The worm attack was already so long ago, a few weeks in fact, yet, I can still remember it like it was happening now. Funny isn't it, I never even bothered to find out more about me, and now, I want to learn more than I can find out. Yet, there were other things that I wanted to know even more and so, I was now busy asking Bell about her view and knowledge about the new world.

Auriel sat on a comfortable red pillow, that Chitin lent her, in front of Bell who looked at her furred friend with great curiosity. The room in which they sat was a small one, nothing much in it nor was there any sign or mark of decoration that is or once would have been here besides a few pillars that kept the room from falling apart or succumbing to the weight of the dessert above them. A perfect place, just for a small conversation.

Auriel asked with curiosity as she slightly leaned forward."So Bell, I wanted to ask you this already since a few weeks, but I was not sure if you were still too uneasy to be asked these question, so my first question is going to be, are you ready?"

Bell chuckled form Auriel's 'interesting' way to speak, it was meant severe, yet it sounded a bit too unusual, like if a foal would ask this question. Bell smiled and answered."Yes, Auriel, I am ready."

Auriel nodded and put a paw on her chin in an exciting way that made Bell wonder just how flexible her body was. Auriel then answered with a smile.
"What is the place like from where you come? Is it in a forest? A dessert? Maybe even a swamp? Please, tell me everything about it with every small detail."

Bell thought for a moment while scratching the back of her head. After what seemed like an eternity of waiting for Auriel who was more than burning for some information, Bell finally answered."Well, I lived in a simple small village as a baker. We had a few farms, a blacksmith and mostly standard wood and cobblestone houses..."

Bell stopped talking when she saw Auriel who glared at her with half-open eyes and a very annoyed expression. Auriel replied with something that is known as sarcasm."Yes... I can't even imagine how beautiful your home was and how many things you could've seen there..."

Bel looked at Auriel with a surprised expression that soon turned into an unamused one. Bell replied unhappily."For someone who does not know a lot about life today, you seem to know sarcasm perfectly well."

Auriel looked at Bell with a confused expression and a tilted head before replying curiously."What is sarcasm?"

Bell had all of the wind stolen out of her sales and sighed before answering."Sarcasm is when... Sarcasm is when somepony says something, but actually, mean the opposite."

Auriel tiled her head even more until it hang perfectly vertically on her neck which crept Bell a bit out. Auriel asked with even greater curiosity."Why would anyone use sarcasm then?"

Bell stared at Auriel for a moment and put her right forehoof in front of her eyes and exhaled loudly, but the moment she put her hoof away and wanted to explain that too, her jaw dropped when she saw Auriel's face.

Auriel smiled at Bell with a sly, almost wicked smile that revealed many perfectly white and sharp teeth and wide open eyes. Auriel then began to chuckle lightly.

Bel grumbled loudly with a very annoyed expression."Bucking Fox."

Auriel stopped her chuckling and asked curiously."What does 'bucking' mean?" Bell froze when she heard this question. Auriel was like a very young foal, should she answer that question or maybe just tell her that she... was too.... young... that would not be working.

Bells swallowed as a bit of sweat was running down her forehead before answering as mature as she could."M-Maybe I am g-going to tell you this another time, Auriel."

Auriel shrugged and said gratefully as she was walking towards a pillar."Thank you for answering me a few questions, Although there was only really one I asked because I don't know what to ask. Most of the Changelings sadly don't know a lot about the world beyond the desert and Chitin does not want to talk about 'Pony-stuff.' Also, I am sorry for playing a bit with you, but I just couldn't resist."

Bell smiled and said."No need to thank me, besides, it was nice to talk with someone who is completely comfortable with me around. Most guards just wait until I would do something while most younger Changelings are a bit scared of me. As for you prank, it was nice to see something funny in a while." But just as she finished her sentence, her smile fell as she saw something bizarre.

Auriel walked behind a pillar, only to step out in front of another pillar on the other side of the room. Auriel then turned her attention back at Bell and asked curiously and confused."Is something wrong?"

Bell continued to stare at Auriel for a few more moments before shaking her head. Bell walked up to Auriel and asked."Wha-... How did you do that? Your eye color didn't change, there wasn't even magic in the air. so how did you just walk behind that pillar and reappear behind another one?"

Auriel shrugged and replied bluntly."No idea. This has been happening a lot since I left that sand hole, and I mostly don't mind. I can't control it, but it has not been in my way yet, and it sometimes can be hilarious. Oh, before I forget, would you like to eat something that I did not cook? I would like to go outside for as long as possible after I have made even more of the stuff they call love."

Bell nodded, but her mind stopped for a moment when she thought about it a bit more. 'The stuff they call love?' Does Auriel not know what love is? She said that there was no intelligent life back then, but she never felt love before? That is very sad, but, maybe it doesn't bother Auriel too much? She is very old and sees things very different than a normal-well, everything would from actually being hurt to some emotions.' Bell followed Auriel quietly while looking at her and simulations thinking. 'Maybe I am the one who will learn more from her in the end.'

"Hello-o-o~!" said Auriel as she repeatedly waved her paw in front of Bell's eyes.

"Huh?!" Bell shrieked as she was forced out of her thoughts. She shook her head as she looked at Auriel who looked at her with a tilted head and a confused look. 'Wow... I didn't think I would be this deep in thoughts.'

