Author's Note
Hey, guys, I decided to cut the chapter into 3 parts. Why? It was too dense for a casual read. Don't worry, I already figured out where to end each chapter.
Also few formatting edits and extra lines.
Chapter 1
The wedding hall erupts in frenzied whispers. Two Cadances? Dusk Shine barged into the hall reeking of blood, soot, and ozone with a blade in hand. However, the blood wasn't red. It was green. Rainbow Dash blitzed him, attempting to stop this madness once and for all. He sidestepped with blinding reflexes unbeknownst to someone of his lifestyle and philosophy. Rainbow's eyes widened in disbelief. As did everyone. Rainbow is among the fastest Pegasi in modern Equestria, creating a Sonic Rainbow Boom twice in her lifetime. Yet, Dusk Shine evaded her charge like she was passing him alongside the street. The most mind-boggling thing. Dusk Shine didn't use a drop of magic to assist him. This was pure skill and keen reflexes. His fingers hooked the crook of her dress. She gagged at the sudden tightness across her neck. Dusk Shine rotated, using her momentum against her and launching her back to where the others were. Has he gone mad? The guests muttered.
Dusk Shine warned her to never do that again or he'll use her feathers to stuff his pillows. His fellow bearers admonished him, stating he was going too far. Dusk Shine ignored them. Rarity blurted out about something regarding a movie or trashy romance novel. Dusk Shine blinked slowly. He told Rarity he'd revoke her library privileges when this was all over as what she said was one of the dumbest things he heard up to this point. Celestia interjected after the two Cadances accused the other of being an imposter. Dusk Shine asked a series of questions for each Cadance. Simple ones. Soon Dusk Shine got into specific ones where only he, Shining Armor, his family, Celestia, and a few others knew. The new Cadance answered with clarity as the bride provided superficial answers at best. Guests viewed the bride suspiciously, reaching into their dress pockets and gripping their weapons. Guards brought Lyra, Minuette, and Twinkleshine, their heads thundered like a boombox set to max. Dusk Shine asked a drink-spitting question. Which one of these lovely mares did he lose his virginity to before he moved to Ponyville? The Bride shouted all of them during a four-way. Several people snorted, trying to cover their laughter. His parents, Celestia, Spike, Shining Armor, and the disheveled Cadance.
"Seriously?" Dusk Shine deadpanned, lowering his eyes at his family.
"I'm sorry, Dusk Shine but you have to attempt that was hilarious," Cadance teased, covering her mouth through her snickers. "One or two but all three of them?!" She can't hold her laughter.
"Was it so hard to believe?" Dusk Shine asked.
"Yes," They all replied.
"We call you Olive Oil for a reason," Shining Armor teased. Dusk Shine's brow folded, desiring to do something but he saved it for later.
"You'll be the purest of Paladins" Celestia praised, widening her grin. Dusk Shine inclined his head, covering his face."No big deal Dusk Shine, you'll find that special somebody when you're good and ready," She comforted. Dusk Shine is a stellar stallion with far more options than he thought.
"Honestly I thought he lost it to one of the Bearers," One of the guards whispered to another. They blushed, eying each other wondering if one of them did.
"He could've asked one of us," Minuette offered.
"Say what now?" Dusk Shine deadpanned, turning his old classmate with blank eyes and red cheeks.
"I mean," Twinkleshine shrugged as they gave him a flirtatious wink. Dusk Shine jerked on the backstep with rosy features. Did Lyra like stallions in that way? What does Bon-Bon say about this?
"Uh, my head," Shining Armor groaned, blinking rapidly to clear his swimming vision. "Where-who are you?" He mumbled, narrowing his eyes at the person beside him.
"It's me, your wife, your princess Mi Amor-" The Bride Cadance closed the distance, pressing their foreheads against each other but her head snapped back from his fist impacting her nose. The hall gasped.
"GET OFF OF ME!" Shining Armor bellowed, kicking the imposter away from him. "You may have her face but you don't have her soul," He fumed, galloping over to the messy Cadance near Dusk Shine and embracing her.
"I guess that settles it," Celestia said, her regal steps echoing through the hall like a chiming bell. The punched Cadance started to sob. "Don't try to cry now, imposter," Celestia glared with stone-melting ferocity. "I know your taint everywhere, Queen Chrysalis," Celestia revealed. The audience gasped. The Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings?! Chrysalis growled now the rose was up and wiped her bloody nose.
Emerald flames ringed as she shredded her disguise. Chrysalis reached eye level with Celestia. Her brilliant pink coat mutated into a deep mossy black. She had a figure treading between delicious petite and mouthwateringly voluptuous under her shaggy chiton. Emerald eyes blazed with malicious hunger relishing in the dumbfoundedly horrified expressions of the wedding guests. Her cackle buzzed with a chittering aftertone, displaying her fangs. Insectoid wings and a jagged horn erupted from her body, completing her transformation. In all known words, Chrysalis was gorgeous. Something's off. No, it wasn't her waxy skin; ancient scars from her battle with Celestia centuries ago. Instead, the unease resulted from how anatomically correct her body was. Everything was where it was supposed to be. Remove her horn or wings and shrink down as she'll be an ordinary pony. Yet she isn't!
"Of course, I didn't get past you Celestia but it's too late," Chrysalis smirked nastily when a stomach-churning noise thundered. The barrier shattered!
"Evacuate," Celestia ordered as the audience scurried for the exit, led by Royal Guard chaperons and service staff. "Dusk Shine, Shining Armor, Cadance get the Elements. I hold her off," The monarch commanded, glaring at her old enemy. Dusk Shine nodded, getting the group to follow.
"I would like to see you try-" Chrysalis bragged when Celestia's fist crashed into her mossy face with meteoric strength out of the wedding hall. Stone and glass shattered like teeth with Celestia following.
"These goshdarn shoes aren't made for running," Applejack grumbled, hopping on one foot to remove her heels. The entire wedding hall was in a panic.
"Careful with that," Rarity nitpicked.
"Well sorry for caring about the fate of Equestria over some fancy shoes," Applejack shot back, rolling her eyes.
"Will both of you shut your damn mouths and focus?" Dusk Shine remarked sharply. His commanding irate tone cut their pointless argument like fine linen. They withdrew their spat. Neither desired to further enrage him at this time. He coated them all in his arcane aura and with a flash changed them out of their gala clothes and into their casual outfits with a few modifications. Dusk Shine supplied them with weapons and simple armor. Chrysalis won't make their escape an easy task, sending entire swarms their way. "There. Better now," He deadpanned, turning to his brother. "What's the plan, Captain?"
"We need to get the civilians to safety and deal with the Changelings," Shining Armor said. That's the most obvious. They don't need the incessant nagging of entitled nobles.
"I know some of the passageways," Spike answered. Good, it'll take them into the underground bunkers.
"Night Light, Twilight Velvet, Dusk Shine, Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, we've surely found ourselves in a predicament," Fancy Pants greeted in full armor alongside Fleur De Lis. They're ready for war. "At least we Sentinels can help without our bedazzled weapons," He joked. Who needs arcane relics when ole reliable steel can do the same?
"I was hoping for a more dignified foe," Fleur De Lis scoffed. A horde enemy? They can slaughter tens of thousands of the foe and it'll only be the useless fodder units.
"Me too love," Fancy Pants nodded, holding her hands with a tight squeeze. "We have already fortified several choke points within the castle," He informed.
"Watch for imposters," Shining Armor cautioned.
"This wasn't the first time, Canterlot or Equestria has been plagued with doppelgangers," Night Light reported.
"Once we get the soft bellies out of the way, we'll carve a path for you and hold," Fancy Pants informed, honing in on Celestia's last command.
"We're coming too," The CMC injected gleefully.
"No you ain't," Applejack denied with Rarity and Rainbow Dash nodding.
"Come on we can help you and get our cutie marks," The CMC begged, causing an argument between them. Dusk Shine stepped forward. His amethyst eyes stared blankly at the CMC.
Dusk Shine gave Applebloom a merciless gut check, hoisting her off her feet, and folding her body at an acute angle. Her eyes exploded with his fist and her stomach reached her spine. She wretched clear fluids from her gullet, collapsing to her knees. A magical blast sent Sweetie Belle on her back. Scootaloo's legs were smacked under her, flipping the young Peagus flat on her face. All within 2 seconds. He loomed over the trio; his sharp eyes challenged them to stand as he would do it again.
"Listen here and listen well because I won't say it twice," Dusk Shine cautioned, lowering himself to their level. "This isn't one of our silly little adventures where we can write to Celestia about what we learn. This. This is war," He widened his arms, absorbing the carnage befalling their beloved city. The ear-splitting madness echoed, rejecting any possibility of a swift resolution and heartfelt ending. "People are dying in droves. Your grandmother experienced unimaginable pain by burying your father. Don't be selfish by making her bury a granddaughter too," He resonated with the girls and stood. "Spike, go with Mom and Dad and take them away," Dusk Shine turned to his younger brother. "Here's the key to our tower," A small white key was placed into Spike's hand.
"You two better come back alive in one piece," Twilight Velvet demanded. The brothers nodded, giving their parents a hug before they left.
"Harsh but necessary," Fancy Pants commented. They didn't have time to coddle overambitious children who were in over their heads. "On another note, I can't believe Chrysalis thought she could mimic Cadance with a sloppy cover," The other Bearers flinched at his and Fleur De Lis' cold side-eye. All the Sentinels knew they ignored Dusk Shine's warnings about 'Cadance's' bizarre behavior, yelling and shouting he was insane or jealous before casting him out with tears in his eyes. Guardsmen found Dusk Shine weeping as Celestia consoled him. She too acknowledged the irregularities. Shining Armor grimaces, recalling the heavy-handed dagger he pierced in Dusk Shine's back.
"Since she's a Queen, perhaps she emits some form of pheromone to compensate for it," Dusk Shine calculated, aware that Fancy Pants' jeer was towards the other Bearers. "We don't know much of Changeling biology besides their ability to polymorph, siphoning emotions as a form of sustenance and links we can deduct from similar social insects," He added, connecting links hoping to lead somewhere. Fancy Pants and Fleur gave the Bearers a contemptuous look but accepted Dusk Shine's assessment. For now.
Dusk Shine's mystic aura flared, dematerializing the standard sword on his hip and summoning something greater in this crisis. His family's ancestral blade, Holzfäller. Fancy Pants, Fleur De Lis, Shining Armor, Cadance, and a few Guardsmen raised their brows at the fabled weapon. Holzfäller was a massive two-handed blade. The blade was supremely practical regarding its aesthetics. Forged from a hyper-reinforced steel alloy, splitting stones like twigs. Soft nocturnal colors made their home on the hilt, angeled crossguard, and stern pommel. Beyond the engraved symbols near the crossguard, Holzfäller was featureless. He grabbed the hilt with a single hand and rested the blade on his shoulder.
"Dusk Shine, sugar cube I think that's a little too big for you," Applejack cautioned. She expected him to have some fancy rapier or a spear with a shield. Not something that can cleave one of her family's trees. "You don't have to prove anything,"
"Applejack," Dusk Shine's voice chilled the air. Applejack's ashen body stiffened, unable to avert her gaze. Nervous sweat formed on her brow. "You'll pry this sword from my cold dead hands," He declared, turning with narrowed glowing eyes. His callous eyes and low tones uneased Applejack and the other bearers beyond any prior threat. Why? It's imminent. None of them can use the Elements without all of them present. None of them can hope to argue with Dusk Shine in this state. "It's been passed down for generations and many more after that," The silver blade glistened in Celestia's light with his reflection staring back. Emotions stormed in his pupils. "I know this weapon like you know that shotgun and your hat," Dusk Shine knelt, pressing the cold steel against his head and horn. He muttered something. An oath. To who and for what? They waited in respect until he stood again and secured it on his back.
"Guardsmen, we need an escort for the Bearers to the Tower," Cadance requested the nearby troopers. "It'll be dangerous but we need to get there," She warned. Chrysalis will send everything and anything if it can impede their progress.
"We're with you Princess," A platoon of golden Celestia's, platinum Cadance's, cerulean Fancy's, and Fleur De Lis' forces saluted. Cadance smiled. They prepared themselves for the quest; moving through several hallways when someone stopped them. An old face.
"Didn't know you were back?" Shining Armor questioned. Thunder Aegis. One of his old mentors before he retired a few years ago.
"Yes, the princesses ordered for all able-bodied guardsmen for security detail," Thunder Aegis smiled with a small retinue of Royal Guard.
"Strange because you died over a year ago and we went to the funeral," Shining Armor commented grimly. The Imposter paled.
Dusk Shine took his trusty revolver, jammed it under the Imposter's chin, and fired. Bone, gray matter, and green blood exploded from the crown of their head. One traitor guardsmen lunged. A magical sphere encased their head. They yelled and scratched, slamming their head against their weapon to break it. Nothing. Their vision swam. Losing precious oxygen in this suffocating prison. The sphere shrunk. Barely to the size of a marble. The guardsmen fell limp, headless. A deluge of crimson flowed out to the ground. Shining Armor's horn hummed, glaring coldly. One attempt to strike when a pink streak ripped between their eyes. Cadance had her hand raised.
Dusk Shine dealt with the other. He made an esoteric sign with his hand, staggering the traitor with a telekinetic blast, and charged. The guardsmen regained focus, delivering a wild swing at Dusk Shine. Dusk Shine deflected, using the full weight of his blade to bash the weapon out of their grip. The guardsmen panicked, reaching for their sidearm. Dusk Shine didn't allow it. Rotating his blade, he jammed his pommel into their rib knocking the air out of them and directing it into their chin. Their vision swam at the ceiling before the flat side of Dusk Shine's greatsword swiped their legs. They slammed on their faces and crawled for their primary weapon. A terrifying stomp landed on their body's center rendering them immobile. They turned to a frightening image. Dusk Shine's eyes blazed with untold fury, raising his sword. Their mortified image reflected on the shimmering baleful blade. Dusk Shine plunged his sword into the traitor's cowardly spine, delivering searing retribution for those they betrayed. Guttural anguished screams barked from their bloody lips as Dusk Shine turned his blade edge vertical, raking a clean line to their shoulder blades and wrenching it from their neck. He aimed his firearm and blasted the back of their skull.
Snarling critters lunged from the ceiling with more traitor guardsmen. Applejack fired, creating holes in two of their chests. The guard's armor protected them from the worst of it. Dusk Shine raised his hand in another bizarre gesture, jetting a flame stream from his fingers rendering the ambushers to smoldering bodies. His friends watched in shock. Dusk Shine's horn didn't glow upon summoning the flames but he performed magic. More came.
