The Legion Of Hopeby Discombobulated SoulChaptersThe Life Of HarmonyA Day In SafetyThe Strike TeamA Belt Of BronzeThe Life Of HarmonyA dark night sky, filled with ashes and embers from homes and lives burnt to cinders and crushed under countless merciless hooves. Ex-Queen Chrysalis wove through the fallen bodies of her brave subjects, the living of which were even now being imprisoned and carted off to be the subjects of sick and twisted experiments. Countless hooves echoed all around her in pursuit, and she could hear wingbeats giving chase as well, eager to catch and erase her from existence. Her breathing was heavy, her hooves leaden, and her heart all but lost to the deepest depths of sorrow as she fled the scene of her defeat. Just get to the hideout. She leapt over a fallen foe, leaving the pony there to rot as its allies abandoned him, her tan legs pumping with adrenaline. Suddenly, Chrysalis emerged in a clearing, likely what was once a park or market square, and came to a halt as armored ponies circled the area, effectively trapping her inside. She scanned the clearing frantically, desperately searching for a way out through the heavy ash, but found nothing. The changeling scrambled backward as her assailants closed in from all sides, trying to keep track of everything at once. It's no use, my reserves are shot, I've got nothing left. Just as she was about to accept her defeat, however, a deep-throated battle cry sounded to her left and several enemies were sent flying as a large and heavily muscled centaur began tearing through their ranks. "Chryssie! This way! HURRY!" Her aching legs protested as she turned and followed her friend, who gave one last parting punch before thundering away, greatly outnumbered. They were allotted a sizable head start as the ponies reoriented themselves, consequently slowing down and both breathing heavily. "Where's Cozy?!" The changeling demanded, causing the centaur to raise his hands in a placating gesture. "She's back at the hideout, completely safe, I swear. I made sure all the wards were in place before I left to find you. Now come on! There's no time to lose!" The pair surged forth once more, their small break over. They continued down the blazing streets, ignoring the heat and sneaking around in the shadows of what buildings hadn't yet been set aflame. As they crept around a pair of such buildings, however, something glinted in the alcove between them, causing Chrysalis to pause. "Pharynx?" She ignored her friend's urgent beckoning in favor of dashing into the alley, struggling to light her horn with what pitiful reserves she had left. Forest green chitin glinted faintly in the light, heavily damaged and oozing a dark purple ichor. Shredded, crimson wings lay in pieces around the fallen creature, who coughed and spluttered weakly, turning to face her and opening his heliotrope purple compound eyes. "Hey, your highness. Turns out those ponies know their stuff, the bastards." Tears filled the ex-queen's vision as she lunged forward and cradled her subject's head in her legs. "Oh, Pharynx, my child. I'm s-so sorry." She could feel what little pulse he had left fading away and knew that the end for him was soon approaching. Between her exhausted magic supply and his near-dead state, there was nothing to be done. All she could do was be there for him in his last moments, like she couldn't be for so many of her children. "M-mom? I did good, didn't I?" Chrysalis whimpered and clutched Pharynx's head tighter, nodding into it as she rubbed their cheeks together. "Yes, my ever-loyal child. You did the absolute best you could." She kissed his broken stub of a horn with all the tenderness she was able to, tears flooding her face as she felt his breaths cease and his pulse fade away. "Rest now. May the Eternal Hive receive you with open hooves, my son." Chrysalis lay there, sobbing softly, for an unknown length of time before feeling her friend's consoling hand on her furred shoulder. "Come on, Chryssie. We can mourn later, when we're safe in our bunker." The changeling nodded, wiping her baby blue eyes with a hoof as she did her best to compose herself. "You're right, Tirek. Of course you're right." She stood resolutely, though her features were still pained. "We'll have a proper funeral once we're out of danger." Chrysalis cast but one sorrowful glance at the cooling corpse behind her before she took several steps forward, nodding once more to her long-time companion. "Lead on, then." They resumed their clandestine journey, narrowly avoiding detection on numerous occasions as the vile ponies victoriously tramples the once-city to dust, vigorously searching for any escapees to take captive. Luckily, the buildings that had once served her indirectly now found use as ashen smog to provide a constant cover. This, combined with Tirek's memorization of the layout of the city, made them effectively invisible, and they soon reached the smoldering ruins of the castle without confrontations of any kind. Chrysalis took the lead then, her knowledge of her home's layout surpassing Tirek's comparatively low familiarity with the place. Finally, they found themselves in what was left of the basement scullery, and the centaur wordlessly places his fingers on the wall, activating the concealing rune and revealing a dark stairwell heading down into the depths of the earth. He gestured politely, checking behind them for pursuers and activating the rune that would trigger the cave-in. "After you, Chrysalis." The ex-queen nodded and began her descent into the abyss, her tan legs wobbling with fatigue as she once more summoned what magic she had left and lit the way down, Tirek following shortly after. They traveled in silence once more, both clueless as to what to say and too filled with despair to attempt to speak in the first place. Chrysalis' fuzzy ears had long ago lowered against her skull, muting the sound of clinking hooves on stone stairs. Finally, they arrived at a solid iron wall, all but barren except for the ancient, Xenbanian rune crudely scrawled across its surface. She stepped to the side, allowing her centaur friend past to set his hand on the image, allowing the stored arcane energies to activate once more, charging the air with their power and making her fur stand on end. Chrysalis braced herself for the inevitable lurch of sickening vertigo that came with teleportation, and was vindicated when that sensation failed to cause her to vomit as it had every time before. She blinked the fuzz from her mind and opened her eyes to observe the familiar surroundings of their secret hideaway. A simple room, really, initially meant for private escapes from their busy, stressful lives, though it now served as their sanctuary. "That's the last of the magic left in that rune." Tirek notified her, shaking out his hands to alleviate the cramps that were sure to follow the use of such power. "We won't be able to use it to get here again." Chrysalis nodded in acceptance and was about to respond when she was tackled to the ground by a salmon-pink bullet impacting her side. "I'm so glad you're safe! I w-was so worried you w-wouldn't make it back!" The pegasus filly sobbed into her tan chitin, hugging her with a fierce strength she only wished she possessed at the moment. The changeling wrapped her exhausted forelegs around the filly, rubbing her back in a comforting, maternal gesture. "Well, I did, and everything's going to be okay. Right, Cozy?" Her charge only gripped her tighter, nuzzling her orange chest fur and mumbling to herself. Chrysalis sighed wearily, tears springing up from her eyes as she comforted the last child she had left. She's so precious, it's hard to believe she's the same species as those demons. She watched as Tirek tiredly settled down on a nearby cushion, tearing into a strip of jerky he'd retrieved from a cabinet with starved gusto. The trio sat in their bunker, protected from the outside world for a time, knowing that soon they'd run out of supplies and would have to relocate, facing the dangers of the universe and the wrath of the ponies. Chrysalis laid there, not bothering to move her spent body and starting to slip into what was sure to be a fitful, nightmarish sleep. She could already feel the harmonic energy from her companions' connection begin to restore her reserves, and knew that soon she'd be able to plan out their next move. We may have lost the war, but so long as Harmony lives in the three of us, we can persist. The ponies haven't defeated us yet. There's still Hope. Author's Note Just a rather interesting concept I've had in mind for a while. Expect infrequent updates with much time in between them, as this particular narrative is not high on my priority list. A Day In SafetyThe centaur paced the room, occasionally huffing lightly as his dexterous fingers grazed lightly across the wall. A few minutes ago his