Perpetual Torment

You knew what to expect when you returned to your cave, but seeing it only made your hatred and rage worse. The demons that VEGA had detected before they ravaged the place were still there, reveling in their handiwork. After brutalizing and turning them into piles of red pulp, Celestia had to use her magic to pull you away from the destroyed remains of your base. After you two had rescued Wonderlight, you had wandered off to your cave, and she had tagged along.

You're mad.

You're more than mad.

They ought to make a new word to describe the fiery anguish inside you, because the current roster of words is too tame.

The culmination of this last week's events have you racked with pain and anger, which is only intensified with every worried glance Celestia gives you out of the corner of her gorgeous eyes. You could see it earlier in the day, when you brutalized that demon pony in the town. She's heard about your feats, your immense power and ferocity from somewhere, but now that she's seen it with her own eyes, she's awe-struck.

She's scared of you, but it seems deeper than that. She's nervous of what might happen if you betrayed her, but that didn't seem to be a major concern. There's something more underneath those eyes of hers, as if she's scared to find out you're identity. Like she has an idea who you are, but isn't sure she'll like the answer.

You yourself don't like the idea of letting her know, but having to always keep her at arms length is so painful. You can't imagine what kind of pain it might bring Celestia if she found out this monster is the man she used to call her lover.

You're thinking too much about this.

Celestia's chariot rolls to a stop on the polished stone of Canterlot. In front of the royal hospital, dozens of other chariots are lined up in mismatched patterns, a sign of hasty landings. Inside the massive hallway, you can see royal guards and medical personnel galloping and trotting to and fro in every direction.

From the corner of your eye you watch Celestia turn to face you, concern plagues her delicate features. "I must tend to my subjects. Would you be willing to accompany me? I feel that you will be... Less threatening, if I am by your side."

As Celestia walks off the ramp of her chariot, you opt to hop out the side, the ground rumbling under your heavy landing. You don't feel like wasting time convincing marshmallow horses you're not evil. Every second not spent putting an end to Equestria's demonic threat is just more time for you to sulk into eternal depression over your own failure. For the sake of your conscience, the only thing that is important to you is finding that changeling impostor.

You walk by Celestia's side, but refuse to look at her. Royal guards who were posted outside the doors levitate horns to their mouths, playing a triumphant song to let everypony know their monarch has arrived. The townsponies from Dodge Junction are crowded into the waiting room of the massive hospital. As Celestia makes her grand entrance, the ponies give bows before rushing up and bombarding her with questions. Parents hold their young close, whilst others sit or pace nervously back and forth, waiting for their injuries to be tended to.

Sitting by herself with her back to you and Horse Lady, a smaller pink alicorn rests on her haunches, staring off at one of the hospital doors. Her multi-color mane cascades down the side of her neck like a waterfall, her pink wings constantly shift around as if she is unable to find a comfortable resting position. As if on cue the door opens, revealing a bandaged and eye-patched Shining Armor. The pretty pink princess jumps off her seat, galloping over and embracing Shining in a tight hug.

"I was so worried about you, Shiny!" Her young voice was weary and weak, as if she was on the verge of tears. "I caught a glimpse of you being rushed inside... There... There was so much blood..." She sniffles, as tears dot the stallion's puffy chest.

Shining gives a weak chuckle, one of his hooves gently rubs up and down her back lovingly. "Those things wanted a piece of the best... I suppose they got it." His laughter is hollow and almost forced, the gloomy look in his eye tells the story of a man who was confident his time was up.

You can't see Wonderlight anywhere in the waiting room, presumably he's being worked on at the moment. Perhaps Shining will know where they put that changeling?

Pushing past the crowd of ponies surrounding Celestia, you stride your way over to Shining Armor and his pink wife. He cracked an eye open and saw you, nodding his head with a weak smile as you close in.

"As a matter of fact, I don't think I'd be here to hold you again if it weren't for this big guy." Shining Armor releases his grip on his wife, who sniffles once again before turning to face you. "Cadence, meet Slayer." He says, motioning a hoof towards you.

Cadence looks towards you with a warm smile, appreciation and joy behind those purple eyes of hers. "I cannot begin to express how thankful I am, Slayer. I don't know what I would have done if... You hadn't..." As Cadence makes eye contact with you under your visor, her pupils shrink to the size of pinpricks. Her ears fold back as her mouth gapes ever so slowly.

Shining looks back and forth between you and Cadence, and you offer him a quick glance of confusion yourself.

"...Cadey? Everything alright?" Shining asks, nuzzling her neck gently.