Bell thought for a few moments while looking at Auriel who stared back at her. Bell sighed and petted the big wolves head while just barely reaching her chin with her hoof. Auriel melted from the contact, and her left leg began to scratch her side furiously.

The Mare in question smiled softly at Auriel and chuckling quietly.'If Someone told me I would spend my life like this, petting and teaching my maker like an ordinary pet, I would call them crazy. Still, It's kind of funny how fast I got used her, she is a lot bigger than me after all and all those sharp teeth and the way she looks. She looks less, 'cute' than most Ponies or even monsters, but then again, she is a lot different than most of us... she is so much more like a child.'

Auriel asked while slowly melting into a puddle of fur."Mhhh~ This feels so nice... Tell me, Bell. What did you think about? You seemed to be deep in thoughts, and even in my long life I rarely saw myself like that." Literally?!?! Bell jumped backward as she saw Auriel liquifying into a puddle in shock, not concern and confusion.

Auriel state in this liquid state for several more moments until she vanished in a bright flash and reappeared a few feet away from Bell, floating in the air while her eyes rolling in her eye sockets."Wow... Why are there seven and three-quarters of Pudding sized Mare?" and with that, Auriel crash-landed on the ground with her back facing down while three birds that looked like they were on fire were circling her snouted.

Bell walked up to Auriel in confusion and pocked her fluffy chest in worry."Are you okay, Auriel?" as she waved her hoof in front of Auriel

Auriel softly hit the side of her head of her head which caused her eyes to finally stop. The Fox groaned as she slowly pulled herself back on her paws and replied in embarrassment."Hehe... Yes... Ehm. Can we, maybe, not talk about this, ever again?"

Bell rolled her eyes and continued to walk down the halls. Auriel waited for an answer for a few more seconds before she ran after Bell or rather, paced fast as her long legs were quite useful in the long and narrow halls.

*Meanwhile*

Queen Chitin, the ruler of the hive and proud leader of the Changelings, usual calmness in Changeling, was very busy at the moment. Many of the Changelings took the time to listen to older infiltrators who used to spy on Ponies and gather love and now they showed a lot of interest in certain activities.

Sadly, the court today was not as organized as it usually was, no, the Changelings now asked a storm of questions and requests. Chitin began to regret having her Hive feed to the brim and full of energy, she just was too used to the silence. Chitin groaned before she looked at her Daughter who sat beside her.

Chitin placed her hooves over her daughter's ears and shouted." Shut up!!!" with fire in her eyes as a thousand or fifty flanks hit the ground simultaneously. "I understand that you are excited to finally enjoy life, I really do, my children, but could you please form a line or something? I can't hear all of you at once, even with the hivemind."

As she finished her sentence, she released Chrysalis from the silence of her mother's hooves, only to reply dryly."I still heard it..."

The Changelings heeded their Queens order and formed a line with precision, just as awaited from the Hive. The first Changeling surprisingly wore... a hat? The hat looked like a red cup made out of cloth with a golden rope at the top. Behind him was an entire group of Changelings who wore various kinds of hats too.

Chitin smiled and asked."Yes, Stinger, what would you like to request from me?"

Stinger smiled and asked."Thank you, my Queen. A few days ago, a few Guards found a pink cloud that smelled very sweet, and so the Guards observed what it would do, but to everyone surprise, these hats fell out of it like a rain shower before disappearing in green smoke. We would like to investigate from where they came from."

Chitin nodded, on the outside calm, but on the inside, she was questioning if she wasn't still dreaming. The Queen asked."So, I presume you want to locate the source of these clouds and find out if they are a thread fo the hive?"

To the Queen's surprise, the Changelings shocked his head and replied in embarrassment."Ehm... no, that's not the real reason we came to you, your majesty. We would like to find out where the clouds come from because a lot of Changelings found liking in the hats, but sadly, there are by far not enough of them for all of us."

The Queen's face froze as her hoof was slowly lifted over her head, before slowly bringing it down again while pulling her face with it throughout a few seconds. In her entire life, of all court sessions she had in her time of rule, this was by far the weirdest request she ever heard. With a loud sigh, she replied calmly."Yes, Stinger, you are allowed to find the hat clouds, but I think I already know who is the source of head decoration."

Stinger smiled and thanked his Queen for her understanding, but just as he was about to ask for who could aid him in his noble quest, the gates of the throne room opened, and two Non-Changelings entered while talking about something the Changelings never heard of.

"I told you already, I don't know how to make it, just somehow know how it looks, smells and tastes, even if all three aspects are divine..." Said Auriel as she can still taste this 'pudding' through her memories and it made Bell very jealous.

"Don't give up now, Auriel! I know it must be something done with milk, like cheese, but softer, but there is the thing that is responsible for the flavor, and I neither know what 'chocolate' or 'vanilla' is!" Shouted Bell with anger and even more jealousy.

The two of them stopped in their tracks as they noticed the large crowd of Changelings that gathered in the room as silence was absolute. Luckily, the awkward moments have been destroyed by the evilest weapon that has ever existed... Weaponized Cuteness!

Chrysalis jumped away from the throne and flew towards Auriel with a big smile on her face while shouting with joy."Aury!" While the others could only stare, Auriel didn't mind and caught Chrysalis with her paws as she jumped on her hind legs. Auriel then began to cuddle the young Princess against her fluffy chest as if she was the cutest puppy the world has ever seen while the child giggled in amusement.

