The silence was the worst part.

She couldn't hear anything beyond her own ragged breath now, broken only by the occasional drip drip of her blood hitting the floor. Like the whole world was focused on how her life was steadily slipping away. Normally a cut like that wouldn't have been too troubling but after Chrysalis had dug around in it, on top of everything else she'd endured in the last few hours...Her chest fur felt warm and slick but the rest of it felt cold, her heart was pounding as it fought to get the blood back from her legs and to where it was needed, her vision was hazy as her body focused less on keeping her senses sharp and more on trying to stay alive. It couldn't get much worse than this.

Until the moment it did.

A pair of black figures approached her, most likely more changelings. She couldn't focus enough to hear what they were saying. Then more of them appeared before her. One of them said something, fuzzy but she could make out a single word.

"Crash."

She slowly lifted her head an inch, trying to look at them with what strength she could spare. Even through the current mess her mind was in, she knew no changeling would call her that. Then two of them stepped up to her and placed their heads to her back hooves, one lighting up yellow, the other white. After a few seconds she felt the goo around her hooves weakening and they came free, dangling with little energy in them. The two lights moved up to her wings and did the same, though it was impossible to get all of it off. Even though she could barely move after everything that had happened, she was figuring what it meant.

Her friends were there.

"Is she safe to move down?"

"No, I have to stop the bleeding first."

Aurora nodded and stepped back as Healing Wave got onto her back hooves and reached up enough for her horn to reach Rainbow Dash's chest. Put simply, the pegasus was in terrible condition and barely conscious. At least four bruises were visible on her head and chest, likely more under her armour. Fresh blood was visible on the wall right behind her head. Her right eye was swollen slightly from a close hit and her breaths were slow. The worst visible injury was her chest though, while not deep it was still bleeding freely, blood running down her stomach and dripping onto the floor. As Wave went to work though, that flow became a thin trickle, then stopped altogether as she managed to stem the worst of it.

With nothing to do as she worked, Aurora looked back to make sure the exit back toward the hive was still clear. Cipher and Flash Sentry were keeping watch on the way out for now, Bulwark hanging off to one side to make himself less conspicuous and Ymir hanging back and watching Wave work. Though she wasn't quite able to express herself quite as well as a pony, the look she was giving at the sight of Rainbow's condition was clear enough.

"Cypi...?" She said quietly to herself, tearing her eyes away from the sight and blinking away unshed tears. Aurora went over and put a hoof on her shoulder.

"This isn't the first time they've met, that's why," He explained. "Rainbow Dash got off lightly though, she only fought the changelings last time. If it had been my mother in this situation..."

"Yes...Even if she is mother, she must stop." Ymir said, more to herself than anything. Aurora raised an eyebrow but decided not to press the issue.

"Don't worry, you'll be getting out of here with us." He reassured her, backing it up with another quick hug to give her a boost of energy. He didn't know why it worked so well, but she did look perkier after he did that.

"We're all getting out of here," Wave interjected. "Speaking of, we can get her down now, little help?"

Aurora nodded and went back to Rainbow, aiming at the goo around her front left hoof and firing his magic, carefully burning it away the same as he had before. Wave did the same on the other side, the only sound from either of them being the faint, two-toned whine of constant magic output. Several seconds passed before Rainbow began to drop, her weight too much for the remaining goo to hold. Aurora quickly moved to keep her from falling straight to the floor and with Wave's help, they managed to get her down gently.

"How bad is it?" Cipher asked, glancing back at them.

"Blood loss is a concern, and given she seems to have been in that position for some time I'm worried about blood pooling in her legs. Right now I want to wait a minute, see if her circulation picks up again."

"Alright, it's still quiet out here, we can spare a few moments."

"So, what's our exit plan?" Flash asked quietly, glancing round the exit, the quiet putting him further on edge.

"Wall will carry Crash as we slip out the way we came. Ymir will then guide us back toward the nearest exit to the mountain. Soon as we're clear, Soul'll teleport out and alert command that we're ready to be recovered again."

"With respect sir, why not have him go now?" Bulwark asked quietly.

