never left the comfort of the capital. She had protested at the start of this mission that she was doing far more good exploring the nature of her particular… condition… in the relative security of Canterlot. In spite of that, Marshal Snowdrop had been adamant that she get some experience of the front, and her friends had been of absolutely no help at all. Of course they were not, the presence in her mind spoke. They are not really your friends at all. Shut up, she answered back. They let you get sent to the most dangerous place in Equestria with a pitifully inadequate guard force. All because that Marshal decided you needed some motivation. And deep down inside, you know that it was really because he was hoping you would be forced to fight and he could finally get a real understanding of what we can do. It’s only a suspicion, she protested. And you do not find it odd that none of your friends came along on this journey? None of them wanted to go with you on a “field trip” to the Crystal Front? Your only protection was five paltry royal guards, and you were not even allowed to take a train. There were reasons for that. Secrecy is paramount; Sombra’s spies are everywhere. Twilight knew that outside, over a dozen ponies were setting up their own tents under the supervision of her bodyguard, Captain Millstone. She had wanted to help them, but the Captain had insisted that she rest in preparation for the morrow. And why do you suppose that is? The voice asked. Could it be that he does not trust you? There was a laugh full of dark humor. Of course he does not. No one does. Twilight Sparkle, the neurotic filly who cannot control her magic, who certainly cannot control me. Shut up. That’s probably why your “friends” did not really protest when the Marshal sent us out here. Because deep down inside, they were grateful that they finally had an excuse to get you out of their manes. I said shut up. And now ponies are dead because of you. Fifty-three were alive when we arrived at that waystation. Now we are fifteen, and you could not do a thing to stop it. No, that is not quite right, and you and I both know it. You could have stopped it at once, but you did not. The answer is still no. And it will always be that. “Always” is a very long time, child. Shut up, and please just let me sleep in peace. Twilight was begging now, and she knew it and hated it. Her ever-present companion laughed again. Oh, very well. We will need all of our strength to survive the next few days. Pleasant dreams. Her dreams, when they came, were anything but. Instead, she relived the attack over and over in excruciating detail. Every death, every splash of blood and burst of flame sent a fresh spike of terror and panic through her. The night seemed to last forever.
Chapter 2The storm exhausted itself overnight and the dawn brought with it a sun that glared remorselessly across the fresh snow. Far to the north, the upper edge of a towering wall of dark cumulonimbi could be glimpsed, but the skies overhead were absolutely clear. The fifteen ponies, all which remained of the Granite Springs detachment, were forced to use snowshoes: those who could not fly, at least. Everyone was putting on the tinted goggles ubiquitous to the Crystal Front. The air was deathly cold, but Twilight knew that as they moved she would start to heat up from the activity and layers of clothing she had piled on. That was scant comfort just then, with her extremities already going numb. Captain Millstone gave the order and everyone began moving out in a ragged column, the three remaining Pegasi flying overhead. The hope was to cut through the evergreen forest to the northwest and get under some concealment so they could not be spotted from the air. They were within sight of the forest when a Pegasus –Twilight thought her name might have been Night Glider—landed in front of the Captain. “Just saw some gryphons to the east. They’re definitely following us,” Twilight heard her say, followed up by a colorful outburst from Millstone. “Could you see their ground forces?” the Captain asked once he finished cursing. “‘Fraid not. Knowing them, they’re probably not far behind. Infiltration groups are big on the whole ‘force unity’ stuff.” “I am well aware of that, sergeant.” Millstone’s tone was as icy as the air around them. Twilight had been dimly aware that there was some amount of rivalry between those who fought on the Front itself –the “line” units—and “rear echelon” units like the Royal Guard. What little interaction she had seen between the two groups since leaving Canterlot had only confirmed that, if anything, the reports she had read had understated