After a few moments of the fun, Auriel released her best friend from her grip an slowly put her back on the ground, only to be greeted with the sight of a confused little Chrysalis. The young Changeling asked."Auriel? Why are you standing like a minotaur?"

Auriel tilted her head and was about to ask what she meant, but then she suddenly felt her tail reaching part of her back it shouldn't be able to. The Golden Fox looked back and saw that she was standing perfectly fine, even if she felt a small drain of magic, but she regenerated Waaaaaaaay more magic so it wouldn't be able to drain her. Her magic didn't mind this state, she did and instantly slumped back on all fours and blushed in a bit in embarrassment.

Bell raised an eyebrow and guessed."So, I think this new magic of yours is going a bit crazy?" The other Changelings didn't understand what the Mare was talking about until they put everything together that has happened lately. The hats, the clouds, the supernatural incidents. It all made... no sense at all, but where is the fun in that?

Stinger walked in front of Auriel and asked kindly."So... you made the hat spitting clouds?" Auriel shrugged while blushing but nodded only seconds later. "Could you please make for of them? We would like to have at least one of our own."

Auriel stared at Stinger, then looked at Chitin whos sighed and gave her an annoyed nod and then at the massive crowd who looked at her with hope. Auriel gulped as she was not sure what would happen, but she decided to try and snapped her fingers which resulted in the room suddenly getting darker.

Confusion spread across the room as for why it suddenly became dark, but their confusion was lifted once a powerful thundering sound was heard from above. Everyone present looked up and saw a huge pink and sweet smelling cloud above them. Their first reaction was joy and cheers, and they only became happier once it started to rain hats, but their happiness ended as fast as it began as the room was flooded with the overwhelming amount of fancy head accessories in seconds the room and even the hallways were slowly being clogged with the headgear.

"M-My- My Q- My Que- My Queen!!!" shouted a Changeling scout that swam through the hat flood, surprisingly and luckily, his screams ended the rain of hats to everyone's delight. Auriel was the first one to crawl her way to freedom.

"This was surprisingly relieving, like someone ut so much pressure and weight my chest and shoulders." Said Auriel with a smile as she rolled her neck while a soft sigh of relief escaped her lips. While Auriel had no idea what happened, the cult of hats was more than happy as they happily dived through the piles of headgear.

Out of a Pile close to the entrance door, a Changeling burst through his early funeral of silk and gasped loudly for air. The Changelings panted while resting on the soft hats for a few moments until he regained enough strength to make his way to the Queen. Once he made his way to the Queen, he collapsed and reported to his Majesty with his breaths before passing out.

Chitin stare with empty eyes into the air, the cheerful mood died as she began to mumble something quietly while shaking her head in disbelief, or maybe she just didn't want to accept it.

Auriel tilted her head to the right as her ears lied on her head as was slowly feeling worried about her insectoid friend. Auriel levitated Chrysalis on her back and walked towards Chitin while inspecting her. Auriel waved her paw in front of Chitins eyes and poked her side, but no reaction came from her. Auriel asked without targeting anyone specifically asked."Is this normal?" and surprisingly she got an answer as Changeling that stood beside the golden fox shook her head.

After a few more awkward moments, the Changeling Queen slowly turned her head in stress, worry, and fear towards Auriel. Chitin inhaled sharply before replying."A few hours ago... Equestrians were sighted, heading towards the Badlands. Under the Ponies are none other than the Alicorns." Bell was the only one who showed happiness from this answer as she, although the hive life was pleasant, missed having company in the form of ponies.

Auriel stared at Chitin for a few moments before saying happily."Yay, more friends!" The same Changeling from earlier was now shaking her head more rapidly and furiously. Auriel stared at the Changeling who shook her head until she got dizzy and collapsed before turning back to Chitin. The fuzzy ball of joy asked with curiosity."Do you think they will do something bad to us? Wait, how do they even know that we are here? The desert is vast, and the hive is so small." Auriel said as she stretched her arms when she mentioned 'dessert' and left only an inch space between her paws when she mentioned 'hive.'

Chitin narrowed her eyes at Auriel and answered with a sigh."It seems like a rather big forest grew around a large worm corpse that is now radiating a new kind of magic that is making plants grow appeared out of thin air. Do you think that maybe that was enough for them to find their way here?" Auriel winced when she heard Chitin, and a feeling of guilt filled her heart, at least if she even has organs.

Little Chrysalis asked with curiosity while looking between Auriel and her mother with her puppy eyes."Mommy? Do you think the bad Ponies are coming to hurt us?" No one dared to say a word until the young Changeling Queen said with a bit of anger and traces of despair."It's not fair, we didn't do anything to them, and they hate us so much for no reason!"

Nothing happened for several moments while the young Changeling breathed heavily, all eyes darted at her, she had no idea how to continue, or even end this suffocating silence. Chrysalis lowered her head in sorrow and looked at the ground with watering eyes. Too much has happened for this filly for such a short amount of time for everyone, and it took it's toll on the child first.