"Three reasons," Cipher explained. "One, if we got into trouble while he was gone, we'd be a pony down and he'd be returning to a warzone where he'd be attacked before he was ready. Second, the only ponies he could bring back with him are those who could get us out just as quickly and I'd rather not risk any of the princesses like that. Third..." He looked back toward Ymir, who was doing her best to explain the potential effects of changeling wounds to Wave. "We need everypony at their best if we're going to do this, and I can already tell she's only at hers when he's here."

"Speaking of which..." Bulwark looked over at Ymir as Wave shooed her away once the explanation was over so she could keep working. "Ymir? What did you plan to do when we're out of the mountain?"

"Return home," She replied simply. "Changeling home. If welcome, will try and make new life. If not...May try Equestria."

"We'd have to get out of here first for that," Wave commented, standing up and shaking her head to wave the faint smoke around her horn away. "Speaking of, she's as safe to move as we're going to get. Blood's going back to where it should be and her pulse is stronger, but I can only do so much with our supplies. If I'm honest...I don't think she's going to make it without proper medical attention."

"Ok," Cipher turned to check everypony was ready to go. "Wave, Wall, prep Crash for transport. Everypony else, up front."

"Wh...What about me?" Rainbow's voice came up weakly as the injured mare turned her head slightly, finally gaining enough coherence to respond to the world around her.

"You just try and relax, doctor's orders." Wave told her. Though it wasn't visible, the tone of voice she used at the sight of her friend being more responsive buoyed up everypony's mood slightly.

"Okay, sounds good...Has anypony seen my helmet?"

"Got it right here." Flash trotted over and showed it to his friend. Rainbow raised an eyebrow slightly at the damage done to it but was too weak to question it. He lifted her head up slightly and slid it back onto her, making sure not to aggravate any of her cuts or bruises. It would be at least some extra protection while they were on the way out, just in case.

With that done, Bulwark came over and crouched down while Flash and Wave carefully lifted Rainbow onto his back, making sure not to put any unnecessary pressure on her chest while he stood up and settled his precious cargo into place. The team then got into their formation for heading out. Cipher, Aurora and Ymir at the front, Bulwark and Rainbow in the middle, Flash and Wave holding the rear. There was a small clear space between the exit and the first areas of the hive where the dwellings sat, enough for all of them to be in the open for a few seconds. As soon as the last hoof left the tunnel, an echoing sound that seemed to come from everywhere made them hesitate. Rainbow raised her head slightly and tensed.

She'd heard that sound before. That chuckle.

"Is this really all Equestria can send against me?" Chrysalis' voice echoed around them in mock disappointment. "I'd be offended if it wasn't so sad."

Before any of them could react, the air was filled with the droning of wings as hundreds, possibly thousands of changelings appeared from hiding. Behind the dwellings, from within the darkness above, even from out of the tunnels. The ponies had no clear route except back they way they'd come, into the dead end. Ymir froze up like a petrified rabbit, knowing there was no way she could explain herself out of this one. The others dropped into fighting poses, waiting for any kind of response. Even as they watched, Chrysalis herself hovered down from the darkness above, flanked by a pair of armoured changelings and smirking darkly.

"Did you really think I would leave my guards where they could be seen? Such arrogance, no wonder your kind don't deserve this..." Chrysalis' monologue was cut short as she noticed Ymir standing next to Aurora and her former condescension was replaced by cold hard fury. "You...DARE to coerce one of my children to stand amongst you?!"

"We-" Cipher started, only to be cut off as Chrysalis fired a beam of magic at his forelegs, the stallion barely rearing up in time to avoid it. The beam hit the ground under his stomach and left a sizeable scorch mark that glowed slightly from the sheer energy the attack contained.

"You know, it really doesn't matter what you say now," She continued, staring Cipher down. "You can't run, you can't fight, all you can do now is stand down and be what you were born to be; Food for my changelings. More are coming, all will see you fight fruitlessly before your love becomes fuel for the new destiny that awaits this world!"

