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         Tales, from the Book Of Blood & Shadows.          
                     -by Nero_Zolfte-                      
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ARC1; The castle of the Venvo Cult. PT1; Departure & Arrival.
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ARC1; The castle of the Venvo Cult. PT1; Departure & Arrival.
"When it all ends, is where it shall all begin again. And what can not be prevented. Will be."~Ghandahar lightyears. Changeling philosopher.
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Shining Armor still had the 1000yard stare. His breathing slow. Most of his armor had been ripped away or thrown off in the haste to get out. He dared not turn back to that charnal house he and the changeling had survived. The changeling was not doing much better, well its basic vest was still wearable save some claw marks. Its arctic stealth jumpsuit had been ripped away a bit so it could better Nursing its leg wound with its magic, well holding the high powered bolt action rifle. But finally not pointed at Shining but down the burnt-blood scorched tunnel. Still hyper ventilating waiting for another one of those "THINGS" to come screeching towards them.
"Did we get em all!?" The insectoid equine asked in a mild panic. "I said DID WE GET THEM ALL SHINING~?!"The yell broke his stupor. For a second he turned back to the smoking archway and in an instant his mind was flooded with the memories of that haunted night. He turned away and shuddered before finally vomiting. Something he had wanted to do since first entering that fucking fortress outpost. Gagging as he tried to wipe the smell of gunpowder blood and bile from his palette and spitting up a small shard of loose tooth. "Yeah Mantis. We got em, I am sure we got em all."
It was all meant to be routine. It was never supposed to be like this. Those eyes. Those hateful eyes. He finally knew what she meant when she said "somethings that are best left to lay dreaming in the land where the dead go to die". He knew he could never speak of any of this to anyone save Celestia, and after his report he would kindly ask for his memory of the event to be magically removed and altered.
"Only one way to be sure Shining. We need to somehow sink this entire forsaken fucker into the sea. Destroy that gateway for good. Make sure no creature stupid enough to try and break the lock ever does it from this place again."
"Sadly Mantis I left my Megaspell bomb In my other pants." Levity was not helping his mood but the changeling sure seemed to get a laugh. Then its' face went grey, color draining from black as it looked skyward behind shining. Then shining heard it. The helicopters. Three of them. With the storm gone, the rescue evac team finally made it. Shining sighed. He had made it. Then he heard the sound of the bolt action.
The changeling had switched the safety on and tossed it at his feet. kneeling with his claws behind his head. "I guess this means your gonna let your buddies in those choppers shoot me now for being a spy.". The changeling was again sporting the same hateful sneer when it revealed its self in the medical lab. The look of someone who knows and eats betrayal and treachery for a daily diet.
Shining picked up the rifle and held it out for the changeling. "Go to your own evac point. As far as I am concerned you where a neutral party co-operating to assist me. Not a spy. Let this be a lesson to you Mantis. Not all ponies are evil"
The changeling grabbed the rifle and sneered again, but this one showing begruding respect. A respect only seen between brothers in arms who had survived death its self. It stood and slinging the rifle over its shoulder remarked "Ya know what Shining. Your pretty okay... for a mammal. You would a made a find soldier bug." and started to limp away going a bit faster each step as it focused it magic more on its leg. As it just crested around the corner of the ridge of the next bay over, the helicopters landed on the beach.
Medical ponies came out first to tend to Shinings injuries. As well as more royal guard soldiers Lead by Col. Burgger Bun. Some started toward the changeling but Shining yelled out. "leave it alone! Its probably flown 500miles away by now. Besides. It saved my life in there." And he point to the tunnel entrance. Some went towards the tunnel entrance but shining yelled. "DONT YOU DARE FUCKING GO IN THERE OR I WILL KILL YOU UNDER SPECIAL ORDER 77 OF THE CELESTIAL ROYAL MILITARY CODE FOR VIOLATION OF A CLASSIFIED AREA OF ENGAGEMENT!" the two soldiers who where making for the tunnel where absolutely horrified. Not by Shinings words but by his tone. He yelled with the fury of a buck who had escaped Tartarus.
Shining turned to Col. Burgger Buns. "Col. I can only give my report to Celestia as this mission is classified. But I swear to you right now, sir. We need to call down a megaspell bomb strike on this fortress full yield, nothing can be left standing, not a single solitary brick! There are things in there only she should know about." Burgger Buns swallowed hard in fear. He had never been stared down by such cold fierce eyes. If he had said no, he was half convinced shining would rip his throat out with his own teeth. The very terror and rage and hate seething of the poor buck was almost visible like heat. The Col. Nodded and gave the call for everyone to pack up and evacuate. There was nothing worth keeping here. Not if it could send a fine young soldier like shining armor into such a state.
As the helicopters lifted off from the frozen beach Shining could see a large oddly shaped black rock formation, it was almost torpedo shaped... and it seemed to be moving out of the next bay over breaking the ice. He squinted and saw a tiny green glowing speck waving. It was Mantis, The changeling agent had reached its evac point. Shining let out a small sigh of relief for his temporary ally as the submarine sank beneath the ice crusted beach cove.  For the first time since the entire horrid event began. He finally had a positive though. Maybe one day he would meet mantis again. Not as allies of inconvenience. But as friends.