Auriel felt something new to her, but it was nothing she would like to feel again. This feeling, it felt like something was gripping something in her chest, keeping her silent, unmoving and undoing, yet, the craving to help and cheer her best friend was evergrowing. Auriel inhaled deeply and held his breath, before grabbing Chrysalis of her back and giving the child a hug.

Auriel exhaled slowly throughout several seconds before she said with a smile, one that hid her true feeling of the dire situation."Please don't be sad Chrysalis. Everything will end well in the end, and there is nothing you have to worry about. I will do anything I have to do to keep all of you safe." The Fox's statement filled the crowd around her with mixed feeling that mostly weighted into joy, but some for some Changelings it left a sophisticated taste in their mouths'.

Chitin stared at her furred friend with worry, fearing that Auriel might have to do what she hated the most once again. The Changeling Queen sputtered."Auriel you're not ... Please don't tell me you are planning to K-" Her sentence was ended with a rather strong type of persuasion in the form of a single glance from Auriel. The look on her Fox friend was not angry, insulted or anything else, but one that stared deep into her soul.

Auriel sighed loudly as she looked away for a moment, everyone could feel that their Maker didn't need a pause for herself, she just did it to give her listeners time to recover for what she would say next. Auriel breathed through her nose before telling them."During my long time of making this world, do you think the world was perfect?"

Auriels words lingered through the minds of all Changeling, hopping, desiring and yet simultaneously fearing what she would say next.

Auriel closed her eyes and counting her tale."No, it wasn't, my present of life was not always used for peace. The lands that were filled with magic that gave them a life that today's almost dead land could never give. But, not all of my children desired to live in peace, some of them became stronger and stronger, more brutal and to my sadness, more. I was too timid back then, hoping that things would deal with themselves, but entire races were wiped out through these greedy beings. In the end, through my timid, races were gone. In the end, I was forced to deal with them by not doing anything for them. I teleported them away into a valley, one from which I brought all creatures to another place where they could live, and took away almost all magic I gifted to the land. My children then proceded to then destroy the land in their greed until nothing remained, a hundred winters later I returned to see if they changed, but they all perished, not through starving, but because they consumed themselves."

A new light was shown on Auriel from just a short little tale from the old world. Auriel closed her eyes once again, but there were no awaited tears or sadness, just a cold look. The Fox laddy then ended her dialogue and said."I don't want to kill, yes, I avoid it as much as I can, but just because I don't like murder doesn't mean I am scared, nor incapable of doing so. I am not neglecting my duty to preserve all life. Saving a single race, as much as I hate to admit, is not my job." Auriel's voice suddenly became very somber, sad and very regretful."While killing is hurting me a lot... Not saving them... As much as it pains me to say this, and I really, really really hate to say this, from the bottom of my heart and soul... It doesn't make me feel anything as long as my doing saves more lives than it took..."

Jaws were hanging from every Changeling that heard her story and their tool to eat only descended even further as they started to realize what Auriel meant exactly with 'Not saving them... doesn't make me feel anything...' The Queen gulped and asked or more likely sputtered nervously with hints of fear."So you... you would kill entire races, w-whole kingdoms if they were t-too dangerous for other races?"

Auriel put Chrysalis on the ground and only gave the Queen another glance before looking at her with a calm expression, the worry in her eyes could even see someone with bad sight."Would it change your opinion on me if I said 'yes'?" Chitin hesitated as sweat was running down her forehead, but was able to force a shaking shock of her head. Auriel's serious expression seemingly melted away once her friend answered her question right."That's good to hear, my dear friend. Just because something or someone can do something doesn't automatically mean they will do so or at least not search for another path. I would never hurt you or your changelings, Chitin and I would first try to figure out a way to stop conflicts."

Chitin succumbed the pressure that her fox friend gave off and collapsed onto the ground with all of her hooves spread out and her lungs forcefully exhaled all air in them with a prolonged stretch cough. The Changeling Queen said weakly."Please stop doing this? It's almost suffocating when you turn from a ball of fur to an almighty and scary god that manipulates all life in her favor..." 'But wasn't I always doing so for the sake of everyone?'

Auriel stared at the deflated Queen for several seconds before shrugging which resulted in the same Changeling from earlier to slap her hoof into her own face and thus inventing the facehoof. Auriel replied with a smile."Sorry, but I don't like making promises, they feel like I am finding myself, but I will try my best to not make you feel uncomfortable. shall we now go and see if we can negotiate with our guests?"

Bell asked while looking up at Auriel with one of her forehoof on her cheek."How do you all these fancy words?" Auriel smiled while patting her fiends her and replied proudly."Spending a lot of time in the library, reading many books and having the chaos spirits magic in your body can result in many unexpected outcomes." The young Mare pointed her hoof at Auriel as she realized that she did it again, before sighing and giving up.

Meeting of expected and unexpected guests

Two horned pegasi... Winged unicorns? Winged and horned earth ponies? Whatever the term will be, lonely walked towards the source of the supernatural energy. Their companions split from them while they acted as bait for the cold-hearted spirits that craved their demise.

The two Ponies ventured day and night towards this faint beacon of hope with an ambition to find a weapon or an entity that could help them in their time of need. After many long days and nights through the icy dessert, they saw something that could not exist after the thermodynamic laws.

