The Black Knight

Chapter 3

Preparing For War

“This is by far the most disgusting thing I have ever heard of in my entire life.” Chrysalis said as she watched her changelings set up the traps and covering the pit spikes with sewer waste. “How is this going to help us when the equestrians come and attack us?”

“Seeing how you don’t have much artillery wise, we’re gonna use the next best thing.” Jurrita said as she smirked. “The ponies think this place is like a barren wasteland with little to no materials. So they won’t be thinking to bring water or curatives. Which means-”

“They would get sick from the infection of the wounds given the traveling they had to do.” Pharynx said as the lalafell nodded.

“Yep. We have to think tactfully, not rely on power or brute force in this upcoming fight. Which means I’m gonna need you all to be ready to fight.” She said as the group of changelings looked at each other for a moment before Thorax spoke up.

“What do you mean?”

“From what you told me, you’re down a member seeing how...um...Who was that guy that betrayed you all?”

“Greenlight. Lotus and Sapphire’s father. Yellow Jacket told me that he has been working with the ponies in the station you were fighting in. Hard to believe that somepony like him would turn against his own kind...But after what I did, I wouldn’t blame him for doing that.” She said as the two changelings lowered their heads in shame.

“Right, that guy. Seeing how you’re down a member, you all need to step up more and not be on the sideline that much. Especially with how poorly this place is thanks to the equestrians that you said put you into this mess for the most part.”

“But…we’re not fighters. Aside from Pharynx, Chrysalis, and the soldiers Chrysalis mentioned.” Lotus said.

“You want my help or not?”

“O-Of course we do!” Chrysalis said as the lalafell folded her arms.

“Then it’s time to get out of your comfort zone and step up bugs. Because you’re fighting for your right to be free and seen as equals against anyone that wanted to crush you. And right now you all need all the help you need from me. Or in this case, it’s time to learn a few things from Eorzea.” She said before seeing a spark of interest appear on Lotus and Sapphire’s faces. “Lucky for you all I have some Soul Crystals to help remedy that.”

“Soul Crystals?” Chrysalis asked as she noticed the lalafell reach into her pockets to pull out a set of colorful looking stones with markings on them.

“Soul Crystals are literal crystals that contain the memories of past practitioners of that particular class you’re going to be. All their skills are within these stones, and will be yours to learn.” She said as the five changelings walked up to the Jurrita to look at the soulstones. “But it’ll be up to you for the most part on how you unlock the skills and magicks within your soul crystal. I will teach you all I know and you will pass that knowledge to those that you trust within your inner circle of friends or whatever you call it here.”

“Not to be rude, but what do each one represent?” Lotus asked as Jurrita handed each changeling a specific type of soul crystal.

“Black Mage, White Mage, Gunbreaker, Scholar, and Warrior. Lotus and Sapphire will be getting the Black and white mage crystals, Pharynx and Thorax will be getting the Warrior and Scholar crystals, and Chrysalis will be getting the Gunbreaker crystal.”

“Warrior...sounds fitting for me.” Pharynx he said while examining the red soul crystal.

“Should be. You, Chrysalis and I will be the vanguard of the army, Lotus will be the magic artillery, and Sapphire & Thorax will be our healers. It’ll be your job to heal the wounded and dying as best as you can.”

“Is that even possible?” Thorax asked as he and Sapphire examined their Scholar and White Mage crystals. “I mean, I’m not trying to be negative or anything. But is using these soul crystals even going to work on us?” He said as a burst of light erupted from beside them. The four generals looked over at Chrysalis as she was wearing a dark blue coat, a black leather like shirt, black pants, hard leather like shoes, and capsules on the side of her coat. In her hand was a gunblade that took her by surprise as she examines it with interest. She looks up at Thorax with a smirk on her face.

“I believe this answers your question Thorax.” The queen said as she swings the gunblade a bit. “I would like for you to personally train me in how to use this weapon if you don’t mind Jurrita?”

“I’m planning on it. Mostly because you need it more as you’ll be on the front line with Pharynx and I.”

“Wouldn’t that be dangerous for her to be on the front line? If she were to be killed, then the moral of the changelings will fall.” Lotus replied as she looks over her soul crystal.

“That is true, but with her on the battlefield from time to time will increase the army’s courage and moral. Meaning they will follow her and give her their trust and lives without a shadow of a doubt.” The lalafell said as she walks up towards the queen. “As for you, we will begin with your training. Mainly how to hold your own in a fight without the use of magic.”

“We’re starting already?” Chrysalis asked as she was taken by surprise. “Shouldn’t we be reinforcing the castle before Celestia’s army get here? Or maybe think of a battle plan?”

“That is what Pharynx is for. Right now we need you to be able to stand on your own without the need of some assistance.” She said before looking over at Pharynx. “What’s a good open spaced area to train in?”

“We use to have a training ground, but we’re using that for changelings that can’t go back to their homes due to wild animals attacking the citizens at night.”

“We’ll have to do something about that later, but for now use the soul crystals that I gave you and train yourself in the ways of magicks and skills. For when they do come knocking on our front door, we will be ready for a counterattack of the utmost brutality.” She said as the lalafell motioned for Chrysalis to follow. The queen sighed as she begrudgingly followed after Jurrita, but not before looking over at Thorax.

