Dreams of Broken Promise

Chapters

A Taste of Emotion
What Am I
A Unique Bond
The City of Shattered Stone
Chamber of Emotion
Birth of the Elements
Eve of Fallen Kings
Luna's Promise
Friends Till the End
Prelude
Enter the Changelings

A Taste of Emotion

A large tower sat silently on the mountainside, its blackened windows revealing nothing but emptiness. Starswirl trotted towards the oaken doors, egg in hoof. He swung the brass dragon door knocker, letting the loud clang resonate in the still air. The sounds of haggard hoofsteps and muttered words sounded through the relatively thin wood. The door swung open with a creak, banging loudly against the metal framework. A disheveled young mare stood in the doorway, her long golden mane sat curled into a fuzzy ball. Her bloodshot emerald eyes stared ahead, focusing on the face of her master.

“Master Starswirl? Thou hath returned! We have been worried about thee… We foresaw a dark cavern filled with the unborn spawn of the changelings. Thou stood in the center, slowly being devoured by the emotional parasites!” The sound of worry seeping into her words.

“We had some minor setbacks but the hive was utterly destroyed. Many of the ponies we fought to save had already perished, thy lifeless corpses lying in eternal embrace.”

“And what pray tell, is inside that strange green orb? Is that… no… it cannot be… why in the name of all things magic do thou carry a changeling spawn?”

“We…accepted it in good faith from the dying queen. She offered her hand in sympathy, wanting only that her child be brought into the light of this world. “

“But why keep that thing alive? Better to end it now, no force on this world could turn it from the darkness.”

“No! We will keep him with us; teach him the truth of love, respect and friendship. Thou must not simply cast out those who are different. How are we any different from beasts if we destroy those who are born of a different race?”

“It is a changeling! That creature is not simply another pony, it is chaos incarnate!”

“Curb thou cruel tongue! An apprentice must be willing to accept others of differing cultures, religions and species. Under Rule #892 of the Mage Guidebook, it clearly states that an apprentice must be respectful at all times.”

“But sir-“

“Enough! Return to thou studies at once! Let Discord through, his egg is close to hatching!”

“Fine…” The young mare stomped off, clearly agitated at her masters proposal. A loud slam echoed through the tower, revealing a large broken door sitting awkwardly on its hinges.

“Apprentices…”

Setting the egg next to the fire, Starswirl sat patiently and waited for the hatchling to break his way out. A low pitched hum sounded within the shell. From within, the infant changeling began to claw and head butt his way out. A steady stream of cracks began to form on the surface, the membrane of the egg pulsing like a heartbeat. Slowly the shell began to fall away revealing the baby’s snout. It sniffed at the air seemingly searching for his mother. Starswirl stood up and trotted towards the infant, hoping it might recognize a new parent. The defenseless creature began mewling in hunger, staring hopefully up at the unicorn. Its tiny horn began to glow and a deep feeling of emptiness washed over Starswirl. A deep green light emanated from the changeling; slowly it rose out of the broken shell and began to trot forwards.

“Ugggh! St-stop little one! Thou must control thyself, lest thou drain your new father.”

The small changeling struggled to grasp the concept, continuing his pursuits of draining the powerful emotions. Slowly it began to take its toll on the unicorn; he collapsed to the ground consumed by sadness. As he wallowed in the pain brought forth from the infant, the sound of galloping rang out. From the top of the stairs a bolt of purple magic flew through the air, stunning the changeling instantly. The concerned apprentice ran forward, her mane now flowing out behind her.

“Master! Are thou injured?”

“No just… a bit faint, everything feels somewhat grey.”

“We told thou! It cannot be controlled, let me destroy it!”

“It was just doing what comes naturally, is that reason to kill a defenseless child?”

“We… guess not, but if it kills you…”

“Nonsense! Changelings cannot fully drain a victim; if they did they would destroy their food source, thus resulting in starvation and death. “

The purple colored unicorn stared at her master amazed at this sudden defensiveness. Why was he so focused on protecting such a disgusting thing?

“Is there some reason we are keeping this beast?”

“We destroyed thousands of eggs in hatred, we heard their screams and yet we did nothing! We are no mage, we are a monster!" A single tear rolled down his cheek, the images of his parents and Alistair haunting his waking mind.

“Master, many would have done the same thing, in times of war many forget the innocents. Children are always the victims; it is simply one of the regrets of warfare.”

“But we slaughtered them in cold blood!”

“They are creatures of chaos, how are thou meant to know that they wanted peace. It was a simple misunderstanding. If thou wish to atone for it by raising one under your hoof, then that is your choice. But please try not to feed it! At least not after such a strong emotional day.”

“We will follow your advice my dear Aurora.”

The changeling baby had fallen asleep during this conversation, its light snores adding some lightness to the situation.

“Guess the little guy had his fill…”

A light chuckle was heard behind her, it seemed her master had begun to overcome the symptoms of the feeding.

