Warning: gore/violence and death in this chapter.

I'm standing in front of an mirror in my personal armory, I'm suited in my old armor. Gold covering legs and my back all fitted with magic runes for improve defense, under my left wing at my barrel is a gold plated iron scabbard holding a long sword. This sword is my old friend, my second weapon/backup, it have saved my life few times, it's enchanted with fire runes and can melt most weapons it come in contact with. "Luna you gave me this sword as an gift when we first went to war, you said it's for protection." I think for myself sadly.

My eyes fall onto a big brownish earth mare, she's wearing a apron for metal work and a green bandana over her mane. In her gruff irish voice she speaks. "Your gear looks good on you, your highness."

I give her a warm smile. "You have done a wonderful job at keeping it ready for use Bold Forge." Bold Forge waves a hoof in dismissive. "I didn't do much, just some spite shine and hoof grease, the mages did most of the upkeep with all the runes and all." she says as she puts down her hoof.

I giggle into my hoof. "Don't undermine yourself, you have always been a great smith. Is everything ready?"
"Iah, everything's ready all guards suited up, your carriage is ready with your personal guard. And your main is right here." Bold Forge says pointing over too a wooden chest begin carried by two unicorns smiths magic.

They sets the chest down I front of me, it's a fine hoof carved chest off dark oak wood with hinges and trim in gold, carved on top is my cutie mark. As they bow and backup away from us. Bold Forge walks up to it and opens the chest. Inside on a bed of royal blue silk lays three pieces, two shafts pieces and a great war-hammer head. (the shaft pieces are made of steel and wood with magical runes along it's length, the hammer head is golden with my cutie mark on it's sides and on the front where is hits it target, too leave it's mark on my enemy.)

Picking it up with my magic I assemble it, Bold Forge is watching in great fascination at my work. When I'm done with it 'it' stands at the height of 2,5 meters. Holding it with my magic the runes glowing with magical power, the head shines with a combination of my own golden magic mixed with it old magic from when it was made.

With a flash of light I teleport it to my carriage. Looking over to Bold Forge I give her a nod and start leaving for carriage landing.

Walking outwards I'm joined by six guards two from each tribe all wearing full plate armor covering every part of their body, all in a golden color. They're the strongest of my personal guard trained to be the best 'The Solaris', they are trainer to work in pairs of three to make an all rounding team.

As we're coming closer to the landing I see a pony I was not prepare to see, Ice Pike is standing by the door as she spots me, she turn so she faces me. "I will come with you." She states. Not ask, but demands. I can feel my neutral motherly smile spread on my muzzle.

"Ice Pike you're more then welcome to join me, but didn't I give you orders to stay by Light Spark's side? She might need you, especially now when Blue Blood is on bed rest." She looks away ears flat on her head.

"No." she says. "She won't need me, she might never have needed me." I take a closer look at Ice Pike, her cheeks are wet, she's a bit puffy from crying. "Seems they didn't come to terms with each others feelings." Sighing I walk over to Ice and give her a hug our armors clinking together as we make contact. "You know where I'm going will be the most dangerous place, right?" She gives me a weak nod. "Okay my little pony, do you have everything with you?" She nods again.

Releasing her I rise to my full height and we all walk out onto the landing, where three carriage awaits us, two of them are for my personal guards, the last is my personal war-carriage it haven't seen the light of my sun for almost four hundred years when the last war with the griffins was. "It looks almost pristine, even after it got damaged by an ballista bolt, they did a good job on it. I think for myself as board it, Ice Pike by my side. The guards eye her for a bit before resuming their duties.

The commander gives me a look through her visors, with a nod to the commander she gives out the order for take off, the six pegasuses that will fly my carriage starts running and flapping their wings in a synchronized way, to make every movement count. With a powerful flap we're in the air, flying towards are battle ground, towards my Tec.

It's been a few hours after we all left Canterlot, with my eyes closed as I rise the moon into the sky, I wander in my mind. Thinking about all the possibility that might have happened to Tec. "Is she okay? maybe hurt? or... I choke as I can't even think about her in the worst way. Opening my eyes I look at the moon, looking at 'mare the moon.' "Is the moon shining brighter then usually?" I think as I tilt my head to the side.

"It's beautiful." Ice Pike's voice startles me, turning my head I look at her as she lean on the railing, watching the moon intently as she continue speaking. "I didn't know the moon could shine so much." I see her eyes are filled with wonder and a bit of sadness.

Lowering her eyes, she gives me a sad sigh. "You know Celestia, I have never left Canterlot. My parents where overprotective they barely let me train to become a guard." She looks up at me. "They said it's for my safety, but look at how safe we really were. We weren't. And now those we care about is taken." I can see the anger on her face say it.

Sighing I look back at the moon. "You're right, but things will change, I will not allow things to repeat again." At my word I can sense Ice's confused eyes are on me, I look down at her with my hard sad eyes.

"It's a long story and it's nothing you need to worry about Ice Pike." Ice Pike avoid my eyes and bite her lower lip, seems she want to say something but is holding back. The sounds of wings call on our attention, looking up and see one of the pegasus scouts flies up along side our carriage.