curiosity and paranoia had ganged up to finally take his mental restraint down, and he'd used the last of his stolen magic to engrave one last divination rune in the bunker, consequently reverting back to his weak, natural form. What he'd found through it wasn't surprising at all. They're still searching for us. Those ponies are resilient, I'll give them that. Tirek halted his pacing and took his hand off the rune, gazing at the still-sleeping changeling and lump of salmon pink still firmly attached to it. It's been a whole day by now, and it looks like it'll be at least another few hours before she's up again. The centaur laid down, tiredly placing his head in his hands. Just how far did she push herself, trying to save what loyal subjects she had left? Tirek began rubbing at his closed eyes, purposefully avoiding the tiny horns on his head or his weak, feeble jawline so as not to be reminded of his current pathetic state. She must have known we had no chance of fighting back, especially not after that traitor turned so many of them. He nearly smashed his fist into the wall at the mere thought of the name, and likely would have if he had power to spare, but decided not to, instead opening his bloodshot eyes and gazing once more at his companions. "You're too good, Chrysalis." He stated, a sad smile adorning his mouth. "Too good for this world. Too good for me." He sighed heavily, bringing his pathetic hands up to look at. "Too good to last, with those Tartarus-forsaken ponies around." Tirek saw Cozy shift in her sleep ever-so-slightly, and ceased his talking so as not to wake her, instead shifting to lean his upper body against the wall, falling into an uneasy slumber. "Here you go, Cozy." The filly gratefully took the last sandwich they had from Tirek's hand, and the centaur turned to examine what little food they had left. It's not much, maybe enough for two more days at most, between me and Cozy. Tirek sighed, the action feeling very familiar at this point. I wish we didn't need food, like the Changelings. He gazed at Chrysalis, who had woken up shortly before, sitting still while studying the floor with her head bowed and posture slumped. Cozy trotted back to her mom, sandwich in mouth, and nuzzled up against her leg in a distinctively feline manner. She always did remind me of a cat. Far more so than those equines. Tirek had long ago become comfortable with the idea of a pony in their midst, as had the entire changeling kingdom. It was made significantly easier due to the fact that Cozy acted so unlike any pony they'd seen or heard about. Just in observing the filly give a pleased chirp as she was lifted up and cradled caringly in Chrysalis' chest fur, he knew that she could never commit the atrocities her species was known for. Tirek closed the cabinet and strode across the artificial cave, sitting next to the mourning changeling and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, knowing that she always enjoyed the gesture. "They're gone, Tirek." Chrysalis stated hollowly as she ran a tan hoof through Cozy's baby blue mane, largely absent from the world at large and deeply within her mental space. The centaur lightly gripped her shoulder and tugged her towards him, unable to completely pull the two together in his weak natural state. Luckily, the changeling didn't object, and obediently leaned to the side and against the slightly shorter form of her friend, closing her eyes to revel in the side-hug. Changelings sure crave physical affection. Well, the natural ones, at least. Time passed swiftly by as the three sat there, Tirek rubbing his friend's shoulder and Cozy nuzzling her mother for all she was worth, likely unable to enjoy her lovingly-crafted sandwich with such a distraught family member in her midst. Chrysalis didn't weep, for her tears had run dry, and nearly all feeling in her had similarly fled. "They're still searching. Vigorously, by the looks of it. I doubt they'll stop anytime soon." The vision of scouting parties and patrolling unicorns sifting through rubble faded from Tirek's mind as Chrysalis cut the flow of power from her horn. "We'll have to leave soon, then. I'm sure they'll eventually be able to track the magical signatures." The changeling began pacing as Tirek stepped away from the rune-inscribed wall. Cozy was nervously watching the two, her pink eyes flitting between them as they discussed the situation. "How much food do you have left? Is it enough to last much longer?" The centaur shook his head, absently scratching at his white beard. "No, we'll need more by tomorrow night, otherwise our magic could shut down as we go into withdrawal." Tirek locked eyes with his former queen, steadily staring into the pale-blue pits. "We need to leave. Either today or tomorrow. There's no other options." Chrysalis nodded and lit her horn, opening a drawer and bringing a stack of maps over with her telekinesis. "Tomorrow it is, then. I'll plan our route. It'll be dangerous, but I think we can make it to the Bronze Belt." "Tirek? Are we going to be okay?" He started out of his reverie, bringing his gaze from where it had stared distantly at the wall to rest it on the fidgeting filly. "Of course, Cozy. We'll be fine as long as we stick together." She looked up at him from where she sat on the floor with worried eyes, and Tirek swore to himself that he would do anything to protect the innocence present within them for as long as he could. "I don't want to lose you. Or Chrysalis. Can you promise that I won't, not ever?" He didn't know if he honestly could, but he did anyway, just to alleviate the stress from her form. She's the last person who should be worrying about this. "Come on, Cozy, let's go to sleep, it's late." And he was more than exhausted from the drain that was that day, but the filly had one more request. "Can you tell me a story? Just like you used to?" The centaur grinned and fond memories of time spent romping throughout a glorious castle, playing pranks on the staff, and trying out the most outrageous foods danced across his mind. "Of course, squirt. Just like I used to." Author's Note I figured I'd solidify the Legion's relationship a bit more before I toss them out into the harsh, deadly, unforgiving world of the ponies. This is probably going to be one of very few heartwarming chapters, as the dark, dreary stuff is about to get the full spotlight. The Strike Team"Your Royal highness' strike team has been called and are en route right now, your majesties." The irritating messenger scurried away from the jet of flame, but wasn't fast enough to avoid getting a good portion of his tail roasted off. "If you continue attacking our servants, sister, they will not want to stay for much longer." Equestrian Queen Daybreaker snorted with displeasure at the statement, giving her coruler a dismissive side-eye. "Nonsense, Moon. They will serve me and obey my orders, or else see just how nasty I can be." Queen Nightmare Moon glared as she frowned back, shifting her bat wings to a nigh imperceptible degree. "Oh, we know how nasty you can be. And did we not tell you to call us by our full name? It is a gesture that we have no issues giving to you, Daybreaker." The white alicorn scoffed, that single careless action sending a modest wave of air and force throughout the throne room. "That's because my name is so much cooler than yours. Shorter, too." Nightmare Moon huffed at this, but restrained herself from responding, instead simply turning her gaze to the ornate double doors at the far end of the room. Heh, she was always the more mature one. That just makes her all the more fun to tease. And beat mercilessly in battle. The doors opened, admitting six ponies that both Queens were very familiar with. They were led by a dark purple alicorn in front, who confidently strode forward, giving her rulers a cocky smirk. "'Sup, Daybreaker? Got a new mission for us?" The ruler in question narrowed her dark eyes at her apprentice, frowning lightly in a disdainful scowl. "You would do well to address me by my title, Twilit Strike. Remember your place as my disciple, and show proper respect befitting my status." But the alicorn waved a dismissive hoof, stopping just before the thrones and paying absolutely no heed to her muttering teammates. "Yeah, yeah, respect and discipline and all that jazz. So, what's the assignment? Do we get to bash some skulls in?" Pink beamed at this, grinning maniacally as she waved an overeager hoof. "Ooh! Ooh! I love bashing skulls in! Can we do that?! Pleeeaase?!" Daybreaker rolled her fiery eyes, clicking her tongue as she gestured for her sister to continue with the explanation. I grow bored with these ponies already. Some day, I just want to fry them all to crisps, and them feed those crisps to the manticore. But then we'd be stuck with even more incompetent minions. Oh, the dilemma of a ruler such as I. "When the invasion