The next day a strange humming buzz drifted through the castle, awakening the young Aurora from her light sleep. "What in the name of King Starnova is making tha- Damn that really did happen, we adopted a changeling." *Sigh*

As she slowly trotted her way over to her cabinet, the buzzing became louder, gradually increasing in frequency.

“Grrrr! We are going to give Discord some discipline! This noise is ridiculous…”

She slammed the cabinet against the wall; a small dent appeared where it had struck. Having found her morning gown, Aurora proceeded to trot downstairs, stomping her hooves with every step. The door to the kitchen sat wide open, revealing a room that seemed to have been victim to an explosion. The walls were covered in a thick mixture of flour, sugar, and water. Pots and pans lay strewn across the room. A huge black streak ran with rivulets of molten stone, a small puddle of seared metal lay beneath. In the center of the mess hovered Discord, from head to hoof he was covered in ash and burnt flour. A harsh smell of burnt rubber pervaded the air; the culprit seemed to be a strange black ring covered with rubber. Where in Tartarus did that come from?

“Oh thy little shit! WE ARE NOT IMPRESSED, ONE NIGHT…ONE NIGHT! And already thou have destroyed my kitchen!”

The changeling continued to buzz, a small guilty smile formed on its lips.

“Sorry mistress, we simply wanted to make breakfast!”

“How? What? Thou can talk? But thou art only a day old!”

“Father gave us a head start, his powerful magic fed me quickly, I got big and smart, yes!”

“Oh joy!” The purple unicorn sighed deeply, regretting her decision to wake.

The now five year old Discord tried with some effort to clean up, but it seemed that his inherent chaos simply made things worse. Throwing his hoofs up in exaggerated anger, he slowly hovered to the ground and decided to watch the purple unicorn.

“So mistress, are thou my mother?”

A loud choking cough escaped Aurora, the question taking her off guard.

“N-no *cough* We are not, we are simply your adopted… sister, yes sister will do!”

“So if thou are not my mother, who is?” A fearful expression dawned on the young changelings face, his eyes swimming with tears.

“Oh do not cry, she is…,” she struggled to end the sentence, worried that the answer might frustrate the infant. “…dead, she died before you were born. I’m so sorry!”

“D-dead! But my mother… why is she gone? I feel empty.”

Discord burst into tears, his eyes brimming with sadness. The sound of crying rang out, filling the unicorn with guilt.

“Oh sweetheart, I’m sorry about thou mother. We wish we didn’t need to do this too such a young child…”

She quickly embraced the crying child, wrapping him in her hooves. The two lied there together, eventually falling asleep in each other's arms.

Starswirl stood on the alcove above, touched by the young apprentice’s strong empathy. Such a gentle heart… a great aspect for a powerful unicorn. Amazing that such a young infant could learn speech so quickly, we guess my powerful magic boosted his metabolic rate.

Far away in the royal court of Canterlot, the king and queen were expecting their second filly. The elder daughter waited outside the royal chamber, excited about becoming a big sister.

“I hope she’s real cute, then we can play dress up! Will she be white like me, or blue like mother? Ooh I can’t wait to see her!”

The agonizing sounds of labor rang through the chamber; King Starnova was very stressed, the baby having been expected three weeks earlier. After little Celestia was born, they struggled to make another child. After five miscarriages they became discouraged, on the verge of giving up they received a letter:

Her Majesty the Queen,

We have received word that thou continue to struggle with conceiving a child. A shame that Her Majesty struggles with the grip of painful reality. But we believe we have found a solution! Whilst on my travels we stumbled upon a strange brew, deep within the forests of Southern Equestria the zebra witchdoctors had been using this tonic for years. It is a simple potion that stimulates the life making process through ingestion. It only works for those who wish to make a baby, but we don’t think that should be a problem. Contained within is a vial filled with a golden liquid, simply squeeze five drops into a drink of thou choice and viola! An instant pregnancy!

Your close friend,

Starswirl the Bearded.

One week later a baby was conceived, a large feast was held that night in celebration. Starswirl was invited but had to decline, due to an urgent emergency with the changeling horde. Doctors were astounded at how well the brew worked, they even sent out parties of explorers to recover this extraordinary mixture. But of course they could not find it. After a long 8 months of waiting the baby was due to be born. The day came and went but still no sign of the baby, the queen began to stress, believing that the potion had failed. All the doctors could do was tell them not to worry; late babies didn’t always result in deformities or disabilities. But alas that only seemed to stress her further.

Three weeks past and still the baby had not been born. But on the eve of what would later be called Nightmare Night, the queen’s water suddenly broke. The loyal guards ran down the halls of the castle, looking tirelessly for his majesty. Starnova was standing upon the royal terrace, his mind deep in thought. The loud shouting from behind broke him from his trance.

“Your Majesty! It is time, the baby is here!”

“Right! Thank you sergeant, take me to her at once!”

“Of course, Your Majesty!”

The doors to the royal chamber flew open, the king stood in the doorway watching his wife go into contractions. He stood stunned for several seconds, before finally rushing to his wife’s side.

“Moonlight, honey? Are thou alright?”

“We are fine, well not at the moment… it kind of hurts!”