Shining Armor shouted commands, hustling the guard into disciplined formations as his magic bolstered their armor. Cadance launched magical blasts over their heads. Rarity harnessed her magic, outstretching her palms before swallowing the lump in her throat. She showered one hallway with crystalline shards as the drones rushed. They fell like popped balloons as shrapnel pierced their bodies. Green and red slicked the regal floors but they still charged. Anguish murked her smooth features. This was different compared to fighting beasts during her gem hunts. Then she fought for self-defense and escape. Now she's fighting for her life, Canterlot, Sweetie Belle, her family, and more. Rarity bit her lip, summoning a hexagonal barrier to bolster the thin line of troopers. Changelings crashed into it and fell.
Few slipped through the edges with agape maws and rivers of caustic spittle. The guards ready themselves in a shield wall. Shields raised with spears prepared at the pests. They thrust their spears, the sharp tips exiting the Changelings' black backs, splattering green ichor. The guards wrenched their spears and repeated. Thrust and Pull. Thrust and Pull until the enemy was dead. Dusk Shine lobbed fireballs and telekinetic blasts culling the hordes as Rarity held the majority with her shield. The Royal Guard braced. Stepped forward to break necks and shatter jaws with their shields. The invaders didn't stop trying to brute force their way through Rarity's barrier. Some morphed into larger creatures to shatter it but they were drones. Their bones and muscles are underdoped for wall-breaking. Splitting their heads open from darting at high speeds. They continued this tactic, piling on the cold floor and feebly clawing at the crystalline surface.
"They're killing themselves," Rarity muttered, sickened by their lack of self-preservation.
"They're drones. Fodder for our weapons to exhaust us. Their lives never mattered besides this," Dusk Shine remarked, illuminating his horn with a spark of electricity. Some guards tensed momentarily. He zapped the barrier, transforming it into a makeshift bug zapper. The swarm flashed and spasmed in agony from the snaking electrical currents, short-circuiting their hearts and brains. Blood is a great electrical conductor.
On the other side, Fluttershy played defensively, evading snatches and bashing them away with her shield. Her weapon was a polished wooden bludgeon, wrapped in leather. Nobody expected her to kill but to be useful throughout the siege besides using the elements. Rainbow Dash took the aggressive role, gutting them with her short curved blade. Pegasi with their militaristic roots instructed them in their youth with mock military drills for such an occasion. Pinkie Pie released marbles of concussive forces and other wacky concoctions. Fleur De Lis gently blew a suffocating squall of pollen, blurring their vision, and locked their throats. Fancy Pants confident blade skills made short work, smoothly flowing through the hallway with feints and reversals. Applejack sprayed slugs, ejected the emptied rounds, and rearmed as fast she could. This pouch Dusk Shine gave her must be enchanted to provide her this much ammo. Time blurred, eradicating all their attackers until they retreated to somewhere else or died.
The ambush ended. They used the respite to recover and process what happened. Nobody died defending against what seemed to be a decent-sized battalion. That's a miracle to be praised. Weapons were cleaned. Dusk Shine handed Cadance a rejuvenation potion. He couldn't give it to her while they were in the caves. She smiled, took a long swig, and handed the vial to Shining Armor. They exhaled as their muscles relaxed and magic was restored.
"Seems we have traitors," Fancy Pants sneered, returning his blade to its scabbard.
"What could they possibly want?" Rainbow Dash asked the question everyone thought. They weren't mind-controlled like Shining Armor nor were they imposters.
"Sex mainly," Dusk Shine answered, cleaning his blade, feeling their gazes on him. "Changelings were one of the likely explanations for the classic Succubi or Incubi myth. They can change into any man, woman, or in some foul cases child of their desire," He explained as if he were giving a lecture. Few winced."Think about every celebrity you had a fantasy about, someone who's out of your league or can't be with you for whatever reason. Sapphire Shores, Captain Spitfire, Cherry Jubilee, Fleur De Lis, Blueblood, a teacher, a neighbor, your friend's spouse, one of us, etc. A changeling can fulfill your fantasy without the risk. For a price," Dusk Shine concluded, allowing his words to chill their souls.
"You mean to tell us those morons threw us to the timberwolves for a quick rump," Applejack commented on what everyone thought in this madness.
"Basically," Dusk Shine shrugged. They recoiled at the petty motivation behind the invasion. Chrysalis wanted to feed her children. An understandable motive. Offering up the head of state, the nation's capital, and thousands upon thousands of citizens and soldiers so they can have a harem? Just go to a brothel.
"Other ponies turned traitors for pettier reasons," Cadance admitted. There have been rumors about certain individuals who heavily disapproved of Luna's reinstatement. That had merit. This doesn't. They didn't have time for a history lesson and heeded Celestia's words to reach the tower.
"Dusk Shine," A trio of voices called out to him. They turned.
"Minuette, Twinkleshine, Lyra, what are you doing?" Dusk Shine questioned his three former classmates. Cadance's bridesmaids joined their rush to the front in their casual clothes.
"We're helping," Lyra declared as the other two nodded. All of them were a part of the Gift Unicorn program making their arcane abilities a key asset.
"Are you nuts? You can't help me by risking your lives," Dusk Shine argued and stopped in his tracks.
"Dusk Shine, we've known you for years. You always did things yourself because you didn't want to be a burden or viewed as incompetent or unworthy as Celestia's student," Mineutte confided, remembering all the extended nights Dusk Shine spent in the library. The mountains of books were split by rivers of detailed notes with determined tears flooding his eyes. He didn't reply.
"We didn't know how long we were under her spell," Twinkleshine confessed, sharing an ashen and terrified expression with the other two. They swore they could still feel her crawling in their minds. "The least we can do is get you there faster,"
"Fine," Dusk Shine grumbled. "Minuette would you please?" He requested.
"One double-time spell coming right up," Minuette obeyed, igniting her horn with a smile. Her cutie mark ticked as the hands moved upon activation. Time slowed. They blurred past soldiers barking orders, viewing the spit ejecting from their mouths as the battle continued. Wedding guests ran for safety, leaving their acid-burned associates behind. They must reach the tower.
"RAVORI," a battalion leader thundered, getting their troops in order. Once the dome fell, they assembled as many troops as possible. Chrysalis blew through one of the roofs in the hall, determining this was where the tide would crash against their shields. Changelings swarmed their positions, dying by the dozens to even hundreds, but it didn't matter to them. Archers and gunmen shattered windows for a clear shot.
"OURUOM!" The phalanx retorted, jutting out their spears and swords against the pests. Gunnery sergeants relayed bombardments to artillery pieces. Craters formed as changelings scattered into pieces across the field. Marksmen focused on any elites but they were few and far between forcing them to waste their ammo on grunts.
"Step!" The battalion leader yelled, exploiting the ebb of the wave.
"Nuom!" They advanced.
"Step!" The battalion leader repeated, marching a respectable distance from the wedding hall. Their blood chilled at the door creaking open behind them and swiftly formed a rear defense. They didn't need to. Their hearts sang at the reinforcements, parting their shields for a path."TO THE CAPTAIN! TO THE CRYSTAL HEART! TO THE SENTINELS! TO THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY!" The battalion leader encouraged them, raising their weapon to follow them.
Dusk Shine's body crackled with electricity. Lyra, Minuette and Twinkleshine's horns shimmered as well. Shining Armor shouted. The defenders raised their shields as a soundproof bubble shielded them. Minuette screwed with the enemy's perception of time, forcing them to act before or after the precise time to react. Twinkleshine blinded the invaders. Scorching the retinas of those too slow to cover them and rubbing to soothe the stinging. Lyra burst their eardrums with thunderous shockwaves. They wailed. Few collapsed on the ground in a fetal position, covering their bleeding ears. Deaf to the world. Dusk Shine leaped, slamming his fists like a raging god, and rumbled the earth. He blitzed, becoming nothing more than a purple blur. The only evidence of his actions was the twitching fallen bodies of traitors. Rainbow's eyes widened. Dusk Shine modified the Buccaneer Blaze!
He and his classmates paused, glaring at a figure on the battlefield. Their shouts quaked with shocking disgust. Mythic Tinker! One of their former classmates from the Gifted Program. Mythic Tinker went on an ego-centric rant about the Canterlot & Celestia will pay for not recognizing their skill and genius. Idiot. Tinker was expelled after nearly blew up the west wing with an unauthorized experiment. Lyra mocked with a Blah-Blah gesture as Mythic Tinker boasted they should be the Element of Magic. Dusk Shine grabbed their horn, halting whatever useless spell they could muster. Mythic Tinker paled, begging Dusk Shine not to do it. He ignored their pleading, snapped their horn like a twig, and kicked them away. The unicorns gasped, instinctively touching their horns from the gory scene. Breaking a unicorn's horn is one of the greatest tragedies to befall them. It's worse than a pegasus losing their wings. Mythic Tinker stumbled, grabbing the stump as magic fizzled and spasmed like an uncontrolled muscle. Tinker's head exploded and fell limp. Some gagged, holding back their bile and horror. Dusk Shine casually tossed the horn onto Tinker's dead body for identification. He pointed to another figure causing his magical aura to flare. The figure had a liquid smug aura about them, rivaling Blueblood with a powerful Peagsi bodyguard. No that would insult Blueblood. Blueblood was a typical spoiled sheltered annoyance who would rather loft away from danger in his villa but never betray Equestria.
Silver Ballad would.
They're from the self-proclaimed 'super-elite' class. The festering vestige of irrelevant nobility from the sisters' ascension to the throne and after Celestia became the sole ruler. Nobody likes them, including Fancy Pants. Silver Ballad and their associates reeked of a condescending manipulation. Also scheming for more power while boasting their riches and legacy to anyone forced to listen. Dealing with Gorgar was a more trustworthy deal than whatever those fools had. If this invasion enabled them to be drunk on this drowning temptation of power, then the Sentinels would burn their accursed houses to the ground once this was over. However, they're one of the oldest noble houses in Equestria for a reason. Some dated before the Unification era. Powerful tomes and artifacts, ancient secrets, competent forces, and stalwart connections help them persist in this era.
Silver Ballad dressed in what Rarity would describe as an overdesign cornucopia of gaudy soulless trash. No drive, artistic vision, or personality from the designer who's only interested in the payment. The suit she made for Dusk Shine's birthday had more glamour than whatever that is. Silver Ballad guzzled a bottle of Grancukastel Chiaretto, burped, drained the contents, and threw the bottle at a barely conscious guardsman's face. They whooped like they scored a winning goal as the guard bleed a crimson curtain. A single bottle can buy a house at a profit.
"THE ONLY ONE THAT'LL BE WEEPING WILL BE YOUR OVERPRICED CHEAP SLUT WHORE HEIFER OF A MOTHER AFTER I PUT YOUR ROTTEN SKULL ON A RUSTY PIKE WHEN WE USED IT AS A PISS POT!" Dusk Shine thundered with gritted teeth. Everyone stared. They had never seen Dusk Shine like this. Shining & Cadance shrugged equally concerned. Others had a wolfish grin, seeing Dusk Shine with a warrior's spirit.
"Good lord," Fancy Pants mouthed despite the fact he and others had similar ideas but not as descriptive.
Ballad shot a magic missile gesturing for their guard to back off. A magical duel? Dusk Shine didn't evade or flick it away. His supreme skill forced the projectile to freeze like an insect cased in amber. Terror festered in their eyes at the returning hypercharged missile, creating a barrier. Ballad's heels skidded. Easing their body as the shield held but won't hold against what's next. Dusk Shine's fist shattered the sphere after closing the distance instantaneously, carrying a mountain of wrath reserved for oathbreakers, and didn't stop until his fist hammered into their jaw. Ballad's neck twisted painfully as teeth flew out. Dusk Shine grabbed them, bashed his knee into their gut, and tossed them stones away. He pulled his revolver and unloaded three shots in their leg, shoulder, and cheek. The last shot was for their head.
"Sto-stop him," Ballad whimpered, crawling away as blood leaked from their burning wounds. Ballad's guard covered him and fended off several loyalists. Where's that arrogance huh?! More changelings came. Dusk Shine's revolver shattered a chunk of a changeling's skull. He flicked open the chamber, siphoned his magic, and shut it. Six shots. Two had holes in their foreheads. One in the throat. He weaved, blasted another in the knee, and kicked them to the ground. His foot flattened their spine. The fifth lost an eye. Dusk Shine grabbed the sixth arm, kicking their shin, and flipped them over. The sizzling metal blew the side of their cranium. Flick and close. Dusk Shine glowered, tightening their fists with fury pumping his blood. His veins pulsed at Ballad and their guard escaping with a host of dead loyalists behind them
THE COWARD IS GETTING AWAY! Dusk Shine charged his firearm unleashing steady volleys, incinerating and cartized limbs from their joints. His hand singed from the firearm. However, the extended range and armor-piercing capability were worth it. Ballad gasped, feverishly ordering the changelings and guards to delay Dusk Shine. The houseguard placed them on their back and flew. Dusk Shine summoned ethereal hunting dogs to maul them. Traitors and changelings screamed in agony as their throats and other vital organs were ripped from them. The Guard fluttered, reaching higher altitudes with evasive maneuvers outside of the weapon's effective range. A childish raspberry blew from Ballad's lips. They paid for it when a heated shot pierced a chunk of their ear and seared their luxurious hair. Ballad's flesh bubbled. The scar will never heal.
"IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU GO!" Dusk Shine roared with a dragon's breath, incinerating any in his path. "I'LL HUNT YOU DOWN!" His vow scarred their minds as they escaped. People will label their escape as cowardice but witnessing the carnage released Dusk Shine's wrath. It's the pragmatic approach. Seasoned guardsmen briefly glanced away and kept a safe distance away from Dusk Shine. They observed Celestia's student brutalize each opponent in his bare hands despite having magic, a sword on his back, and a revolver on his hip. Changelings were torn like paper. Arms ripped. Heads twisted and snapped. Throats crushed like empty water bottles. His true fury was saved for the traitors. Mercy began a foreign concept. Dusk Shine crushed them in their armor, bursting a gory deluge through their orifices. Holzfäller thundered. Dusk Shine cleaved and thrust Holzfäller, piercing gaps in armor or severing limbs at the joints before cutting their heads. He evaded a spear thrust, diced the pointed end off, and with a bit of magic, launched the broken piece square in the traitor's eyes and out of their helmet. Dusk Shine holstered his blade, grabbed another traitor by the face, and heaved, crushing bone under his herculean grip as they struggled. They punched, scratched, and kicked with tears welling up. Dusk Shine slammed them into the broken ground, rendering them limp. Nearly fully paralyzed thanks to several shattered vertebrates would be a better answer. He scavenged the body. A wedding band? Dusk Shine broke it, tossing it on the body. They stared back, twitching and mouthing something under their breaths.
