Pyre

In Canterlot castle, in one of the private meeting rooms, Princess Celestia was talking to one of the royal mages, and a member of the newly formed spy corps. The two ponies were talking to the princess about an anomaly that appeared in the far west of Equestria about, a week or so ago. The anomaly was some kind of magical disturbance, which was so powerful that the sight of the anomaly was saturated with magic, that it was almost unbearable to even breathe or stand. And the source of the anomaly, or the one responsible for the event, were nowhere to be found. All that was at the sight, aside from the over-saturation of magic, was a burnt building, and large heavily pressed footprints that wondered off for a bit, before just disappearing. And after a week of investigating, neither the court mage nor the spy corps could come up with anything.

“—and that’s when the trail finally went cold your majesty, there were no other tracks, signs or anything we could follow.” The member of the spy corps said as he remained in a kneeled bow position, while Celestia sits in her chair slightly rubbing her forehead, and letting out a small sigh.

“I see. So we’re still no closer in solving what created those prints.” Celestia said before looking towards the stallion with a small smile. “Thank you for all of your work Ebony.” The stallion nodded before standing up, and leaving the room. Celestia then looked over a unicorn wearing traditional mage garb.

“Have you managed to identify what type of magic that was used at the sight?” Celestia asked.

“I have your majesty.” The unicorn said. “Upon reaching the origin point of the anomaly, and started my investigation, I’ve concluded that a type of summoning spell was used.”

“Summoning magic?” Celestia question as she quirked a brow, to which the unicorn nodded his head, his long brown beard bouncing slightly. “But summoning magic is so common & one of the more easier spells a unicorn can use. It only allows a pony to summon small things, like an apple, or another pony. No type of summoning could cause such destruction.”

“Believe me your highness, I’m just as bewildered by the discovery as you. But it was indeed summoning magic that was used.” Celestia then stood up from her chair, and walked over to the only window of the room, looking out into the world as a worried look took over her face.

“But, if it, is, summoning magic…what could’ve been summon to cause such destruction at the sight?” Celestia questioned.

“I’m afraid we just don’t know your highness, it’s impossible to tell what the pony did summon.” The mage said in a slight somber tone.

Celestia then excused the mage, while giving him her thanks & gratitude for his work, before she was left alone in the meeting room. Still looking out of the window. A week has passed since she sensed that eruption of magic, and the week prior to that day, was the invasion of the changelings during her nieces wedding. The fact that this bizarre summoning ritual was used, shortly after the wedding, caused Celestia to be slightly fearful. She thought perhaps that Chrysalis was trying to devise a new plan to take over Canterlot again, but thankfully there were no signs of changeling activity, which gave her a little sense of relief, however she was still worried. Mostly about what it is that the mystery spell-caster summoned, and if it was a national threat.

Knock-knock-knock~

The sound of the door being knocked on pulled Celestia out of her thoughts, and used her magic to open the door, where her sister stood. Celestia smiled as she looked at her sister, and ushered her in. Luna enters the room, closing the door behind her, and walked over to her sister.

“You still looked trouble sister, did the report of the anomaly not comeback with desired results?” Luna asked as she & Celestia hugged each other. Celestia nodded before she & Luna separated.

“Yes Luna, and now I’m a little more worried about what I have been told.”

Celestia then explained what the court mage said that a summoning spell gone wrong caused the destruction at the sight, and saturated the area with magic. And possibly summoned something dangerous. After hearing this, Luna was just as puzzled and worried as her sister.

“This is indeed very troubling sister. Very troubling indeed.” Luna said as she took a seat at the small table of the room, with Celestia taking the other chair across from the midnight alicorn.

“Indeed Luna. And since the trail of, whatever, was summoned has disappeared. We do not know what could be wondering Equestria now.” Celestia said as she place her chin on her hands, eyes looking down at a random spot on the table. Both alicorns remained in their state of silence, trying to think on how to proceed with this investigation, and what their next move should be.

~~~~~

Somewhere in the woods, far off from any city or town, a pony stood in front of a board hung on the wall. Various scriptures, pictures and other pieces of papers were pinned to the wall & board, while the white face of the board had various formulas and pictures drawn on it. The pony that was standing in front of the board was a unicorn mare. Tall and lean, wearing a rather baggy grey hoodie, long blue pants. Her coat was a cinnamon brown color, mane & tail were rose red, a little un-kempt, and had a stripe of brown same as her coat running through her mane. Her dark blue eyes scanned the board in front of her, with a very annoyed look on her face, in fact her scowl was so disgruntled, she could turn water into the sourness of lemonades. She was going over the formula of the advance summoning spell she has written down, and was grinding her teeth in annoyance, as she went over the event that happened a week ago.

“I still don’t get it!” the mare grumbled as she starts furiously scratching her head.

“How the Tartarus did the spell go so wrong!? It was supposed to be a simple summoning of a chimera…but now my own private facility is reduced to a smoldering husk.” The mare grumbled. The mare then started to think back to the event of that day.

When she began to initiate the spell, and casted it, a massive portal erupts in the clear white science lab, which caused the room to warp and expand. Causing the lights spark and flicker, while the roof and walls crack and crumble, and the floor began developing cracks. The mare then tried to cancel the spell, but something was, interfering, with her magic and seemed to only cause the portal to pulse, and warp some more. Then the portal suddenly collapsed onto itself…before exploding & creating a barrage of light & fire, knocking the mare into the far wall and destroying all the lights.

After recovering from her volatile throw across the room, the mare’s vision was slightly blurred, she was able to see the thing she summoned before her. Standing only five feet from the downed mare, engulfed in fire and the darkness of the room…a wobbling and sporadically hobbling giant lumbered around. Its flailing arms smashing into fallen pieces of the walls & ceiling, its heavy and large feet stomping around and crushing whatever gets underfoot. Then as the giant cried out in a horrifying guttural roar, as the giant raised its hands into the air crashing through the low hanging ceiling, where fire erupts and bellows from the holes and the ceiling.

And that’s when the mare managed to gather herself, and shake herself out of her fear-stricken stupor, that she managed to teleport herself to a wooden cabin she often lives at. Not knowing what became of her laboratory until she went back to her facility a few days later, and saw the burnt remains of the building.

The mare trots over to a nearby table, and flopping onto a chair, and her head slumping into her hands. Dragging her hands down her muzzle, the mare looks tiredly at the white board, where a hastily sketch of the giant was drawn. Fire outlining its features.

“Just what in Tartarus did I even summon?” she said as she continues to stare at the picture.