“Ah yes, right…”

He grabbed hold of her hoof and gave a loving squeeze, a small smile pursed on his lips. Several agonizing minutes passed, time seemed to be standing still. Finally a head appeared; a small horn peeked out, glowing a light blue. Soon the rest came out, first a hoof, then a wing and eventually her back legs. The doctor caught her in a small towel, cleaning the blood and gunk from her sparkling mane. He then handed the small frail filly to her awaiting parents.

“Congratulations! It’s a baby girl!”

“Thank you Heartstreak, thou deserve a break! Here, take this sack of bits for thou trouble.”

“Th-thank you, Your Majesty!” The silver unicorn bowed, amazed at the generosity of his king. He turned and left, thinking they would prefer this tender moment alone.

The young princess bounded into the chamber, dying to meet her little sister.

“Oh wow! She’s absuloutly beautiful!”

“Absolutely dear. Come, meet your new sister.” She beckoned to her older daughter, holding the baby up where she could see.

“We have decided to name her, Luna.”

“Aww I love it! Hi, Luna!” Celestia gave a small wave, a giddy smile set into her face.

The little filly cried briefly then stared deeply into her sisters eyes. Her eyes were a deep blue; they seemed to glow within the moonlight. The navy blue coat was soft to the touch, it felt like the most expensive velvet one could buy. Her mane flowed behind her, moving ever so slightly despite the air being still. It sparkled within like the night sky far above. The little filly was the most beautiful baby ever seen in Equestria. Her beauty would be seen throughout the ages, a timeless wonder of the kingdom. For somepony in particular she would be everything he would ever want…

What Am I

Over the next few days Discord began to develop a close bond with his adopted sister. He was her shadow, always curious to watch Aurora use strange and wonderful spells. She didn’t really mind her captive audience, Discord even volunteered as a test subject on several occasions. Starswirl was in and out of the castle, never staying in one place for long. Perhaps he was searching for something, out there in the vast Everfree Forest. Whenever he returned home his demeanor shifted like the tides. One minute he was driven, focused, the next he would be agitated and quick to anger. Even young Discord quickly worked out to avoid these moods.

Aurora tried every day to find a food source for the little changeling, but nothing seemed to satisfy him. She soon realized that no matter what they tried he would always need to feed on powerful emotions. Aurora decided her best option would be to love him as much as she could. Out of all emotions, love was the most powerful and the most draining once Discord begun to feed. He tried with some effort to only drain what was needed; guilt wracked his young body with each bite.

“Mistress Aurora, We are so sorry. Why do I need to do this? Can’t we feed like a normal pony?”

“Discord, you are not a pony… you are something different.”

“But I have hooves and wings! That would make us a Pegasus, yes?”

“I’m sorry but you are a completely different creature. Thou art a creature called a changeling; they feed on the emotions of others. At a certain age they develop the ability to shape shift.”

“Shape shift? What is that?”

“Thou would take on the form of another, a perfect clone. Thou voice would change to mimic the host, allowing access to another’s emotions.”

“So we are paraspits?”

“Parasites yes, but you can change that… we have hope that thou can change.”

The young changeling sat quietly, his mind struggling to grasp the idea of him being born evil. He could not believe that he could steal the lives of others, replacing them, consuming the emotions of loved ones.

“But if we were born monsters, how can we change?”

“In many ways, right at this moment your self will is keeping the hunger at bay. Many ponies cannot control their inner desires any more then another. Thou are a kind soul, under our guiding influence thou will become a force for good.”

“And if we do not? Will thou destroy us?”

“That won’t happen, we swear it!”

Discord tried with some effort to ignore the raging part of his mind. It screamed and boiled, rising In waves of primal fury. Deep down a hollow voice repeated the words, Thou are a monster, an abomination. They will betray you... No! We cannot be lead into the dark; We must break free from these bonds! We must honor our dear, departed mother… her sacrifice will live on. His determination amazed Aurora, such a young child dealing with so much. Perhaps her master was right; there was room for him to change. She wondered whether the changeling horde were simply misunderstood, fear shrouding them in a black cloud of mistrust. Returning to her studies,, she took one last fleeting look at the sweet changeling infant; His piercing blue eyes staring deep into her soul.

Back In the royal quarters of Canterlot, the king and queen listened intently to Starswirl’s debriefing. They gasped as he told of the viciousness of the broodlings, scars still braided his skin from the sharp piercing teeth. The king asked whether the queen was eliminated and with heavy heart Starswirl recounted his ordeal with the brood mother, the crushing depression still fresh in his mind. He mentioned his guilt at killing so many defenseless spawn, but alas those words rang hollow.

“Guilt? For beasts of pure chaos? Why should we feel depressed to destroy such foul creatures?”

“But My Lord, she offered her hoof in peace; her last moments were to grant me guardianship over her child. She wanted him to be brought up under my guiding influence, to beckon a new age of peace between Canterlot and the nation of Az’uru.”

“Preposterous! A treaty between thy beautiful nation and those fiendish hell spawn? Not in a thousand years! Thou art to destroy this child… ending their corrupting force forevermore!”

