Maintaining this emotionless state is quite a bit more draining that I thought it’d be. I’ve managed to make it inside the hive with no problems, but every tick of soreness or shock of pain I encounter every few steps is enough to make me pause. Also one thing I completely overlooked is that I cannot cast Locate Creature to find Force. The only way I can use two concentration spells at once is to offload one of them to the Moonblade, but the blade is currently completely full while it’s holding the teleportation circle. Since I’m currently concentrating on Invisibility that has me in a bit of a pinch.

If I wasn’t on a timer it wouldn’t be a problem, but I am on a time limit. I only have so many spell slots to maintain my stealth. Not to mention the pace I’m exploring this hive is agonizingly slow. I’m not completely blind though. Currently I’m making my way to the throne room since that room eventually led to the room where Luna was held in a pod. If the others are held in similar pods then my educated guess is that they will be close to the same area.

“Have you found any of the hostages yet my paladin?” A familiar voice speaks into my mind.

“I haven’t. I’m moving at quite the slow pace to be honest, I think waiting 1 more day might’ve been the right call.”

“It’s not too late, I can teleport you back now and we can tell more stories to pass the time. In the near future we won’t have many opportunities like this, you know.”

“Shh. I’m curious what you mean by that but please don’t steer the conversation towards things likely to evoke any kind of emotion. It’s hard enough to keep my focus as is.” I reply coldly.

“Ah, I hadn’t considered that. I apologize, Ignis. Keep me updated on your progress.”

Turning the corner I spot a line of changelings chained together being led down the corridor. As they slowly trudge forward the only sound I can hear is the clinking of their chains. They’re heading in the same direction that I need to go, towards the throne room. What does Chrysalis have planned for Aurora's children?

I stop that line of thinking before it leads me into a potential spiral of despair or rage. We’re both heading there anyways, I can stop thinking about it and just silently follow behind them. I need to mentally prepare myself to see that whore again. I can’t have an outburst this deep into the hive.

Luckily for me when I make my way into the throne room Chrysalis is nowhere to be seen. One of the jet black changelings looks over the chained drones and speaks up. “Kneel and wait for the Queen to arrive. We will find out where your true loyalties lie.”

Perception. (Disadvantage)

18 and 7. 7 + 6 = 13.

Towards the back of the room, behind a pillar moving to the left into a hallway I make out the feathers of a griffon. Looking between the chained up drones and the hallway I decide to follow the griffon. Once I get all the hostages out I can come back and see what she has planned for these changelings.

Unfortunately I’m unable to move at my normal speed so by the time I make it across the room and into the hallway I can’t see where the griffon went. Thankfully the hallway appears to only go to a singular place. There are turns and bends but whenever they appear there’s no other paths to take other than the turn. Eventually I turn one final corner and the hallway finally opens up into a room.

Glancing around I see at least 20 pods decorating the walls of the room. Some of them are dark and I’m unable to see inside, but I’m assuming those are empty because I’m able to quickly count every single creature I’m here for is in this room.

Stealth. (Advantage)

14 and 1. 14 + 9 = 23.

I find myself feeling relieved for only a moment before instantly reigning myself back in. I’m relieved that all of our back up planning was for nothing, but I can’t let myself actually feel that. Glancing at the two changelings currently putting the griffon back into one of the pods and then at the two drones standing near the entryway into the room I watch to see if any of their faces change to acknowledge the momentary lapse in my emotions. Luckily nothing seems to happen as they all continue as normal.

Slowly walking over to a corner of the room I wait and see if any of these drones will leave the room. I know the two by the door are guards for this room so I’ll have to very quickly kill them, but I’m hoping the other two will leave.

The 4 changelings have been talking for what feels like hours, but I know it’s only been 30 minutes or so. The invisibility spell I’m currently concentrating on is my 3rd cast, and it currently only has 5 minutes left, but unlike the other two times I can’t re-apply this one when it runs out. Technically I can re-apply the status without becoming visible, but they would almost certainly be able to tell that something has occurred over here. I can’t silently cast this spell after all. If these other two changelings don’t leave before this spell runs out I’ll have to just blitz them all down.

Luckily using the sending crystal doesn’t seem to count as casting a spell otherwise I would’ve been caught ages ago when Luna randomly called me. Knowing this I grasp the gem and begin to give it a trickle of mana. “Alright Luna I’ve found all of the hostages, but there’s 4 drones in this room and unfortunately I’m just about out of time to continue waiting on them to leave. In two minutes I’m going loud.”

“Understood. Just remember that you can call out to me and I’ll be able to teleport you out in an instant.”

I wait another minute and silently curse in my head as the other two changelings seem to be insistent on staying in here. This is annoying because now I’m going to be forced to use Haste if I want to give myself the best chance to clear these guys out in one turn.

Silently walking up to the conversing drones I grasp the hilt of the Moonblade and prepare to swing. Right before I swing I mutter out the incantation for Haste and then as the drones turn to look at the source of the sound I ignite the emerald blade with a fire of the same color and bring the blade down onto the closest surprised changeling.