of the Changeling Loyalists was finished, we discovered that Queen Chrysalis and her advisor, Lord Tirek, were both unaccounted for. They are suspected to still be in the Changeling kingdom, as we're constantly patrolling the borders in search of them. Your mission is to track down and end these individuals, by any means you deem fit." The six ponies collectively groaned, shooting each other incensed glares at the synchronization. "But, that's so boring! Come on, just a little assassination assignment?! Don't you have something better to use us for?" Daybreaker snorted flames at the impertinent outburst from Dash, her features growing enraged as her Godly Presence intensified. Nightmare Moon, however, was much more collected, as always, and responded with her usual cool, detached, infuriatingly dispassionate tone. "Nay, Dash. The captured changelings still have that bothersome quality called Hope. They are Hopeful for the future, so long as their queen remains free. In order to break them sufficiently, we must end her, so that they feel their connection to her die." The Night Queen blinked a long, drawn out blink. "If you successfully complete your mission, we will allow you one changeling each to do with as you see fit. That includes torture." Collective cheers echoed throughout the room, and Twilit Strike pranced back toward the doors, her tail wagging eagerly. "Come on then, everypony! Let's go kill some enemies! Follow me!" The strike team seemed significantly less enthusiastic about that last suggestion, but they still reluctantly did as they were told. Their hoofsteps eventually faded away, leaving just the two rulers to sit in their room. "You do realize, Daybreaker, that the only reason they follow your pupil is because they fear our might, correct?" The Day Queen laughed heartily, absently ringing an enchanted bell off to the side. I'm in the mood to roast some creatures. "Yes, Moon, I'm well aware. Why, that Fluttersly pony would probably shank her if she thought she'd get away with it. Luckily, they all know better, hm?" Nightmare Moon nodded once in agreement, turning her gaze to a levitated book she was holding. A few moments passed in silence before the doors opened once more. They did so only briefly, and just long enough to allow a protesting yak to be shoved inside. "NO! WAIT! YINTUK HAS FAMILY! WIFE AND KIDS! THINK OF THE CHILDREN!" Daybreaker chuckled, lighting her horn to slowly drag her entertainment closer. She grinned back at his terrified eyes, licking her lips gleefully as he continued to protest softly. Nightmare Moon sighed once, turning a page as she read on. The only other sounds were the desperate shrieks of a soul being tortured and the great roar of flames consuming him. Oh, how bothersome. I think I lost my page. Author's Note Bit of a short one this time around, but I figured I needed something Halloweeny and also to foreshadow the mane six's arrival. Hope y'all enjoyed! A Belt Of Bronze"Okay, that should be enough power. You can stop charging it now." Cozy Hope Glow's dread increased tenfold as her mommy turned off her horn, panting with fatigue as Tirek patted her shoulder. The filly twiddled her hooves, occasionally clutching at her growling tummy as she anxiously watched the centaur wipe some sweat off Chrysalis' forehead with a hoofkerchief. "You know, sometimes I envy how you can pull so much energy out of nowhere." Stated Tirek as he began to gather what little items of import there were to be brought with them. Cozy clutched her own baggie tight against her barrel, double-checking that all her things were inside. Wait...where's my...? Movement attracted the filly's gaze and she looked up just in time to see her favorite doll being tossed her way by Tirek's shriveled arms. She deftly caught and deposited it in her bag before attempting to give her friend a grateful smile. Unfortunately, it came out as more of an anxious grimace, and that seemed to make him sad, because he sighed heavily. "You know very well that it doesn't come from nowhere, Tirek. And it's only thanks to the strength of the bond which the three of us share that there's so much to offer." Mommy huffed indignantly, but Cozy could tell that her heart wasn't really in it. She was just as nervous as the filly, if not more. "Oh, come now, don't sell yourself short, Chrysalis! No regular changeling could produce enough magic to power a teleportation charm in this short a timeframe." Tirek was probably trying to cheer her up, but the statement only made Cozy's mommy deflate even more. "And yet, it was not enough to save my children." Cozy's heart hurt as she took in the depressive sight of her dear mother, and she hastily ran over to give her one of her finest hugs, straight from one caring soul to another. Soon, her centaur friend joined in as well, and the three formed a cuddle pile of pure love and comfort, which Cozy basked in with a tentative smile. The group embrace was cut off when the filly's stomach growled once more, this time the loudest it had been all day. This ended the cuddle pile quite abruptly, with mommy giving Cozy a look that she couldn't quite read and one last savored squeeze before they separated. Soon, the three clustered around the rune, which Cozy felt both mesmerized and confused by, as she always did. The swirling lines and spiraling figures reminded her of her own childish drawings, yet there was always some form to their madness, one that she could barely understand. Tirek once told me that it took him years to learn how to draw those. That's a whole lot of birthdays! The filly knew, deep down, that she was just trying to distract herself from the coming terror, just as she knew the nature of the world that waited beyond. She knew that they were stepping head-first into very real danger, and there was a good chance that things wouldn't turn out okay like in all her storybooks. Truly, Cozy Hope Glow knew many things that somecreature her age shouldn't. The filly's breath hitched as Tirek placed his hand on the rune, and she tensed with anticipation, only to feel a reassuring squeeze across her barrel and a familiar nose nuzzle the top of her head. "Hey, don't worry, Cozy. You'll be okay, I promise. Just stick close to us, okay? We'll protect you." Mommy's voice was so strong, so caring, so determined that Cozy couldn't help but trust in it entirely, giving a shaky nod in return as she looked at her. Suddenly, a flash of orange light lit the small chamber, and with a rush of empty air and the overpowering smell of ozone, the trio was gone, leaving the last place of safety and the last reminder of the life they once had behind them. Tirek took a cursory glance around at the fallen capital as his companions recovered from the abrupt teleportation, shooting Chrysalis an apologetic glance. The changeling returned the look with one of quiet acceptance, placing the dry-heaving pegasus filly on her back before striding forward, navigation tools held before her in a soft orange aura. Cromochrona, the renowned Great Hive and capital city of the Changeling Kingdom, was in utter ruins. The ponies had struck hard, fast, and ruthlessly, leaving nearly no structure standing. The damage was infinitely worse than it'd been the night of the attack, what with the apparent looting parties and obscene graffiti. Tirek was now marginally shorter than Chrysalis, and so had to reach up further than he'd have preferred in order to cover Cozy's eyes through the worst of the imagery. Everything of value had been either stolen or burned, nearly every last piece of rubble looked to have been moved recently, and there was still a visible haze in the air from the sheer volume of ash. Worst of all, though, was the ponies visible in every direction, still searching and sifting through rubble in hopes of finding one of the three's heads. There was undoubtedly a large bounty on them, Chrysalis most of all, being the former head of the most organized country in centuries. Killing her would send quite the message. Perhaps even more so than destroying the city. Said changeling looked to be taking the destruction harder than either of them, likely blaming herself for it. Luckily, she seemed to be focused enough on the task at hand, so the centaur didn't find the need to say anything yet. The trio of friends hastily ducked low against a collapsed building, warily watching as yet another pegasus patrol soared overhead. Tirek spared a glance at his companions, noting how Cozy clutched at her stomach and her wings' fluttering slowed down. It's ridiculous how much food the ponies burn through on a daily basis. Cozy was always able to outeat me, even as a filly, but I suppose all that magic has to come from somewhere. The filly was clearly suffering some intense hunger pains, even though they'd run out of food merely the night before. Tirek himself, while certainly feeling the lack