The frozen north and an ostensibly endless dessert collided, creating a fine line of water forming an only one-inch wide gap between the hot and cold biome. Sadly, the two ponies had no time to analyze the wonders and secrets at the current time as they could already feel how their fur was slowly freezing solid.

Although these two ponies were much more resistance to natures, or in this case, the frozen demon's wrath, they were only doing little better as the continuous attempt from the frozen spirits feared as the wendigos trying to turn them into ice statues was slowly paying its toll. With their strength slowly vanishing, they entered the desert and the burning heat raining down on them, the wish of feeling nothing on and in their bodies was slowly forming.

The two Ponies managed to go deeper into the desert while their followers were no friends of the heat, they slowly followed them as the sand was drowned by a thick sheet of ice and snow. The ponies stopped on top of a particular high sand dune with their hope slowly diminishing before spiking with confidence from the beautiful and slightly gruesome sight.

To the east, a few minutes of walk distance away was a vast forest filled with green grass, large majestic trees, plenty of various unknown fruits and berries and a colossal worm corpse through which grew an enormous tree, higher than even a castle. The gigantic tree's roots professedly connected with all plants. A genuinely admirable, if not one in a lifetime sight that could also wet the eyes of the most stone-hearted knight.

Sadly, their sweet moments of victory while they looked at a garden of fertility with amazement was interrupted when a cold chill traveled up their spines. Just in time, the ponies reacted and erected a magical barrier, barely blocking a large icicle with the destination of the younger pony's spine. The ice spell of the ghostly being created large cracks that spread across most of the shield.

Three wendigoes, spirits that resembled the upper body of a pony with a ghostly tail, their form transparent as their body was not physical, it was more of a manifestation of hatred. The spirits glared down at the ponies before widely opening their mouth, releasing a storm of cold and ice in an attempt to slowly kill their prey.

The magic barrier, cast and sustained from the possibly two most powerful ponies was already starting to crack and would most likely not stand against the icy breaths of the spirits for all too much longer. Was this the end of the two ponies that risk their lives to find salvation, or maybe was it only the beginning?

meanwhile

A bright flash suddenly appeared behind an enormous sand dune as a hundred armed Changelings, a Changeling Queen, an earth pony, and a Fox materialized out of nowhere. Everyone seemed quite surprised that the transportation went to smoothly, but sadly, there was still one passenger who apparently didn't feel as good as her traveling partner.

Auriel's world was turning, circling and even sideways jumping as she dizzily tumbled left and right. For several, she continuously almost tripped on her own paws, but luckily she regained control before even more embarrassment would find it's path and home in her. After finally calming down, the predatory, yet vegan Fox grumbling in annoyance with an atomic-sized amount of malice."Long distance teleportation... my mortal enemy." Auriel turned her attention then to Chitin and asked."Why did you want me to take so many guards with us, but not Chrysalis?"

Chitin sighed as gave Auriel a quick glance before looking back at her troops."My daughter isn't ready to see an actual battle, and I would like to spare her from politics for now at least. She is too important for me and the hive and I will not let a pony even scratch her."

Auriel nodded in understanding, at least in as much understanding as she could since she never had 'real children.' Auriel hummed before asking with curiosity."Why are the ponies radiating so much cold when they are walking into your land, into such a warm biome?"

Chitin raised an eyebrow as she stared at Auriel for several moments before replying."Don't you mean 'your land'? While we build our kingdom here, it is technically your land. Even if we build our hive here, you have been here a long time before us, and you own the very sand it's built upon."

Auriel tilted her head to the left and asked curiously."Own land? No one should own land. The world is for everyone, and everyone should be allowed to be everywhere. Besides, I made all of this not for me, but everyone else, and maybe for me too a bit. Thinking about it, I never really had my own territory... Hm, maybe it's time to do that?" Chitin chuckled dryly from Auriels comment as her childish view of the world might be better than how the world works now.

Bell's eyes widened when as she remembered rumors and reports from the time where she still was in her village."Oh oh... oh now..."

Auriel asked with interest and concern."Is there something you would like to tell us? please tell us, Bell, we are your friends, if you have a problem then just say so."

Bell looked at Auriel with great worry, but he was able to overcome her own concerns and inhaled deeply, holding her breath until she counted to four and exhaled. She began to tell something she heard from the time she was still just a normal Mare."When I was still living in my village, rumors have been spreading that ice spirits known as Wendigoes have been creating storms and cold. Their storms would make Ponies very angry, even fight against another, they are impossible to kill as their wound would only glow before fully regenerating in just a blink of an eye. Some even said that they are responsible for the great war."

"What is 'war'?" Asked Auriel with a childlike attitude.

Bell opened her mouth to answer the question, but her only way to communicate was forcefully sealed off by a strong black, hoof that almost hit the back of her throat which nearly made the poor earth pony mare gag. Thankfully, the owner of the hoof knew the boundaries of the poor mare and retreated her hoof before giving Bell an apologizing look.

While her two friends were arguing over who had right, the one who almost blurted out something delicate in front of someone who was somewhat understanding or the one who forcibly attempted to touch the others breakfast, Auriel's eyes widened in realization as she put one and one together with her remarkably and imagination.