“Be sure to tell the changelings in the lookout tower to keep an eye on the borders for anypony coming here.” Thorax nodded as he and the other began to fly off into different sections of the castle, leaving Jurrita and Chrysalis alone with one another.

“Be forewarned. From here on out, I am going to be training you to the brink of exhaustion. I will not hold back just because you’re the queen of the changeling hive. Nor will I go easy on you.”

“How bad will the training be?”

“To the point where you’ll be able to take your enemy down by surprise. Now, care to explain what you know about Equestria and how they fight?”

“From my short time in the place, the capital of the place is Canterlot. That’s where Celestia and her sister Luna resides in as they rule over Equestria. You already had a taste of what their forces are given what you did in the building you appeared in by accident.”

“Yeah, though they were nothing more then just grunts from the way they fight and acted when they saw me.” Jurrita said with a smirk. “But I get the feeling the ones who are in charge of the knights of this world might be more of a challenge?”

“That would be Shining Armor. He’s in charge of both the Royal Guards of Canterlot and Crystal Guards in the Crystal Empire. But other then that, there’s not that many strong ponies in Equestria other then the Princesses, Shining Armor, Cadence, and the Elements of Harmony.”

“Mind telling me more about them? I would like to know this before hand just in case I might end up having to fight them.”

“The Princesses rely on magic and Twilight and her friends do the whole saving Equestria stuff. So taking them down shouldn’t be an issue for the most part. Twilight and her friends are the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. The elements are Equestria’s shield when repelling darkness from their land or turning ponies into stone. Cadence is a new princess that I have no idea where she came from. She’s currently the ruler of the Crystal Empire and married to Prince Shining Armor. Be careful when they’re both together, their love is sickening but they can become more powerful when they use magic in unison. A lesson I had to learn the hard way.”

“Hm, so in a way they might send Twilight and her friends here to see if they can handle the situation if all else fails?”

“That or they send an army first before sending in their trump card.” Chrysalis nodded. “Hm, how long does it take for their...magicks to be cast?”

“A good few minutes?”

“And does it require one or all of them to perform this magicks?”

“It requires all of them to use the elements of harmony. Why do you ask?” The queen said as she noticed a smirk on the lalafell’s face. “You’re planning on killing one of them are you?”

“I only kill those that are evil like the ones in that station I was in. I’m planning on seeing how strong they are when they make their move. If they have the elements of harmony on them, then I will be taking one as a means to cripple their shield.”

“Wouldn’t that make them try and get it back?”

“Yes, and they would no doubt send their army to get it. But if we can hold out long enough and deliver a hard blow to their forces each time they attack us, then we will be able to make a deal with them. One where it favors you all.”

“.....Go on.” Chrysalis said as a grin appeared on her face.

[Equestria, Canterlot Castle]

The doors to the throne room open up as Luna, Cadence, Shining Armor, and the mane six entered into the room with Celestia sitting on the throne with a stern expression on her face. The white alicorn was broken from her thoughts as she heard her sister clearing her throat to get her attention as she looked down at the group as her expression softened up a bit.

“Thank you all for coming. I take it Luna filled you in on the most part of why you’re here?” She asked as they nodded.

“To think that the changelings would be up to their old tricks again. Haven’t they learned their lesson after what happened before?” Cadence said as she snorted in disgust. “Even after we made a treaty with them when they begged for mercy.”

“Well I’m not surprised. Especially seeing how Chrysalis is the one controlling them.” said Rainbow Dash. “What’s even worse is that they have a weird looking creature under their control. A kid no less given what Luna said.”

“How low can that bug go to get what she needs.” Applejack said as she tipped her hat upwards a bit. “It’s unforgivable.”

“It is why I had my sister come and teleport you all here. In some way, Chrysalis must have stolen one of the old books from my studies during the invasion to summon this creature. I don’t know how long they had this creature in their possession. But if something is not done, then Chrysalis might summon more to control. And if that were to happen...”

“Then she’ll have an army ready to take over Equestria.” Twilight said as she looks up at Celestia. “What is it you want us to do?”

“Our first priority is to save the creature from whatever spell Chrysalis placed on it. You will need the elements of harmony to do so. Once you have done this, bring the creature here so that we may provide it a place to stay until we can find a means to send it back from where it came from.”

“But what if Chrysalis tries to attack us?” Fluttershy as Shining Armor cleared his throat to get their attention.

“That is where Cadence and I come in. While we distract her, you all can find the creature and save it.”

“Be warned my little ponies. The Badlands is a place unfamiliar to any pony and the changelings will have the advantage over you seeing how that’s their home. Be careful of where you tread. Less you invoke the ire of the hive colony.” Celestia said as the group nodded. “When you are ready. Luna will teleport you to the border station so that you won’t be spotted. But after that, it will be up to you to try and make it to the Changeling Empire on hoof.”

“Understood, we won’t let you down Princess Celestia!”

“I have faith that you will succeed in your mission Twilight. The future of Equestria is in you and your friend’s hands.”