Cadence speaks out in a near silent whisper, her words swept under her own breath.

"Cadey?"

"What did they take from you?" Cadence spoke barely a notch louder, but it was enough that you could actually understand her this time. Ever so slowly, Cadence walks up to you, placing one of her hooves to your chest. Her horn is engulfed in a blue glow, as she touches her tip to your exposed neck. Cadence's face grows almost pail, as she stumbles back, holding onto Shining Armor. "I-I'm sorry... I need s-some space." Averting her gaze from your own, she embraces Shining and tugs him towards the exit and outside.

You're left standing by yourself, several ponies look up at you with confused, and even angry stares, as if you did something to offend them.

The fuck was all that about?

From the same door Shining Armor emerged out of, a nurse walks out with a clipboard in her possession. "Is there a Mister Slayer here?" Her nasally, nerdy voice booms out, her eyes locked on the clipboard. "Mister Slayer? Anypony seen a Mister Slayer?"

This catches Celestia's attention, who politely excuses herself from the crowd that had gathered. She trots up to your side as you approach the nurse.

You and Horse Lady are walking side by side, as she leads you towards the castle dungeons. The visit with Wonderlight was short, but relatively sweet you suppose. That cocoon he was imprisoned in has caused several internal injuries, and doctors believe they will have long term effects on his health. Regardless, he is making steady progress towards recovery. Wonderlight thanked you for saving his life, and simply requested that during the interrogation you did not slay the changeling. He said that if everything went alright, and if Celestia would allow it, he wanted to offer a home for the thing.

He said he was 'confident that one in particular meant no harm in any of this'. Yeah right. Regardless, Celestia has re-iterated that she shall not tolerate you murdering this one, despite how violent the interrogation may get.

Arriving at the dungeon, two guards part ways in front of a steel door, allowing entrance into the small containment room. Chained to a steel chair and restrained by a straitjacket, 'Hazelblossom' looks up to you and Celestia with bags under her eyes.

"P-please! This is all a big mistake! You've got the wrong pony!" She pleads and begs, wriggling around in her restraints.

Furrowing your eyebrows under your visor, you fold your arms and cross your legs, leaning against the wall of the tiny room.

Celestia stands beside the chair, glaring down at Hazelblossom with an intense stare. "Do you wish to try introducing yourself again?"

Swallowing a lump in her throat, Hazel remains steadfast with her story. "P-princess, please! I'm telling you I'm innocent. T-the changeling must have shape-shifted to look like me!"

Celestia cocks her head to the side, rolling her eyes over to meet yours with a half lidded gaze. She cracks the smallest of smirks. "Is this so, Hazelblossom? Then it must be no issue at all for you to answer me some simple questions?"

Hazel's eyes shrink, but she nods her head. "Of course, Princess."

You shuffle your arms around, amused at this side of Celestia you haven't seen before.

"Mr. Wonderlight told me and my dear friend here that you refused to let him into his own basement. What was so important that he not see?"

"It was a birthday gift! A big birthday surprise." Hazel spat out without any thought.

Tia raises an eyebrow, before continuing. "A birthday surprise?"

"Yes! H-his birthday is in... Well, it's soon. I was making him a great big surprise party filled with uh... Games! Games and, food."

Alright, you're bored.

You push yourself off the wall, and slowly make your way over to the chair. Tia notices this and instinctively backs away, allowing you as much room as you need. As you approach her chair, Hazelblossom's eyes shrink, her nostrils flare up as if she's trying to inhale your scent. It's the same thing she was doing earlier in the week, before all hell broke loose.

As you close in on her, she manages to press her nose against your armor, inhaling deeply before letting out a content sigh. As if she realized what she just did, she shakes her head rapidly and tries to play it off, despite keeping her eyes glued on you. "Oh... Perhaps you c-can talk some sense into the Princess, Mr. Giant? W-we've met before, you've seen me!"

You reach a hand to your hyperspace inventory, and pull out a very special tool.

It's been awhile since you've fired her up, hopefully her carburetor isn't clogged.

Celestia and Hazelblossom both eye the device up and down. Hazel looks worried for her own safety, and recoils at the hefty scent the device gives off. Celestia glances from it, back up to your visor, flashing you a look of concern.

"Heh heh... Such fond... Memories... R-remember when you came to look for books, Mister Giant?"

You stand inches away from the steel chair, raising the tool above Hazel's head as you shake it around. Fuel sloshes back and forth inside the small gas tank.