The team moved a little closer together, the droning in the air getting louder as they did. Chrysalis looked back toward the tunnels, clearly expecting reinforcements. Many of the other changelings were hissing and snarling at the ponies, the smaller breed slowly joining them. They didn't look happy to be entering though and some were even being forced to enter by their larger brethren. For several seconds, the standoff held. Then a burst of green light from one of the tunnels above drew everyone's attention, just in time to see a changeling come spiralling out of the tunnel, trailing smoke and one of its front legs broken. Even as they watched, it plummeted into the hive and smashed into a dwelling, bouncing off it with a crunch and coming down again, dead before it hit the floor.

Before anypony could process what had just happened, each of them perked slightly as their comms came to life again.

"Hey, I hope you all can hear me," Water Flare said quickly as she stepped out from behind the cover she'd used while Thorax had cleared the way. "Flow to all Task Force Harmony units, backup is coming your way. Any changelings that aren't light blue are on our side. I repeat, only attack the light blue ones...I met my first team member on May twenty-second, Year Four."

"Is broadcasting information like that wise?" Thorax asked as he motioned for another wave of his changelings to advance. Most of the allied changelings, as Flare had taken to calling them, were now moving from the nearby mountains and pushing into Chrysalis' hive from all directions while a detachment were sweeping the mountain to strike isolated changelings and possibly locate the rest of her team.

"My friends need to know it's really me and not one of them." She replied as she followed him. Her injury was healing faster than she'd expected and while she still walked with a limp, she could stand on the leg if she needed to. Even as she said it she twitched her ear as a reply started to come through, quiet and slightly broken up.

"Flow, this is Buddy, we h...you. You...limit of range but we hear you."

"We? Some of the others are with you?" She asked, unable to hide her enthusiasm.

"Yes, but...o me Flare, do not try...oser! We're surrounded, changelings are swarming in ever...even recognise these new...what they're capable of."

"Sir, just stay down, they're on our side, I promise."

"...Say again?"

"Hopefully this'll convince you," She said, stepping closer to Thorax as they exited the tunnel and entered the hive. The air before them was filled with Thorax's changelings, facing down Chrysalis' changelings that had been pushed back to the other side of the hive by the increase in numbers. Chrysalis herself was hovering in the middle of her forces, looking deeply perturbed at the sudden appearance of the allied changelings. Off to the side, deep in the enemy line, was the rest of Task Force Harmony, bunkered down by another exit. "Hi guys!"

"Flare?" Bulwark's voice came through as his unmistakable figure looked back at her, drawing the attention of the others as well.

"Ok, I don't doubt that it's you," Cipher continued. "But now the comms are working, you mind explaining what's going on?"

"Well in brief, Chrysalis is just a nutcase that even other changelings hate. Thorax here is the real ruler of the changelings and everyone not wearing light blue is here to bring her down. They're the ones that saved my flank so, I think we're good."

"Alright, keep your head down and get to us if you can. Crash is already wounded and-"

Cipher was cut off by a low snarl as Flare turning her gaze toward Chrysalis. Even though it was too far to see her expression, there was no doubt that she was staring pure murder at the rogue changelings. Thorax had a similarly thunderous look on his face as he began speaking to the assembled forces, his voice carrying throughout the cavern to every one of the thousands of changelings present. The allied changelings, no matter where they were standing or hovering, were keeping their eyes locked on their opponents. The rogue changelings seemed wary of their situation, both due to the fact that they were now outnumbered and their king's speech.

"...Anypony getting a word of this?" Flash asked quietly as Thorax kept speaking. The others all looked over at Aurora and Ymir instantly.

"He says this stops here," Ymir translated in brief. "King Thorax of Outlani is offering a chance for the Borealis rebels to surrender. Any who give up now will not be harmed and treated fairly when they return...Home."