the matter. The captain paused, apparently in thought, while the column waited around them. “We’ll split up. Try to draw them off the scent.” The Captain gestured at Night Glider and another pony, this one a toffee-colored unicorn with a corporal’s patch on her shoulder. “Sergeant, you’ll take four of our ground ponies and break north. Corporal, take three other ground ponies and Guardspony Windstreak. You’ll keep going ahead. My team will take the VIP and break west.” Twilight mentally winced at hearing herself described as a Very Important Pony and wished, for what had to be the millionth time, that she had never been afflicted with her… passenger. I am far more than a mere passenger, child. Not. Helping. “Any of us who manage to make it through the forest alive will rendezvous at the next waystation,” Captain Millstone continued. “If you can’t make that, try to get to the friendly lines to the north and have them send help.” The corporal simply nodded her agreement and walked away, but Night Glider stayed where she was. “I don’t think that this is the best idea, Captain,” the Pegasus said hesitantly. “This group seems like it has more than enough troops to split up and still take us all out.” “And you think that staying together will improve our chances of survival any more than splitting up? You have your orders. Carry them out.” Night Glider and Millstone stood, staring at each other, for a few more seconds before the Pegasus turned away without a word. Twilight saw her gesture towards the last group of ponies and launch upwards into the air, then Millstone was at her side and the other Royal Guards were taking up security positions around her. “Are you ready, Twilight?” he asked. Not that he’ll let you rest if you aren’t. The voice chuckled. Twilight simply nodded at the Captain. “Then let’s go. We’re going to have to set a hard pace to make it out.” As they set off, Twilight Sparkle spared a glance at the other two groups, knowing that it was probably the last she would ever see of them. Though she barely knew any of them, it still hurt. Guiscard idly peeled the bark off of a twig with his claws as he listened to a scout give his report. The enemy had been sighted exactly where Sigma had promised they would be, something which boded very well for this operation’s success. For a moment, the mercenary’s head was filled with fantasies of the wealth and prestige this contract would bring him, but it was a fleeting moment. Unlike many of his fellow Gryphons, Guiscard was more than capable of deterring short-term pleasure for long-term gain: it was one of the reasons he had advanced so far in life. The scout, a fellow Gryphon, wrapped up his report and Guiscard dismissed him. “Do you have anything to add, Sigma?” he asked of the pony-like creature next to him. The armor-clad Changeling chittered its fangs together in thought. “I have brothers in each of the three groups. They are far enough away that I cannot say with any accuracy which group our quarry is in.” The first time Guiscard had met Necromancer Sigma, he had expected the Changeling to speak with an insectile, sibilant hiss. Contrary to his assumptions, the Changeling spoke with a deep, smoothly seductive voice. “I will know more once we are closer.” Guiscard nodded thoughtfully. “We’re being slowed down by our ground troops. If I dispatched you, a claw-full of your Changelings, and, say, a dozen Gryphons, do you think you could find and capture the target?” There were over twenty Gryphons and eight Changelings in their group, not counting Guiscard and Sigma. The eight Hussars Sombra had sent along with them were making uneasy progress through the snow, but they were considerably faster than the shock troops that formed the backbone of Sombra’s armies. “Almost certainly,” the Necromancer said confidently. This was followed by a meaningful look at the clouds to the north. “But, depending on how long it takes Sombra’s Hussars to catch up, we may be separated by the next storm.” “I can live with that.” Guiscard shrugged. “They must be fighting one hell of an assault up there, considering the weather around here lately. It makes you wonder just how much King Sombra was actually able to coordinate, doesn’t it?” Necromancer Sigma laughed softly. “It does indeed. But, whether this was intentional or mere serendipity, the timing does allow us nearly free run of this part of the Front, doesn’t it?” “Aye. Go for it, and I will follow with all possible haste. And if you can, see if you can get your brother to slow down our prey –once you get close enough to discern which group we are to hit, of course.” The Changeling dipped his