“No! We refuse to stoop to such low levels to end a war!”

“Thou would disobey a direct order from thy king?!”

“If it was against the kingdoms best interests we would!" Snapped the unicorn, a sudden rage burning in his heart.

“You, dare! Guards! Seize him!”

The door suddenly burst open, revealing the true king. The usurper blinked slowly, surprised at this sudden turn of events. He reeled towards the fake queen and struck her hard and fast, a bloody ball of spit shot from her now shattered face.

“You foolish wench! You said the king was drugged! We almost had the brood-killer in our clutches, but now our ploy has been discovered.”

“Changelings! We should have known…”

“Guards he is a fake! Kill him!”

“Not so fast changeling vermin!”

Starswirl shot a beam of magic towards the shape-shifted parasite, shattering the fragile disguise. In its place was a simple changeling peon, a pathetic excuse for chaos incarnate. He stared in silence, unsure of his next move. The guards quickly surrounded him, drawing their long spears towards his throat. A brief flash was followed by the sounds of fading laughter. It seemed the changeling had used a teleport stone, sending him through the locked gate and back towards the forest.

“Starswirl art thou alright? It seems we need to update our security…”

“No hard feelings sire, for a second there we believed thou wanted to eradicate the changelings without a second thought.”

“Thy would, hath we not received word of thou brave deed to raise one of your own. Our kingdoms would benefit greatly from a peace treaty… Thou shall be hereby knighted for your bravery and resolve under a military situation.”

“Thank thou, your majesty. We won’t disappoint! Perhaps we should arrange a play-date between Discord and the lovely Luna, a friendship such as theirs would help to bolster our relations.”

“We shall see, for now we request that thou continue to raise him. We wish thou well on this crucial mission! “

Starswirl returned home, determined to teach Discord the true magic within. Night and day he raised the young changeling, honing his skills in combat, subterfuge and telekinesis. The increased aging began to show its early affects. Discord rapidly developed, his intellect far behind. In less than three weeks he was already maturing through his teenage years. It appeared a constant diet of emotions impacted on a changeling’s metabolism. Starswirl searched through spell book after spell book trying with increasing difficulty to find a way to reverse the aging. Soon he would be a full grown changeling with the mind of a child, a dangerous combination.

They tried starving him, but that only seemed to hinder Discords mental progress. Only one option sat before them,

“The Zebra tribes are our most logical choice, their mystical brews seem to cure any and all ailments. We even heard rumor that they perfected a potion of reincarnation. We must delay no longer! Come, Discord!”

“Master Starswirl? May we join thou on this… quest?”

“Aurora, your love for him seems to be developing strongly. We may need thou to help him cope with such a big change. Come if thou wish.”

“Thank you!”

At dawn’s first light they set out, the forests thick twisting vines seeming to beckon them. Its sheer size amazed Discord, he felt a steady beat of excitement coursing through his veins. He’d only ever been in the tower, the outside world hidden from his view. They trekked through the forest over five long days, hunger began to burn at the weakened changeling. Overnight he got desperate and drained just a figment of emotion, he’d aged another year just from the barest amount of magic. Fear began to dig its claws into Discord, What if he never stopped aging at this rate? What if he hurt the ones he loved? Aurora noticed the pained look on his face and gave him a reassuring smile, hoping he would focus on something less upsetting.

Light began to appear through the trees, a sign that the forest labyrinth had finally reached an end. Before them sat a large village within a grove, several strange tree huts were scattered throughout. Within its center was a massive thorny tree, a fearsome tiki doll was set above the doorway. Zebras of all shapes and sizes were congregated around the main hut, a young female was hunched over a large cauldron. She stood muttering a strange incantation and dipped a single hoof in the bubbling mixture. As she withdrew her hoof, a strange form began to materialize within the depths of the brew. A single red eye stared out towards the crowd, searching for something of interest. All of a sudden its gaze shot towards Discord, it focused upon the changeling and began to call him ever so slightly. Starswirl felt the red hot energy emanating from his son. The young zebra trotted towards the party, a look of horror etched in her features.

“What is this? A single little changeling here in our midst? Explain yourselves to me!”

“First answer this simple question, what is that thing and why is it so focused upon young Discord?”

“That my unicorn friend is a Loa spirit! It seeks to shed light on hidden truths, perhaps there is more to him then you thought?”

"To answer thou earlier question, we are searching for a potion to reverse aging. It seems the energy he consumes boosts his age considerably. That creature there is merely an infant, in spirit and mind but not in body."

“Ah I see! Well it seems you are in luck; I have just the tonic for such a thing!”

The strange red eye released the changeling, its search apparently over. Discord hovered in place, strange visions blooming into life before him. He saw a single unicorn trapped within a crystal prison , his eyes glowing with sinister magic. The black skin seemed to be almost ethereal, a strange smoke-like vapor twisted around his flesh. A single red horn grew from his forehead, emitting a single beam of black magic. The scene abruptly changed, leaving Discords mind reeling. Now he saw a strange dragon like creature, his features a combination of animals. Before him stood six ponies with strange necklaces wrapped around their necks. A rainbow shot out of the lavender colored pony, striking the single creature full in the chest. Rapidly his flesh turned to stone, leaving nothing but a statue in its place.