of nutrients in his system, was doing much better. I suppose being so shriveled does have benefits, small in number they may be. Both he and Chrysalis carefully checked the surrounding area before continuing on, with the changeling glancing at her navigation tools every so often. It was a tense expedition, and they often had to dive for what little cover was in the immediate area as ponies traveled within line of sight, strutting confidently as though they owned the place. Finally, they reached the city limits, and any ponies gradually faded from view as they crested hill after barren, rocky hill, all suffocating under numerous layers of ash. Plant life grew more abundant the closer they reached to their destination, all tinged with an unnatural yet splendorous bronze color. The Changeling Kingdom was normally completely barren, its climate unsuitable for any sort of life save the changelings themselves. Living 'belts' such as the one they were heading for were so few and far between that each had a designated name and written location. After surmounting the last hill, the threesome were gifted the sight of an enormous strip of bronze-colored mana less than three miles away, all pooling up from the ground like some hyper-dense water spring. The Bronze Belt was a mere three or so feet wide, but stretched on in either direction as far as they could see, with not a single curve or irregularity in its linear shape. Most important of all, however, was the sheer number of plants that filled every available spot, all given life by the abundant mana and consequentially all the same bronze color. Every species of plant imaginable was present within sight, including many edible and even nutritious ones, the direction of which the three immediately set off to. Most notable of all, however, was that there was not a single animal, sapient or otherwise, anywhere near them. "We have to be careful." Chrysalis stated as she led them through the metallic-looking vegetation, using her glowing horn as an improvised machete to cut a path. They occasionally ran into the odd tree or stiff-stemmed flower patch, which they had to delicately walk around. "All kinds of plants grow here, and that means a whole slew of the carnivorous kind as well. All the nastiest species from Equestria are within range, and they'll attack if we're too careless." The others nodded their assent and Cozy gripped her neck with renewed vigor, glancing about with an all-too-appropriate amount of fear in her eyes. "The hardest part about traveling through here is that all of them are the same color," the changeling continued, carefully studying the way ahead as they crept along. "So it's near-impossible to distinguish between what's ripe fruit and what's a lure for a particularly large anglertree." Just then, Tirek's shriveled arm brushed a tangle of apparently-dormant vines that immediately sprung to life, wrapping themselves around his limb and giving a mighty heave off to the side. The centaur's weak state left him entirely helpless to resist, but thankfully Chrysalis rushed forth in time to cut away the thrashing vines, which retracted back to whatever ghastly thing they were attached to. Tirek gave his ex-queen a thankful nod and brushed the remnants of bronze vine away before a thought entered his mind. "How do you know so much about this place? I thought only gathering parties came here to get food for the non-changeling subjects. It's far too dangerous for casual exploration." The changeling stopped in her bushwhacking to give him a knowing look and raised eyebrow in response. "I led a sizable number of those excursions myself! Before you came along, of course. A good queen is aware of and well-read on the danger she sends her subjects to face." Chryssie's ears drooped as what she said entered her mind, and the newfound ever-present mourning expression returned to her visage. Cozy tightened her hold once more on Chrysalis' neck, but this time it wasn't due to fear. With only a few other close calls to speak of, they soon reached their destination: An artificial wooden platform built in a friendlier section of the Belt. The vegetation throughout it grew uncontrollably and filled every possible nook, but this chosen location was long ago discovered to be mostly empty of the carnivorous dangers so present everywhere else by pure chance alone. The platform had aged poorly, and several lone shoots of plants had already grown through its rotting, moldy surface, but it still allowed the threesome a stable enough place to rest. Chrysalis set off gathering various fruits and grains to feed her ravenous companions, both of whom eagerly dug into the first meal they'd had in far too long. They spent a full hour simply recuperating from the stressful journey, simultaneously grateful and surprised to still be alive. All throughout that hour, Tirek's self-directed disgust grew as he became increasingly repulsed at his own weak, useless, shriveled form. It takes effort to lift my arms at full strength, I can barely walk, my magic is almost nonexistent, the list goes on! "I can't go on like this." The centaur's companions jolted in surprise and turned to worriedly regard him upon his announcement. He gestured down at himself, letting them take in his exasperated expression and pathetic figure before continuing. "I'm too weak like this. How am I supposed to help anycreature if I can't even escape from some measly vines? How can I help you two if I can't even help myself?" Tirek pointed off to his right, in the direction of the Bronze Belt proper while scratching lightly at his beard in a nervous habit he'd had for as long as he could remember. "There's all that mana just over there, more than I'll ever need to absorb in order to be useful! I just-" A lump formed in the ex-advisor's throat and he clutched at his jaw, gritting his teeth as bottled-up, long-ignored emotions came rising to the surface. "I just hate being so weak. So helpless. So...pathetic." Two pairs of fuzzy forelegs enveloped him with forceful warmth, and he sunk in to the group hug, returning it with what pitiful strength was present in his natural form. The feeble form. The vulnerable form. "You're thinking about Scorpan." It wasn't a question, but Tirek nodded anyway, rubbing his apelike face against his friend's tan neck and hoping she failed to notice the slight dampness of what tears he'd allowed to escape. Chrysalis broke the hug seconds after, looking him dead in the eyes before nodding in turn and levitating Cozy to her back. "Okay, we'll head to the Belt. You can withdraw what mana you need from there, right?" Another nod and they stood as one, once more gathering what supplies they possessed in preparation for the upcoming trip. It was an arduous process, but the centaur soon found himself standing on the bank of the strip of bronze-colored mana, putting the finishing touches on a dissipation rune. The raw mana which made up the Bronze Belt was far too volatile and concentrated to absorb directly, but some careful tinkering solved that issue. Chrysalis didn't even need to fuel the rune this time; what ambient power continuously bled off from the strip was more than enough to sustain the relatively simple process of dispersing the mana. Soon, several flowing ribbons of uncondensed, bronze-colored mana were rising up from the Belt, with the rune acting as a sort of prism that drew in and separated the raw power into more manageable pieces. Tirek greedily sucked down these noodle-like streams of magic, feeling his body swell as more and more strength was added to his being. "Don't take too much, Tirek. You still have to fit through the paths I made, after all." Heeding his ex-queen's warning, the centaur deactivated the rune, stopping his growth just as he became slightly taller than the changeling. He turned to her, appreciatively eyeing his new bulging biceps and powerful physique, and she raised a disdainful yet good-natured eyebrow. "Really? You just had to be the tallest?" Tirek gave a playful shrug, spreading his new buff hands in an easy gesture. "What can I say? I am the strong, mighty, beefy tank, after all." Chrysalis rolled her baby blue eyes, derisively flicking her tail as she turned back the way they'd arrived. "You've been playing too much Ogres and Oubliettes." The filly on her purplish carapace, however, seemed to approve of his new form, and gave a beaming smile. "You look good, Tirek! I like the new colors!" Cozy giggled madly as he surprisedly clutched at his newfound bronze-colored beard, eyes bulging in shock. Suddenly, movement in Tirek's peripheral vision caused him to shift his gaze across the Belt, and his beady black eyes bulged further upon observing what was across from them. Six mares, each garbed in various black clothing and clutching different weapons eagerly stared back, all grinning with the wicked intent to kill, mangle, and punish. It's the Strike Team! They'd been found.