His instincts twitched. He formed another sign with his hands, creating a humble shield against the ax swing. The assailant bounced off. A pegasus. They grunted when Dusk Shine fired a precise magical shot to dislocate the shoulder, dropped their ax, and swapped to their side sword. Holzfäller collided with their ribs, fracturing several of them but their armor prevented the worst. They dueled. Dusk Shine kicked their shins and kneed them in the groin. Their fractured ribs howled in pain. Dusk Shine punched them square in the chest, sending them flying despite already having wings. The pegasus touched their dented armor and paled. Their armor was dented! Do you know how hard you have to punch to dent armor and send a fully grown adult several paces? They flexed their wings to soar to another position but got a single hop before crashing. Smoke and cooked flesh assaulted their nostrils. They turned and froze, unable to look away from their mutilated wings. How?! Dusk Shine approached with Holzfäller glowing. A spellsword! They stood to run. Dusk Shine lunged, clearing several paces in a flash. Holzfäller pierced the pegasus' back and armor, cooking bone and organs as the body dragged slowly. Dusk Shine retracted Holzfäller and searched the corpse for any identifications. A lieutenant. Shame but a traitor is a traitor.
"ROYAL GUARD!" Shining Armor yelled, getting the entire defense to listen. "WE HOLD THIS SACRED GROUND IN THE NAME OF THE SUN, MOON AND CRYSTAL HEART!" They halted their petty duels including Dusk Shine and rushed over with well-oiled discipline. A simplistic dome formed over the wedding hall. "WHY'S THE STANDARD ON THE GROUND LIKE RAG?!" He shouted, glaring at the defending troops. A guardsman hoisted the Equestrian banner, shaking any dust off for it to stand proud in the wind. "IF WE DIE THEN WE DIE WITH VENGEANCE ON OUR LIPS AND COURAGE ON OUR BACK!"
"VENGEANCE & COURAGE!" The defense roared, causing the Bearers and Dusk Shine's former classmates to cover their ears from the fiery thunder. This was the Royal Guard under their captain. The line was drawn. They can only advance! Spear were ready as their shields were interlocked prepared to defend their partners. Changelings crashed against their lines but they remained. The defenders' spears jabbed forward and over their heads. Several changelings stabbed in the chest and throat yet none complained about the other stealing their kill. The enemy was dead. That's the only important thing right now. The Changeling used their overwhelming numbers to choke the defenders in bodies, eroding their equipment with acid or shapeshifting into frightening creatures to intimidate them. It didn't work. They remained. Marksmen and artillery blasted the larger changelings and airborne units. However, that didn't stop them from doing kamikaze runs into the defenders' lines to disrupt their formations. They remained.
"Where's Nimbus?!"
"Dead sir!"
"VENGEANCE!" The defenders pushed further, stepping over the dead. Dusk Shine, Shining Armor, Cadance, Fancy Pants, Fleur De Lis, and others led the counterattack. The brothers fought together. Spear & Shield. A guard handed Cadance a spear to conserve her magic. Their actions were an all-star morale boost. The Captain and his bride-to-be after being deceived by the witch Chrysalis, cover the other's back. Fancy Pants and Fleur De Lis were Sentinels, dedicated to protecting the capital with their lives. His refined sword skills and her blooming devastation. Dusk Shine shocked them the most. Here he was the typical scholar who would rather spend his days conducting research, fighting with everything he has and more. He's 23! Yet Dusk Shine is fighting with more tenacity and fervor than any of them. A group of Royal Guards witnessed this. Their bodies and minds were exhausted after fighting from the start. They steeled their nerves with a deep breath and charged with a battle cry. Rarity patched holes in the sphere. Fluttershy tended to injured guardsmen behind the defense. Rainbow Dash dragged any loyal stragglers to their lines. Pinkie did Pinkie things. Dusk Shine was in the thick of it all, reaping scores to his tally.
Applejack wasn't far behind him; firing slugs and blasting holes in changelings outside of Dusk Shine's range or focus. Years of rodeo games and defending the farm against pests steeled her aim. Protecting him like this is the bare minimum Applejack can do to atonement. Holzfäller gorged itself on Changeling and traitor blood after being sealed and used for training for so many years. He glanced at a reloading Applejack. An entire group of Changelings were buzzing right for her!
Dusk Shine tackled Applejack, sending themselves rolling on the ground. Dusk Shine grabbed her shotgun, reloaded it, and calmly exhaled. A squad of changelings had their heads burst like grapes in the next moment. He pulled Applejack up from the ground, returned her shotgun, and rushed to another section of the battle.
"Dusk Shine," Applejack whispered, desiring to apologize for being lower than a snake's belly button. He doesn't bother to look at her. Applejack's lip tightened, reloaded her shotgun, and fired away.
Dusk Shine, Twinkleshine, Lyra, and Minuette stood abreast. They synchronized their movements and magic to bolster Shining Armor's barrier. Morale surged as cracks sealed. This was the power of graduates from the Gifted Unicorn program. Defensive lines were reorganized. Chrysalis grimaces, directing her swarm into the barrier when Celestia sends blazing darts at her head. The Queen didn't need to evade. Why should she? Drones were forced to serve and surrender their lives to their Queen. Chrysalis smugly folded her arms as her children absorbed the damage and crashed to the streets. This . . . was true power and obedience.
Minuette, Lyra, and Twinkleshine struggled to hold as changelings dived. Their muscles wailed with a pounding headache. Spells of this caliber were foreign to the trio; their knees buckled. Dusk Shine focused; his eyes glided to his former classmates withering magic. Plans formed. What does he know about creatures like Changelings?
Their society is based on eusocial insects like ants, bees, and termites with Queens on top, drones and workers at the bottom, and everything else in between. A queen's work is law in the hive. She can override a lesser changeling's mind with pheromones, magic, or both to achieve a goal. An iron fist can substitute as well. Castes are implemented. Drones or workers were at the absolute bottom often weak and sterile but were the most numerous. Weak individuals but unstoppable by sheer weight of numbers. All caste systems have warriors, medics, thuggish brutes, minor nobles, and whatever their society deemed appropriate. Changelings were subtle ambush predators using their polymorph abilities to launch a surprise attack with their overwhelming numbers, carrying their victims to their massive underground subterranean hives. Deception & overwhelming numbers.
Chrysalis mentioned her hive was hungry. Ambushes weren't meant to be lengthy endeavors but swift destructive assaults. His eyes scanned the field; Changelings were gnawing on dead soldiers and wedding guests, shoving each other to get more. Hunger, urgency, and oppression. Those are the main principles of this invasion. Additionally, Chrysalis desired to humiliate Celestia after their prior duel centuries, leaving the Queen a spotty mess by taking her castle. Ego, cruelty, and revenge. A debilitating combo of traits for any leader. Horrible weaknesses. Dusk Shine doesn't have the kindness nor the mercy to ignore them.
He interlaced his fingers, widened his stance, and tightened his muscles. Arcane might swirl around his body like a tempest, kicking up dirt, and pebbles and fluttering his hair like a cape.
With a roar to subjugate dragons and the stars, Dusk Shine propelled his skills, fully encasing the wedding hall and neighboring sections.
The dome radiated a molten heat. His feet sank into the earth, unable to withstand his titanic power. His former classmates were blown away by the backlash of his aura, shielding themselves, leaving him the only one standing. Dusk Shine strengthened his resolve. The dome retaliated against the foul changeling invaders. Scorching tendrils whipped, smacking them like flies around a hard-earned meal. Immolating craters greeted the changelings and devoured any who even smelled the boiling temperature.
"Holy shit," The defenders gawked with slack jaws and wide eyes, unable to speak beside a handful of people. Shining Armor grinned at Dusk Shine finally cutting loose. The Captain raised his fist triumphantly and projected his voice. Others joined the chorus. Cadance added her voice, arching her brow at Dusk Shine's power. Few began to chant his name.
"Dusk Shine, Dusk Shine, Dusk Shine!" He ignored it. Today wasn't the day for personal glory. He poured more as the dome flashed rhythmically. They better arrive in time.
Some changelings exchanged worried looks and morphed into civilians during the mesmerized chaos. A pair of guards ushered them into safety. This wasn't to exploit but to survive until they died of old age. Hiding and pretending to be a normal citizen pays in dividends compared to being under their queen's rule. Hail Princess Celestia.
"Well I'll be damned," Fancy Pants muttered, removing his monocle to witness this spectacular display of arcane mastery. His face carried a smile. He playfully nudged his wife. "Think he'll give lessons?"
"Oh shut it," Fleur De Lis muttered, using a vine to slam a trio of traditors but she couldn't keep her eyes off it.
They keep forgetting how powerful Dusk Shine is as a unicorn. Even his classmates were mystified. He's the personal student of Celestia and the embodiment of Magic for a reason. His humble nature would never tell you this power. The Canterlot elite didn't have the chance to see the fruits of Dusk Shine's labor. Ponyville residents had a mere sample of his power when dealing with Trixie and the Ursa Minor. However, utilizing several spells simultaneously while levitating a massive beast would be an arduous task for any unicorn requiring a skilled team but Dusk Shine did it himself. Now he's taking a spell and pushing it to the apex. Changelings continued to bombard the searing dome, using their sheer flood of numbers to shield the others as they struggled through the blazing heat. Charred smoldering bodies fell like rain. This spell wasn't designed to completely blunt an advance but to erode the enemy resources leaving them with smoldering ash. Chrysalis will have her fill as will he.
Changelings breached the semi-permeable barrier as expected yet it was a hollow effort. Their further blackened bodies were ruined, falling like bruised overripe fruits. Thin wings incinerated like stale paper. Limb segments are charred into atrophied stumps, lost in the barrier. Faces, eyes, lungs, and other vital organs boiled and popped as their skin cracked and flaked. They crawled like dregs, dragging themselves a few paces before succumbing to their wounds. Few managed to stand only to be cut down by archers and riflemen. Larger groups were shattered by ordinances, scattering their shaggy forms across the field. Dusk Shine withstood the searing ache in his horn and remembered his teachings.
Pain is the price of life. Suffering is the eternal constant of existence.
The swift hammer of discipline and humility is the greatest treasure over the luxurious poison of indulgence and hubris.
Chrysalis broke a critical axiom. Sacrifice satisfaction for success. Her bombastic ego eclipsed her cunning and hunger making the next action a must.
"My Queen, they formed another barrier," A soldier changeling informed. They were of hardier stock than their expandable brethren as they were provided more nutrients in their larvae stages. A brutal vetting process emerged upon they'd reached childhood resulting in the strongest, cruelest, determined, or cunning will survive and wore their oily dark blue armor.
"Well, breach it you moron," Chrysalis dismissed the soldier's worries with a thought. She's busy fighting Celestia again. By her maw, the dome was bright. The monarchs won't be surprised if the other cities could see it from here.
"But," The soldier protested, holding their gaze against the dome. It's an ambush, not a siege. They have superior numbers outnumbering the Canterlot defenders by over a dozen to one. However, their army is mainly drones to exploit the chaos and inflict punishing damage on Celestia's home. Wait. Chrysalis didn't bring enough warriors! Her attack is a raid! Devouring any vulnerable Equestrians possible and capturing more to store in their hives. To breach the defense requires significant resources and depriving other fronts leaving them open to counterattacks for a minor gain.
"But what?! Are you disobeying me, your queen, your mother in the most important battle in your insignificant life?!" Chrysalis exploded. Her magic bombarded the soldier with cascading malice for their disobedience. The soldier screams, clutching their head to ease the pain. "You'll serve my will whether you want to or not. We have enough to do so,"
"Yes, Your Highness," The soldier changeling obeyed, flapping their wings and emitting pheromones to gather more changelings to their positions. Chrysalis as well across the city. Changelings paused their feasting chases and submitted to the commands of their superiors. Frightened civilians and pushed Canterlot soldiers using this opportunity to flee or regroup. The soldier changeling shrieked, extending their claw to the wedding hall and charged. Lesser changelings formed a multilayered dome around their superiors, hissing acid before colliding. Canterlot defense forces witnessed the gathering horde and made a desperate interception. Why? The barrier. A sign that the crown is still in the fight. Pegasi crashed into the flying changelings. Unicorns used whatever magic they had to shatter the offensive. Earth ponies used their tools and strength to keep the rest grounded.
The soldier changeling winced at the pained screams of their broodmates, coerced by their queen in this pointless gambit. Smoke filled their lungs as the flare skyrocketed. They coughed, drawing near the center. An ungodly heat crashed against the soldier like an avalanche forcing the breaching party to swim through charred bodies and rivers of hellish intensity.
They're in; relishing the cool air in the dome. The outer barrier eliminated their ability to thermoregulate, blurring the surviving changelings' minds. Their thoughts were a labyrinth, unable to focus on the objective. A few soldiers shredded their ruined armor and fell on their flanks with heaving chests.
"MOVE!" Chrysalis bellowed wrathfully. They did with an unsteady gait of sluggish reluctant muscles. Some flew. Their unfocused minds arranged their flight in clumsy bounces to avoid projectiles. Only to crash and blackout on the ground. Warrior changelings snapped and grabbed the dizzy drones to push forward to the enemy lines. The commanding soldiers kept their armor to display their rank and establish the hierarchy. Blood thumped in their skull urging them to burse like a dam. They limped, licking their arid mouths. Explosions thundered but their minds were so drained leaving them ignorant of the madness. Arrows chinked their armor. A nearby explosion flung them several meters, flipping them on their faces and colliding with other changelings. Their auditory senses blared. Blood fluffed their vision with stones lodged into one of their eyes. They stood and faltered into the pile of broken, dead, or dying changelings. Their muscles screamed. Chrysalis didn't thank them for their sacrifice as it's their job. She chose who they would die. The soldier closed their eyes, allowing the pain and hunger to submit to the darkness.
"What is that?" The ground quaked rhythmically. A massive hulking creature marched forward, crushing buildings with its girth. Dusk Shine glared. That must be one of their specialized burrowing organisms to create their tunnels. It resembles a rhinoceros beetle but doesn't seem to fly thanks to its lumbering mass. The eyes were beady almost vesicle adapted to use other senses leaving sight an afterthought. A low groan escaped its lips, breaking the dome and allowing smaller changelings to hide underneath its soft belly. Smoke billowed from its body as it passed through. Campfires spread across the carapace, ignoring the extreme pain for the glory of Chrysalis. The defenders showered the beast with arrows, bullets, bombards, and magical shots but nothing slowed it.