A single voice spoke to him through the fading visions; The power of desire is powerful, hungry for release. The one born of chaos shall fall prey to desire, lest his heart remain pure. The one born of night shall be his saving grace. But beware, the power of fear looms over them both. Heed these warnings young Discord, we will meet again soon!

Wait! We don’t understand!

In time you will…

“Discord are thou alright?” Starswirl was watching him closely, a look of dismay broken by a single smile.

“Yes! We wish to become our younger self once more.”

“Come in my child, let us restore you to your normal self.”

The bitter taste of the potion washed over his lips, a creaking, groaning sound was heard as bones and cartilage shifted to their rightful size. In mere seconds he had reverted to an infant, his speech becoming slurred. Discord yawned wide and promptly fell asleep, his sudden transition weakening his now fragile body.

“Thank thee witchdoctor!”

“A pleasure, here take these brews. They each carry a powerful emotion and will be useful in harnessing food for the creature. “

Starswirl took the flasks and placed them in his pack, leaving just enough room for the now tiny Discord.

“We must be on our way, we have a long journey back…”

“Oh don’t worry about that, just use my teleporting brew!”

“Is there anything thou voodoo can’t do?”

“Not much… “

Far in the north, beneath the frozen wastes, the changeling hivelord roared deeply, his primal rage brought on by the failure of his peons.

"What do you mean you failed?! It was a simple assassination, any idiot with your abilities could have done it! That traitorous whore gave him that changeling...Starswirl must be destroyed! But it seems I need to take matters into my own hooves!"

"But sir... he wiped out her entire hive...If it wasn't for him we would still be at war with her forces."

"You blustering fool! If he raises that infant they will have an in depth guide of our weaknesses. He could easily slip past our defenses and destroy my empire! You will return to the surface and destroy the child! And if any of the royal family crosses your path... Destroy them! The less of them, the more hope becomes torn."

"Yes, sire! I will not fail you!"

"If you do fail, I will impale your head on a stick and consume your flesh!"

A Unique Bond

Four years later, everything was going well. Discord's aging process had now been reversed, a miracle of zebra voodoo. Starswirl had slowly begun to train the young changeling, encouraging his powers of love and controlled chaos. He seemed to be quite the fast learner, surpassing even Aurora's expectations. He tried hard to only consume what he needed when he fed. But sometimes he could get carried away. Many who saw Discord wander through the forest would stare at the strange site.

"Starswirl the Bearded raising a changeling? What's next pet manticores?"

"I say! What a peculiar specimen..."

Discord simply ignored these conversations as he could be tempted to feed in anger. Hatred is the quickest way to become dark and twisted, a typical changeling will simply succumb to the hunger. He silently slipped into the trees, crouching beneath the fallen trees. A flash of green fire shone within. Soon after a silvery colt trotted out from the trees, the blue of his eyes unusually bright.

"How goes thy day?"

"Very well thank you! Be wary, a strange changeling stalks these woods..."

"Oh much appreciated my good sir!" A single small beam of magic blinded the colt, a very angry Starswirl appeared before him.

"What did we tell thou? We do not use shape shifting to help our selfish cause!"

"But they-"

"Release thou captive at once!"

"Alright, alright....I was just having some fun!"

"No excuses!"

In his place stood Discord in changeling form once more. A slight yelp could be heard within a hollowed out log. Within was a very angry colt, having been trapped in a small cocoon.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have done that master"

"As if normal foals aren't enough!"

They stayed briefly to apologize to the colt and his friends, but all their answers were of anger and resentment. The one who had been trapped spat at the young changeling, then he simply walked away.

"Discord, let them be...their fear of your kind simply adds to it."

"They will be silenced when I prove them wrong!" Murmured the changeling, a determined scowl glued to his features.

The next day arrived in all its splendor, the sun shone over the mountain peaks. A small silhouette was seen against the sky, a small pack rested on his hindquarters. The pegasus quickly dove into a free fall, his impressive skills seen by none. He made a slightly awkward landing, almost breaking his collarbone on the sheer stone wall. Slowly the pegasus descended, a bruised ego now worming its way through his gut.

Clang! Clang! "Special delivery for one, Starswirl the Bearded! It even has the royal seal!"

The door creaked open, a disheveled Discord slowly yawned and extended his hoof.

"Thank you, I'll give it to him shortly."

"Are you a-?"

"Yes I am a changeling, now get out!"

"O-of course, please don't hurt me!"

The changeling watched the pegasus fly off in fear, a heavy sigh wracked his body.

"Typical, they take one look at me and flee in terror... Hmm I wonder what this letter says. Surely a slight peek wouldn't-"

"Good morning young Discord! Oh is that for me? Excellent a letter from the king."

With a guilty heart he handed the letter to his father. Starswirl wandered over to the bench and began to read aloud.