The Life Of HarmonyA dark night sky, filled with ashes and embers from homes and lives burnt to cinders and crushed under countless merciless hooves. Ex-Queen Chrysalis wove through the fallen bodies of her brave subjects, the living of which were even now being imprisoned and carted off to be the subjects of sick and twisted experiments. Countless hooves echoed all around her in pursuit, and she could hear wingbeats giving chase as well, eager to catch and erase her from existence. Her breathing was heavy, her hooves leaden, and her heart all but lost to the deepest depths of sorrow as she fled the scene of her defeat. Just get to the hideout. She leapt over a fallen foe, leaving the pony there to rot as its allies abandoned him, her tan legs pumping with adrenaline. Suddenly, Chrysalis emerged in a clearing, likely what was once a park or market square, and came to a halt as armored ponies circled the area, effectively trapping her inside. She scanned the clearing frantically, desperately searching for a way out through the heavy ash, but found nothing. The changeling scrambled backward as her assailants closed in from all sides, trying to keep track of everything at once. It's no use, my reserves are shot, I've got nothing left. Just as she was about to accept her defeat, however, a deep-throated battle cry sounded to her left and several enemies were sent flying as a large and heavily muscled centaur began tearing through their ranks. "Chryssie! This way! HURRY!" Her aching legs protested as she turned and followed her friend, who gave one last parting punch before thundering away, greatly outnumbered. They were allotted a sizable head start as the ponies reoriented themselves, consequently slowing down and both breathing heavily. "Where's Cozy?!" The changeling demanded, causing the centaur to raise his hands in a placating gesture. "She's back at the hideout, completely safe, I swear. I made sure all the wards were in place before I left to find you. Now come on! There's no time to lose!" The pair surged forth once more, their small break over. They continued down the blazing streets, ignoring the heat and sneaking around in the shadows of what buildings hadn't yet been set aflame. As they crept around a pair of such buildings, however, something glinted in the alcove between them, causing Chrysalis to pause. "Pharynx?" She ignored her friend's urgent beckoning in favor of dashing into the alley, struggling to light her horn with what pitiful reserves she had left. Forest green chitin glinted faintly in the light, heavily damaged and oozing a dark purple ichor. Shredded, crimson wings lay in pieces around the fallen creature, who coughed and spluttered weakly, turning to face her and opening his heliotrope purple compound eyes. "Hey, your highness. Turns out those ponies know their stuff, the bastards." Tears filled the ex-queen's vision as she lunged forward and cradled her subject's head in her legs. "Oh, Pharynx, my child. I'm s-so sorry." She could feel what little pulse he had left fading away and knew that the end for him was soon approaching. Between her exhausted magic supply and his near-dead state, there was nothing to be done. All she could do was be there for him in his last moments, like she couldn't be for so many of her children. "M-mom? I did good, didn't I?" Chrysalis whimpered and clutched Pharynx's head tighter, nodding into it as she rubbed their cheeks together. "Yes, my ever-loyal child. You did the absolute best you could." She kissed his broken stub of a horn with all the tenderness she was able to, tears flooding her face as she felt his breaths cease and his pulse fade away. "Rest now. May the Eternal Hive receive you with open hooves, my son." Chrysalis lay there, sobbing softly, for an unknown length of time before feeling her friend's consoling hand on her furred shoulder. "Come on, Chryssie. We can mourn later, when we're safe in our bunker." The changeling nodded, wiping her baby blue eyes with a hoof as she did her best to compose herself. "You're right, Tirek. Of course you're right." She stood resolutely, though her features were still pained. "We'll have a proper funeral once we're out of danger." Chrysalis cast but one sorrowful glance at the cooling corpse behind her before she took several steps forward, nodding once more to her long-time companion. "Lead on, then." They resumed their clandestine journey, narrowly avoiding detection on numerous occasions as the vile ponies victoriously tramples the once-city to dust, vigorously searching for any escapees to take captive. Luckily, the buildings that had once served her indirectly now found use as ashen smog to provide a constant cover. This, combined with Tirek's memorization of the layout of the city, made them effectively invisible, and they soon reached the smoldering ruins of the castle without confrontations of any kind. Chrysalis took the lead then, her knowledge of her home's layout surpassing Tirek's comparatively low familiarity with the place. Finally, they found themselves in what was left of the basement scullery, and the centaur wordlessly places his fingers on the wall, activating the concealing rune and revealing a dark stairwell heading down into the depths of the earth. He gestured politely, checking behind them for pursuers and activating the rune that would trigger the cave-in. "After you, Chrysalis." The ex-queen nodded and began her descent into the abyss, her tan legs wobbling with fatigue as she once more summoned what magic she had left and lit the way down, Tirek following shortly after. They traveled in silence once more, both clueless as to what to say and too filled with despair to attempt to speak in the first place. Chrysalis' fuzzy ears had long ago lowered against her skull, muting the sound of clinking hooves on stone stairs. Finally, they arrived at a solid iron wall, all but barren except for the ancient, Xenbanian rune crudely scrawled across its surface. She stepped to the side, allowing her centaur friend past to set his hand on the image, allowing the stored arcane energies to activate once more, charging the air with their power and making her fur stand on end. Chrysalis braced herself for the inevitable lurch of sickening vertigo that came with teleportation, and was vindicated when that sensation failed to cause her to vomit as it had every time before. She blinked the fuzz from her mind and opened her eyes to observe the familiar surroundings of their secret hideaway. A simple room, really, initially meant for private escapes from their busy, stressful lives, though it now served as their sanctuary. "That's the last of the magic left in that rune." Tirek notified her, shaking out his hands to alleviate the cramps that were sure to follow the use of such power. "We won't be able to use it to get here again." Chrysalis nodded in acceptance and was about to respond when she was tackled to the ground by a salmon-pink bullet impacting her side. "I'm so glad you're safe! I w-was so worried you w-wouldn't make it back!" The pegasus filly sobbed into her tan chitin, hugging her with a fierce strength she only wished she possessed at the moment. The changeling wrapped her exhausted forelegs around the filly, rubbing her back in a comforting, maternal gesture. "Well, I did, and everything's going to be okay. Right, Cozy?" Her charge only gripped her tighter, nuzzling her orange chest fur and mumbling to herself. Chrysalis sighed wearily, tears springing up from her eyes as she comforted the last child she had left. She's so precious, it's hard to believe she's the same species as those demons. She watched as Tirek tiredly settled down on a nearby cushion, tearing into a strip of jerky he'd retrieved from a cabinet with starved gusto. The trio sat in their bunker, protected from the outside world for a time, knowing that soon they'd run out of supplies and would have to relocate, facing the dangers of the universe and the wrath of the ponies. Chrysalis laid there, not bothering to move her spent body and starting to slip into what was sure to be a fitful, nightmarish sleep. She could already feel the harmonic energy from her companions' connection begin to restore her reserves, and knew that soon she'd be able to plan out their next move. We may have lost the war, but so long as Harmony lives in the three of us, we can persist. The ponies haven't defeated us yet. There's still Hope. Author's Note Just a rather interesting concept I've had in mind for a while. Expect infrequent updates with much time in between them, as this particular narrative is not high on my priority list.