"It's through!" They withdrew to the backline. The barrier stood but the changelings had a gaping hole to pour through. Dusk Shine took a spot near Shining Armor. Without a word, they materialized a massive secondary barrier and pushed against the advancing horde. Tertiary shields made by Rarity, Cadance, and others were behind them halting additional invaders. The brother's shield had an abrasive whirling face, grinding flesh, bone, and chitin into a fine pulp. They pushed, forcing the burrowing beast back into the scorching perimeter. However, its hulking mass and dense physiology would at most immobilize it and allow more flooding through.
Fleur De Li grazed the ground, ejecting a trail of serpentine briars to wrap around the limbs and necks of the rushing changelings and traitors. They growled and hissed while pulled into the soft soil. Their struggles ceased. They're still conscious of what's happening. The changelings can't move. A paralyzing sap coated the thorns embedded in their flesh. Soil entered their horrified throats, muffling their silent screams until they were nutrients for the royal garden.
Fancy Pants blurred across the field. His refined sword strokes cut true as his group flanked from the beast's right. Fleur's magic loosened the soil, causing it to sink ever so slightly. One of the hindlegs had more damage. Fancy Pants steeled his mind, teleporting himself above the appendage and slashing clean through the joints. Green ichor stained his armor but there's nothing that a quick trip to the dry cleaners can't help. The beast wailed, slumping as the shield snapped the horn in two.
Dusk Shine grabbed the air, highlighting the monster in his aura, and flipped it over on its back with a mighty yank. Dozens of changelings were crushed under its weight. Another spell speared the broken horn through its skull and jaw. Fleur's tendrils lashed, snatching any enemy into a sandy grave. She summoned tower-sized briars to restrain the writhing beast. Pegasi dropped artillery charges on its exposed underbelly, cracking craters into the vital organs and catching invaders in the blast zone.
"We cleared a path for you. GO!" Fancy Pants ordered, pointing down the path with his blade.
"Come on," Dusk Shine commanded, gesturing to the Bearers and the escort to start running. He wanted to take the monster's skull but they'll be more. Cadance, Shining Armor, the Elements, and their escort rushed through the gap. He turned to his classmates. They smiled, gesturing for him to go and save Equestria again. "You better stay alive. You still owe me a birthday gift and this couple a wedding gift," He demanded.
"Of course," Fancy Pants remarked with a smile before hardening his expression to rejoin the defense. Dusk Shine nodded and joined his group to reach Canterlot Tower.
The escort organized themselves in a diamond formation with Shining Armor crafting a simple dome around them in the center with the Bearers & Cadance. The battle raged with blaring sirens. Changelings swarmed, devouring citizens and brave soldiers alive like hyenas and scavengers on an elephant. They were starving. Love provided an ample food source but there's a primal enjoyment in consuming physical food once more. Civilians' screams echoed with chilling pauses, haunting their dreams forever until death welcomed them. Brave soldiers gave their last to defend home against these putrid invaders, hacking and stabbing as the Changelings clustered. Quantity has its own quality.
Shining Armor's dome protected them from swooping changelings eager for a bite. His shield and their escorts' spears bulldozed any in their way. Sweet Celestia, there's so many of them! AND THEY'RE EVERYWHERE! The Changelings' ability to turn into anything wasn't an exaggeration. They were in one of the commercial districts near Restaurant Road where what they thought were abandoned shoes, eating utensils, and other random items only for them to morph into ambushing changelings. Inanimate objects?! No wonder they survived for generations despite countless purges. Their bodies chilled. How many citizens went missing due to a changeling morphing into a sock, rock, pen or anything other object?
Dusk Shine roared from above and landed in, leading the charge. Holzfäller roared as well with a blaze. His blade shined, slashing heated air to bisect scores of Changelings and their conspirators. Armor liquefied on their skin, wailing from the callous immolation while they convulsed in their death spasms. Dusk Shine became a cosmic storm, tearing through anyone and anything in his path with Holzfäller and his arcane arts. He slew numerous foes within seconds of the other's death. His eyes were perpetually narrowed, sharpened to all threats. Anything in his soul roared with volcanic fury, invigorating his muscles and magic to complete his oath. They wondered how he kept his momentum. A juggernaut wrapped in silkened lavender and preserved arcane tomes.
"Stop them now for the Queen!" A group of traitor guards yelled. Lapis Note?! Their leader was a Sentinel who broke their oath for reasons Dusk Shine & Shining Armor were too disgusted to understand.
"Eat shit, traitor!" Dusk Shine bellowed with an overhead swing. Lapis smiled, raising their bloodied azure blade to block. There's no way Dusk Shine can use that sword properly. Holzfäller's massive weight shattered the traitor's blade into shiny fragments, dropping the traitor's jaw in horror. He launched fragments into their eyes. They screamed as everything darkened. Dusk Shine twisted his sword, severing their neck and sword arm. He pushed the body away into a famished group of changelings. Another traitor attempted to interact when a shining arrow pierced their helmet, zooming through their cranium. Dusk Shine deflected a spear, rotating in Holzfäller's crossguard and retching it out of their grasp. They lunged. Dusk Shine dodged, gliding Holzfäller across the gaps in their leg armor. They screamed, holding their bloody geyser of a leg stump. Dusk Shine kicked them away, leaving them writhing on the dirt road. Emboldened by the coppery scent and helplessness, nearby changelings pounced on the vulnerable guard.
"Stop. I'm on your side," The one-legged guard pleaded, dragging themselves away from the starving Changelings. A scarlet river trailed. The Changelings smirked at the guards' tears, licking their lips before chomping on the traitor's throat. They gurgled blood, futility pushing them away when another liquefied their muscles and bones before another changeling snapped it in their jaws. Nobody turned. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity covered their eyes and ears to block the horrified screams. Dusk Shine and Shining Armor continued their charge, slashing and blasting any traitor and changeling in their path. Each was flanked by a guardsman. Shattering necks and jaws with their shield rims. They dropped their spear for a combat sword, favoring its lighter weight and mobility. Applejack fired above them. Rarity blasted shards at the invaders with the occasional shields. Pinkie Pink showered crowds in smoke, foam, and cannon-level blasts with her chaotic slingshots. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash can't risk flying out of Cadance's dome and are forced to be lookouts. The speartip tensed at the rushing group of Changelings when a shower of bullets and explosions decimated them. Shining Armor turned and smiled.
"Mind we join the party?" A mare around his age of the Canterlot Interior Defense Force. Aqua Lily. She's a lieutenant. Her forces carried simple yet compact firearms adapted for city defense with a handful of munitions and melee weapons like blades of bludgeons. Aqua swiftly organized what remained of her unit and headed for any defensive positions. It's a miracle she found them.
"Keep them off us from the air and our rear," Shining Armor ordered, glad to see a friendly face in this chaos. She nodded, barking commands to support the mission. It's impossible to miss as black mossy bodies clouded Canterlot. Aqua comprehended the danger but still joined anyway if it meant the survival of Canterlot and Equestria. She bit her lip as a few members stayed to cover their escape. Exhausting all their ammo and supplies using only their blades and bodies.
They arrived at the foot of Canterlot Tower. A massive horde of Changelings awaited, growling and buzzing. All of them shifted into the Bearers and escorts, smirking before rushing. The defenders got separated between the Guards, royalty, and Bearers in the mad chaos. Each formed a defiant fighting bubble as they pushed towards the tower.
"Styx formation!" A guardsman announced. It's a last-stand order as they prepare to ride on Charon's boat. Some found humor in this situation. It's a classic fantasy every soldier envisioned. The iconic last stand against an endless horde, fighting for something greater than themselves. Aqua and her forces lobbed charges over their phalanx's helmets into the mob, reaping scores for the defenders. Each had their backs pressed against each other. Aiming their spears, blades, and iron sights for whatever they can. These hungry bastards will have to earn their meal in death and blood.
The Elements, Shining Armor, and Cadance barely fared better as they were the main targets. They had more breathing room but this theater of war had no plot or rhythm. Pure madness. Applejack barely releases a few shots, before resorting to her hatchet, lasso, and powerful legs to cull the horde. Rarity covered her fists in a serrated diamond-like material striking gaudy changeling. They can't match her grace or beauty. Fluttershy mimicked the imposters, snarling and pointing to random parts of the battlefield. Evading attacks worked as well. Rainbow Dash did what she did best, blitzing through the rabble like a thunderous razor. Pinkie Pie exhibited her party cannon from . . . somewhere and blasted them with ribbons and confetti.
Dusk Shine, Shining Armor, and Cadance formed a death ring. Dusk Shine with his blade. Shining Armor with his shield. Cadance with her polearm and magic. They formed a corpse radius, piling them twenty deep at the minimum but easily could be more. Two stars clashed above. The three shared a glance, charing their magic to unleash a drastic blast launching the changelings away. It allowed the other groups to rejoin.
Dusk Shine raised his brow at Rainbow Dash. Something was off. "Rainbow Dash, on chapter 18 on page 349 in Daring Do: The Forbidden Whispers of the Mist, what did you think about Charm Heist killing her sister and nephew to please the mist warden?" He asked. All looked confused at the shrugging Rainbow Dash.
"What?! That's what happened?! I haven't reached that chapter yet!" Rainbow Dash screamed. They turned to the voice and back to the sweating Dash in their group.
"I lied," Dusk Shine dulled, staring at the fake Rainbow Dash. She paled, turning away to escape from this monster. Dusk Shine didn't allow it. He yanked on her tail and rammed his magic-infused fist into the imposter's midsection. The fake Rainbow coughed blood. Dusk Shine's fist was lodged into her torso, shattering ribs and erupting several vital organs. He brandished her in the air as a trophy. They watched the body combust. Her eyes and mouth glowed brightly like a candle, melting her tongue and eyeballs. He grunted, removing his fist and forearm from the body, shaking all the blood and viscera as it fell. The other Bearers flinched from his unyielding and baleful stare, fearing what he'd do. He's a pacing predator, surveying for any defects or irregularities in their forms. Dusk Shine nodded, turning to the tower. They exhaled, relieved as they were all the real ones. Rainbow Dash stared blankly, petrified at the dead changeling who mimicked her. She lost bravado, clutching the rumbling storm in her stomach. Icy sweat punctured her neck. Holy shit. Her mind raced back to the Wedding hall when he grabbed her collar and tossed her back. She could've died. Actually died!
"Let's go," Shining Armor commanded, breaking Rainbow's fearful thoughts. The tower's right there. More came from above and behind them.
"We'll hold them off and deny them," Aqua Lily avowed. The brothers rejected it calling it suicide. "Go and save Equestria again," Her watery gaze softened, hugging the brothers and pushing them in the tower's direction. They paused before sprinting. A contingent of the Royal Guard remained, forming a shield wall.
"Hey, I wanted to say," Flaxen Gust muttered. A unicorn with cloudy hair flushed.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know you fucking love me. You say it all the time," Aqua Lily teased, giving them a final kiss, tensing for the swarm.
"For Equestria & beyond!" The rear guard shouted for these bastards to remember their pitiful lives as they fought for something bigger than themselves. A legacy to uphold. Everything blurred. The defenders' minds shut down relying on instinct, training, and discipline. Aqua's throat grew hoarse from bellowing commands since the barrier shattered. She encouraged her unit to keep fighting for what else they could do now. Her sword carved the murky waters. Aqua's memories cascaded on her face as the bridge rumbled with the defiant shouts of the guard. A serene finality washed. There were so many things she wanted to do.
Becoming a marshal especially after she got rejected from the Royal Guard.
Perhaps getting a token medal or program named after her thanks to a fruitful career. She snickered. What was she thinking? Aqua's not the main character of a show, comic, or movie. She's a one-shot character that'll never be used after the episode. Celestia won't give her or her unit a stained glass mural in the castle. A statue perhaps. Will her family be proud of her? It's fine. The line faltered as defenders' shouts were slowly hushed. Bubble, Mist, Sprinkle, Stream, Roger, Aero, Stony, Huntress, Poppy, Socks, Jazzy, String-tuner, Juggler, Harp, Silk, Melody and Glass were dead. She knew it when their screams stoped after being dragged away or overwhelmed.
Flaxen, her shadow, remained closed, bashing away with his maul and magic. Aqua lamented about never living a long life with them. They're together. In this life and hopefully the next one. Flaxen wrapped their arm around Aqua to keep steady after being blinded by acid but continued to swing and fire. They were surrounded and were the last ones in the rearguard.
"Hey, you bug-faced fuckers. You can eat me or your whore of a queen can control me," Aqua sneered, keeping her face near Flaxen's as they grunted through the overwhelming pain. "But I wouldn't let you. I made that choice. Something you will never know in your pitiful lives," A device flashed in her hands as they swarmed her. She smiled even as they ripped and tore into her flesh. Aqua found herself on her family's beach, dragging her hands in the floury sand with Flaxen by her side as the salted air breezed past. The flashing increased. A changeling noticed mid-feast with wide eyes and bloodied teethed, shouted a warning. It's too late.
The bridge quaked briefly, cascading dust on their heads. Everyone turned at the billow.
"Was that?" Dusk Shine whispered, gazing at where the explosion happened. Similar explosions erupted throughout the Capital as desperate defenders denied the changelings their coveted meals.
"Yeah," Shining Armor remarked with a grim nod. They knew them. Some of them lived in the same neighborhood. Their families knew each other for years and graduated together. They didn't know the status of their parents or if they were in Canterlot. Nobody deserves such a fate on what is supposed to be a momentous day. Few sagged their heads in respect. Dusk Shine tightened his fist, hardening his face, and turned. Get the elements. It's the only thing he can do right now. They continued.
Checking their weapons and armor before encountering any surprises. Chrysalis had the numbers. Upon opening, an even larger swarm of Changelings with a vanguard of soldiers. The leader hissed, charging in with the rest of the swarm. Dusk Shine, Cadance & Shining Armor reacted immediately. Thrusting their hands with shimming horns, blasting the Changelings away. Numerous imposters glowed with the trios' respective arcane auras and were launched backward, crashing into the mob. Dusk Shine gritted his teeth, creating the fire sign again with his hand and igniting his horn.
"Back up," A Guardsman warned. The front line raised their shields for the upcoming inferno. Dusk Shine released a gargantuan conflagration submerging the invaders, and incinerating them into a scorched mess. Changelings couldn't scream. The wildfire annihilated their vocal cords but even if they could scream. His flames drowned them. He fanned like a gardener watering their plants, guaranteeing none survived. Seconds passed. His keen eyes and ears scanned the halls for any movements or buzzing. The hall murmured with the sizzling embers of the dead. A changeling corpse was a handful of paces away from them. Dusk Shine cast another spell, purifying the smoking miasma in this sacred place and levitating the bodies into organized piles once the siege ended. He motioned them to follow. They moved in formation with a rearguard at the door.