Dear Starswirl,

We recently decided that our little Luna is in need of some much needed attention. Her friends simply point and laugh, her strange tastes in old tales and fictional monsters simply lost on others. We would be honored to have your son Discord meet the lovely young filly. We are sure a changeling would understand perfectly what she suffers through daily. Please, it would be much appreciated!

Yours Faithfully,

The King & Queen

"They want me, to become friends... with a Princess? This is a joke right? Haha! Oh thou aren't laughing. But really, a changeling and a princess? Talk about chaos!"

"Hush Discord, it would be quite an honor to work alongside a princess... And besides thou could use a little fresh air. Just be a good boy and do not drain her energy... We do not want to explain that!"

"Fine, it looks like this battle is lost anyway..."

As if on cue the large hoof-falls of the royal guard rang through the empty valley, a massive golden carriage drifted into view. The doors swung open, revealing red velvet seats within. At the front stood the driver, a fine-toned pegasus of somewhat regal birth. He called out towards the castle, his booming voice easily heard through the thick oaken door.

"Sir Starswirl the Bearded, thou and your accompanying party are to ride swiftly and without delay to the marble halls of Canterlot! An urgent meeting with the king and queen has been called to order. Under Law 17, Subsection D this meeting has been deemed top secret and all accompanying parties must be withheld from such privy information!"

Starswirl opened the door slowly, a questioning gaze falling upon the muscular pegasus.

"So the letter was just an invitation to discuss important business?"

"Yes, but they would be more then keen to let the two children meet."

"Alright... Come Discord! We must be off post-haste!"

Since little Luna was born, a powerful magic blossomed within the young filly. At night she would often be seen fully alert and charged with a strange energy. The stars themselves shone lighter or darker depending on her moods. Her mother, gifted with the power over the night, was more then happy to see her youngest daughter take after her. As each year past her powers steadily rose, quickly surpassing even her sister, Celestia. The bond between the sisters never once frayed, their connection nigh unbreakable. It only seemed to add to the power Princess Luna held within. Today her father mentioned some new friend he wanted her to meet. A creature called a changeling, a strange race that Luna regarded with a morbid curiosity.

"Father, is he really a honest to hoof changeling? We have long awaited the chance to study the mythical creatures that wander the wide open world. May we perhaps try a few experiments?"

"Luna! Young Discord is not some wild thing thou can simply study under a..."

"Microscope?"

"Don't interrupt! What we are trying to say is, please just this once act like a royal princess, not some studious lower class bookworm!"

"But..."

"No buts! Just give him a chance!"

"Alright, fine!"

"There's a good girl."

After a fairly fast trek through the harsh winter air, the large carriage had finally begun its descent. Discord had been watching the land rise and fall as they flew over the mountainous terrain, his mind focused on meeting the princess.

A lone changeling within the royal courts? It is unheard of! What if she hates my kind? What if she merely passes me by? No, I must stay on the positive! Starswirl himself greatly respects the king and his children could not possibly be so venomous... Besides I could really use a friend."

"Discord? Are thou feeling up to this?"

"Of course, father!"

The carriage jerked somewhat violently as it landed, sending a wave of nausea through the now pale blue unicorn.

"Urrp, it seems air travel is not first class for thee, perhaps we take the roads next time.."

"Haha! Well it seems we have landed on solid ground, with slight turbulence I must add!"

"Very funny... "

The door opened to the bright light of the morning sun, the gentle rays caressing their skin. Before them sat a massive castle, its ivory towers sat silently above, watching over the vast kingdom sprawled beneath them. The sheer scale and beauty amazed Discord, the gray walls of the tower quickly forgotten. He stared in wonder as the grand doors slid open, revealing the majestic king and queen of Southern Equestria. The proud king stood well over seven feet, his fiery orange mane glowing slightly within the sunlight. On his flank was a cutie mark of a supernova, a glowing star within a ring of fire. Beside him stood the regal and beautiful queen. Though she too was tall, her gracefulness was not hard to miss. A flowing mane of pure white light shone brilliantly, a powerful aura seemingly enveloped around her. Her dark blue flank was seemingly bare until she faced the sun, a full moon surrounded by shining stars glittered in the light.

Discord was simply in awe, before him stood two majestic rulers of noble birth. He noticed that they both had horns and thought they might be unicorns, but then he saw large wings protruding from their backs like a pegasus.

"Father? What species are they? I have never seen such... magnificent beings!"

"They are Alicorns my dear child, a very rare species of pony dating back thousands of years. But now only those of the royal bloodline still exist, the rest wiped out by the War of Faces."

"War of Faces?"

"A tale for another time perhaps, for now remember thou courtly manners!"

The king grasped the hoof of Starswirl, a firm shake was followed by a small conversation involving strange new weapons. Discord hesitantly took a single hoof forward, his face contorted in fear.

"Y-your M-majesty, a p-pleasure to m-meet you!" He bowed low, hoping his bow was not as awkward as it felt.