head and launched towards one of the Gryphon squadrons. Three other Changelings followed without a word being said. Guiscard still wasn’t entirely clear on the mechanics of the link all Changelings from a given Hive shared, but he did know that it allowed for limited telepathic communication: unfortunately, the links deteriorated with distance. Had they been able to maintain perfect communications, the Changelings might very well have succeeded in their disastrous invasion of Equestria over six years ago. Lightning Dust alighted on the ground and sketched out a limp salute. “Just saw a Pegasus entering the trees, ma’am, Sarge. He was wearing the old flyer armor. I thought that they had phased that out?” “They phased it out among the elite, front-line units,” Lyra replied. She and the Lieutenant were consulting a map, while Quartz pulled security and Storm continued scouting. The squad had set out from the ruins of Granite Springs before daybreak and had been moving rapidly since they broke camp. The pace would have left most ponies passed out from exhaustion in a few miles: a Special Operations Group could sustain it for days at a time. The Fifth Special Operations Group had entered the forest only a few minutes before Captain Millstone had split up his remaining soldiers. “And those are the only units we ever have any contact with. Honestly, the guards from Granite Springs were lucky to even have armor at all.” “Oh really?” Lightning asked with a conspiratorial tone. Lyra looked at her comrade, bemused, until the Sergeant realized what she had just said. “The war effort proceeds apace, Corporal Dust,” Lyra said in a clipped, professional voice. “Any rumors of shortages are rumors only and are to be dismissed immediately. Am I understood?” “Yeah, yeah,” Lightning sighed. “Whatever. You want me to make contact, or what?” “Will you be able to catch them?” the Lieutenant asked. “It sounds like they’re trying to stay out of sight.” Lightning snorted. “Please. I’m the fastest flier in all of Equestria. They’ll have moved a half a mile, tops, by the time I get there.” With any other Pegasus, that might have been an idle boast. With Lightning Dust, it was still a boast: it was also very close to the truth. The Lieutenant nodded. “Go. And if they’re part of a larger group, try to bring them back here as soon as you can. We need more information on what happened at Granite Springs, and they might know what Tansy is.” Lightning tossed another sardonic salute and launched upwards in a cloud of powdered snow. Twilight Sparkle panted and sobbed for breath as the squad pounded its way through the trees. It felt like she had been running for hours, but the sun wasn’t even halfway to noon. She wanted to stop and rest, but her guards were counting on her: she didn’t dare slow them down. The Pegasus from Granite Springs, Cloudchaser, was flying through the trees above them, so she was surrounded by the Royal Guards that had accompanied her from Canterlot. Dead ponies walking, the voice in her mind said. Twilight didn’t even have the energy to tell her to shut up. I could solve this in ten seconds. Just let me in, and- NO! Twilight screamed inside her head. That moment of distraction was enough for her to trip over a protruding root and collapse in a snowdrift, shivering and retching. The Royal Guards stopped immediately and one of them, an Earth Pony by the name of Jubilee, trotted over. Twilight had known him since she was a foal: he was one of her brother’s friends. “Twilight, we need to hurry,” Jubilee said, not unkindly, as he extended a hoof towards her. She grabbed it and hauled herself upright, nodding as she gasped for air. “Sorry about all this.” Whatever Twilight could have said next was forever interrupted by Cloudchaser landing. “Why are we stopping?” the Pegasus asked. One of the guards shrugged and pointed at Twilight. “She fell.” “Ah.” The Pegasus considered this for a moment. “Just as well, I suppose.” He raised his right forehoof, and the blade attached to it opened outwards with an ominous snick. The Pegasus punched forward and buried the blade deep in the base of a Guardspony’s skull, just underneath the helmet. Captain Millstone stared at Cloudchaser in shock. “Just what the Hell d’you think you’re--” he started to bellow. Without saying another word, Cloudchaser extended the blade on his left hoof and pressed the spring release system. The blade sailed into Millstone’s open mouth and stuck in the back of his throat. The Captain staggered towards Cloudchaser, coughing around the blade lodged firmly in his throat: it took a great deal to kill an Earth Pony. The Pegasus simply shrugged