"Shit, I'm so glad he's on our side," Another guard with hawk-like eyes muttered to his compatriots. They nodded. Never in their days expected to see Dusk Shine like this. Fighting for the capital, yes. They viewed him as a strategist or relegated to supportive and occasionally offensive roles. Not anymore. Pride blossomed in their chest, watching Dusk Shine transform from an introvert into a daring leader, rushing into the enemy without fear and doing a damn good job at it. Despite his drive, skill, and their admiration, they couldn't help but worry about his mind and soul.
Their harsh glares focused on the other bearers who averted or ignored them as they paced to the final door. How can they be so gullible? Dusk Shine theorized about Royal pheromones but deep down they knew it was a cover story or excuse to protect them from a scandal. Their minds flashed to Dusk Shine's earlier tears, igniting a fierce wrath in their muscles. Captain Armor had a viable excuse of Chrysalis frequently applying a hypnotic spell to keep him under her hoof. The other Bearers had nothing. After everything they've been through from listening to his letters from Celestia, they ignored him like he was nothing. Yet Dusk Shine still protected them, proving why Celestia labeled him her student. That takes strength. At least they had the decency to look remorseful for what they did. If it was anyone else, they'd be exiled, detained, or executed for dereliction of duty and allowing an enemy to invade the capital. They will get Dusk Shine a cold drink when this is over.
"Princess Cadance," Rarity asked, keeping her voice submissive and polite. She and the other Bearers' actions will be etched in stone leaving their folly as their legacy. Cadance turned. Her brilliant blue eyes emitted a welcoming aura.
"You want to know how mad Dusk Shine is and want to apologize?" Cadance predicted from their harried expressions. They nodded. Cadance was his baby-sitter. Besides Shining Armor she knows him the best.
"Mad doesn't begin to describe how he's feeling," Shining Armor chastised the women, looking over his shoulder with cold wrath. His head tilted to Dusk Shine's back."Saying he's mad is calling flour spicy. Southern spicy," The Captain emphasized destroying their naivety of a simple apology. Twice they've done this.
"Your great grandkids great grandkids will work to their bone and beyond to reach a quill drip of forgiveness," An older pegasus guardsman spoke up. His voice was thick with authority and experience implying him to be second in command of Royal Guard escort and an elite. He's one of Celestia's primary bodyguards and escorted Dusk Shine & Spike upon being reassigned to Ponyville last year. His name was Steel Tempest.
"However, Dusk Shine doesn't hold grudges. It's against his nature," Cadance consoled. Her gentle words didn't help ease their worries.
"Don't be as foolish as how you are today thinking it'll be easy like making him a nice meal or warming his bed while wearing silk or lace. The wounds you inflicted on Dusk Shine will never heal. He'll carry that pain for the rest of his life," Tempest admonished, lifting his shield in Dusk Shine's direction. They arrived.
Cadance, Shining Armor, and Dusk Shine used their magic to access the Element chamber. A foul hissing emitted from the room. Dusk Shine flicked a small heated dense orb into the chamber before the nobles shut it. Panicked orders were cut down as the marble ricocheted off the walls and jetted through their armor and organs. A few seconds passed. Shining Armor, Dusk Shine, and Cadance nodded before barging in with a defensive spell and fanning out. Corpses littered the hallowed grounds. There are the Elements on their altar. They exhaled in relief. Few collapsed on the floor as all their adrenaline wore off. It's almost over. Cadance approached the altar muttering an incantation to disable the protective wards and charms. 6 jewels shimmered and floated to their owners. Necklaces for the women and a crown for Dusk Shine. They stood straighter with wide beams assured that the battle was won. Except for Dusk Shine. His grasp remained on Holzfäller as if he was waiting for something to go wrong. A golden radiance caught their attention revealing Celestia holding Chrysalis in a mystical dome. The Changeling Queen slammed her fist against it. Celestia wasn't without damage, her white chiton stained jade from numerous changeling drones.
"Alright! That's what I'm talking about! In your face," Rainbow Dash gloated, blowing a raspberry at the caged Queen where a monster like her belongs. Celestia's deep gaze analyzed Dusk Shine's aura and pushed further into his soul. His rich stygian amethyst eyes never left the snarling Chrysalis. He always acknowledged his teacher's presence but now she wasn't a concern in his mind. Celestia nodded slightly. Dusk Shine returned it, galvanizing the Bearers into position. A striking radiance dominated the room as the elements sang with unmatched power.
When a dreadful irregularity happened.
"What?" Chrysalis dulled, her left eye twitching in contained fury. "Explain," She demanded through gritted teeth and tightened fists. Smiles spread about the loyalists at Luna's arrival. The Moon also rises!
"We were pushing through the scattered guard regiments with our airborne swarm. They came out of nowhere with Princess Luna leading the charge with organized reinforcements throughout the city," The soldier reported, doing their best to relay the information. They had the element of surprise, exploiting the confusion within the capital as citizens and the Royal Guard scrambled when the dome shattered. Disciplined ranks of nocturnal lavender broke through, fanning out their lines and rescuing any pockets of Celestia's guard and citizens. Long-range magical bombardments incinerated several colonies flooding through the gaps. They blunted their advance and lost steam.
Chrysalis exclaimed, caustic spittle jetted from her maw. "Luna?! She's supposed to be asleep!" The Changeling Queen didn't have time to deal with two Alicorns. She didn't plan for Luna's involvement as she hadn't been seen for the entire wedding preparation. Wasn't she honor-bound to the night as atonement?
"Do you honestly think my dear sister would be resting when our home is being invaded?" Celestia taunted wearing a joker's grin, enjoying Chrysalis' frustration. She was the diplomat as few dared to question her power and authority. Luna, swift with her blade but slow to anger. No one but the most daring fools would attempt to disrespect Celestia in her presence.
"Whatever we have our reserves," Chrysalis countered. It's a common thing to have extra in case of heavy resistance or exploit gaps in the enemy lines while striking from an unknown angle. They outnumber the defenders by a few dozen to one. She smiled. Her hive will feast once the reserves spring from the underground caverns.
"We . . . don't," The soldier corrected with a wince. They didn't want to tell her about the Sentinels, forming strongholds throughout the capital as the changeling forces gradually lost control. Numerous communications attempts failed with scouts and other drones vanishing to reestablish contact. None returned. All they from their underground reserves were horrified screams about flaming demons. Canterlot was taken by surprise but they were well-prepared.
Chrysalis turned slowly. A lethal warning to her soldier. "Excuse me? What do you mean we don't have our reserves?" She whispered, towering with malice and clenched fists.
"They're . . ." The soldier trailed off, averting their Queen's horrible gaze.
"Burnt to a crisp in the underground," Celestia interjected. Chrysalis twisted her neck at an impossible angle with bulging eyes and narrow pupils. How did she know?!
"There's another thing, my queen," The soldier added, unsure how to relay this information but having enough awareness of Chrysalis' foul tempers. "Some of our infiltrators have . . . defected to Celestia's banner," The soldier announced, shutting their eyes to the inevitable. Chrysalis froze. Her eyes grew at the news. What did they say? Some of her children betrayed her. Their mother?! Impossible. Chrysalis' horn pulsed, sending messages to all infiltrators. Some responded earnestly. Others replied with static or answered foul curses and called her a cheap whore. More refused vowing never to serve a selfish ruler like her.
Magma boiled her blood at this blasphemous insubordination with gritted snarling fangs and taut claws. She was their mother! Their queen! Their goddess! Who gave them the privilege to refuse her?! She might not give birth to all of them but she overthrew their queens and devoured them before their eyes, proving herself as their queen. Her word was law!. How can they betray her with complete lunacy?! She roared, bellowing out her frustration as the room quaked. This wasn't supposed to happen. She was supposed to absorb Shining Armor's love, shatter the barrier, defeat Celestia in front of everyone, inert the elements, and make Canterlot her new hive as they feast for generations. She only completed two. Shattering the barrier and rendering the elements useless. ALL OF HER ACHIEVEMENTS WERE MEANINGLESS NOW! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! HOW?! HOW?! HOW?! WHO?!
Her mind clawed, unraveling the distressing information presented. Luna and her Night Court were cleaving through Changelings, bolstering the morale of Celestia's Royal Guard and the population. She redeemed herself. The underground reserves amounted to nothing but ash and bone. Her children rebelled against her-it clicked. The pieces formed a clear picture of how Celestia repelled the worst of her plan. Someone fed Celestia information.
Chrysalis snapped in her soldier's direction with a heaving chest. Adrenaline tightens her jaw muscles to ground her teeth into a fine powder as caustic blood pinched and enlarged neck veins. The soldier remained silent. His queen deformed into a snarling predator, watching their coveted meal slip away on the horizon with a gnawing pang. Chysislis bellowed a nasty roar with bared teeth, swatting one of her children into a pillar. Their body slammed into it, crashing into a jade-stained crater leaving a mangled body with blood pooling beneath them. The non-royal watched in slacked-jaw horror. She killed one of her children like they were nothing to her. Despite the fact, that her children were something to Chrysalis. A tool. Tools are meant to be used especially if you have many.
Chrysalis snarled, twisting towards Celestia. "MY CHILDREN WILL DEVOUR YOUR CORPSE CELESTIA!" An outstanding victory was an impossibility now but she can still hurt and feed.
"Your children will starve," Celestia remarked, her golden radiance gleaming from her horn and palms.
Chrysalis lunged with feral rage, devouring her smug confidence at her plan crumbling before her eyes. Her face collided with a dauntless barrier, bouncing her to the ground. Chrysalis glared. Shining Armor and Cadence's interlocked fingers glowed with a defiant expression. Dusk Shine rushed. Chrysalis blasted with emerald ravenous hatred. His form blurred, evading them, leaving smoking holes in the ancient floor. The Changeling queen's eyes darted around while inhaling deeply to lock on his scent. Above! An emerald shot jetted skyward, sending stony debris. Chrysalis covered her eyes from the dust and tumbled away, rising to her feet. Nothing; a decoy?! Where is he?
Dusk Shine's foot buried itself deep into her midsection, launching her to the ceiling. Her eyes blunged at the monstrous impact. He teleported before she slammed above. Stone fused to his fists and forearms, clasping his hands together for a hammer blow. Chrysalis's head turned briefly. Her eyes widened at his cold fiery expression. Dusk Shine doesn't desire to merely defeat her and eject her and her followers from his nation's borders. No. He wanted to kill her for all the pain and suffering she inflicted on him and his family. Chrysalis recognized his horrifying look. Centuries ago.
After Celestia cast Luna and sealed her into the moon. Chrysalis attempted to exploit the Sun Sovereign's weakness but was swiftly and brutally wrong. Celestia bombarded her with glass-melting heat, defiling her then more exquisite form into a waxy-holed wretch. Not again! Chrysalis hissed a stream of acid. Dusk Shine dislodged the stones, forming a shield, and turned the still-solid rocks into an irritating powder. Chrysalis gagged at the bothersome annoyance. Gagging? She forgot about it after countless years of pleasuring males of all species and consuming them after. A scatter-shot blew into her spine, neck, and shoulder, bashing into the hard floor. Chrysalis ached. She wiped her refined face, discovering a streak of green blood on her backhand and a blood splatter on the stone. Her tongue probed loose teeth. She gazed blankly. Anger rushed through her mind in a blaze, consuming her belly. How dare he?!
A taut length secured around her leg. Dusk Shine yanked it. Chrysalis yelled from the sudden pull. He flicked his wrist, raising the Queen off the floor and into the air. Dusk Shine spun her around like a gymnast ribbon creating a green and black screaming tornado. Her eyes swam as the blood swirled in her brain. She envied her primitive subjects. Their brains weren't advanced enough to value equilibrium. Dusk Shine's nose twitched. The sharp sour aroma of acid filled the room. He stopped. With a calculated tug, Chrysalis crashed into the ground once before being slammed on her back. Again and again and again. Dusk Shine used her body as a pick-ax or hammer to crack the reinforced stone for its secrets. Chrysalis growled, charging at Dusk Shine with rage and famine in her throat and teeth. Dusk Shine extended his teether and evaded the predatory attack. She turned her head with bared teeth before a cerulean twinkle caught her eyes. Her skull crashed against Shining Armor's barricade, dislodging several teeth as her head chimed. Dusk Shine pulled again, delivering a meteoric punch into her stomach. She gagged at her cracked ribs, piercing her lungs and flushing blood out of her lips. Dusk Shine continued this fisherman's dance of pulling and relaxing his teether for Cadance, Celestia, Shining Armor, and himself to strike the insect queen. The Elements attempted to intervene, adding their force to assault. Spears, wings, and arms blocked them. The quartet blasted her with magic into the same wall where she killed one of her soldiers. Chrysalis bounced off and fell on her face. She protected the back of her head. Her physiology enabled to survive drastic injuries that'll kill other species but constant polymorphing and her status as queen installed various self-preservation tactics.
"No, not again," Chrysalis seethed, rocking her head and digging her talons into the stone floor with a snarling stomach. Victory slipped from her grasp, growing dim. This was a greater humiliation than her first invasion as she actually prepared for it. Chrysalis knew she couldn't defeat Celestia outright and chose a deceptive approach. Throughout the centuries she mustered a worthy force, infiltrated and sabotaged Canterlot's defense grid, turned a significant portion of Celestia's Royal Guard and other assets against her, and siphoned an ocean of love from Shining Armor to enhance her power to levels inconceivable. Yet it wasn't enough.
The defense grid held. Her lines crumbled before her eyes as she didn't bring all of her forces. Chrysalis mainly brought the basic drones and handfuls of soldiers and honor guards thinking it would be a waste. Dozens to hundreds of her children defied her. Celestia still overpowered her. Then finally, Celestia's monster of a student, Dusk Shine. He's barely in his twenties yet was fighting as if controlled by a skilled veteran. No book can teach him that.
Chrysalis glowered at the corpse with slitted eyes. Hunger knotted. Need food. Chrysalis forsake her regality scurrying across the floor like an insect. Her gnarled claws dug into the corpse, piercing torn flesh and shattered bone. Elongated fangs jetted from her gums, with a hyper-extended jaw worthy of a famished constrictor's envy; Chrysalis gorged. Each chomp removed mortal chunks from the lukewarm body. A deluge of green blood sullied the floor as the walls echoed with moist crunches of bones and chitin.
"She's eating for her children. Her fucking children," Pinkie Pie faltered, grabbing and shaking Rainbow Dash's shoulders. They grimace from the nauseating sight. Some retched. Rarity urgently tried to hold her bile and chose to gulp the rancid mixture.
Fluttershy was the only one out of the Elements who wasn't stomach-twistedly mortified by the grizzly sight. She knew certain animal species devoured their young in times of struggle or indifference. This was neither. Chrysalis didn't have the decency to chew; her throat bulged with each suffocating gulp. Acid softening bone, sinews, and toughened chitin. Was this Chrysalis' true nature? Her sultry pompous regality was a superficial facade only for a ravenous selfish beast to be her true self.