"And thou must be the changeling, Discord? Please no need to be so formal, thou are the adopted son of an honored hero! We should be the ones bowing to you!"

"T-thank thou, your Majesty!"

"Don't let my husbands enthusiasm overbear thee! We art Queen Moonlight, and it is certainly a pleasure to come across such a pleasant changeling!"

Starswirl cleared his throat, a harsh sound that drew the kings attention.

"Perhaps it is time we discussed our agenda for this visit?"

"Ah yes, we better be on our way dear. Please, make thyself at home Discord, Little Luna is dying to meet thou! She will be with thee shortly."

Starswirl silently mouthed a simple magic spell, sealing the changelings draining magic away. He stared after Discord, hoping that he may discover a friend.

Discord stood still for several minutes slowly getting a grip over his anxiety. He breathed deeply, releasing it all in a steady stream of hot air. He then put on his best smile and slowly began to trot through the castle doors. He gasped loudly, the beauty of the main hall simply taking his breath away. Intricate tapestries hung on the light purple walls. Some depicted battles, others heroes and heroines of old. A large red carpet led towards the upper halls, a single star within the center. Standing on the staircase was a pure white alicorn, her face a mixture of intrigue and fear. She silently handed out her hoof, a simple gesture of trust.

"Hi! I'm Princess Celestia, nice to meet a umm changeling!"

"Thank thee your majesty, it is a pleasure to meet a beautiful princess."

"Oh please, I get enough of that royal stuff from my father..."

"Right, well to be perfectly honest I hate being so formal. Its just so... boring!"

"Uh huh...well my sister will be with thou shortly, she has some experiment or something she wants to perform." The princess looked positively bored, she didn't want to be stuck foal sitting this thing!

"Alright, I can tell you're just a barrel of laughs..." Discord glared at the princess, taken aback by her apparent coldness.

He ran up the stairs, suddenly interested to meet the younger sister. Experiments? On me? Hmm sounds fun!

A large empty hallway led to the living quarters, five doors stood on either side. All were locked tightly shut. At the end was a single staircase, leading directly to the basement. He could hear the loud sounds of machinery and steam echoing through the empty hall. Discord hovered over the first stair, an uneasy feeling in his gut. He thought to himself, whats the worst that could happen?

"Ok! So if we put this here...and replace this gizmo there, it should be...Perfect! Its all in working order. Now we just need a guinea pig...."

"Umm hello? Princess Luna?"

Luna suddenly spun around, a huge grin present on her face.

"Oh, oh! You must be Discord! What a wonderful name for such a creature!"

"Excuse me? I am not just some thing!"

"Oh my, we didn't mean to offend... We're just sooo excited to meet our first changeling!"

Discord simply stood and stared, shocked to see somepony so excited to meet one of his kind. He noticed the huge difference between the sisters almost immediately, not only were their personalities polar opposites, but their color hues as well. From the pure white of day, to the ebony blue of night. Luna was shorter but much more beautiful, Discord utterly mesmerized by her simple beauty. As she spoke her gorgeous hair twinkled in the light, a single hair hung down over her face.

"Hey, umm you there? Thou hath merely stood there, mouth hanging open like a common dog spotting a bone! What, do we have oil in our mane again? Why didn't we tie it up, uggghh..."

"N-no I was just admiring you're umm, giant metal thing! Its just so errr big!"

"What this old thing? Its simply my Self-Automated Transformer Gizmo!"

"A what?"

"It takes the magical effigy of your transformation abilities and creates a simple sub-atomic particle that when put under a powerful laser..." She tapped several small buttons on the machine eliciting a loud hum from within "...should create a automated transformation within thou body that will allow said user to change into non-pony entities."

"Errr..."

"Please, hop in! We wish to examine the process while thou are here!"

"Umm ok, but perhaps I sh-"

He felt a hard nudge in his hindquarters, sending him hurtling into the open door of the machine. Before he could say another word, Luna's voice was heard through a single speaker above his head.

Right! Do thou see the red switch below your left hoof?

"Yes..."

We want thou to press it and set this baby in motion!

"Perhaps we could get better acquainted first? I haven't even been on a first date!"

Hush! It begins!

A loud whooshing sound came from behind Discord, followed by a gale force vacuum that drained his magical energy. A single beam of green light shot towards his horn. Suddenly a strange feeling washed over him, his hooves became sharpened talons. Large feathered wings erupted from his spine, quickly consuming his insectile ones. His snout began to bulge out, ending in a sharp beak.

"What in Starnovas name?!"

Fantastic! Thou have become a griffon! My work is complete!

"That's great and all but how in Tartarus do I revert back?"

Umm, We didn't really consider that....

"Oh, just perfect.... I'm now trapped as a.... Hey wait! You turned me into a female griffon?!"

Oops...

"This day is becoming such a joy...."

The City of Shattered Stone

Darkness surrounded Discord, strange voices called out from below. A single eye rimmed with purple fire, stared down upon him. A distorted cackle of laughter rang out around the now frightened changeling.