and launched himself at the Captain, grabbed him by the head, and slammed him into the bole of a nearby tree. The Captain’s head burst with a sickening crunch, and Cloudchaser turned to the three remaining Royal Guards and Twilight Sparkle. The whole thing had happened in the blink of an eye, and Twilight stared blankly at the two corpses that had, only seconds earlier, been living, breathing ponies. From the looks on their faces, her remaining Royal Guards were in a similar state. Cloudchaser wasn’t even breathing heavily, and from the look on his face, he might as well have just finished some boring but necessary chore. “Twilight, you need to run,” Jubilee said. “Smart Set, take her and get out of here.” A Unicorn nodded and gestured towards her. Jubilee readied his spear, while the other unicorn enveloped his own blades in a telekinetic field and raised them in preparation for combat. Cloudchaser raised an eyebrow, as if he was surprised that the Royal Guards were about to offer him a fight. “We’ll meet up with you soon. Right now, you just need to get to the rendezvous.” Twilight gulped and took off, Smart Set running alongside her. The sound of combat soon rang out from behind her. It ended about fifteen seconds later. Twilight didn’t particularly care to dwell on what that might have meant, so she just kept running until a serpentine shape shot out from a particularly dense copse of trees to her left. The figure coiled itself around Smart Set, and it was with no small amount of astonishment that Twilight realized she could recognize Cloudchaser’s features in the serpent, from the coloration to the wings to the face, unchanged save for the two dirk-like fangs that protruded from its upper jaw. The monster sank its fangs into her last guard’s neck and latched on firmly, holding its fangs in Smart Set until the Unicorn wrapped a large rock in a magic field and slammed it into Cloudchaser’s head. The creature hissed and launched itself back, releasing Smart Set. The Unicorn staggered upright and began casting one of the combat spells. Cloudchaser, meanwhile, was enveloped in emerald flames and began losing mass and gaining a pony-like shape, one instantly recognizable as the enemy that had come within a hair’s breadth of conquering Equestria six years ago. “Changeling,” Twilight whispered in horror. The Changeling simply stood motionless and watched as Smart Set swayed back and forth, the spell field flickering in and out of existence, until the Unicorn finally collapsed in the snow and stopped breathing. Cloudchaser then turned his gaze on Twilight. “Now then, Twilight Sparkle, can we simply say that you are coming with us and avoid any further unpleasantries?” The Changeling spoke with a deep, soothing voice completely at odds with its appearance. “Or will we have to engage in physical hostilities until you are rendered incapable of resistance, followed by capture at the hands of my lord and brother?”
Chapter 3“How do you know my name?” Twilight asked, stalling for time while her mind desperately looked for a way out. The Changeling continued looking at her impassively. “Really, Twilight Sparkle, that is what you are focusing on right now?” It was a very foolish question, her ever-present companion stated with dry amusement. If you’re not going to help me, don’t say anything. Twilight looked back and forth, sidling away from the body of Smart Set and trying to conjure up some magic to help her. Purple sparks shot from her horn and the spell never materialized. Not now! “What is this?” Cloudchaser tilted his head to the side quizzically. “Are you really going to fight? Or shall I say, attempt to fight? You certainly don’t seem to be able to do… anything.” Emerald flames limned the Changeling’s body again. Limbs extended and developed far too many joints, hole-filled claws grew from the tips of its legs, gossamer wings shrank and disappeared, and the body itself thickened and grew overlapping, chitinous scales until it was thrice her size. Twilight redoubled her efforts, concentrating with all her ability on a spell that would strike the Changeling down. Nothing happened, just like it always did. “Honestly, this is pathetic.” The Changeling stared blankly at her with those cold, dead blue eyes. Twilight looked back, feeling utterly helpless in the face of danger yet again. Her companion laughed spitefully, savoring the terror assailing her mind. So that’s what it feels like from this side. Oh, come now, child. We both know what you’re going to do. It’s the only thing you can do, after all. Cloudchaser continued staring at her, its body tensing in anticipation. Twilight broke