~~~~~

Queen Chrysalis was in the vast expanse of the Hive’s library, a myriad of books floating around her. Each of various species in Equestria’s boarders, or outside said boarders, but not one of them had any information on Pyre’s species. Even though Pyre has told the Queen he came from another world, she was still having trouble actually believing it, even if what the human said was supposedly the truth. Using her magic the queen returned all the books to their shelves, and made her way out of the library and procced to walk down the hallways, passing by any of her Soldiers that were lining the halls. The Queen continues her stroll through the halls of the Hive, examining every hall, chamber and every other hall she did not walk through, and as she was walking through the main market chamber, Chrysalis saw Pyre walking amongst her changelings.

She then stood there on the upper floor of the chamber, looking down as her eyes tracked the human’s movements. And she noticed he was not wearing the set of armor he was wearing a few days ago, instead he was wearing a slightly loose black shirt with chained skull design on the chest, a pair of navy-blue jeans, while also wearing a light grey jacket with black markings on the sleeves. The Queen watched as her new mercenary walks from stall to stall, simply browsing what the stalls had, and he seemed to be chewing on something, but from her position Chrysalis could tell what it was. After several minutes of watching the human, the Queen then continued her stroll around the Hive, continuing her inspection of her empire.

Chrysalis then made her way to the upper section of the Hive, and was initially intending to head to her throne room. but she stopped when she was coming across a different door. The door was barely bigger than Queen, and was still made of the same obsidian stone that made up the Hive, but there were several large pieces of emerald, turquoise and sapphire stones embedded into the door, all in an elaborate design that looked like the outline of a Queen changeling. Chrysalis only glanced at the door, before snorting slightly and continuing her march to her throne room, however the Queen was halted when one of her Scouts flew towards her, and skidded to a stop and immediately dropped to a kneeling bow.

“Speak.” Chrysalis said in a gentle, yet still firm tone.

“I bring word from the North your grace.” The Scout said. “Something has, appeared, in the snowy wasteland.” Chrysalis quirked a brow as she fully turned to face the changeling.

“What is this, thing, that just appeared in the waste?”

Chrysalis questioned as she looked down at the changeling mare, who stood up and ignited her horn, and projected an image of what the scout saw. It was hard to see through the snow, but the Queen and the Scout could see what looks like a, castle. Through the snow, and the shakiness of the vision, the Queen could see that the structure in the distance was jagged & straight in its design, and the faintness of shining light could be seen.

“I couldn’t get to close to it your grace, the wind and the snow was starting to get to strong, and I had to retreat before a storm blew in.” the Scout said. Chrysalis continued to examine the image, but after a brief moment a simple gesture of her hand told the mare to end the image.

“Take a squad of Scouts to this castle, or kingdom, and investigate what it is. I want to learn everything you can find.”

Chrysalis ordered, to which the mare saluted before flying off down the hall. Chrysalis then went back to her marching to her throne room, and slipped passed through the large doors as they closed with a deep low, thud. The Queen then sat down on her throne once she reached the large stone seat, and once she was seated she pinged across the Hive Mind, ordering one of her subjects to bring Pyre to the chamber. If this castle or kingdom was a new nation that could pose a threat to the changelings, she wants to get as much information she could before anything could happen. Sometime later the doors to the throne room opened, and Pyre came walking through them, casually strolling over to Chrysalis while chewing on a stick, with some kind of transparent green cone on it. When the human stood before the Queen, he pulled the lollipop from his mouth, and gave a small bow.

“Howdy your highness.” Pyre said before sticking the lollipop back into his mouth. “So, what’s you wanna see me about?”

Chrysalis ignited her horn and created the same image of the structure in the snowy wind. It was an easy thing for Chrysalis to project anything her subjects see, as the Hive Mind allows her to delve into their minds partially, and act as a medium for the changelings thoughts as she projects images.

“A Scout of mine relayed this image to me, and reported that it just appeared in the snowy wastelands up north.” Chrysalis said. “I’ve ordered further investigation of this nation, and if it turns out this kingdom has an enemy force, I want to be prepared.” The last bit she said as she looked down at Pyre, who developed a small grin, and his eyes turned red and glowed slightly.

“And my involvement in this matter is…” Pyre left the sentence hang in the air, obviously getting a little excited at the prospect of what the Queen might be suggesting. And Chrysalis smiled as she saw the human getting excited.

“This will be your first assignment.” Chrysalis smirked. “Accompany my Scouts, and help determine what the situation is, and if the need arises…” Chrysalis’s smirk grew just a hair as her own eyes glowed.

“Provide back-up, if anything happens.” Pyre gave a grand bow as he slightly tilted his head up, his eyes slightly being covered by his bangs.

“With pleasure.”