The atmosphere was tense as Thorax finished speaking and looked over the two forces, his expression softening, his smile more genuine. Ymir looked over at a dozen or so smaller changelings near her, Marlos among them. He looked back at her hopefully before taking off, the whole group heading toward the allied lines, their intent to surrender clear. She watched them, looking like she was going to take off and follow them, when a concentrated beam of green magic shot across her vision and tore into the airborne group. Some of them were killed instantly when hit, others that only took partial hits had limbs, wings and internal organs vaporised by the pure energy of the attack. Within a second of their taking off, every one of them and any allied changelings unlucky enough to be behind them were dropping to the floor, those still alive clearly suffering lethal wounds. Thorax recoiled slightly in shock at the sudden attack and looked over at the only being in the room who could have performed it.

"Hekka kecka loselen!?!" Chrysalis roared to her changelings as the glow around her horn faded, pure venom in her voice. "Banda, nin illiop cua zedaf gaio wellack. Cida ossusae ma's cida cua meko!"

"You'll do neither." Aurora told Ymir gently as he imposed himself between her and Chrysalis.

Their focus was drawn again as Chrysalis roared a battle cry and her changelings charged the allied forces. Thorax gritted his teeth and signalled for his changelings to counter-charge. Both sides collided at the center of the hive, thousands of changelings firing bolts of magic and baring fangs as they committed to the fight. The air seemed to become green fire, fire that tore into stone, chitin and flesh without mercy. The team promptly pulled back into the cave behind them as battle was joined, cries of war and pain filling the air behind them. Here, they had some cover for now but it wouldn't last long.

"Zel zel zel zel..." Ymir whimpered, pressing herself against Aurora as he kept supporting her. "Ka sanko nel'ba gaio..."

"Nin piasa," He told her gently, opening his mouthplate and nuzzling her gently. It felt like nuzzling a rough stone. "I'm gonna get you out of here, I promise."

"I...I know." She said quietly after a few moments.

"Okay, we need to change the plan a little," Cipher commented as he glanced back out at the battlefield. "Stable, how's Crash looking?"

"Still here." Rainbow Dash replied weakly from Bulwark's back, though she sounded a little put out at not being asked directly.

"Still stable for now, but I really don't think we can risk waiting this out. Who knows how long this battle will last." Healing Wave said as she checked her over.

"Alright, we're going to change the formation," Cipher looked round at each of his teammates and one changeling ally as he spoke. "I'll carry Crash out of here."

"You sure you can manage it, sir?" Wave asked.

"Last I checked I was still an earth pony, I'll be fine. Wall will go out first and clear us a path, Zippy will make sure we don't have any unwelcome threats flying in above us. I'll go next with Crash and Stable. Soul, Ymir, you two watch our backs until we get out of the hive area."

"We won't let you down." Aurora replied simply as he refitted his mouthplate, Ymir nodding in cautious agreement. Before they could go any further in the planning, the sounds of fighting getting closer drew their attention back toward the entrance.

After a few moments, a rogue changeling female staggered into view, blood pouring from the left side of her face from where a good chuck of her helmet had been impaled in her eye. A set of hind legs shot in from out of view and bucked the changeling in the jaw, throwing its head back and driving the chuck of armour in deeper. The body crumpled as the force of the blow knocked her over backwards and to the ground with a solid thump. The attacker stepped into view afterward, none other than Water Flare.

"Anypony have any spare water? I kind of lost all mine." She panted as she joined the others. Cipher checked his bags and found he had a spare bottle and passed to her, watching as she took a long drink.

"After last time I saw you, well, it's good to see you alive." He told her, unable to keep the relief out of his voice.

"I'm glad to be alive too, I took a few hits on the way here." She said as she finished and passed the bottle back. She wasn't kidding either, the EDF logo on her shoulder had been burned away by a magic strike, though it hadn't come close to penetrating her armour. Another attack seemed to have hit the left side of her chest, considering how all three layers of armour were torn off and a sealed wound as visible, the fur around it matted and sticky.

"Damn...I'd ask what happened to you but, we can't afford to waste any more time. Stick to my flank while I'm carrying Rainbow out and make sure nothing gets close.

"Yes sir!" Flare snapped a quick salute as Bulwark carefully lowered Rainbow onto Cipher's back and took position. "Thorax said that his forces would try to cover us if he could but it's insane out there. We might be on our own."