A Day In SafetyThe centaur paced the room, occasionally huffing lightly as his dexterous fingers grazed lightly across the wall. A few minutes ago his curiosity and paranoia had ganged up to finally take his mental restraint down, and he'd used the last of his stolen magic to engrave one last divination rune in the bunker, consequently reverting back to his weak, natural form. What he'd found through it wasn't surprising at all. They're still searching for us. Those ponies are resilient, I'll give them that. Tirek halted his pacing and took his hand off the rune, gazing at the still-sleeping changeling and lump of salmon pink still firmly attached to it. It's been a whole day by now, and it looks like it'll be at least another few hours before she's up again. The centaur laid down, tiredly placing his head in his hands. Just how far did she push herself, trying to save what loyal subjects she had left? Tirek began rubbing at his closed eyes, purposefully avoiding the tiny horns on his head or his weak, feeble jawline so as not to be reminded of his current pathetic state. She must have known we had no chance of fighting back, especially not after that traitor turned so many of them. He nearly smashed his fist into the wall at the mere thought of the name, and likely would have if he had power to spare, but decided not to, instead opening his bloodshot eyes and gazing once more at his companions. "You're too good, Chrysalis." He stated, a sad smile adorning his mouth. "Too good for this world. Too good for me." He sighed heavily, bringing his pathetic hands up to look at. "Too good to last, with those Tartarus-forsaken ponies around." Tirek saw Cozy shift in her sleep ever-so-slightly, and ceased his talking so as not to wake her, instead shifting to lean his upper body against the wall, falling into an uneasy slumber. "Here you go, Cozy." The filly gratefully took the last sandwich they had from Tirek's hand, and the centaur turned to examine what little food they had left. It's not much, maybe enough for two more days at most, between me and Cozy. Tirek sighed, the action feeling very familiar at this point. I wish we didn't need food, like the Changelings. He gazed at Chrysalis, who had woken up shortly before, sitting still while studying the floor with her head bowed and posture slumped. Cozy trotted back to her mom, sandwich in mouth, and nuzzled up against her leg in a distinctively feline manner. She always did remind me of a cat. Far more so than those equines. Tirek had long ago become comfortable with the idea of a pony in their midst, as had the entire changeling kingdom. It was made significantly easier due to the fact that Cozy acted so unlike any pony they'd seen or heard about. Just in observing the filly give a pleased chirp as she was lifted up and cradled caringly in Chrysalis' chest fur, he knew that she could never commit the atrocities her species was known for. Tirek closed the cabinet and strode across the artificial cave, sitting next to the mourning changeling and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, knowing that she always enjoyed the gesture. "They're gone, Tirek." Chrysalis stated hollowly as she ran a tan hoof through Cozy's baby blue mane, largely absent from the world at large and deeply within her mental space. The centaur lightly gripped her shoulder and tugged her towards him, unable to completely pull the two together in his weak natural state. Luckily, the changeling didn't object, and obediently leaned to the side and against the slightly shorter form of her friend, closing her eyes to revel in the side-hug. Changelings sure crave physical affection. Well, the natural ones, at least. Time passed swiftly by as the three sat there, Tirek rubbing his friend's shoulder and Cozy nuzzling her mother for all she was worth, likely unable to enjoy her lovingly-crafted sandwich with such a distraught family member in her midst. Chrysalis didn't weep, for her tears had run dry, and nearly all feeling in her had similarly fled. "They're still searching. Vigorously, by the looks of it. I doubt they'll stop anytime soon." The vision of scouting parties and patrolling unicorns sifting through rubble faded from Tirek's mind as Chrysalis cut the flow of power from her horn. "We'll have to leave soon, then. I'm sure they'll eventually be able to track the magical signatures." The changeling began pacing as Tirek stepped away from the rune-inscribed wall. Cozy was nervously watching the two, her pink eyes flitting between them as they discussed the situation. "How much food do you have left? Is it enough to last much longer?" The centaur shook his head, absently scratching at his white beard. "No, we'll need more by tomorrow night, otherwise our magic could shut down as we go into withdrawal." Tirek locked eyes with his former queen, steadily staring into the pale-blue pits. "We need to leave. Either today or tomorrow. There's no other options." Chrysalis nodded and lit her horn, opening a drawer and bringing a stack of maps over with her telekinesis. "Tomorrow it is, then. I'll plan our route. It'll be dangerous, but I think we can make it to the Bronze Belt." "Tirek? Are we going to be okay?" He started out of his reverie, bringing his gaze from where it had stared distantly at the wall to rest it on the fidgeting filly. "Of course, Cozy. We'll be fine as long as we stick together." She looked up at him from where she sat on the floor with worried eyes, and Tirek swore to himself that he would do anything to protect the innocence present within them for as long as he could. "I don't want to lose you. Or Chrysalis. Can you promise that I won't, not ever?" He didn't know if he honestly could, but he did anyway, just to alleviate the stress from her form. She's the last person who should be worrying about this. "Come on, Cozy, let's go to sleep, it's late." And he was more than exhausted from the drain that was that day, but the filly had one more request. "Can you tell me a story? Just like you used to?" The centaur grinned and fond memories of time spent romping throughout a glorious castle, playing pranks on the staff, and trying out the most outrageous foods danced across his mind. "Of course, squirt. Just like I used to." Author's Note I figured I'd solidify the Legion's relationship a bit more before I toss them out into the harsh, deadly, unforgiving world of the ponies. This is probably going to be one of very few heartwarming chapters, as the dark, dreary stuff is about to get the full spotlight.
The Strike Team"Your Royal highness' strike team has been called and are en route right now, your majesties." The irritating messenger scurried away from the jet of flame, but wasn't fast enough to avoid getting a good portion of his tail roasted off. "If you continue attacking our servants, sister, they will not want to stay for much longer." Equestrian Queen Daybreaker snorted with displeasure at the statement, giving her coruler a dismissive side-eye. "Nonsense, Moon. They will serve me and obey my orders, or else see just how nasty I can be." Queen Nightmare Moon glared as she frowned back, shifting her bat wings to a nigh imperceptible degree. "Oh, we know how nasty you can be. And did we not tell you to call us by our full name? It is a gesture that we have no issues giving to you, Daybreaker." The white alicorn scoffed, that single careless action sending a modest wave of air and force throughout the throne room. "That's because my name is so much cooler than yours. Shorter, too." Nightmare Moon huffed at this, but restrained herself from responding, instead simply turning her gaze to the ornate double doors at the far end of the room. Heh, she was always the more mature one. That just makes her all the more fun to tease. And beat mercilessly in battle. The doors opened, admitting six ponies that both Queens were very familiar with. They were led by a dark purple alicorn in front, who confidently strode forward, giving her rulers a cocky smirk. "'Sup, Daybreaker? Got a new mission for us?" The ruler in question narrowed her dark eyes at her apprentice, frowning lightly in a disdainful scowl. "You would do well to address me by my title, Twilit Strike. Remember your place as my disciple, and show proper respect befitting my status." But the alicorn waved a dismissive hoof, stopping just before the thrones and paying absolutely no heed to her muttering teammates. "Yeah, yeah, respect and discipline and all that jazz. So, what's the assignment? Do we get to bash some skulls in?" Pink beamed at this, grinning maniacally as she waved an overeager hoof. "Ooh! Ooh! I love bashing skulls in! Can we do that?! Pleeeaase?!" Daybreaker rolled her fiery eyes, clicking her tongue as she gestured for her sister to continue with the explanation. I grow bored with these ponies already. Some day, I just want to fry them all to crisps, and them feed those crisps to the manticore. But then we'd be stuck with even more incompetent minions. Oh, the dilemma of a ruler such as I. "When the invasion of the Changeling Loyalists was finished, we discovered