Dusk Shine observed in morbid curiosity. Changelings have a dual nourishment intake, requiring love and physical food to sustain themselves. Why love if they need physical food? Were their mouths, fangs, and corrosive spittle another form of defense? Probably. Is it like how carnivorous plants need both sunlight and to capture prey as the soil doesn't provide all their essential nutrients? Dusk Shine concluded this was the main hypothesis. Chrysalis shoved what appeared to be a femur into her maw. Her hand forced the limb into her gullet without a pause or a breath. She swallowed with a gulp, padding her ballooned stomach in satisfaction as her wounds healed. Muscles stitched together. Wounds closed as if they never existed. Several of her teeth regrow. A putrid bellicose belch thundered as she cleaned and licked her teeth for any residue.
"That's enough," Celestia fumed. Chrysalis' heart stopped and chilled as one of her eyes slid towards Celestia. Her pearl hand motioned in a radiant golden circle. She pushed, launching Chrysalis out and through the stone wall, creating a hole several meters wide and tall.
"Woah," They watched Chrysalis bounce across and through several buildings, jetting up wood dust, stone, and glass.
"Dusk Shine, Captain Shining Armor," Celestia announced, staring out at the battlefield. Canterlot hasn't been invaded since Nightmare Moon. Loyalties were split between the Sun and Moon causing tearful confusion among the populace. She frowned. Was her citizens such simplistic creatures that the allure of flesh was enough for them to abandon all the morals and principles of their nation and her rule? Not wealth, power, ego, or revenge? Momentary bliss. Brothels weren't illegal and could be easily found. Although that could be the reason. Brothels and similar establishments had rules, policies, and ethics. An individual changeling doesn't have rights. They don't have to treat them with respect as they can change into their daily desire.
"Yes, princess," The brothers knelt. They weren't the only ones. The Royal Guards and Elements fell to their knees under the supple authority.
"Even when we cast these changelings from our lands, this war won't be over," Celestia's voice carried a soft and dignified echo while using the royal 'We'. "Heed our words as you always did for millennia; Eliminate the traitors as well. They betrayed our nations, their friends, loved ones, and more to slate their meager indulgences of the flesh. Are you going to let them?" She asked, facing the brothers.
"No," The brothers vowed.
"Dusk Shine," Celestia called to her prized student. He raised his head. Her exquisite features are stricken with a typhoon of grief, shame, and remorse for what she'll ask of him. She pushed her forehead against his own. Their horns crossed. Hers glowed. A private command issued with a heavy heart. Celestia prayed she would never ask such a task for as long as he lived but this will be one of many regrets in her extended life. The anvil of war for someone so young. She had others to do such a monstrous task but those didn't sit well with her. The zealous patriotic soldier who'll burn entire cities if they believed it'll please her or use countless deaths of friend and foe as a way to elevate their status. Apathetic monsters locked beneath facilities away from society and her blessed light, who care for nothing except slaughter. She trusts Dusk Shine to be reserved in his rampage. However, one part of her mind, soul, or a lingering dream, fears she's releasing something worse.
"By your will, the power vested in me and your teachings. It'll be done," Dusk Shine avowed. Celestia nodded once, turning her head to Cadance with an outstretched hand. Their hands joined. Celestia viewed Dusk Shine and Shining Armor, offering her hand as well. The Shine brothers joined the circle. Their horns glowed with their titanic magical aura. The room shook as the four most powerful mages in Equestria conducted a ritual. Dust stormed as they levitated. Celestia's incantation was from a forgotten tongue, known by only the rulers for the most dire situations. Today was that day. A golden flame washed over the capital, forcing the battle to pause before resuming with fierce intensity. The sky blazed with an aurora of Gold, Green, and Black.
This was one of Equestria's ancient mystical edicts built by the greatest sorcerers and their students during the early days to protect their proud new nation against any who dared to shatter it. The spell wasn't of destruction to obliterate cities but of truth and illumination.
Several Royal Guards illuminated green & gold, their companions jetted their spears in their faces and boxed them in. Changeling imposters! Discipline masked the woeful betrayal in their eyes. The Changelings submitted, lowering their weapons. Hands raised and closed eyes accepting whatever fate awaited them. Their forms were exposed with an emerald flame cascading displaying an unexpected form. These were changelings. However, each was unique, keeping a feature from their pony form. Caparace color, hairstyle, physique, eye and color shape, and more. What didn't change surprised them. Their armor. These changelings wore the golden armor of the Royal Guard. Nothing suggested they were pillaged from the corpses of their original wearers. Another thing was their carapace. These Neo-Changelings were smooth, polished, and softer with brighter colors than their umbral, craggy, and gaunt cousins.
"At ease," Celestia ordered. The guards parted for their ruler, keeping their arms ready. "What is your birth name?" She asked the revealed Changelings.
"We . . . never had one, your highness. Our Queen didn't see us worthy of one yet" One of them answered, removing their helmet to meet Celestia's gaze. Their armor and reinforced carapace signify them as a higher rank among the horde. A sergeant or their equivalent of one. He had a pale blue-purple carapace."We all took a random alias to infiltrate your forces for the invasion. Some of us have been here for years," He confessed. His armor labeled him as Cerulean Strike. Others gave affirmative nods to the statement.
"Yet you're here, defying your queen, your own mother's orders," Celestia probed.
"She's not our mother," One of them snapped. She had red pupils with chopped yellow and orange hair. "Chrysalis gave birth to us but we never received a mother's love," Her name was Pepper Bite.
"What do you know about love," Rainbow Dash sneered, glowering at the exposed Changelings. They were parasites!
"Rainbow Dash, there's several different types of love," Cadance interjected. "Chrysalis heavily focused on Eros, the sexual love. It's widely available but provides minimal nutritional value from how the hive looked," She gestured to the dead changelings. Chrysalis remarked that Canterlot and Equestria's gigantic love can feed her children for eternity. The groups had striking differences regarding their body composition and health. Chrysalis'changelings were shadowy malnourished creatures with thin frames, stunted growth and swinish hunger as missing a single meal spells death. If what they saw with Chrysalis had any merit, cannibalism was common practice. Whereas these new changelings stood taller with a well-structured physique and brighter complexion. "She harnessed Shining Armor's genuine love for me. Storge, Philla and Pragma. Skyrocketing her power to unimaginable levels," Cadance nuzzled Shining Armor, grasping his head as he hung his head in shame for being so easily manipulated. "And for you . . ." Her gaze rested on the Neo-Changelings.
"We started to love ourselves and the people around us," Cerulean Strike answered. "Are we. . . ," His voice trailed off, staring at what remained of his unit. Some closed their eyes accepting their fate.
"Depends," Shining Armor marched forward straightening his back. "Are you with us?!" His voice thundered, shifting to his persona of Captain Shining Armor the Aegis of Canterlot.
"Yes, Captain," They replied. Shining Armor and Celestia nodded allowing the Neo-Changelings. No. The Royal Guard members were rearmed and ready for the fight of their lives.
"Shining Armor, Cadance, take your forces to the center around the villas and fortify the Sentinels and Blueblood," Celestia commanded. The couple and their regiment nodded.
"Blueblood?" Dusk Shine questioned. Was this a rescue mission to save his soggy backside?
"Yes. He's been training since the Gala," Shining Armor boasted. Dusk Shine's forehead creased in bewilderment at Blueblood's maturity. He believed Blueblood would be among the first to be bewitched by Chrysalis. She could've taken the form of a relatively attractive mare and proceeded with her plan. An improvement over this moronic one. Dusk Shine shrugged. Perhaps his words and Celestia's disappointment galvanized Blueblood to be something of worth.
"Dusk Shine, you support Luna, Fancy Pants, and Fleur De Lis," Celestia added. Dusk Shine nodded, Luna was likely in the castle holding against the ravenous tide. "I'll deal with Chrysalis," She narrowed her eyes, illuminating the room with a furious shine. A chest appeared hovering above. She waved her hand, unlocking complex security measures, and reached into it.
In her hands, one of the chief magical items in Canterlot's arsenal, only rivaled by the Elements. Helios Aurelian Rex. Celestia's personal weapon and symbol of her power. The mighty war mace was crafted eons ago in a bygone era filled with epic monsters and gods, conjuring unbelievable magical spells that in the modern area would be deemed impossible or works of fiction. Even powerful beings like Celestia shuddered, unable to fathom what destruction they'd caused. She knew they still existed somewhere. Deep in underwater trenches, slumbering for countless eons who's mere appearance breaks one's psyche. Sealed in forgotten mountains or foul temples, influencing citizens with seductively corruptive whispers on the powers and secrets they hold. For a price. Taxed with blood and death.
Legends stated the weapon was crafted in the core of a rejected sun with exotic ores, mysterious runes, and divine metals lost to time with scant records and whispered secrets. Few people held the relic, unable to withstand the immeasurable heat beyond quick moments. Celestia, blessed by the sun, her pearl skin was immune to the intensity. She seldom used physical weapons. Her magic abilities were more than sufficient making the notion of weapons redundant. The day will break if Celestia enables Chrysalis to defile her city for a moment longer.
Despite its fable history and worthy of worship, HAR was remarkably mundane. It followed a similar design philosophy to Holzfäller, a simplistic ornate weapon. The shaft reached Celestia's elbow allowing for one-handed usage. Two-handed for regular ponies. Elaborate lines and rings created intricate runes and shapes. The only extraordinary piece was its glowing heartbeat of a mace head as if fresh from the forge. Few winced stepping back and shielding their faces from the radiance.
"What about us?" One of the Elements asked. There has to be something they can do.
"What about you?" Dusk Shine questioned, his tone harsher and sharper than any knife in their heart. They flinched. "This is official royal business," He declared, gesturing between him, his brother, Cadance, Celestia, and the Royal Guard. They were civilians. None of them had the required skills to deal with a full-scale battle. If they die, who knows how long it'll take to find a replacement Bearer of their respective element? "If you want to help. You stay out of my way and get to safety," Dusk Shine ordered. A soldier, one of the Changelings knelt holding his crown, revolver, and sword. Dusk Shine returned the crown to his head, rested the blade on his shoulders, and secured the firearm on his hip. He inhaled sharply. His body shimmering with brilliant armament magic, materializing for the upcoming battle. Dusk Shine's armor was of illuminating amethyst and silver. Chestplate, gauntlets, vambraces, tasses, greaves, and a faceplate under his eyes and extended to his chin. It was lightweight. Expected for Unicorns to rely on their magic for war but not to the extent of Pegasus valuing their speed and mobility. Dusk Shine's armor whispers high-quality functionality. It's armor. He wasn't going to a convention or strut down a runway. Dusk Shine prepared for a battle. Across his chest and waist were straps & harnesses supplying him with supplementary weapons, potions, vials, and elixirs to support the war effort.
"Those are new," Celestia mentioned. Her eyes scanned the engravings and polished design.
"Runes. I had an artificer upgrade my gear after the incident with Discord," Dusk Shine answered. Runes were a simpler form of magic enabling them to be used by anyone if the rune permits. Often etched in stone or war gear for protection or a unique property. They can last indefinitely with proper maintenance.
"Never took you for a Rune guy, Shiny," Shining Armor teased.
"Oh ha-ha, I took some advice from Zecora," Dusk Shine rolled his eyes, handing his brother a short sword. He wasn't going to let him out unarmed. Shining Armor examined the blade. Runes were engraved into the steel. Sharpness, Focus & Endurance. A practical array for a side weapon. "She taught me many things," He continued, his eyes trailing on the potions on his belts.
"About. . . ?" Cadance teased, craning her neck with a tilted head and gleaming eyes as she styled her messy hair into a tight bun. Today's her special day. However, Cadance will take every chance to investigate Dusk Shine's love life. She approved of the other Bearers but after today. Not so much. It's uplifting to know he has options for a mare's companionship. Cadance heard of Zecora from Celestia in some of his earliest letters. She's a brew witch from Farasi, residing in the Everfree Forest. He spoke highly of her.
"Research. Anyway, let's get on with it so you both can finish this wedding," Dusk Shine redirected the topic. Cadance and Shining Armor rolled their eyes. More than half of the remaining platoon stood ready.
"Ready, Royal Guard?!" Shining Armor shouted, turning back to them. The Changelings keep their hybrid form, brandishing their loyalty to Equestria. They won't return to the hives.
"Aye, Captain!" The Royal guard obeyed. He materialized a pathway to the ground.
"For Equestria!" Shining Armor roared, raising his saber, and charged in.
"For Equestria!" The Royal Guard followed behind their captain. Cadance joined her husband. Celestia sprung into the sky with a single flap following the emerald fire trails. Dusk Shine didn't look back at his fellow Bearers, focusing on assisting Luna and his fellow Sentinels. They touched the ground. Shining Armor, Cadance, and their forces galloped on one of the side streets. Their presence boosted the morale of struggling soldiers and citizens attempting to hold the tide. Stranglers added their bulk to the charge. Wherever the Captain was headed, he needed them. Dusk Shine took the main road. A detachment of bat ponies awaited for Dusk Shine. He and the leader saluted and hurried to the castle where Luna awaited them. The fight will be thickest there.
Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy watched as the figures of gold, lavender, and silver rushed to the most significant battle of their lives yet. What were they doing? Gawking while sitting on their hands like disobedient children in detention. They were instrumental in the defeat of Discord and Nightmare Moon. Their greatest weapons; the elements of harmony were dimly lit rocks, useless without their unity. Shame crushed them like a boulder on an egg for their failure. They swore that the elements berated them. What can they do? Dusk Shine was the only one in their group who had a grand destiny and would likely be doing the same thing without the Elements. They were pale phonies compared to the Pillars of Equestria. Rockhoof, Mage Meadowbrook, Somnambula, Mistmane, Flash Magnus, and Star Swirl the Bearded, each were legends in their own right before becoming Pillars. How could they compare? A farmhand, a fashion designer, a baker/party planner, a veterinarian, and a weatherpony. Their singular job was to be friends. And they failed.
"Come with us," A guardsman ordered, gesturing to the open pathway in the walls, directing them to the subterranean tunnels. Their escort entered, shields raised and spears ready for any threats. The Elements watched as Dusk Shine's figure shrunk in the distance."Now," More authority boomed in their voice.