"Alright, stay together, keep your heads down, and hold nothing back if you have to fight. Go on my mark and in one second intervals," Cipher told the team as he adjusted to Rainbow's weight on his back. "And...Go!"

Bulwark gave a low grunt and rushed out into the fray first, Flash Sentry taking to the air to do what he could. A second later Cipher, Flare and Wave went next, doing their best to keep Rainbow protected. Aurora looked to Ymir and gave her a last, supportive nod. He was going to be looking out for her as much as the others on this run. As the final second passed they looked forward and ran out into the battlefield. As Flare had warned, battle was fully joined between Thorax and Crysalis' forces. The fire that seemed to have replaced the air in the hive had only intensified over the past few minutes. The hive was packed with changelings of both sides, pursuing each other, firing beams that painted the entire cavern in a sickly green glow, or just straight up trying to tear each other apart with their fangs and hooves. The fighting was taking place on the ground as well and he was forced to throw up a shield almost immediately as a stray bolt came straight for him. The changeling responsible hadn't even been aiming for him, locked in a duel with a silver eyed changeling.

As Aurora kept running, a trio of changelings shot over his head too fast to identify. As he glanced up at the distraction, another rogue changeling swooped at him from above, growling as it bared its fangs. He tensed and fired a white burst of magic that struck the changeling in the chest before it could react, blowing it skyward again. He didn't have time to see how effective it had been though as he focused forward again, Ymir appearing at his right side as they rounded a dwelling and approached the path back to the ledge. Ahead of them, Flare was starting to drop out of formation due to her injury and Wave was helping her along, firing a concentrated beam of her yellow tinted magic that pierced a nearby changeling's throat, burning clean through and dealing a fatal blow.

At the front of the formation, Bulwark was still clearing the way in his own fashion. Two allied changelings had joined Flash in keeping pressure off him from above, allowing him to focus on what he was doing. Right now a trio of rogue changelings were blocking his path, firing desperately as he charged them. Their magic impacted fruitlessly against his armour and before they could move he was upon them. A firm swing of his hoof sent two of them flailing back onto the path like bowling pins, the unlucky third was caught on his leg and crushed between it and the wall, its chest bones crunching under the force of the impact before it dropped to the floor.

Back at his position, Aurora tensed as he saw a changeling with purple eyes and shell back into view from around a dwelling before dropping dead, a smoking hole burnt into its forehead. The momentum meant the body had fallen in his way and he jumped it, looking at the way it had come as he did. The world seemed to freeze around him as he realised that a sizeable changeling male was right there, similar to the one he had originally killed aside from being covered in deep blue changeling armour, and it was coming right at him. He couldn't evade, even teleporting would take too long to charge up at this range. Then out of the corner of his eye, he saw another coming in and tackling his attacker.

Ymir.

The world returned to normal as his hooves made contact with the ground again and he span round quickly as a mess of dust and limbs skidded to a halt next to him. Ymir's interception had thrown the changeling off balance and it had come down in a confused mess by the wall of the cavern. She had managed to stay on top of it and was punching and biting at any exposed spots she could reach, snapping her fangs at its throat to force it onto the defensive. Aurora quickly rushed in to support her, firing his magic at spots she wasn't hitting and slugging it until it stopped moving under their combined attacks.

"Torbi." He panted as he looked from the unconscious attacker to Ymir, who was panting hard but looked proud of herself for managing to protect him.

"Yees cuaa," She said back to him, smiling happily at seeing him safe and turning to get off the body. "Fellaz, nom-"

A look of pure fear flashed Ymir's eyes before a bolt of green struck her square in the right side of her chest, she didn't even have time to scream before the force of the attack blasted her into the wall behind her. The second impact killed any further sounds she was making as she dropped to the floor and lay there, unmoving.

Author's Note

As anyone who's read Heart and Mind or White Phoenix will tell you, I have a habit of making my finales far longer chapters than I can normally muster. In this case my final draft came to 8,265 words for this chapter, so I broke it up to try and better pace things. The cliffhanger was an unexpected bonus.

Do you prefer it as such or would having it as one piece worked better? Please let me know!