that Queen Chrysalis and her advisor, Lord Tirek, were both unaccounted for. They are suspected to still be in the Changeling kingdom, as we're constantly patrolling the borders in search of them. Your mission is to track down and end these individuals, by any means you deem fit." The six ponies collectively groaned, shooting each other incensed glares at the synchronization. "But, that's so boring! Come on, just a little assassination assignment?! Don't you have something better to use us for?" Daybreaker snorted flames at the impertinent outburst from Dash, her features growing enraged as her Godly Presence intensified. Nightmare Moon, however, was much more collected, as always, and responded with her usual cool, detached, infuriatingly dispassionate tone. "Nay, Dash. The captured changelings still have that bothersome quality called Hope. They are Hopeful for the future, so long as their queen remains free. In order to break them sufficiently, we must end her, so that they feel their connection to her die." The Night Queen blinked a long, drawn out blink. "If you successfully complete your mission, we will allow you one changeling each to do with as you see fit. That includes torture." Collective cheers echoed throughout the room, and Twilit Strike pranced back toward the doors, her tail wagging eagerly. "Come on then, everypony! Let's go kill some enemies! Follow me!" The strike team seemed significantly less enthusiastic about that last suggestion, but they still reluctantly did as they were told. Their hoofsteps eventually faded away, leaving just the two rulers to sit in their room. "You do realize, Daybreaker, that the only reason they follow your pupil is because they fear our might, correct?" The Day Queen laughed heartily, absently ringing an enchanted bell off to the side. I'm in the mood to roast some creatures. "Yes, Moon, I'm well aware. Why, that Fluttersly pony would probably shank her if she thought she'd get away with it. Luckily, they all know better, hm?" Nightmare Moon nodded once in agreement, turning her gaze to a levitated book she was holding. A few moments passed in silence before the doors opened once more. They did so only briefly, and just long enough to allow a protesting yak to be shoved inside. "NO! WAIT! YINTUK HAS FAMILY! WIFE AND KIDS! THINK OF THE CHILDREN!" Daybreaker chuckled, lighting her horn to slowly drag her entertainment closer. She grinned back at his terrified eyes, licking her lips gleefully as he continued to protest softly. Nightmare Moon sighed once, turning a page as she read on. The only other sounds were the desperate shrieks of a soul being tortured and the great roar of flames consuming him. Oh, how bothersome. I think I lost my page. Author's Note Bit of a short one this time around, but I figured I needed something Halloweeny and also to foreshadow the mane six's arrival. Hope y'all enjoyed!
A Belt Of Bronze"Okay, that should be enough power. You can stop charging it now." Cozy Hope Glow's dread increased tenfold as her mommy turned off her horn, panting with fatigue as Tirek patted her shoulder. The filly twiddled her hooves, occasionally clutching at her growling tummy as she anxiously watched the centaur wipe some sweat off Chrysalis' forehead with a hoofkerchief. "You know, sometimes I envy how you can pull so much energy out of nowhere." Stated Tirek as he began to gather what little items of import there were to be brought with them. Cozy clutched her own baggie tight against her barrel, double-checking that all her things were inside. Wait...where's my...? Movement attracted the filly's gaze and she looked up just in time to see her favorite doll being tossed her way by Tirek's shriveled arms. She deftly caught and deposited it in her bag before attempting to give her friend a grateful smile. Unfortunately, it came out as more of an anxious grimace, and that seemed to make him sad, because he sighed heavily. "You know very well that it doesn't come from nowhere, Tirek. And it's only thanks to the strength of the bond which the three of us share that there's so much to offer." Mommy huffed indignantly, but Cozy could tell that her heart wasn't really in it. She was just as nervous as the filly, if not more. "Oh, come now, don't sell yourself short, Chrysalis! No regular changeling could produce enough magic to power a teleportation charm in this short a timeframe." Tirek was probably trying to cheer her up, but the statement only made Cozy's mommy deflate even more. "And yet, it was not enough to save my children." Cozy's heart hurt as she took in the depressive sight of her dear mother, and she hastily ran over to give her one of her finest hugs, straight from one caring soul to another. Soon, her centaur friend joined in as well, and the three formed a cuddle pile of pure love and comfort, which Cozy basked in with a tentative smile. The group embrace was cut off when the filly's stomach growled once more, this time the loudest it had been all day. This ended the cuddle pile quite abruptly, with mommy giving Cozy a look that she couldn't quite read and one last savored squeeze before they separated. Soon, the three clustered around the rune, which Cozy felt both mesmerized and confused by, as she always did. The swirling lines and spiraling figures reminded her of her own childish drawings, yet there was always some form to their madness, one that she could barely understand. Tirek once told me that it took him years to learn how to draw those. That's a whole lot of birthdays! The filly knew, deep down, that she was just trying to distract herself from the coming terror, just as she knew the nature of the world that waited beyond. She knew that they were stepping head-first into very real danger, and there was a good chance that things wouldn't turn out okay like in all her storybooks. Truly, Cozy Hope Glow knew many things that somecreature her age shouldn't. The filly's breath hitched as Tirek placed his hand on the rune, and she tensed with anticipation, only to feel a reassuring squeeze across her barrel and a familiar nose nuzzle the top of her head. "Hey, don't worry, Cozy. You'll be okay, I promise. Just stick close to us, okay? We'll protect you." Mommy's voice was so strong, so caring, so determined that Cozy couldn't help but trust in it entirely, giving a shaky nod in return as she looked at her. Suddenly, a flash of orange light lit the small chamber, and with a rush of empty air and the overpowering smell of ozone, the trio was gone, leaving the last place of safety and the last reminder of the life they once had behind them. Tirek took a cursory glance around at the fallen capital as his companions recovered from the abrupt teleportation, shooting Chrysalis an apologetic glance. The changeling returned the look with one of quiet acceptance, placing the dry-heaving pegasus filly on her back before striding forward, navigation tools held before her in a soft orange aura. Cromochrona, the renowned Great Hive and capital city of the Changeling Kingdom, was in utter ruins. The ponies had struck hard, fast, and ruthlessly, leaving nearly no structure standing. The damage was infinitely worse than it'd been the night of the attack, what with the apparent looting parties and obscene graffiti. Tirek was now marginally shorter than Chrysalis, and so had to reach up further than he'd have preferred in order to cover Cozy's eyes through the worst of the imagery. Everything of value had been either stolen or burned, nearly every last piece of rubble looked to have been moved recently, and there was still a visible haze in the air from the sheer volume of ash. Worst of all, though, was the ponies visible in every direction, still searching and sifting through rubble in hopes of finding one of the three's heads. There was undoubtedly a large bounty on them, Chrysalis most of all, being the former head of the most organized country in centuries. Killing her would send quite the message. Perhaps even more so than destroying the city. Said changeling looked to be taking the destruction harder than either of them, likely blaming herself for it. Luckily, she seemed to be focused enough on the task at hand, so the centaur didn't find the need to say anything yet. The trio of friends hastily ducked low against a collapsed building, warily watching as yet another pegasus patrol soared overhead. Tirek spared a glance at his companions, noting how Cozy clutched at her stomach and her wings' fluttering slowed down. It's ridiculous how much food the ponies burn through on a daily basis. Cozy was always able to outeat me, even as a filly, but I suppose all that magic has to come from somewhere. The filly was clearly suffering some intense hunger pains, even though they'd run out of food merely the night before. Tirek himself, while certainly feeling the lack of nutrients in his system, was doing much better. I suppose