Author's Note
Thank you for reading this short chapter. Writing is something that I've not done in almost 20 years, but the time feels right to pick up the pen. I want to continue this story, and hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think.
1. Burning Light
The searing light was bearing down on me, passing through buildings and ponies alike without doing more than ruffling their fur. But the light most definitely was having an effect. The white mare stood suddenly alone, her emerald eyes shining in wonder as the group of changelings who had been chasing behind her was swiftly launched away.
Scattered across the growing sphere of radiance were a multitude of black impressions. As the pulse of light washed over my black chitinous brethren it swept them up with the care of a manticore defending its nest. Death was something I knew, but did not fear. When you are connected to every member of the hive you experience death every day. Death is the winking out of a faint light, a consciousness that no longer echoes, a small thing.
Everyone had felt the queen’s mental scream of rage, fury, and utter defeat moments ago. This was beyond the normal scope of what the queen would willingly send. Brazen confidence and utmost self-assuredness were the only thoughts to ever be shared down to the hive. This sudden pain, this emotion pouring out of her link was something unexpected. Every mind connected to the queen turned as one to the source of the mental anguish in time to see her blasted out of the tower window riding a rapidly growing prismatic explosion of light.
We had failed. The queen had failed. There was no other possible explanation.
Staring directly at the wall of light as it bore down on me as other changelings ran past for no purpose other than a panic to escape. Refusing to turn away I accepted my end. My queen would be proud of me for this I knew, for what other purpose could I have than to watch as I had been born to. I was an infiltrator, tasked with information gathering for this mission. I was the eyes of the hive and I would not close my eyes now.
Feeding on love was like drinking a warm glass of honeyed milk. This wall was made of love, but love beyond boiling. Instinctively I opened myself to the love, a lifetime of desperate hunger making it instinctual. Immediately my reserves of love were filled to bursting, and burst they did. Love poured through me, and I was powerless to hold on to any of it.
A wall of light that I refused to look away from was now upon me. The shimmering prismatic wave consuming my vision. Like oil in a rain puddle the colors raced across the surface, iridescent and beautiful. My entire world was light as the iridescent gale reached me. The pain was beyond comprehension as I felt a snap reverberate through my body. Time stopped for me at that snap, as for the first time in my life, there was silence. The pain of that moment was more than physical. A deafening shattering felt to the pit of my soul. Slowly time started to catch up to me. My body flying through the air as I watched the light grow dimmer and dimmer until it faded to black.
"So that's how you're going to start the story? At the royal wedding?" asked Moonlilly, her lilac mane straying in front of her eyes from the slight tilt of her head. A shake of her head and light puff of exhaled breath aimed upwards readjusted the bangs to allow her to give a wink. "That's the same place everyone who wants to tell a changeling story starts."
The muscles of his tan jaw tensing as his lips drew back in a reluctant cringe, Yonder let out his breath in a long sigh through his teeth. "I know that, but that's where everyone first heard about them. So it makes sense if I want to create an alternate and more exciting version of the events, after the wedding is where I should start. Writing is hard enough when I'm trying to base it on actual events vs creating something from scratch." His stature slowly deflated as he talked, head lowering and his body seeming to want to draw in upon itself.
Leaning partially across the table, Moonlilly reached out and traced her hoof down Yonder’s jaw line to stop beneath his chin. With a gentle and persistent pressure she raised his head until their eyes met. "I love you and want you to succeed. I wasn't being critical. If that's how you want to start the story, then that is how the story will start. We're partners, I'll always support you and that includes when I try and help you see things you may not be seeing yourself. That is a common starting place is all I was saying, and next time I'll work on saying it in a way that comes across better."
The gentle smile that lifted the corners of Yonder’s lips battled with the frown that had settled, but as her words continued the smile claimed victory. A deep shuddering breath and quick exhale resulted in his pose returning to a more relaxed state. Bringing up his hoof, he pressed it against the back of Moonlilly's, rubbing his cheek against the smooth surface. "I love you too. Thank you for being here with me. I have talked about writing a story of my own for so long. It is scary seeing the words down on the paper. They're real now, not just some idea bouncing around inside my head."
Keeping her hoof his light embrace, Moonlilly leaned further across the table and kissed the top of Yonder’s nose. Inhaling deeply of her love’s scent, she smiled and kissed again. Slowly she pulled back, gently extracting her hoof from his and flicking her tail to the side resumed her seat. "So with the start of your story here, a solid fact that is no longer a dream for another day, what will come next?"
Flashing Moonlilly a grin, Yonder leaned forward and started to outline his idea.