Initiative: 13 + 5 = 18.

Roll to hit:
18 and 10. 10 rerolls into 7. 18 + 11 = 29.

5 + 7 + 4 = 16 Slashing Damage. +5 Fire Damage. 21 Damage.

The blade cleanly slices through the drones chitin and a few inches into the body of the changeling. As the blade is pulled out of the wound a bright emerald fire flashes into the wound as the Green-Flame Blade extra damage kicks in. That same flash of emerald fire then jumps from the drones wound on the changeling next to it.

+5 + 5 = 10 Fire Damage.

The adjacent drone is shrouded in emerald flames for a second before they disappear in a flash and leave a trail of smoke emitting from the creature. Immediately following that attack I step to the side of the changeling I cut and bring down my Moonblade onto the adjacent drone that was hit by the emerald flame. This time I swing the blade with no fire.

16 and 19 16 rerolls into 18.. 19 + 11 = 30.

4 + 7 + 6 = 17 Slashing Damage.

The burned changeling hasn’t even had time to scream or react to being burnt before the Moonblade finds itself slicing clean through the drone finishing it off. Casting Haste took one of my Actions so now that I’ve used my regular Attack action all I have left is my bonus action. Channeling my bracers I re-ignite the Moonblade in an emerald flame as I strike one of the unharmed drones. This time if I hit I intend to send the flames toward the first drone I struck that took 21 damage.
18 and 17. 17 rerolls into 2. 18 + 11 = 29.

7 + 7 + 4 = 18 Slashing Damage. +8 Fire Damage. 26 Damage.

The blade makes its way through 90% of the changeling's neck until it finally catches and is unable to proceed. As soon as it stops a burst of flame erupts and the blade propels forward cleanly severing the third changelings head.

3 + 5 = 8 Fire Damage.

The fire then leaps from the bare neck of the dead drone onto the first changeling I struck that is barely clinging onto life. As soon as the emerald flame jumps from the dead drone onto the first drone it hisses in pain before collapsing into a pile of ash.

That’s 3 of the 4 down, but I’m out of actions. Luckily for me they were all surprised so assuming I beat this final drone in initiative I get to go again instantly. Everything works out perfectly as I can tell within a second that it’s back to being my turn. I cleave into the drone with 4 quick slashes in succession. The first one misses but the second one gives the changeling a deep gash and the third one combined with the Green-Flame Blade finishes the drone off. Combat ends with my last slash left unused.

Only one of the drones made any sounds and it was just a quiet hiss so I assume I’m fine, but just in case I waste no time and start cutting out the hostages from their pods. All of the creature slowly rise with a collection of groans and squawks and as I cut open the last pod I can’t help but finally smile as I watch my favorite guard slide out of the pod onto the ground. Holding out a hand I wait until the pegasus regains full awareness before speaking to her.

“Weird, I don’t recall hearing Celestia order you to get captured, Lieutenant Force.” I laugh as she looks at me and I help her up.

“Oh buck off……sir.”

“Wow I don’t even get a thanks?”

The guard clicks her tongue and rolls her eyes, “Thank you Ignis. How are we getting out of here?”

Looking around to make sure everyone else is ready to go I call out a little more loudly. “I’m going to open a teleportation circle directly to Princess Luna. I won’t be able to keep it open for very long so all of you need to go through it very quickly once it’s open. Everyone gather around me.”

Once they gather up I hold the Sending gem and reach out to my princess. “Alright Luna I’ve got everyone I’m getting ready to place the circle down.”
“I’m so glad to hear that Ignis. Send them over!”

Pointing the hilt of my Moonblade towards the ground I fire off the spell stored in the hilt and watch as the teleportation circle appears on the ground and opens itself up. Once it opens I place a hand next to it and feed it mana as I start motioning for everyone to go through it. All the hostages go through the circle with LT Force being the last one. After Force goes through I release my hands and watch as the portal closes.

“Ignis, why didn’t you come through?” Luna calls out to me with a very slight panic in her voice.

“I saw some of Aurora’s changelings get brought into the throne room chained up. I want to see what Chrysalis is planning to do with the drones that served Aurora before I leave. The safeword is “Toast” if I randomly say that it means to teleport me that instant.”

“This is a horrendous idea, my paladin. You can’t save them now that the circle is closed so why even burden yourself with learning their fate? Just let me bring you back now.”

“You know I can’t do that Luna. I need to make sure she isn’t just going to kill them all outright. Just be ready to teleport me out, okay?”

“Fine. I’m not happy about this, though.”

“I’ll make it up to you when we get back to Canterlot.” I reassure her.

“I’ll hold you to that.” She finally has a bit of that familiar playfulness to her tone. Now that that’s settled I re-suppress my emotions and start heading back to the throne room.

Author's Note

Sorry for the delay. I'm finally finishing up the cross-country move I think I mentioned in my author notes several chapters ago. That combined with this class I started has me much busier and getting tired much earlier in the day. Basically just too tired and not enough free time to write as often. Happy I was able to get this chapter pushed out though :D

Thanks for reading!