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7days ago
"Shining armor! My best and brightest most valiant soldier!" Celestia was not looking happy inspite of her tone. She knew why she called him here. And was sure he did too. A very special mission that needed only the best, and she knew shining was THE BEST of the best.
"I am at your service princess." He bowed and knelt as was custom. She stood and sighed. "Shining. A few days ago I felt a very, strange and unwelcome sensation in the magical ties of our world. Something is trying to... "break in" I do not know what it is. Just that it can not be allowed to break the lock that keeps our world safe."
Shining was a bit confused. From her words it sounded like Tartarus was trying to be unlocked. But words like "Break in" and "The lock that keeps our world safe" didnt add up. He pressed the matter. "What do you mean my princess? This makes no sense. From the sound of it Tartarus is about to break open." He chuckled at the end. But Celestia wasn't laughing, she expected better from her best newest soldier. "There are rules to the world Shining. Rules that bind things beyond the mere sun&moon. Rules for somethings that are best left to lay dreaming in the land where the dead go to die. I am assigning you to a very important mission with the rest of my finest soldiers. You are to go to the Luna archipelago and discover what this strange disturbance is, and report back only to me. This mission is highly classified."
Shining nodded and moved to leave. As he did A small medallion was tossed before his hooves. It was a icon of discord of all things. "Sometimes reality can be a hindrance then an anchor. Keep it with you. You will know when to use it." As shining turned to ask why he was given the icon. He was momentarily blinded by a flash of light. Celestia was gone. He grabbed it flipping it like a coin between his fingers and admiring it. It was made of solid platinum with a single black-red ruby in where the eyes would be. He put it round his neck and made his way to the heliport where he would be taken to an aircraft carrier to join the new special squad he was assigned to be part of.
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7days ago.
Agent Mantis was the finest infiltrator assassin in the hive. The queens Chosen bug. Holding to no rank and no authority higher then her direct words. This one bug next to the queen held sway over all in its functions for her. And today was of prime importance. It was of course the agents week off. So to summon the Mantis must have signified a job of the highest urgency and discretion.
As it entered the throne room chrissy was standing infront of a table with the map of equestria laid out. All sorts of generals and advisors lesser bugs one and all bickering and trying to gain favor for there own military plans and ambitions. As soon as it entered they all fell silent. Chrissy waved them away. As they filed out all looked away from direct eye contact with Agent Mantis. Once it had disembowled one of the highest generals just for insulting the way it dressed. It was a machine chrissy knew was only at her command and if at any time needed, could deal with ANY problem the hive had. Or any request she demanded for the outside world.
"Agent mantis, my chosen bug. I have a very grave mission for you. I am sure you have "felt it" The oddness in the emotional spectrums." Chrissy like celestia could see the cosmic cords of reality. But where celestia binds that held the world, Chrissy saw limitations to be overcome. But even she knew somethings should stay tied down in cosmic chains and locked away.
Agent mantis knelt pressing its claws in fists to the obsidian floor. "I have my queen, and I have noticed others too, The balance is shifting to panic, pain and fear, Little larvea have nightmares. Young bugs seem to go insane with grief over the smallest mistake they make. Some is sapping our access to emotional stability."
Chrissy sighed, Mantis was too smart for its own good but never the over creative thinker when it came to the bigger picture. But knew enough she felt to tell it everything.
"As you know we changelings are bound to the emotional well being of the world, this is being put out of balance yes, but I do not know why and this my Chosen bug worries me. I have felt it not just in our hive but in multiple locations across the globe. Come hither I pray thee, stand chosen of the queen and look at the map."
As Mantis approached the map lit up Becoming a magical holographic 3D image with multiple spots popping up indicating odd activities in the emotional spectrum. "Pontypool, Demarkial, Ogden marsh, South zuganda basin, Goldrock national park. Yezcotlia city, The island of boratoa in the south sea... And... The voltaic islands to the Luna archipelago? I am sorry my queen but, well I do notice a pattern but I cant derive meaning from it. I am not a scholar just a soldier. If you be so kind as to enlighten me?" Mantis could see the pattern. Like a Rippling crack going from point to point like an eggshell. But there was no meaning. No site listed had anything remotely to do with the others' local people or cultures.
The queen smiled. When she did to Mantis it was like playing a arcade game it won a free play on all lights and bells and whistles. "I notice a pattern but cant a reason for it ether. That is why I need you Agent mantis. You will go to the most recent location of disturbance in the emotional spectrum. A particular Island in the Luna archipelago Off the coast of the crystal empire. You mission is simple. Find out what the disturbance is, record your findings and if you determine it to be a threat to our survival as a species, use any means needed to destroy it. Dismissed Agent Mantis"
Mantis bowed and turned to leave but as he reached for the door a medallion of discord landed at its feet. As Mantis picked it up he heard the echo of the queen in the chambers. "Remember with the spectrum out of alignment for all we know these creatures could beable to warp reality its self. Best to keep a little trump card. You will know when to use it I am sure."
Shrugging Mantis slipped the medallion into a pocket and hurried off to the docks where it would be ferried to the arctic submarine that would transport it to the operations location.
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"We never knew why they did what they did, just might as well, that it will have been and would be. What was will not, and what was not, will be. As it should"~~Ghandahar lightyears. Changeling philosopher.