Rainbow Dash pinched her lips as her muscles shook from being cast to the bench. Chrysalis's words plucked her feathers. She turned sharply. The guard stepped aside for her. Fluttershy followed with Rarity, wiping away smudged make-up between her sniffs. Rarity didn't reapply it. Pinkie Pie stayed at the window, staring at the battle with glossy baby-blue eyes. Applejack lay on hand on her shoulder, shaking her head. Pinkie's poofy hair deflated with quivering lips but could only yield to the situation. They shuffled to exit with hung heads and slumped shoulders. Applejack's lowered hat masked her guilt. Once the Elements were inside, a rearguard formed a shield wall. Their minds, bodies, and weapons were ready for any enemy changelings. They shuffled back in single file until all were inside. The wall was securely sealed behind them, leaving debris and corpses behind.
Dusk Shine and his group hustled towards the castle. Pandemonium claimed the streets as stampeding citizens yearned for safety. Both sides are dealing with traitors. Celestia's spell highlighted where one's loyalties lie, exposing where they directed their spears and defended with their shields. Cadance's magic quelled the whirling storm of emotions at the discovered traitors and unexpected newfound allies of Canterlot's forces. He and Shining Armor's magic was to shield their minds and increase the spell's potency. The Changeling defectors surrendered the disguises, opting for a hybrid appearance. Unit cohesion returned amidst the scattered battlelines and plugged holes in the city's defense.
Dusk Shine and his unit rescued ad-hoc squads, searching for established formations to add their force to the objective. Their tension eased at their appearance before squaring their shoulders once, following Dusk Shine and the Night Court. They didn't know what to do but if Dusk Shine was going somewhere then it must be important. Dusk Shine's blood boiled, gripping his sword hilt until it was white at the destroyed buildings, crushed bodies under rumble, or were unfortunate to be trampled by their fellow ponies in the mad dash. His mind recorded the death screams of citizens, drowned by the changelings buzzing as they were carried away in mucus cocoons for later storage in their hives. He wanted to save those being hauled away. But he can't. They were too far, requiring search & rescue missions after the siege. Bystanders had to drag others and strangers away, shuffling them to safety. Children were carried like sacks, wailing and reaching out for their parents, siblings, or vital figures carried away by the Changelings. They were fortunate. Others were pallid statues. Frozen by the image of mutilated lifeless bodies. Security personnel barked orders, pushing them into the fleeing crowd. His mind went to his friends, family, and other important people. Were they safe? Or were they changeling imposters who rejected Chrysalis' orders? Will reinforcements arrive in time? The question is who's reinforcements will arrive? Chrysalis planned this invasion for centuries! There's no telling how many allies or puppets she accumulated over the generations.
"Sir, are you alright," The bat pony unit leader asked, sensing Dusk Shine's rage. Silver and amber lunar markings symbolized their rank and seniority in this rescue force. She called him sir, respecting his role as a Sentinel. They all felt his wrath. How can't they? Their city was under siege, betrayed by their fellow ponies with the implied reward of pleasure. Civilians rushed, ignoring the liquified and half-eaten corpses as they were unable to focus on anything besides self-preservation.
"I'm fine," Dusk Shine answered curtly, reloading his revolver and focusing on the castle. "We need to hurry up and support Princess Luna and the others," His narrowed eyes focused on the droves of buzzing drones overhead. Swift dogfights littered the sky as figures fell. Changeling black snapping against the golden rainbow. The two monarchs resumed their battle. Explosives thundered. Decimating the Changeling hordes, but he didn't know whether it was magical or mechanical. It didn't matter. Dusk Shine had his orders from Celestia. What were his orders bestowed upon him by Princess Celestia? Rip & Tear. Slate the ground with traitorous crimson and tempered it with gluttonous jade. Until it was done and not before. Dusk Shine and his family never failed in their task of defending Equestria. He'll continue the legacy.
Tarturus be damned.
Luna sat in her chambers. Her eyes shut meditatively to ease her mind for the upcoming battle. In. Out. In. Out. To be called for battle, a few months after her first public appearance during Nightmare Night against invaders and traitors. Her face twitched. Guilt returned to Luna's mind fully aware of discontent about her return to rulership. She pushed them away. It's not her fault they decided to betray their nation and species for the honeyed words of shapeshifting whore. She slowly opened her eyes and stood. Captain Shining Armor's barrier is weakening and they need to act now. Dusk Shine's older brother. No. Sir Dusk Shine's older brother. Is he a Sir? His family is remarkably accomplished being Celestia's student, the Bearer of Magic, both parents are highly respected and Princess Cadance is the latest addition. Another Alicorn. So young too.
The world has changed dramatically since her return. Nations no longer existed. Languages were either forgotten or altered. Customs either persisted or died for better or worse. She can't get some of her favorite foods anymore. What shocked her the most was technology, skills, and magic. Locomotives are the first shell-shocking experience taking dozens to hundreds of ponies throughout Equestria and other nations within hours compared to days or weeks in her era. Food storage and production, fashion, medicine, entertainment, and magic. Things that once were reserved for the elites can be brought in a local store or can be taught to children as a leisure activity.
"Princess Luna, we've received reports about cracks in the barrier," A centurion bat pony announced after swiftly knocking on her door.
"Get your cohorts ready. Let's show Equestria and the traitors that we're not a bygone relic trapped in the night," Luna ordered. They saluted and exited the room. She approached a display case holding her weapons and armor. Luna sneered at the armor, feeling the maniacal cackle of Nightmare Moon ringing in her ears. NO! That's not her anymore. She grabbed her weapon. A khopesh-like from Somnambula's homeland in the deep south. They honored her by renaming her home village after her. Luna remembered Somnambula's wise words about hope.
"Hope is a terrifying thing. It's the oasis deep in the sands fearing that it's a mirage and dying of thirst. But you must walk or crawl for the refreshing water no matter how far it is or how hot the sun is"
"Hope," Luna whispered. Her frown deepened, sensing the barrier weakening by the second. She secured the weapon to her hip and exited. It's all she needed. Her section of the castle was in a hustle. Luna towered over them as they parted away from her. Some still feared her. She entered a meeting room. Soldiers, servants, a few Sentinels, and other forces discussed long-term strategies and countermeasures to deal with the threat. A sentinel was chatting with a heavily armored soldier carrying a monstrous halberd in one hand and a resolute shield in the other. Their armor was blazing red with soothing yellow and orange accents. A stylized sun covered their chest and other runes on their gear.
Celestia's honor guard. Why would someone as long-lived and powerful as Celestia need an honor guard? All rulers need a retinue of elite and competent bodyguards. It shows and builds trust. Your ruler places their life in your hands. An additional layer of security as she can't be everywhere at once. Honor guards weren't simply highly decorated warriors but also advisors and confidants leading their insight to better serve their liege. They keep them humble away from the polluting words of scheming chamberlains and infectious delusions of grandeur. Being Celestia's honor guard or any ruler's personal guard is a coveted position placing them on par with minor lords or outranked them when the situation calls for it. Anyone can be a member. The main requirement is being a stellar warrior, a competent tactician, and stalwart morals. However, some foolish houses believed they could bribe themselves into the revered post. They were mocked into obscurity or absorbed into another house.
Luna technically doesn't have an honor guard anymore. After her failed coup and banishment, the Night Court was widely disbanded and placed on night guard duty as penance. Skilled troops are found but have been a depressing fraction of itself. Luna gradually rebuilt her forces within the past year thanks to donations from Celestia and what little the Sentinels offered. Night Light, Dusk Shine's and Shining Armor's father, and their noble house provided a charitable amount. One of her vassal houses. She's astonished and grateful one of her allies remained in a privileged position after the horror she caused.
"Princess," They acknowledged and bowed their heads.
"Are the preparations ready?" Luna asked. Changelings are a deceptive bunch using guile and mindless horde tactics to hunt their prey. Chrysalis' grudge against Celestia is a taut noose likely finding weaknesses within traitors and opportunists to further twist the knife. Canterlot will hold. However, citizens won't be able to look at each other the same.
"Yes. I sent one of my units into the caverns to search for any reserve enemy forces," The honor guard spoke. Their armor labeled them as Bonfire Rush.
"I'll send some squads to reinforce you. Changelings are dauntless in their inexhaustible numbers," Luna offered. The caverns underneath Canterlot were an immense maze even with the detailed maps. Who knows how many were there in the dark?
"No need, Princess Luna, one of my units is more than sufficient," Bonfire Rush smiled under their helm causing Luna to raise a brow. Has Celestia's guard endured and maintained their skills in this peaceful modern age. "To be safe I put them in pairs," They shrugged before looking up along with Luna, tightening their grip on their weapons. Everyone paused. The barrier shattered. Straight Shot barked orders and any final assessments before taking their bow and arrows.
"Fight well with honor," Luna encouraged, heading to an accessway towards the throne room. They nodded and prepared for battle.
The castle erupted in a panic. Changelings were everywhere! They weren't simply coming from the sky but within the castle and the city. Chrysalis must've been planning this for centuries after her humiliating defeat. Luna thought to herself. How many identities did the Queen masquerade in the last thousand years? How many citizens were killed and replaced?
She unsheathed her blade at the throne's room entrance. Luna remained. Standing vigil against any incoming invaders and traitors. Nobody will enter the throne room without her knowledge. There was no doubt Chrysalis and her forces would do something to it but Luna won't let that happen.
Ironclamp and Gem Wisp marched with their legions and hordes of changelings at the vanguard. They paused, glaring at each other. Traitor Sentinels?! Gem Wisp was a unicorn and leader of the group with her family specializing in arcane jewelry. Ironclamp was a stocky earth pony from Gem's vassal houses who occupied the same mines.
"Well it's Nightmare Moon," Ironclamp mocked with a sneer. "Nevermind, the bitch Princess Luna trying to play the hero," His heavy features were marked with disdain.
"You dare sully my sister's castle with your treachery?!" Luna bellowed. "You dare bring them here without consequence?!" Her voice thundered despite its lowered tone, gesturing her blade to the chittering invaders. "You disgrace your family name,"
"You dare lecture about disgrace and treachery?!" Gem Wisp argued back with her aura flaring.
"I paid the price for it with my imprisonment. I shamed myself. I let my hubris and envy cloud my judgment believing that I was a better ruler" Luna confessed humbly. "Celestia and Dusk Shine gave me a chance to restore my honor. A debt that'll never fully be repaid even if I had another thousand years." She closed her eyes briefly with an inhale then glared at the traitors. "Whereas for you," Her blade tip motioned towards the Sentinels. "You conspired with one of Celestia's personal enemies who only see you as a stepping stone or snack," Luna admonished before a mocking smirk curved on her lips. "That's why Queen Chrysalis chose you thanks to your moronic vengeance. How dumb are you really? What did she offer you to entice this betrayal? Did she flash her rotten bosom or bare her rear end taking whatever pathetic shape to arouse your disgusting lust? Is your honor that weak? Or perhaps your spouses were too much for you to handle and lowered your standards for a whore? Your queen," She can see the rage and wounded pride stewing in their pulsating veins. The second-hand doubt in their troops' eyes. "Has no treasury or viable farmland. No allies besides barbaric scum and slavers days away from proper society. You can't rebuild your status or venerable house in a barren wasteland," Traitors get what they deserve. Only a minute handful of traitors were able to maintain their status quo throughout history due to betraying a sufficiently worse regime. Selfish traitors like them never last. They quickly found themselves disposable. "Although you and Chrysalis have more in common than you think. Cruel, selfish, vindictive, petty, egotistical, pathetic, and sees everyone as beneath them. You care for nothing besides instant gratification. Your oaths, morals, ethics, and the customs you and your ancestors once valued mean nothing. You will die. Either by my hands or Chrysalis fangs. No one will mourn you as your families erase your names from the records. A perfect end for greedy spineless traitors. To think your honored liege could produce such scum,"
"KILL HER! I WANT HER HEAD!" The changelings hissed and snarled before charging in for the chance to devour Alicorn's flesh.
"Come on!" Luna roared out, getting into a fighting stance. She blitzed. The traitors' smile fell into a twisted mess of fear, backing away as the changelings rushed into the carnage. Luna was swift. Horrifyingly swift for her stature. Luna wasn't dashing and flying but casually striding towards their position. She became an indigo wraith; trimming the horde with her blade and slamming the changelings in walls, floor, and ceiling. Her body and mind were weapons. Celestia would've simply overwhelmed them with her magic ending the battle within moments. No. They don't deserve the privilege. Her blade cleaved through two or three changelings with each stroke, leaving a silver trail. Heads, limbs, and entire body segments littered the honored floor with their filthy green blood. She's the storm's eye. Nothing touched her. Luna's keen reflexes adjusted her movements with a slight angle, taunting them when they thought she was vulnerable and caving their skulls in with a devastating kick. She missed this. The chaotic dance of battle with blood rushed through her core as she tested her might against worthy foes. Her stern expression exhaled as she continued to slaughter the useless fodder. Luna pitied the drones. They were children barely a year old. Starving. Tossed away in a futile war in service for a ruler, a mother who never loved them. How many did she kill already? Few dozen? Perhaps a hundred or more? The Moon Monarch didn't look back as she continued her spear charge. Her blade gorged on scores of changelings for what felt like hours but only the briefest of moments had passed. She cleared dozens of meters within split seconds but measured her speed enabling them to comprehend their folly. The traitors paled as her thunderous footsteps echoed like a locomotive steaming right for them.
"Form up or do something you useless sack of shit!" One of them ordered the troops to get them in formation. Ironclamp's troops formed the front with their heavy armor while Gem's raised their glistening spears. Luna crashed into them like a siege ram, splitting their spears, blades, and armor. They scattered like leaves, becoming broken and mangled underneath the bodies of their comrades. She was a crashing tsunami drowning them in her power. These soldiers took more effort but they died the same. Her fist spun one soldier's head three times like a balloon knot. She grabbed another by the tail and used them like a flail before tossing them out the window. Luna decapitated another and evaded a spear thrust. The traitor overstepped. Her fist was a compact cannon shot into their chest as they flew across the hall. Another had their shield bisected followed by their body. A trio of Gem's unicorns bombarded the princess with every spell that they could muster. Luna twirled her blade one-handed, deflecting the spells as she casually dodged. One erected a barrier. Luna walked through as if it was an open door. The first's throat cascaded a scarlet waterfall, forcing their hands to stop the flow. Another tried to stab Luna with a dagger. Her blade split the dagger and the traitor's forearm right to the shoulder reminding Luna of string cheese. The pommel crashed into their forehead. Her ears sharpened to thunderous steps. Something's coming. The wall burst open with a goliath in harsh iron armor, scattering stone and dust. Luna ignored the rest and focused on the new foe. It charged at Luna. She grabbed the iron goliath by the head crushing the helm like a biscuit and speared her blade into the chest of the third.