Auriel thought horror as an almost suffocating, deafening and even blinding dread was enveloping her mind an body with a cold sensation.Powerful Creatures that can't be hurt and glow when they are hurt? Oh no... no. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. NO! Please don't be another light, please don't be another Discord, everything else but don't let it be anything that wants to hurt my friends! Auriel thought as she continuously shook her head, yet, as if someone heard her prayers, she was freed from the imprisonment of her own mind with a slight stinging feeling on her left cheek.

Auriel looked at the source from the pain and saw that it was Bell who had to stand up on her hind legs just to reach out for the golden fox. The mare in question, on the other hand, didn't seem to be happy about what she had to do and shrank back when she realized that Auriel was awakened from her daydreaming.

Bell stuttered with great concern and worry for her friends."S-sorry Auriel... I really didn't mean to hurt you, b-but you have been standing like a statue for a minute or two without noticing us. We tried to get you back on another way b-." The mare was lucky that her friend was a very sympathetic creature as she was released from answering to her creating in the form of scratching of the ear from the Duchess of Fluffiness herself. The mare instantaneously melted on the touch from the so-called princess of food as she blurted out a mash of words that made less sense than a block of ice that didn't melt on a sunny beach day.

Auriel chuckled softly on the cute sight, and maybe because she now saw what it was like so see someone else melt to form a touch, but her worries were still lingering in the back of her head as she looked at the top of the high sandy hill in front of her.

Auriel stated sternly with a sad frown."I will deal with the Wendigoes, if they are actually there, alone. Don't send anyone after me, I don't want you to get hurt. If something bad happens, save yourself and leave, there is nothing you can do to them because I don't want to lose you." the emotions did a sharp turn in the beings around her. Everything was so silent that they even could hear a low and weak whistle of the wind as an awkward tumbleweed was rolling past between the changelings and Auriel.

Chitin said in said in a combination of anger, worry and shock."No, we will not let you face whatever there is, especially not if there are ponies just behind this hill. We will stand together against this threat." Bell seemed to be lightly offended by the queen's statement. Auriel looked at the Queen with no signs of emotions, before snorting once and smiling with an amused look on her face. The fox extended her hof towards changeling queen and laid it on her left shoulder.

Auriel smiled while looking into Chitis eyes, these mortal eyes that showed so much of the fragile life of hers, yet with a fire of determination and willpower burning in the depths of her mind, soul, body, and heart. Sadly, the maker knew that her friend, as strong as her will was, flesh could only hold all so much strength in it, even if it was shielded by a natural armor.

Auriel smiled turned from happiness and joy into the one only a mother could show and said with hopes."Chitin, my friend, I know you want to help me yet the dangers and risks are far too great, you have too much to live for, Chrysalis, Bell and all the changelings in the hive they all have something that makes their lives worth living. What place, what purpose would I have if I lost you, what would your hives, your daughters and Bell's future behold without you? I don't know, but I am sure it would not be one that would be better without you."

These words made the hearts of all changelings, and Bells, melt away as the words were not only touching their very souls but also were hugely unexpected to come from her, the impact that they left behind was substantial. The queen exhaled loudly and said with a heavy heart."Just please stay safe, you are far too important for the hive and me."

Auriel smiled before turning her attention toward the events that would take place very soon. Auriel's mind was empty while walking the towards the hills top, no signs of hesitation, or even regret, she knew that whatever would happen, needed to happen. The warm feeling of the sun, the comfortable feeling of the sand under her paws and the dry and refreshing wind calmed her nerves.

The sight that awaited her was something she didn't expect, nor could've ever been prepared to see. These Wendigoes, they looked like nothing she ever saw besides maybe their heads, they were made out of something she didn't understand or likely ever would be able to recreate. They weren't her children, but she could feel something in them that she only ever perceived in the one creature, she enjoyed killing, in these creatures that made her blood boil. A feeling she almost forgot and hasn't felt in such a long time. Anger.

But what were her creatures, were the ones that were cowering behind a weak shield that was made out of something she that was beyond anything she ever saw, maybe it was just beyond her understanding or just wholly new? They fit the description of these 'alicorns' Chitin once mentioned.

The first one was huge, still only two thirds the size of her, but still significant, which was an intentional understatement of her size compared to her friend. Her fur was pristine white, or at least it would be without the ice and frozen hairs on her body. Her wings were a bit short for her size, making them, almost overlookable for Auriel, and the mare's mane was like the most beautiful rosy tips of dawn, which mean a lot for someone who watched over one hundred thousand sun settings.

The second pony, even if only considerable large for a pony, at least that was what Auriel assumed, had a deep blue fur that looked even purer due to the dark shade, but it was much 'wilder.' Her short cyan hair was even more unkempt, and a blue horn was growing out of her head, how did she know that it was only growing? Because it looked a bit small for her size and Auriel could learn a lot just with looking at something with her eyes.

Auriel eyes glowed with purple light as she created a golden barrier around her, twice as strong as the one she used against the behemoth-sized worm which seemingly stooped the unending onslaught of the Wendigoes.

The spirits that carved hate felt something familiar, almost primal in them, something they didn't understand but what their instinct and senses were screaming, no forcing them to react towards the owner of the power signature. For the first time, the ghosty creatures felt the emotion they feed for so long, on their own, even if the feeling was not originated from them, but from something inside of them.

