The advantage of the Changeling Hive had run its course. The Dark Eldar communicated through their radio signals of the existence of the Throne Room and the large resistance within and patiently waited until the Hive permitted a large force to amass.

It was a mixed group. Wyches, Wraks, Incubi, and Kabalite Warriors. Over two dozen Dark Eldar out for blood.

The Wraks went in first, letting the Changelings believe that it was still just a small group that happened upon them.

A duo of Changelings on guard called out an alert and charged in the form of large Dragons. Nochangeling thought much of it, Wraks were the easiest enemy for the shapeshifters to deal with, that changed when the Dragons doubled over in pain before changing back.

Pharynx saw the enemy force arrive en masse. The nimbler Wyches and Incubi outpacing the lumbering Wraks.

"INCOMING!!!" He shouted. Transforming into a small gnat and meeting the enemy's charge.

Anychangeling that was too young or scared to fight transformed into a rock or a lump of steel while Thorax and the rest joined Pharynx.

The fatal accuracy of the Drukhari was known throughout the galaxy, but none of the warriors present had ever bothered to attack something as insignificant as a gnat. And so they could only wait for the Changelings to make their move.

Pharynx had flown past the frontrunners, the Kabalite Warriors ceased their advances and readied their weapons for his attack. They were expecting the black Bloodthirster...not a giant boulder.

Thorax and the others transformed into Dragons and bathed the Wyches and Incubi in a tsunami of flames. All but a single agile Wych were burned alive,but the Incubi's wraithbone armor was immune to natural Dragon-fire.

The Incubi counterattacked with their tormentors. Crippling the Changelings and returning them to their natural forms.

Pharynx had broken the Kabalites' lines and rolled into the Wraks before changing into the black Bloodthirster. He had butchered all but three in a fatal spin before seeing what had become of his fellows.

The Tormentors even affected those that had turned into inanimate objects, for the attack was psychic in nature.

Forgetting his own enemies, Pharynx took flight and roared as loud as he could. Unfortunately, he was still in the form of a Bloodthirster, and the remaining Kabalites were all too aware.

Pharynx crashed to the earth in more agony than he ever felt in his life. Changing back to his true form as he struck the ground and bounced twice. He didn't even register the broken bones and torn wing as he seized in paralyzing pain from the Splinter Rifles poisened projectiles.

Yet even in his agony, Pharynx made the effort to crawl towards the other Changelings, Thorax in particular, in some vain hope that he could protect them.

The Kabalite Warriors laughed at this, seeing only foolishness in trying to look after others. An unheard message across their helmets' communicators encouraged the Incubi to take their time with their prey.

Before they could respond however, several beams of light with varying colors blasted into numerous Dark Eldar.

"FOR EQUESTRIA!!!" Pharynx had never been so happy to see a Pony. Twilight Sparkle charged at the head of a small group of Unicorns and started firing on the various Drukhari besieging the Changelings.

The Unicorns wasted no time. Twilight teleported to Pharynx and healed him. The Alicorn's magic overpowering the toxic chemicals.

Pharynx didn't waste time thanking the Pony. He just changed back to his Bloodthirster form and returned to battle

"Where's Aries? I thought he'd be leading this sort of thing." Pharynx asked Twilight as she landed on the shoulder to shield him from the Kabalites.

"Aries came here separate from us with an elite group. He told us to focus on getting you guys out of here while he fought the enemy." Twilight explained while Pharynx charged into the largest group of enemies and cleaved three of them in half with one stroke.

"Heh good, I'll be sure to join him after we take care of these guys." Pharynx said as he redirected his efforts. There were no more groups trying to fight back, now the survivors were running.

Victory was short lived. An explosion permitted an invasion of sunlight into the Hive's Throne Room as the vehicles outside had started bombarding the hallow mountain.

A Drukhari Reaver plunged into the hole. It was only the fortune of proximity that allowed Pharynx to destroy it before the pilot could take in its surroundings.

More explosions shook the Hive. Informing the defenders that their advantage had been spent. "We need to go! NOW!"

Pharynx wanted to argue against retreat, but he knew that there was no hope of the Changelings fighting the Drukhari alone with only a few Ponies to defend them. "I'm guessing you brought a way out?"

Twilight's answer was to teleport Pharynx and herself back to Ponyville while the Unicorns with her did the same with the other Changelings.

Chrysalis grit her teeth as another explosion shook the Hive. She was alone now, the Unicorns that she accompanied had either died or fled in the first encounter...she had killed 20 aliens by herself since.

She doubted there were many Changelings left, and was certain that rescue was all but complete, so all she had left was to get out.

Unfortunately, for all her power, she lacked a teleportation spell. And the odds of finding a Unicorn to hitch a ride with were growing dimmer.