and ran. She made it about four feet before the Changeling sprang forward, grabbed her by her throat, and slammed her up against a tree. “What was the point of that?” The Changeling frowned, exposing a teeth filled with razor-sharp fangs. “Why not simply surrender, and save yourself the effort? I cannot for the life of me figure out why my Hive was sent to capture you. It is not because you have any potential for fighting.” Truer than he knows. Twilight’s companion laughed again. “So it has to be something inside your head.” Cloudchaser continued looking at her while Twilight battered at its limb in a vain attempt to loosen its grasp. Once again, truer than he knows! “So I suppose that you do not need to be… wholly intact.” The monster’s lips curled upwards with a dark and savage joy, though it retained the same impassive tone. “I can simply remove your limbs and wait for my lord to rejoin me. Yes, I think that is the simplest course of action.” The Changeling brought its arm back and extended dagger-like claws while Twilight continued to struggle. Cloudchaser brought its arm down with a whistling noise emanating from the holes in its limb. Its claws were about to impact when a cyan bolt slammed into its side and the monster was hurled violently away from Twilight, who fell to the ground and lay in the snow, coughing. “Who dares interrupt my revelry?” The Changeling asked with irritation in its voice. Twilight realized, with a start, that this was the first time any sort of emotion had tinged Cloudchaser’s words. Its only answer was another bolt impacting on its rear left leg with a loud crack, snapping the limb in two. This time, Twilight was able to see the a Pegasus wearing plain blue flyer’s armor and tinted flight goggles flare out her wings, flip herself supine in midair, rebound off a tree, and launch a kick as she passed the Changeling that took Cloudchaser on the left side of its face. The Changeling’s left eye exploded in a spray of ocular fluid and the skull deformed, and then the Pegasus was past and skidding to a halt near Twilight Sparkle. Cloudchaser collapsed in the snow, and the Pegasus looked at Twilight. “Hi,” she said as if they were passersby meeting on the street. Her rescuer extended a hoof, Twilight grabbed it, and the Pegasus hauled her to her hooves. “Name’s Lightning Dust. You?” Twilight stared past her at the Changeling’s body. “You’ve never fought a Changeling, have you?” “Nope. Did pretty well for my first time, if I do say so myself.” Lightning Dust replied smugly, jutting her chest out and striking a pose. “Impressive, huh?” “You’re not supposed to stop fighting.” Twilight said numbly. “Huh?” “Changelings like that, the ones who can take combat-tailored forms. You aren’t supposed to stop fighting them until you completely destroy the head or torso. Otherwise…” The young pony trailed off as Cloudchaser jerkily rose to its legs –it once again had both of its hind legs, Twilight noticed. The Changeling hissed as the green fire of its race enveloped its body once again. Lightning hastily wheeled around and stared as, over the next few seconds, the Changeling increased its already considerable mass and armor. Chitin flowed over the head and covered its mouth, nostrils, and eyes, leaving only narrow slits for the Changeling to see and breathe out of. At the end, the Changeling stood with two slightly shorter hind legs, a pair of extremely long front arms that were currently resting on the grounds, and thorn-like scales protruding from random parts of its armor. “Otherwise they’ll just regenerate when you stop damaging them.” Twilight swallowed nervously, and Lightning looked slightly less confident than she had a moment before. “So… what’s your name?” “Twilight Sparkle.” “So, Twilight, you’re some sort of Special Operations veteran, right? Probably a sorceress that can blow up buildings with a thought?” “Nope.” “Line veteran, at least?” “Nope.” “Recruit just out of Basic?” “’Fraid not.” “Can you actually fight? Like, at all?” “No.” Twilight felt a hot flush spreading over her face. “Sorry.” “So… why is this guy after you?” “I was just asking her that very thing.” Cloudchaser chuckled. The two ponies stared at the monster, astonished that it was actually laughing. The Changeling noticed the funny looks they were giving him. “My Hive is capable of feeling amusement at coincidence, much in the same manner as you. Now, shall we give battle? Or do you wish to attempt yet another futile withdrawal?” “Twilight, was it?” Lightning looked at the young pony. “Yeah?” “How do you know so much about Changelings?” “I read a lot.” “Uh huh. Got any other advice if I’m gonna