Auriel stared at the wendigoes with great interest as they seemed to squirm, wince and fight something growling and snarling animalistic. Abruptly, their struggle stopped as the three of them looked at Auriel with a dead look in their eyes. The spirits bend their necks backward before unleashing a wave of icicles. Auriels waited for the icy projectiles to shatter on her barrier, but something shocking happened.

*Shatter*

The ice almost all ice shard broke through her barrier and Auriel was feeling something weird in her body, she didn't feel anything for a moment. The fox looked at the wendigoes who didn't move a single bit, looking down, she saw that the ponies looked back at her with horror in their eyes. Auriel felt something wet running down her body and heard the dripping of water.

Auriel slowly and shakingly looked down and saw something that made her question if she was dreaming. The icicles, they were all were sticking through her, dozens of the long icy spears impaled her body as a golden liquid was running down her body forming a puddle of the glowing and clear, even almost celestial liquid. She didn't know what was happening, and seeing as her fur was losing it's vibrant color, turning it into a matt yellow didn't help ease her mind.

Auriel felt something she never thought she could handle such a powerful sensation. It was a level of pain that she never felt. The golden fox collapsed as she was moaning and silently crying in pain, she could feel it all. The burning sun that fried her back, the dry wind of the desert, the painfully hot sensation of the sand and the worst of all, the cold feeling of the ice shard in her body. She fell from the highest cliffs, was attacked by creatures the size of mountains and was even able to swim in lava, but this, this was a thousand times worse than everything combined. Yet, all the pain that she felt on and in her body, was just a small sting compared to the tiny cut she sensed on the edge of her eye, it was paralyzing agony.

Yet, a new feeling was also creeping into her mind, it was like she saw a whole new world. Her mind was no longer free from all unnecessary, Auriel could imagine things, she felt how the world actually was, for a moment, she felt truly free, like one of her children, but then, she was slowly losing control.

Auriel's breathing rate spiked up, she heard a loud pumping in her chest, she was feeling more alive than she has ever been and the wish, the determination to survive felt like an all-consuming inferno. Her eyes turned red, freed from the boundaries of carefulness and shyness that the power's bearers once cared for. Auriel was radiating so much heat that the ice evaporate in a heartbeat, the sand on the top half of the mountain instantly turned to the glass as a wave of fire washed over the sandy ground while the ground in a five-meter radius turned to magma. Surprisingly, her own life essence flowed out of the magma, crawling up her body and back where it belonged through her wounds before said wounds healed with a golden light.

The pain was slowly decreasing for Auriel, her fur once again glowing vibrantly with a golden shine, maybe it burned even stronger as she slowly pulled her body back up and onto her paws. Auriel could still feel the pain, not as intense, but it was still there, but something in her blood that made her forget it, replacing it with pure fury.

Steam was blown out of her mouth an nostrils as Auriel was breathing heavily while she glared at the frozen spirits that looked at her with caution. The fox slowly rose even further up, breaking the laws of body flexibility and standing on her two hind legs, her body seemingly morphed slightly so that it would support her decision too. After a few seconds of menacingly straightening her back, Auriel glared down at the frozen beasts.

Auriel slowly lifted her right paw while keeping her arm straight, time seemingly slowed down while she was doing this and like a machine, her movements stopped once her limb reached a perfect 180-degree angle. Auriel didn't do this scare the Wendigoes, no, she just didn't want the two ponies to be... molten.

A single snap was enough to break the silence, but what followed, possibly broke a bit more than just that. Hundreds of watermelon-sized fireballs suddenly ignited in the very air behind Auriel, levitating and furiously flickering. With a wide arc, Auriel left arm slowly moved toward the frozen spirits with her index finger pointing at the Wendigo on the left.

Suddenly, the fireballs shot without warning toward the unlucky spirit with high speed. The Wendigoes reacted to this by firstly fleeing back to the border of the frozen land before shooting a volley of icicles at the balls of fire, but each ice projectile was only able to destroy a single fireball, in the end, the other spirits abandonment Auriel's target by trying to create a more significant gap between them.

The one Wendigo barely stood a chance as the fireballs broke through its defense, the hits were surprisingly painful for the spirits, even the two ponies seemed shocked to see the Wendigo being hurt. Luckily for the Wendigo, most fireballs missed, or at least things looked at way.

Auriel slowly clenched her fist while keeping her arm straight, before moving her fist and arm closer to her, all while maintaining eye contact with the flames that missed.

The ice beast's moment of rest was ended as it could feel increasing heat from directed at it's back. The creature turned around, only to be met with a single, fireball twice the size of it, made out of all missed smaller fireballs. Like a comet, both the ice ghost and the fireball collided with the ground before the flames exploded with an earthshattering explosion, leaving behind a severely hurt ice creature that just survived the attack. The being was struggling to move while its bodies heat was melting the snow around it.

The Wendigo didn't survive because of its luck, it survived because Auriel didn't want to kill it, she despised ending ones live, no matter who it was, she hated to admit it, but there was even a small amount of regret she felt for murdering Discord. 'No one deserves to die, not even them... I hope they won't be too angry with me.'

With lightning-like reflexed, Auriel's paw moved to the left side of her head as an icy spear the size of her own body almost hit her eye, only a millimeter away was the sharp end. Her paw was bleeding, the speed alone was enough to shred the skin on her was, and the tip even created a faint slash wound on her fingers. Once again, a golden liquid was leaking out of the now glowing and healing injury.