"...Well well, what have we here?" Chrysalis turned to the sound of the voice and realized that she might actually be in trouble.

The Wych twirled a bladed whip, and clothed herself in the flayed skins of creatures recognized and unrecognized. "You're a bit taller than the others of your kind. Or perhaps, are you smaller and just disguise yourself so?"

The Wych chuckled and the verbal jab while Chrysalis prepared to fight. "I am the Queen of the Changelings you insolent cur, and while I thank for teaching my servants the folly of their treachery, I have no interest in repaying you. Begone!"

The chuckling became outrageous laughter. "Ahhahahahaa, Did you mean to frighten me little Queen? You are far from the first monarch I have ki- Is your crown an organic growth? How fascinating. "

The Wych moved as a blur. Chrysalis threw up a magic shield the moment she saw the creature move. Attacks struck her shield from all directions. Chrysalis didn't have time to take advantage of the Wych's surprise at the shield before she attacked again.

"Magic!? I see there is more than height to assert your dominance over the weaker ones. But it seems you can't attack and defend at the same time." The Wych claimed.

Chrysalis proved her wrong by quickly pulling the magic shield into her horn and blasting it forth as a shockwave.

She sought to grab the alien in her telekinesis, but The Wych had landed on her feet and threw a small knife.

She grabbed the knife instead, but the brief loss of concentration allowed the Wych to close the gap.

The Wych had leapt over Chrysalis in a spin, severing her wings with two lightning fast strikes before landing gracefully behind her.

Chrysalis grit her teeth in pain and turned to see the Wych smiling wider. She was having fun.

Chrysalis transformed into an Ursa Minor and charged. The Wych leaped again. Chrysalis stood on her hind legs with open jaws to try and catch her, but she flipped in midair and kicked off the large bear's nose before leaving a series of cuts down Chrysalis' back.

Chrysalis changed to her true form with a scream of pain and fury as she turned and fired beam at the grinning Eldar.

She dodged by merely moving her head. Chrysalis moved the beam lower and the Wych turned her body. Chrysalis moved the beam toward her and she ducked under it. The Changeling tried again but the Drukhari backflipped over it and landed on her hands.

Chrysalis could hear the Wych laughing at her now. Her fury start to get the better of her. "RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHH!!!!! HOW DARE YOU!! JUST WHO IN EQUESTRIA DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!?"

As she screamed she continued to try and strike the Wych with her magic. The Wych continued to dance around the attack as she answered. "Belatrixx the Butcher. Second in command to the Cult of the Crimson Claws. I can't wait to claim your crown little queen."

In her rage, Chrysalis hadn't realized that the Wych had been coming closer as she dodged. She had no time to defend herself when the bladed whip lashed out and cut her horn in half before spinning around and blinding her in one eye before she had time to register the first strike.

Belatrixx took a step back, twirling her Razorflail as she watched her prey writhe in pain, drinking in her agony. The Wych lamented that they were not within the Arena. This would truly have been a spectacle.

The little queen recovered and stared hatefully at the Wych with her healthy eye. "...You think I'm just your toy, don't you? You loathesome brat! I AM YOUR DESTROYER!!!"

The little queen transformed again. This time into a large winged reptile. Belatrixx expected her to use the monster's maw as her weapon...she hadn't expected it to breathe fire.

Belatrixx was nonetheless fast enough to evade the flame, but it flooded the area it struck like pouring water, and the little queen used the flow the chase the Wych.

The damage done to Chrysalis' wings was present in her Dragon form, preventing her from flying. But her draconic scales were immune from any blade she knew of.

...she didn't know of a Wych's Razorflail.

Belatrixx slit the Changeling's wrist, causing her to thrash her body wildly in pain. Knocking Belatrixx to the ground by accident and scraping her face.

The infuriated Wych charged Chrysalis and contracted her Razorflail into a proper sword before leaping at Dragon and stabbing her through her lung.

Belatrixx leapt from the Changeling's flank before she returned to her true form and fell. Coughing up green blood.

"...Dammit. Just when I was starting to have fun." Belatrixx pouted as she leaned over the dying queen.

The Hive shook more violently now. The Reavers and Raiders were going to bring the whole mountain down upon them in frustration for being denied their part in the carnage. Belatrixx couldn't blame them, but it looked like it was time for her to leave.

Just as she raised her weapon to finish off her foe, a bright flash drew her attention.

Belatrixx couldn't believe what she saw. A Space Marine! One of the Imperium of Man's augmented Mon'Keigh standing beside one of the creatures described to them by the Harlequins that brought them here.

Aries and Starlight had returned to the Hive in the midst of the battlefield. Aries wasted no time before raising the reloaded Defiance.