"Your highness. We are coming close to 'The Maw' and there's a situation." The scout flinches as she ends her sentence as she looks me in my eyes, with a shaky voice she continue. "It's seems to be a group of foals have been trying to escape, but it seems they got caught by Sparkling Glimmer and his goons." I cut the scout off as I ask.

"IS SHE WITH THEM?" The Scout drops a bit as she loses balance at my question, she rights herself with a few flaps of her wings. "Yes, your highness she with them it seem she's the cause of the commotion, but she seems battered from some fighting." I don't hear the last of what the scout was about to say as I light up my horn and teleport to 'The Maw'.

Appearing over glade I look around, at the distance I see an L-shaped mansion about three stories high all windows are boarded with planks and Iron bars.

My eyes widen as I see, by the inner corner of the L is a big group with ponies with black hoods among them is Sparkling Glimmer his pointing a hoof at a group of foals and Tec standing weak on her legs with what looks like Thundering Splash on her back all the foals is standing behind her as if seeking for protection.

"She's weak after her escape, I need to reach her quickly. I think for myself as I light up my horn to cast a spell I haven't use in sense the griffon war, my personal magic 'Solarice Beam'. I don't like casting this spell it's too horrible for my little ponies.. As throw the spell it cuts the night sky with the bright light of white and gold, It hits the ground between the foals and their assailants, I make an moving it like an ark I burn and cleave all in it's path. Their screams fill the night air the other looking around for the source of the attack.

Summoning my war-hammer I hold it in my magic for a few seconds before throwing it with great strength at the biggest group on the ground, as it hit it's crushes a big part of the group pushing them into the ground, others in the area is thrown in all directions only leaving a crater.

With A few flaps with my wings I land beside my hammer, doing a slow turn of my head I lock eyes with Sparkling Glimmer fear and terror on his face, stammering out he gives orders to the others. "Ge..Get her, she's alone."

After a few seconds of hesitation one of them charges it's horn and fire a spell at me, only to have it be negated by my armor. With a smirk I charge the attacker dragging my hammer along.

"Buck, buck, buck. How in Tartarus did she get, how did she find this place." I think for myself as I look away from Celestias massacre of my men, my eyes lock onto the foals and mare cowering by that monsters side. "That bucking monster most have alerted the bitch to where this location is." I swear to myself.

A blast of magic almost hit me so I duck for cover behind a rock. Looking over at Celestia I'm shocked how she so effortlessly kills of all these ponies, her own citizens. "Maybe that monsters grip on Celestia is stronger then I thought."

Looking away I swear for myself again. "Buck, I need to do something." feeling over my pockets on my suit-jacket I feel something I don't know what it's, pulling it out I see a scalenocedral crystal little bit bigger then my hoof, it's deep black in color with a dark green core. "Where did this come from?" I think as take a closer look, as I do the core flashes and a jolt of pain runs down my fore leg. I yelp in pain and drop it.

I glare down at it at crystal as it cracks into pieces then dust. I suddenly gasp for air as pain flares up in my chest and I lose conscious.

Standing among the dead and the dying I see in the that my guard are arriving, the carriages land and guards disembark and spread out checking on the criminals, turning around I start walking towards the foals and Tec. They all look at me with frighten eyes coming close I lay down on my stomach before them, they're all scarred and wounded as I look them over. "What have they done to my young little ponies?" With sad shaky voice I say. "It's okay now, you're all safe now."

They look at each other with hesitation, then one of them walks towards me, with a gulp she speaks. "Are you really Princess Celestia? Are you here to save us not only her." Then she points at Tec.

"Yes, my little ponies I'm here to save you all." I turn my head to look at sergeant whom is walking towards us. "Sergeant will you take these foals to the castle and start an investigation where all of them come from." I say as I use my magic to levitate Thunder Splash over to an medic.

After Thunder is in the hooves of the medic's, I move Tec closer to me so I can hug her and feed her some of my love, nuzzling her I can feel her heart beat and hear her steady but raged breathing, as my muzzle brush against her horn I flinch in pain. "What have she been casting to make her horn so hot." I think for my self as I rise and walks over to an stretcher, laying her down I nuzzle her again and freeze.

A loud scream slows down time, with the sound of bones being rearranged and flesh and metal being torn. My eyes fall upon an pony or what becoming something more, it's Sparkling Glimmer as he rises from an stone not long from the crater I have made, he's standing on his hind legs making him almost as tall as me his fur have turned dark many horns like antlers have emerge on his head. His right fore legs has turned into some kind of dragon like hand with four long claws, these are the claws that's piercing one of my guards, it gone right through the armor and the pony underneath blood flowing out from every hole.

Glimmer's other fore legs splits in a sickly sound of splitting bones and flesh becoming like the other, with a quick motion he tears the guard into two pieces guts and blood spilling over him getting caught on his horns. Glimmer's scans his surrounding until his eyes fall onto me, with a roar not possible to make with a pony's muzzle he start to charge me eyes glowing with eldrich green.

My guards react quickly some takes away the foals and wounded, other charge in to try to stop this nightmarish creature of a pony. But to my horror all that comes in his way is thrown, cut down or even trampled to death, it seems nothing will get in his way until he gets me.