being so shriveled does have benefits, small in number they may be. Both he and Chrysalis carefully checked the surrounding area before continuing on, with the changeling glancing at her navigation tools every so often. It was a tense expedition, and they often had to dive for what little cover was in the immediate area as ponies traveled within line of sight, strutting confidently as though they owned the place. Finally, they reached the city limits, and any ponies gradually faded from view as they crested hill after barren, rocky hill, all suffocating under numerous layers of ash. Plant life grew more abundant the closer they reached to their destination, all tinged with an unnatural yet splendorous bronze color. The Changeling Kingdom was normally completely barren, its climate unsuitable for any sort of life save the changelings themselves. Living 'belts' such as the one they were heading for were so few and far between that each had a designated name and written location. After surmounting the last hill, the threesome were gifted the sight of an enormous strip of bronze-colored mana less than three miles away, all pooling up from the ground like some hyper-dense water spring. The Bronze Belt was a mere three or so feet wide, but stretched on in either direction as far as they could see, with not a single curve or irregularity in its linear shape. Most important of all, however, was the sheer number of plants that filled every available spot, all given life by the abundant mana and consequentially all the same bronze color. Every species of plant imaginable was present within sight, including many edible and even nutritious ones, the direction of which the three immediately set off to. Most notable of all, however, was that there was not a single animal, sapient or otherwise, anywhere near them. "We have to be careful." Chrysalis stated as she led them through the metallic-looking vegetation, using her glowing horn as an improvised machete to cut a path. They occasionally ran into the odd tree or stiff-stemmed flower patch, which they had to delicately walk around. "All kinds of plants grow here, and that means a whole slew of the carnivorous kind as well. All the nastiest species from Equestria are within range, and they'll attack if we're too careless." The others nodded their assent and Cozy gripped her neck with renewed vigor, glancing about with an all-too-appropriate amount of fear in her eyes. "The hardest part about traveling through here is that all of them are the same color," the changeling continued, carefully studying the way ahead as they crept along. "So it's near-impossible to distinguish between what's ripe fruit and what's a lure for a particularly large anglertree." Just then, Tirek's shriveled arm brushed a tangle of apparently-dormant vines that immediately sprung to life, wrapping themselves around his limb and giving a mighty heave off to the side. The centaur's weak state left him entirely helpless to resist, but thankfully Chrysalis rushed forth in time to cut away the thrashing vines, which retracted back to whatever ghastly thing they were attached to. Tirek gave his ex-queen a thankful nod and brushed the remnants of bronze vine away before a thought entered his mind. "How do you know so much about this place? I thought only gathering parties came here to get food for the non-changeling subjects. It's far too dangerous for casual exploration." The changeling stopped in her bushwhacking to give him a knowing look and raised eyebrow in response. "I led a sizable number of those excursions myself! Before you came along, of course. A good queen is aware of and well-read on the danger she sends her subjects to face." Chryssie's ears drooped as what she said entered her mind, and the newfound ever-present mourning expression returned to her visage. Cozy tightened her hold once more on Chrysalis' neck, but this time it wasn't due to fear. With only a few other close calls to speak of, they soon reached their destination: An artificial wooden platform built in a friendlier section of the Belt. The vegetation throughout it grew uncontrollably and filled every possible nook, but this chosen location was long ago discovered to be mostly empty of the carnivorous dangers so present everywhere else by pure chance alone. The platform had aged poorly, and several lone shoots of plants had already grown through its rotting, moldy surface, but it still allowed the threesome a stable enough place to rest. Chrysalis set off gathering various fruits and grains to feed her ravenous companions, both of whom eagerly dug into the first meal they'd had in far too long. They spent a full hour simply recuperating from the stressful journey, simultaneously grateful and surprised to still be alive. All throughout that hour, Tirek's self-directed disgust grew as he became increasingly repulsed at his own weak, useless, shriveled form. It takes effort to lift my arms at full strength, I can barely walk, my magic is almost nonexistent, the list goes on! "I can't go on like this." The centaur's companions jolted in surprise and turned to worriedly regard him upon his announcement. He gestured down at himself, letting them take in his exasperated expression and pathetic figure before continuing. "I'm too weak like this. How am I supposed to help anycreature if I can't even escape from some measly vines? How can I help you two if I can't even help myself?" Tirek pointed off to his right, in the direction of the Bronze Belt proper while scratching lightly at his beard in a nervous habit he'd had for as long as he could remember. "There's all that mana just over there, more than I'll ever need to absorb in order to be useful! I just-" A lump formed in the ex-advisor's throat and he clutched at his jaw, gritting his teeth as bottled-up, long-ignored emotions came rising to the surface. "I just hate being so weak. So helpless. So...pathetic." Two pairs of fuzzy forelegs enveloped him with forceful warmth, and he sunk in to the group hug, returning it with what pitiful strength was present in his natural form. The feeble form. The vulnerable form. "You're thinking about Scorpan." It wasn't a question, but Tirek nodded anyway, rubbing his apelike face against his friend's tan neck and hoping she failed to notice the slight dampness of what tears he'd allowed to escape. Chrysalis broke the hug seconds after, looking him dead in the eyes before nodding in turn and levitating Cozy to her back. "Okay, we'll head to the Belt. You can withdraw what mana you need from there, right?" Another nod and they stood as one, once more gathering what supplies they possessed in preparation for the upcoming trip. It was an arduous process, but the centaur soon found himself standing on the bank of the strip of bronze-colored mana, putting the finishing touches on a dissipation rune. The raw mana which made up the Bronze Belt was far too volatile and concentrated to absorb directly, but some careful tinkering solved that issue. Chrysalis didn't even need to fuel the rune this time; what ambient power continuously bled off from the strip was more than enough to sustain the relatively simple process of dispersing the mana. Soon, several flowing ribbons of uncondensed, bronze-colored mana were rising up from the Belt, with the rune acting as a sort of prism that drew in and separated the raw power into more manageable pieces. Tirek greedily sucked down these noodle-like streams of magic, feeling his body swell as more and more strength was added to his being. "Don't take too much, Tirek. You still have to fit through the paths I made, after all." Heeding his ex-queen's warning, the centaur deactivated the rune, stopping his growth just as he became slightly taller than the changeling. He turned to her, appreciatively eyeing his new bulging biceps and powerful physique, and she raised a disdainful yet good-natured eyebrow. "Really? You just had to be the tallest?" Tirek gave a playful shrug, spreading his new buff hands in an easy gesture. "What can I say? I am the strong, mighty, beefy tank, after all." Chrysalis rolled her baby blue eyes, derisively flicking her tail as she turned back the way they'd arrived. "You've been playing too much Ogres and Oubliettes." The filly on her purplish carapace, however, seemed to approve of his new form, and gave a beaming smile. "You look good, Tirek! I like the new colors!" Cozy giggled madly as he surprisedly clutched at his newfound bronze-colored beard, eyes bulging in shock. Suddenly, movement in Tirek's peripheral vision caused him to shift his gaze across the Belt, and his beady black eyes bulged further upon observing what was across from them. Six mares, each garbed in various black clothing and clutching different weapons eagerly stared back, all grinning with the wicked intent to kill, mangle, and punish. It's the Strike Team! They'd been found.