fight this guy?” “They can shift forms quickly and adapt to their opponents, but if you’re fast enough, they won’t have enough time to regenerate damage. But where there’s one Changeling, there are usually more nearby, so it would be really, really nice if you could… kill,” Twilight swallowed, “kill him quickly.” “No sweat.” Lightning launched herself at Cloudchaser and launched another blindingly fast kick at its head. This time, the blow glanced off the thickened armor coating the Changeling’s head, though the force of it was still enough to make the Changeling stagger. The Changeling lashed out with one of its forearms. Lightning Dust dodged nimbly out of the way and the blow smashed through some low-hanging branches. The Pegasus dashed out of sight behind a thicket before reappearing from a different angle far from her original position before blasting through Cloudchaser’s forearm, shattering the limb near the shoulder and detaching it in a spray of blue ichor. The Changeling hissed in pain and the limb soon regrew. Twilight took a moment to marvel at the Pegasus’ speed, then returned to her attempts at spellcasting. Even as the fight continued, the best she was able to manage was a few purple sparks shooting from her horn: she couldn’t even levitate a pebble to help Lightning Dust, and she already knew how any attempt at fighting Cloudchaser up close would end. After several more exchanges, which always ended with Cloudchaser missing Lightning, receiving a blow or two in reply, and hastily regenerating whatever relatively superficial damage the Pegasus had been able to inflict, Twilight saw another pony lurking in cover of the trees around the edges of the fight. For a moment, Twilight thought it was an Alicorn: the figure was large, flying, and had a distinct horn atop its head. Almost as soon as she saw it, though, Twilight realized that was highly unlikely: for a start, the only known Alicorns were both in Canterlot. For another, this pony’s horn was firmly attached to what appeared to be a silver skull being used as a champron. Twilight felt a momentary sense of horror as she looked at the pony’s armor. It appeared to be a black-winged Pegasus wearing a suit of black iron armor that covered its entire body save for its wings: the suit had silver-embossed bones coating it. The upper half of a unicorn’s skull was being used as a champron, while detached rib bones were fused into the breastplate. It looked as though an entire pony’s skeleton had been dipped in silver and attached to a suit of black iron. A lance was resting in the crook of its right foreleg, and the pony seemed to be looking for an angle on the fight taking place in front of Twilight. Silly girl. Tiwlight shook herself to her senses. That’s probably just steel decoration. No one would actually use a pony’s skeleton to make armor. And yet, what sort of pony would willingly appear to desecrate another’s remains in such a manner? Her companion asked. Twilight had no response to that, and it didn’t matter. The newcomer launched himself skyward with a mighty sweep of his wings, lowered his lance, and streaked downward just as Lightning Dust disengaged from another exchange with Cloudchaser. The Changeling, its full attention fixated on the cyan Pegasus, did not see the blow from above until the newcomer had slammed his lance square in the Changeling’s back. The weapon punched through Cloudchaser’s carapace with a dull crunch, continued through, burst out the Changeling’s chest, and carried on until the lance head shattered against the ground. The black-winged Pegasus leveled out and slammed a heavily armored forearm into the Changeling’s head as he passed, cracking the chitin. Cloudchaser shrieked in agony and writhed on the ground, reverting to a more pony-like form as emerald flames blazed and flesh sublimated off. The newcomer glided to a halt next to Lightning Dust and Twilight. “I was afraid that I wasn’t going to get the chance to use that on this mission,” he said as Cloudchaser staggered to its feet, the splintered lance still lodged in its chest. “How are you this fine morn, Corporal Dust?” “Heya, Storm. Apparently, we’re supposed to-“ “We’re supposed to continue attacking until the Changeling’s torso or head has been destroyed. Care to do the honors?” Lightning Dust nodded launched herself at the Changeling once again. Cloudchaser was barely able to generate a thin layer of chitinous armor before Lightning dashed it to the ground and began furiously raining blows on its head. Once, twice, thrice: with the fourth punch, the Changeling’s armor gave way and its head caved in. Lightning landed another few