Auriel applied a lot of pressure onto the ice weapon, cracks only formed slowly, the sharp projectile was seemingly even harder than diamonds, a gem that would've broken a lot faster in the paw of the maker of all jewels'. After several seconds, the spear shattered and revealing that Auriel's injury already healed.

Auriels arm let her arm lose, let it hanging again as her eyes turned green, the heat vanishing in the blink of an eye, the magma turning instantly into a dark grey burned sandstone.

Just as the next icicle was about to hit, Auriel ducked, but to her surprise, she saw many hairs of hers were slowly floating down in front of her eyes. Auriel growled silently, seeing that the spirits were much faster than her reflexes before slapping her left paw onto the ground.

The ground was shaking furiously and tremendously, throwing the ponies and changelings to the ground. Suddenly cracks appeared on the field while the very earth began to bulge, forming a significant bump in the snow before suddenly dozens of thick vines shoot out of the ground.

Only one of the two Wendigoes managed to get away in time, the second one wasn't so lucky as the vines shot towards it and denied any escape as they were aggressively slashing through the air.

The cold being managed to hold the plants off for almost a minutes, but its luck soon ran out as thick root suddenly emerged out of the ground and slammed down upon the spirit, making it crash into the ground beside the fried member of its kind. The Wendigo was bound by dozens of vines before it could even realize it. Surprisingly, the plants didn't freeze, nor was the ghost able to just phase through them, it continued to struggle, but ultimately it had no avail.

Only one last Wendigo was left.

Auriel's feeling of wrath was almost completely gone after the defeat of the second Wendigo, she felt terrible for them, pitied them, even if she didn't know their past, she didn't like it and most likely wouldn't kill them. Auriel didn't hate them, she hated the part of them that reminded her of Discord. Just because they weren't her children didn't mean they had no right to be in her world.

The last Wendigo roared in malice as it charged towards Auriel, soaring through the wind as an icy storm surrounded its ethereal body that looked like it was glowing with energy.

Auriel sighed with sadness while closing her eyes. Only a second away from being steamrolled, Auriel opened her purple eyes as her left paw, that formed into a fist that was surrounded by a golden aura. Auriel's fist collided with the muzzle of the Wendigo and redirecting it towards the ground.

With a loud explosion and an all blinding gust of snow and dirt, the last Wendigo was defeated. The ponies stared with both joy and horror at the sight of seeing such an advanced level of the affinity of combat, or rather they were questioning how the fox able to do so as it exceeded the known limits of how much mana a creature could bear without... making a large stain...

Auriel was panting heavily, she was not used in destroying or fighting, at least her magic was trying it's best to make it as difficult for her as possible. The golden fox burned through more than half of her mana, which was, after all these years of training, more than enough to create a whole biome!

Yet, the sight of the spirits squirming and struggling pained her deeply, the suffering of the defeated and helpless, it almost broke her heart. In the last few moments before her mind turned back into its transparent state, a thought entered her mind, one she imagined all on her own.

With a bright flash, Aurel vanished from the top of the mountain and reappearing in front of the defeated wendigoes. The golden colored creature knelt down in her new form as her eyes turned brown. With the tap of her claw onto the ground, the snowy space glowed with a brown light as suddenly a boulder-like a crystal cluster was rising out of the depths of the world while the ground was quietly rumbling. A large light blue crystal boulder now was standing in front of her.

Auriel swiped her claw at the crystal formation, shattering the top half in a single motion and revealing a single shard that glowed with a broad blue light, a silver wendigo figure coiled around the top of the crystal and Lastly, the wendigoes tail was a small chain attached. The crystal's sharp bottom levitated only a few inches above the boulder itself as it was surrounded by a golden glow. 'I have no idea why this thought suddenly popped up, but I really hope it works, please, let it work.'

Auirle eyes turned from brown to purple once again while levitating the sharp slowly towards the Wednigoes. The icy creatures stared at the strange object before hearing a soft and quiet."Please forgive me, but you will thank me for this afterward."

The shared glowed with a powerful light as the wendigoes were sucked into the crystals, phasing through anything binding them to the world, they shouted, cried and snarled, but no matter how much they tried to fly away, they were sucked into the artifact. Once the spirits were captured, the sharp stopped glowing expect three tiny sparks that swirled in the crystal.

Auriel sighed before grabbing the shard with her paw and attaching it to her collar. The fox was tired, and the pain was, like the name stated painful, even if there were no more wound inside and outside.

Auriels slowly sank down onto her four paws. With one last use of her magic, her she teleported back where the fight began, and laid with her stomach onto the ground with her head resting on top of her paws. 'At least the heat is gone, it felt like my fur was boiling me alive.'

The two ponies stared with hanging jaws at Auriel, their hopes high, filled with determination as their beliefs for the salvation of their ponies was never as strong. With new strength, the two ponies took off the ground and flew towards Auriel.

Auriel lifted her head lightly, smiling and hoping to make new friends and maybe even learn more about the new world. While she awaited her 'guests' to arrive, she could already hear Chitin and Bell make their way up the mountain. With a dry chuckle, Auriel thought happily and a bit amusement.'I hope my friends are as excited as I am to meet them.' before wondering why she found that so funny.

Author's Note

Auriel's Character Sheet