Evidently, the Phasing Runes that allowed him to bypass armor weren't effective against unarmored and scarcely clothed enemies. His perfect headshot went right through the Wych's skull without causing damage.

The Wych charged. Aries drew Warp Eater and activated its Power Field. Belatrixx leapt over his head and lashed out. Unfortunately, Razorflail's were not Power Weapons, and the bladed sections of the whip couldn't cut deep enough into ceramite.

Belatrixx fled. Aries fired five rounds at her before she was out of sight, but none struck home. The Hive shook. "This place is coming down, get us out of here!"

"Wait, that wuh-what abo-" Starlight stopped when she realized which Changeling the Wych had been tormenting.

Chrysalis stared into the eyes of the Unicorn that turned her Hive against her, and had just saved her life, and decided she wished she had died.

Starlight nonetheless moved toward the Changeling. "Leave her. She would do the same to you." Aries stated.

"I know." Starlight replied as she healed the Changeling's wounds. Unfortunately, Unicorn healing could only close opened flesh and accelerate the duplication of blood cells. There was nothing Starlight could do for Chrysalis' horn and wings.

Chrysalis rose to her feet and scoffed. "As if my day couldn't get any worse."

Starlight was unperturbed. "What are you even doing here? You couldn't have been dumb enough to join us by accident just to get away from Greenskin."

Before Chrysalis could reply, a Raider flew into the area and began to lock weapons onto them.

Aries fired blind as he ran to stand next to the natives. "Get us out of here! NOW!"

Far above the Changeling Hive, a single Drukhari ship, The Flayer of Will, hovered in high orbit. Within the only room untouched by the screams of agony of the Dark Eldars bounty of slaves, a meeting was taking place.

"You saw what?" Clarissa demanded.

"An Astartes from the Imperium's forgotten glory." Belatrixx repeated.

"And it was fighting alongside one of the equine creatures that the Solitaire brought us here to slaughter." Observed the Homunculus who turned Drixx into a Wrak for the Klaivex Fune not long ago...Praxis was his name.

Fune nodded in confirmation. "I encountered these Mon'Keigh as well. Every one that I encountered had significant sorcery at their command."

Clarissa didn't like the sound of that. "The Harlequins sent us against a psychic race!? Are we sure that we are the ones meant to destroy them...and not the other way around."

A dreadful silence washed over the room...before it was broken by the laughter of a single entity. A Dark Eldar at the head of the table, Clarissa's mate and the Archon of the Cabal of the Shattered Soul: Sarhan. "Hmm hmm hmm hmm, If Cegorach's jesters think we are foolish enough to be slaughtered so easily, then they have misjudged us. We have had our fun simply slaughtering the weak with brute force, now we will return to our roots...If these foolish creatures had any sense at all, they would've left the bug like creatures to die and kept their abilities a secret...thank you for drawing them out." The last sentence he said to one of the Changelings that had brought aboard. The other Drukhari shared a fit of condescending laughter at the poor creature's expense.

The Changeling Ocellus once had a light blue carapace and light red wings. Now, her green flesh and veins stood exposed to the hateful creatures around her. Numerous tubes and wires crucified the Changeling to the ship. Feeding her nutrients and regulating her vital systems to ensure she wouldn't perish until her captors chose to let her.

She was still conscious, yet she couldn't even scream as her suffering fed the monsters around her.

Author's Note

And so ends the first major conflict. Having lost the element of surprise, the defense of Ponyville will not be as easy as they first thought...and they didn't think it'd be easy to begin with.

I worried that I might've been downplaying the Eldar Warriors to make it an even fight, but two nights ago, I finished reading the Night Lords omnibus, which featured Eldar as the final antagonist. Turns out...I might've made them a bit more powerful.

I depicted the Kabalite Warriors as never missing a shot, but the Ulthwe guardians that fought against Talos and his warband were described as having the accuracy of Guardsmen. (Granted, this could just be the Night Lords being dicks)

Aside from that however, I think I was pretty spot on.

Chrysalis is not getting redeemed. Don't worry about that. However, I do have a plan for her that places in the spotlight of the first Volume of Act 2(the fifth Volume in total) what that entails will remain a secret for a little while longer.

Coming up next is the fallout chapter. The Changelings took incredible losses. Several Ponies lost the will to fight and are likely to spread panic. Chrysalis is going to have an encounter with the Royal Sisters...and something happened offscreen during the attack in the Hive that I've looking forward to writing.

That's all I got for this one. Next chapter might get delayed indefinitely as...this may be my last one before my graduation. (I was told by my instructor that he expected to be done with me in two weeks...that was last week)

Welp, whatever happens will happen. Rest assured that the majority of my attention is directed to finishing this fic. I'll see you all next time.

P.S. do Eldar also call their radios a vox, and if not what do they call it?