Ironclamp and Gem Wisp observed the slaughter in unblinking terror, dragging their heels towards the exit as their nerves trembled. The Goliath was easily a ton. It survived dozens of sustained cannon barrages without breaking pace. Goliath-patterned armor was designed to be the pinnacle juggernaut. An unstoppable force! Breaking through castle walls and enemy formations like dust. The armor combined with Gem Wisp's enchantments elevated Iron's family to minor nobility. Yet Luna picked it up like a toy. The traitors shuddered at the muffled screams as Ironclamp's troop struggled to escape. They watched the Goliath frantically punch and kick Luna as her hand increased the pressure, creaking the helm. Each strike demolished bone and metal but for Luna, they were pillow hits.
Helmet Horror. A suffocating experience every soldier experiences. The frenzied effort to breathe. Fingers struggling to ease the restrictive tension on the head despite the lethal chaos of battle. The Goliath's breath was a funeral chime echoing from within their helm. Their mighty metal mountain became their tomb. Blood filled their helm. From their mouth, nose, eyes, and ears. Luna's unworldly strength caved parts of their helmet, spearing their features. An eye was lost along with several teeth. Then it stopped. The goliath found themselves . . . floating? Where are their arms?! They couldn't move them but air stung their nerves.
Ironclamp paled as Luna sliced through the Goliath's joints and threw it like an all-baseball player. She jetted to them without a sound, peering down with a bored expression. The traitors' quivering troops were behind their leaders. Ironclamp brandished his claymore to spark a flicker of defiance. Luna decided to taunt them. Their blood chilled, turning them paler than Celestia as Luna leisurely snapped the sword. Piece. By. Piece. She didn't use magic but raw strength. There was nothing louder than the snapping metal until nothing but the crossguard remained. Gem Wisp's lavish jewelry illuminated fiercely, unleashing a fiery bombardment square into Luna's face. Relief spread among them as they did some damage to the Moon avatar. Each gem accumulates the magical reserves of a skilled unicorn. Gem Wisp released it at full power. A hand waved the smoke away dowsing any revere among the traitors.
"Was that the best you can do?" Luna deadpanned. Her face was a refined artwork unblemished by time or the elements. The attack did nothing. Luna didn't move, flinch, grunt, or show any sign of stimulation. Not a single hair was out of place. Disappointed but not surprised. Ironclamp made the iconic move of all cowards, pushing their partners towards danger and fleeing with soiled trousers and whatever soldiers followed. So much for being made from Iron. Luna allowed them to flee as they wouldn't get far in the castle.
Gem Wisp cast a desperate shield by clutching her necklace. Luna gazed blankly and taped it with a leisure finger, scattering the shield like porcelain. Her palm was an executioner's axe resting on the traitor's neck.
"Please don't kill me," Gem Wisp pleaded. Tears and sweat swelled from her pores, taking gargantuan efforts to establish control of her quivering bowels and not soil herself. Her make-up was already a mess. Dropped weapons and armor knees clanked on the ground with traitors begging for their lives.
"I'm not going to kill you," Luna answered plainly. Guardsmen poured into the hall, forming around the princess, and checked for breaches. Gem Wisp's heart bloomed in relief. It worked! Good. A few tears and the sacrifice of pride work wonders. She'll get Ironclamp for this betrayal. "Because that'll be a mercy you don't deserve," Luna whispered. Gem's heart skipped at the threat. "Take her and any survivors," Luna ordered, handing Gem Wisp to Celestia's guard and her Night Court. She shook the blood off.
"Where are you taking us?" Gem Wisp demanded, searching around for help with panicked eyes. She struggled against the loyalists. Guardsmen knocked out and muzzled any struggling traitors.
"You'll find out," A bizarre hood figure replied and snapped its fingers before Gem Wisp could answer. The traitors vanished in the next second.
Gem Wisp and her surviving guards found themselves somewhere, restrained against a wall. Were they still in the castle? They have to be. The architecture suggests Luna sent them to a dungeon but what dungeon was well-lit? Her mind shifted to lavish gala banquet halls where the air chimed with sophisticated laughter and exquisite foods. Chills stabbed the back of Gem's skull like a sculptor creating another masterpiece. Reverbing with each blow. There's a moving darkness approaching them. What foul sorcery is this?! Light bended and waffed around the darkness like a stone in a river leaving every feature indistinguishable.
"Ah! A blessing from the moon," The darkness beamed. Their voice was the jubilant celebration of popping open a special bottle of wine every several years.
"Where am I? Who the hell are you?!" Gem Wisp demanded. Her voice carried the entitlement of her station, cultivated among those who obeyed her former authority. She will have answers! How did they know Luna sent them here? Where were those strange ponies?
"My name? I surrendered my name long ago," The darkness answered, shrugging their shoulders before gesturing around. "Where are you? A place where nobody will hear you scream but even if they did. They ignore it," The figure snickered, finding amusement in this situation as if they were a child given a new toy on Hearth's warming.
"Do you know who I am?!" Gem Wisp barked, rattling the numerous chains. Who does this cur think they are putting her in chains? Her family will have their head.
"Perfectly well," The figure nodded as if talking to an entitled brat who never traveled beyond their hometown. "A sentinel with numerous family members serving faithful in the Royal Guard. Several in the gifted program. Along with dozens of notable achievements throughout the generations," The figure recounted her family legacy anchoring terror like a stone on the ocean floor. "However, you've committed treason and heresy of the highest order. It's one thing to rebel against a leader. A common story," Gem's eyes followed the being as the light moved around them, keeping their identity hidden. Was this a spell? "It's a completely different story when you assist a foreign leader who'll turn us all into food," A door opened followed by squeaky wheels. "That can't be forgiven," They stated before examining their tools and polishing away a thin layer of dust.
"Wait let's make a deal," Gem Wisp bargained. She picked her brain for an answer. Her estimates suggest they've only been gone for a few seconds. There's a strong possibility her family's vaults are still filled with extraordinary trinkets and treasures. Enchanted jewels, runes, master-crafted items, and whatever her family deemed valuable in the dozens of generations since birth. Gem's status is on a time limit. She must negotiate something while her authority has value.
The figure paused, tilting its head at the incomprehensive suggestion. "You can't be serious. Do you think my honor, code, and integrity are as flimsy as yours?" The figure mocked the Sentinel. "You were going to offer me gold. A night in bed with you or some of your servants. A good word with the princess and other important figures in the Equestrian hierarchy to boost my family's station," The figure predicted before lowering the tone and getting close to her, expanding the darkness. "You have nothing I want, need, or crave," The figure declared. They're above such petty wants.
"You'll never get away with this!" Gem Wisp snapped, echoing a forlorn threat. The figure guffawed. "What?" She questioned, unconscious of her hyperventilation. Some of the troops muttered, wept, and matched her rapid breathing while struggling in their restraints. They must escape. Where can they go? Magic is useless here as the area is likely layered with anti-magic measures. They can't fly either with the weights on their wings. Escaping on hoof is their only option. The invasion provided an ideal distraction for their exodus. Once they're off the mountain then they- their thoughts halted.
Then what? Where on Gaia were they going to go? Anywhere in Equestria is strictly out of the question. Bounties will be on their heads. Gem's family and associates will be condemned or reduced to outcasts. Equestria's and Celestia's allies won't harbor any traitors and return before reaching the border. Were they cursed on a permanent exodus? Forced to be vagabond with their status dwindling as a bygone memory? Could they stay together to round their strength or split off favoring their own chances? Chrysalis won't help them. Nobody will help them. Ironclamp and his forces were likely killed by now or escaped through his family's mines to parts only they knew where.
"I've heard that line so many times before. To let you know, I will get away with this. I can get away with this. I did get away with this. You're not the first nor will you be the last" The figure bragged at the sheer power shift, breaking their thoughts and seeing the wheels of hope fall off. Gem Wisp was once among the elite and powerful but now she's a common criminal. No common is incorrect. Common criminals were never sent their way. Only the especially heinous are gifted to them after a council. Celestia, bless her radiance, is reluctant to send anyone down here, offering the gift of redemption and atonement to everyone. However, some are unworthy and seek to exploit her generosity. She knew this. As a result, their organization remained a necessary evil and a deterrent. "My profession has existed long before Celestia. Long before the 3 tribes united," The prisoners' mouths slacked like a fish in the open air. It's impossible. Before the tribes united?! "What is my profession? The best way I can describe it is that I'm an interrogator and reeducator with a mix of the devil here and there. Here," The figure explained the purpose of their ancient order. Gem Wisp obsessed over the details when her soul clutched. She heard rumors of a shadowy organization established to deal with anyone who disrupts Equestria's harmony. Few ever returned. "You have no rights besides the ones I give you but Celestia's light shines upon you. She and Luna gave me strict instructions not to kill you," The figure informed. Killing them isn't part of the process. Death is a luxury.
"Oh thank Celestia," Gem Wisp whispered, easing her chains with a kindling of hope. A sharp strike jerked her head in another direction. She stared aghast at the unexpected mood change, blood trickling down her lip. Her bright eyes shuddered as her plans shattered like shale rock. No! She was going to surrender most of the information she had and keep some for herself as a power play in exchange for a lighter sentence. Play nice and do what they say. Maybe sabotage a rival house. Start a new life years later with a new name away from the glamour of Canterlot and any valuable secrets. Did she ruin it? Was she stuck here for the rest of her days?
"Never! Pollute her name with your traitorous voice,"The darkness fumed with heavy breaths. "You traitors will experience A FRACTION of the pain and shame you inflicted on this nation. You will wish to die but I won't allow it. That I promise and I promise…" Their voice darkened with fanatical hatred before exhaling to calm their mood. They flinched at another door opening. There's more?! More figures appeared but they had notable features. The malleable darkness was the only one to remain anonymous marking them as a leader.
"Why am I first?!" A guard from Gem's regiment protested while being escorted. Their glimmering pale armor was cracked. "She's the leader," They darted their head to Gem Wisp.
"Oh you're merely a refresher to see if my skills have dulled and test the resolve of your house," The figure taunted. They get a handful of blessings throughout the decade. Although the appearance of Discord provided some entertainment. It saw a mild influx of cultists who attempted to summon him or members of his species. "Oh please don't disappoint me. I love challenges. It allows for more . . . creativity," The figure encouraged, yearning to indulge in their sacred duty. "I'll save you for last," A smile and a pair of eyes glowed, intensifying on the traitor leader. It amplified the horror. Their captor was an ordinary everyday citizen. They weren't some grotesque hunchback creature with mismatched features kept away from society. No. They're someone you walked past on the street and never paid any mind.
"Why?" Gem Wisp stammered. Her refined skin grew pallid and clammy. She lost control. Amber liquid trickled from her quivering legs soiling her lavish garments. Sulfur fogged the air. Gem wasn't the first as some of her units already did. Few tried to end themselves by chomping their tongues off, choking on their gags, or snapping their necks. All failed. Death won't be coming for them.
"So I don't wait my time getting the same information for the rest of you," A chuckle escaped their throat, gesturing to the houseguard. Acquiring basic information can be obtained by a lowly soldier. Untested and easily broken. Gem Wisp will provide extensive knowledge of their treachery with specific details. "You will tell me everything and more," Gem Wisp's breathing accelerated. A huffing and puffing train engine with faulty brakes unable to stop. She was alone. All who were with her were escorted to Celestia knows where. "I'm going to be busy for years to come as you'll be an example of what not to become. The first of many,"
Luna did what she could after securing her portion of the castle with sections of the Night Court. Citizens helped each other, carrying and dragging others to safety. Laments about lost family members, friends, and business during the attack and desperately trying to save it. Save something. A family heirloom. Portraits. A valued piece of memorabilia or anything of sentimental value clung to this invasion. Why? They want to keep hope. Storekeepers rushed into their burning stores despite protests. Others died or were brutalized by petty looters taking scraps of wealth only to flee upon seeing her. Shame chiseled at her mind, recalling her invasion all those years ago. Did she do this to her home? Her eyes caught sight of a fluttering banner amidst the chaos with changelings about to overwhelm them. Not on her watch.
Copper filled Arbor Surge's mouth as their vision swam. Defensive orders bellowed in their ears as more units rallied around the banner. So many Changelings and traitors. Straight Shot joined them offering long-range support, eliminating any flyers. The ring tightened. Arbor stood with labored breaths, glaring at the enemies with a heavy ax in hand.
Straight Shot meet their eyes. "To the end," The marksmen said, getting low on arrows and taking their dagger.
"To the end," Arbor answered. They'll send as many as they can to hell before being devoured.
"Reinforcements! The Night Court is here!" Someone shouted. Arbor's eyes widened with astonishment as Straight Shot grinned. They cheered as Luna and her forces crashed into the enemy lines and forced them to retreat. Unicorns and artillery units refocused their attention on denser hordes of changelings. Communications personnel reported the event to all nearby units inspiring morale for the defenders.
"ON YOUR FEET GUARDSMEN!" Luna thundered with the royal voice. "OUR SISTER, OUR CITY AND OUR NATION NEEDS YOU!" Discipline straightens their spines in the presence of the princess. "ANY CITIZEN OR SOLDIER WHO WANTS TO GIVE THEIR FIRST, LAST, EVERYTHING AND MORE! RISE UP AND FOLLOW ME!" She encouraged, raising her blade and soaring to the castle. They followed her, echoing their voices with battle cries and warrior hymns of their respective houses.
She felt it, turning to the golden flame at the tower. Luna smiled. That's Celestia's magic. Golden flames washed over the Canterlot. Luna detected several magical auras from the spell. First was Celestia. The others were Cadance, Shining Armor, and Dusk Shine. She frowned. Why did Celestia use that spell? Dread filled her mind fearing for the worst possibility. Did one of the bearers die during their escape to the tower or was one of them replaced by a changeling? Luna surveyed the horrid and bewildered screams resonating throughout Canterlot. Some of the revealed changelings shone gold and green, marking them as defectors to the Celestia banner. Good. Luna laughed, imagining the dumbfounded expression on Chrysalis' face. Traitors illuminated black with their emerald changeling associates. More battles erupted for the deception. Luna shrugged accepting their new allies in this critical battle. It proved Chrysalis' control isn't absolute. Celestia with Rex in her grip and Chrysalis with dual blades resume their battle with brutal ferocity as both armies lend their aid to their rulers.
"Princess Luna, Dusk Shine and an envoy will meet you at the castle," A messenger reported. Luna grinned at Dusk Shine's name. She's proud of how much he's grown since their last duel, witnessing his skills at the wedding hall's defense. He stood against Nightmare Moon. Now they stand together against the traitors and their enablers.
Blueblood, Fancy Pants, Fleur De Lis, and others held the castle. Luna's dismissive of Blueblood deeming himself as Celestia's number. Hopefully, he dies with honor or stands with them in honor and glory after he proves his mettle. If not Luna will leave his corpse to rot in the town center allowing maggots to feast.