"Or... That time you... T-took one of those... thingys...?" Hazel's eyes are glued to the device above her head.

You flick the choke, and grab the pull cord. With a firm yank, the jagged teeth on the chain spin around, before coming to a stop.

That's alright. The first crank never fires.

Sweat beads drop off of Hazel's forehead, as her body trembles, eyes glued to the jagged chain. "I don't know what else to tell you! I'm not an impostor!"

With another yank, smoke billows out the exhaust on the side as your pride and joy revs to life. The small room is engulfed with the deafening sound of an enraged two-stroke engine. Jamming down the trigger, the teeth on the blade arm rocket around in circles, flicking specs of dried blood and guts all over Hazel's face. In the corner of the room, Celestia cringes at the sound and display, yet keeps her gaze locked on you.

"N-no! Please! Oh dear lord no!" Hazel cries out, as you lower the spinning chain closer and closer to her neck. She recoils back, tilting her head either direction as she desperately tries to distance herself from a terrible demise. As the teeth spin inches away from her neck, Hazelblossom lets out a howling screech, her body engulfed in green fire.

Sitting in the unicorn mare's place is non-other than the most basic of changelings. It's fangs are exposed, glistening with venom as it hisses up at you.

You turn the chainsaw off, tossing it to the side as you grab the changeling's horn, pinning it's head to the back of the chair.

Celestia is by your side in an instant, glaring death down at the changeling. "You have ten seconds to explain why you are putting the entire world at risk before I send you to the deepest caverns of Tartarus."

The changeling's hisses slowly die down as it hyperventilates. "W-we didn't know unleashing the beasts would cause so much destruction! I swear to you!" It's raspy voice is filled with terror, as it tries to fill it's lungs back up with air. "A-after the failed assault of Canterlot, we were scattered! The Queen was nowhere to be found, and one by one we starved to death!"

Celestia bumps your leg with her flank, and nods her head towards the hand you were using to hold the horn. Obliging her, you release your grip.

The changeling swallows, before tearfully continuing. "We tried everything! Eating meat, vegetables, everything! Nothing we found could satiate our hunger like love... Until we found hate." The changeling's eyes look into Celestia's own. "S-some of us were able to hide in society, and feast off of the love ponies had for each other. It wasn't until I discovered how much more satiating hate was, that we ditched love entirely. We looked anywhere and everywhere for sources of hate, and came across old scripture describing a d-demonic outbreak..."

"Old scripture? What kind of scripture?" Celestia seems confused, yet enraged at this news.

"W-we found it in the Everfree! Deep within an ancient castle's ruins, there were tales carved into stone, depicting beasts and creatures who lived to hate." Tears are falling down the changeling's face, staining her straitjacket. "In our desperate attempt at survival, we searched for every little bit of text we could find about these creatures, and spread out all over Equestria to try and summon them..." The little creature closes her eyes, sobbing before bursting into wails of sadness. "I'm so sorry! We learned our lesson after the Canterlot raid, we really did! We just-! We didn't-!" Her breath hitches, as she devolves into incoherence.

Celestia's stern gaze is slowly faltering, as she watches the changeling cry.

"We don't want anypony to die! We just didn't want to go extinct!"

As Horse Lady leans in to nuzzle the changeling, you reach down to pick up your chainsaw, placing it back in your inventory.

Something better come out of this.

"You have committed a terrible act against all life on Equis. Do you understand this, little one?" Celestia's voice is stern, yet soft as silk. Like a mother to a misbehaving child.

The changeling hiccups and hitches, nodding her head. "Uhm-hmm..."

"I will offer you a chance to redeem yourself, and your kind of your wrong doings. Are there any other groups close to summoning another outbreak?"

The changeling sniffles, as Celestia uses a wing to dry her tears. "O-only two that I can think of... M-most my brothers and sisters have already died, or are too weak, or don't have enough resources... I was one of the lucky ones, a-and got in with such a caring old stallion." Pain and regret fill her voice as she says those last words.

Tia extends a wing towards you. "As far as I am aware, Slayer is the only being in existence with the power to stop the beasts of the underworld. Help him locate and stop these rituals before they happen. If, and only if all your brothers and sisters are brought back in and stopped, then I will allow you to prove your alliance to Equestria in prison. If not, then I will have no choice but to banish every last one of you."

The changeling looks over to you, then back up to Celestia. "Will... will he kill any of my siblings?"

"That is not up to me to answer. If your siblings remain compliant, then perhaps he will not have to."

After several seconds of silence, the changeling speaks once again. "The first group I know of is in Manehattan..."