Lighting up my horn I throw blast after blast at him, only to have him blocks them from striking true with his arms leaving burn marks onto them. "Dammit, I can't go all out as there're to many around that can be caught in the crossfire." I think for myself as I ready my hammer waiting for the right moment as he can almost reach me, I strike him on the side of his head, so hard that is could see my guards flinch as the hit crunches his head throwing him to my left hitting the buildings wall leaving cracks on it's surface.

As he's about to fall over I blast him with an powerful spell pushing him right through the wall into the building, as the building start to crumble around him I throw my war-hammer from above to crush him into the ground, with an small explosion of my hammer hurts him and makes the building implode unto him. The silence that follow is deafening as we all watch the rubble with great interest.

We wait for some minutes that feels like hours my heart is beating loud in my chest, with nothing happening we all slowly lower our guards. I take few steps to get closer to the rubble, not truly lowering my guard my horn still glowing with magical power. I stand close to where Glimmer had fallen and my hammers shaft sticking out of the rubble pointing towards the sky.

I grab the hammer with my magic and pull it out shifting the rubble slightly, with a bit of force it come lose and levitate it beside me. Turning I can see some of the remaining guards rush towards me, one of them stops in front of me. "Your highness are you alright?" her voice is a bit muffled by her helmet.

"Yes, he didn't get to me." I answer ruffling my wings. "What was that thing? I have never seen something like that before." the guard continue. Sighing I nod. "I haven't seen something like that either, but I know it once was Sparkling Glimmer. He most been turned by some magic or something." The guard is about to reply as the rubble shifts, quicker than any of us could react I was grabbed by my throat by Glimmers hand breaking out of the rubble.

Raising he stands now taller than me by almost by an meter, he has wounds and cut all over he's body, half his face has joined the other a mark of the sun can been seen on the broken cheek, one of his antlers is missing too.

His eyes are radiating with green light filled with anger and hatred, he squeeze my throat glaring into my soul, I try using my magic to break free but to only have it fizzle out and die. "Something is blocking my use of magic." I think for myself as I can feel my conscious starts to fade.

Suddenly I'm dropped to the ground with an mighty roar of pain from Glimmer. Shaking away my blurry vision, looking up I see Glimmer thrashing about two spear of ice piercing his back behind him is stands Ice Pike her horn glowing with magic as she creates more ice spears.

Jumping to my hooves I blast Glimmer in the face with magic. He stumbling back a few steps, I lifts my hammer swing it in an big ark marking it connect with his chest sending him flying through the rubble of the damage building sending debris flying around, a unicorn guard lights up her horn to create a shield to protect us.

Looking at Ice Pike I say. "Thanks Ice Pike, how did you know how to hurt him." Ice Pike not breaking her stare where Glimmer have been sent flying. "I don't know Princess, all I did was hardening my magic and I attack him from his back, for it's the only place I could get a clean hit." She says

The sound of heavy hooves steps comes closer and closer we all ready for more battle. Glimmer get out into the light from the moon we're all shocked to see Glimmers body have become swollen to unnatural proportions becoming a bulk of flesh and oozing green/red pus. He takes a step then another then fall forward hitting the ground hard, laying on the ground his body shacking.

Suddenly his body is encircle by an red magic glow, with an sicken pop and crunch his head and heart is torn out. As we look at them they explode becoming nothing more then a blood mess of fiber and bones. A weak voice comes from behind us. "Go for the head/heart and always double tap, always double tap." Turning our head we see Tec standing on the stretcher her magical glow on her horn fading, her face full of pain and determination, she laugh at herself and smile big. "Seems I toke the spotlight in the last second." She says as she falls over onto the stretcher. "Buck me" She swears out as she lays there.

Me and Ice walk over to Tec as she continue to swear and whine, as I get close I speak. "Sweetie are you okay?"
"Yeah? I think so it's just that my horn hurt like a...." She stops herself and gives me a face that says I was about to say something horrible. "Thanks for coming to save my sorry flank." she continues as she stretch her fore legs up towards me. "Can we go home I need some medical attention and a soft bed.

"Of course my sweetie, we're going home and your new friends too." I hug her and nuzzle her, she hiss in pain. "Mom not so hard my chitin is cracked on my back and stomach, so please don't hug my too hard." I'm filled with worry as tells my that she hurt, but steeling myself I hold her close to me.

"Hey Tec'ondra are you really okay, how did you escape so far?" Ice ask Tec I can hear the worry in her voice. "Oh, a lot happened Ice." Tec begins as she tell us about her daring escape, as we enter the carriage to fly us back to Canterlot.

Flying in the air looking through a pair of binoculars a changeling queen laughs to herself. "Look like the magical item worked. Now I can start using it to fight my nemesis and I also killed the only pony that I have been in contact with. Two birds one stone."

Putting away her binoculars dose a loop and fly of towards her hive.

Author's Note

The Solaris = are the elite of royal guards personally chosen by Celestia in secret as they're the first to stand beside Celestia in case of emergency. (Well in this universe.) I will add more info in the future about them as they will become more relevant.

Glimmer is turned into something between an pony and a Wendigo