blows, further shattering the head, and then looked at the ichor covering her hands. “Geh.” She grimaced and wiped her hooves in the snow before trotting over and removing her flight goggles. “So, why aren’t you with the rest, Storm?” The Pegasus –now that he was up close, Twilight noticed that his eyes were covered by plates of some material the same shade of silver as the bones on his armor- gestured at the tableau in front of them with a wing. “I was ordered ahead as soon as I reported back in. Apparently, the Sergeant doesn’t trust you to act alone. I can’t possibly imagine why,” Storm said with a dry sarcasm. “And good thing, too. That was a Changeling Commander. Wonderbolts, while they’re good at quite a lot of things, are not ideal against enemies that can’t be worn down over time.” Twilight stared at Lightning Dust. “You’re a Wonderbolt?” “Hardly!” Storm laughed out loud. Lightning glared furiously at her comrade. “But if Lightning doesn’t want to get into that now, I shan’t either. Besides which, we have more urgent matters to attend to. Lightning, you realize that we have been separated in an area with a known Changeling presence?” “Yep,” Lightning sighed. “Shoot.” “What did I give you last Nightmare Night?” “A black eye.” Lightning looked very sour at that. “Where is the Ossuary?” Storm suddenly turned very, very rigid. “Not on your life, Lightning,” he whispered in a voice so low it was almost a hiss. “Or on mine. Pick another one.” “Fine.” Lightning gestured at an amulet affixed just above the sternum of the ribcage on Storm’s breastplate. “What’s that?” “A reliquary.” “And how many are in it?” “Two.” “Alrighty then.” Lightning nodded. “Now that we know we’re us and not a Changeling, introductions. Storm, this is Twilight Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle, this is Storm.” Storm politely inclined his head at Twilight, and Twilight gestured at his armor. “Nice… um… armor. It’s very… intimidating.” “Thank you,” Storm nodded. “I am sure that my battle-brothers would thank you as well, were they present in soul as well as body and spirit.” Twilight looked at him oddly for a few moments until she fully realized what he had just said. The young Unicorn inhaled sharply and backpedaled furiously, stopping only when she slammed her back up against a tree. Her companion, meanwhile, was laughing maniacally inside her head. “Those- are- actual- bones?” she panted out between short, sharp gasps. Storm chuckled with dark humor. “Soldiers of the Regiment serve unto and past death. Integrating the bones of the fallen into our armor was the most reasonable course of action.” Storm spoke with a matter-of-fact tone, as if discussing nothing more controversial than the weather. Lightning Dust rolled her eyes. “Sorry about that, Twilight. Storm is… weird. He’s on our side, though.” “Of course I am.” Storm actually sounded indignant at the mere suggestion that he might not be. “We have more important things to discuss right now than armor design, however. Would you happen to be ‘Tansy’?” Twilight blinked rapidly. “You’re wearing bones. Actual bones. As armor.” “You’re remarkably quick on the uptake, aren’t you? Tansy. Are you or are you not, and if you are not, do you know anything about it?” Storm was starting to sound impatient. Next to him, Lightning Dust shrugged as if to say what can you do? Twilight gulped again. “I think that I’m Tansy. They don’t tell me a lot.” “I assume you were in Granite Springs when it was attacked?” Twilight nodded mutely. The events of the day, one after another, had piled on each other until she was numb inside to any more shocks. Mercifully, her companion was staying silent. It probably meant that Twilight was in for a truly horrendous time later, but right now she was grateful for the relative peace. Storm nodded, once, firmly. “We can’t separate. Where there’s one Changeling, there’s more, and they’ll be looking for you. We need to move, and fast. You can fill us in while we go.” Storm turned to leave, then turned his head around and looked at Twilight, who was staring at the bodies on the ground. “That means now, Twilight. Move.” Storm’s order cracked her out of her reverie. “Smart Set. The other Guards. We can’t just leave them-“ “We can and we are,” Storm interrupted. “Exigencies of combat.” Lightning gave Twilight an apologetic look. “Sorry, Twilight. Nothing we can do. He’s right.” “Changelings have a link" Storm explained. "If this one had fellow Hive-members nearby, they all know where you are.” “I know how Changelings work.” Twilight snapped. “Wonderful. Then move!” Twilight glared at him, but began trotting out nevertheless.