"I can see you, boy! Fear not that which appears before thee now, this is simply a test of your true chaos! The true fear is that of hidden lies and broken promises! I can see into thou black heart. The future is bleak... For you!" The fiendish presence gave off a voice of malignant hatred, a creature borne of pure darkness.

"What? Where am I? Your words ring hollow, come show thou true guise!"

"In due time my little changeling, in due time!"

Discord awoke with a start, the vision still fresh in his mind. He contemplated the fiends words, wondering on there significance. Perhaps it was merely a nightmare, nothing more, nothing less. But deep down he knew that it was more then just a raging subconscious.

"Discord? Are thou alright? You look very pale my dear..." Aurora silently whispered, concern showing on her features.

"Do not fret, it was simply... A very lucid nightmare. But there aren't any beasts capable of entering dreams, right?"

"Not that we are aware. Perhaps in some dark corner of the world, but we very much doubt that! Now get some rest, tomorrow we venture into the cavernous mines."

In what seemed like a mere moment, the warmth of the sun washed over the changelings sleeping form. He peered through heavy-lidded eyes, staring in minute wonder at the now sunny morning. A tiny songbird sat high in the branches of a dead tree, whistling his song of courting. Slowly Discord rose from his lying position and regarded his small campsite with feelings of sadness. This would be the last time in however many months or years he would be witness to daylight. The cold black stone would soon be his home.

Both unicorns had fallen asleep within touching distance, their hushed words lying unspoken. The light snoring coming from the elder blue unicorn rapidly ceased, his eyelids pulling apart and revealing bright silver eyes full of a sudden energy.

"Discord! Awake bright and early we see! Intrigued with our quest perhaps?"

"Not really, cold dark caves are not what I'd imagine for a holiday! One day the safety of a kingdom will actually be found in a warm, tropical setting. Though then we'd probably have to contend with cannibals and giant mosquitoes..."

Starswirl shook his head, the young changelings comedic routine falling short.

"And one day, pray tell... Thou will actually develop some maturity!"

"Perhaps I do not wish to mature..."

"Why is it we cannot even go one morning without thou two ending up in some form of boyish argument. We mean it, honestly! Colts and their showmanship my mother would say..." Aurora simply gave them a look that would stop even a rampaging yeti. A light trickle of laughter escaped her as she saw the expression dawning on their faces.

"Oh, don't get so worked up Master! Learn to live a little!"

"We have a duty to fulfill! The time for jests can wait... It will be quite a long journey and we do not wish to fall pray to some half-brained prank turned ill!"

"Alright, don't get too excited!" Rolling her eyes, she turned her head to the side and asked Discord once again about his dark dreams.

"I already told you, it was just a bad dream! So what if it spoke of ill omens!"

"Don't be so quick to anger youngling, dreams have a horrible way of pertaining a small sliver of reality. I myself have witnessed such an event!"

"Fine, if I tell thou, will it be enough to diminish your concerns?"

Starswirl remained silent, hoping that with no pressure, Discord would come to reveal his twisted dream on his own terms.

"It started off with nothing but darkness, not just the dark of night but completely devoid of any light. A single glaring eye wreathed in purple flame stared into my very soul. It spoke words of lies and fear, it mentioned briefly that my future was bleak, but before I could begin to wonder I awoke with a start. Does this give any meaning to thou?"

"Only small theories, but for now let us focus on other things."

Discord wondered briefly why the elder unicorn was so intent on avoiding the subject. Perhaps there was more to the vision then previously thought? He was about to ask said question until he was interrupted by the sound of metal on stone.

A large door slid open beneath the campsite, their supplies falling into the now gaping pit. Far below a small, iridescent glow could be seen. It shimmered like scales on a fish, revealing a large pile of mostly undamaged supplies.

"It seems we have stumbled upon one of the many entrances to the city of Zar. Perhaps a switch lay beneath one of thee, hidden within plain sight. Come, the city ruins await!"

Cautiously the three stepped forward, searching for some way to proceed into the darkness. A single stairway wound its away down towards the light, the jagged steps leaving little room to climb down. Starswirl took the first step, his hooves touching cold hard rock eroded by time. He silently led the others down the stairway, making sure that his apprentice was nowhere near the yawning cavern in the center.

Discord followed close behind, his light trot echoing through the hollow pit. His hoof slipped off the stone, his body following suite. A moment of sheer panic gripped the changeling, he tried desperately to unfurl his wings. At the last second they burst forth, slowing his descent considerably. The loud shouts from above were full of fear and concern. Discord landed with a heavy thud, his wing tearing with the impact. He shouted with immense pain, a single crystal shard stuck out from his right flank.

Starswirl galloped down the steps, fearing for the young changelings life. The apparently lifeless form of Discord filling him with dread. He ran forward, angst worming its way through his heart. The still form of his foster son shifted, a light moan escaping his throat.

"Discord! Are thou alright? That fall should have killed thou!"

"Did you forget I have wings?" Discord said softly, a painful smile etched on his face.

Aurora came up behind her master, her concerned look replaced by relief.

"For a second there we thought thou were no longer of the waking world. It would have been a very somber journey had thou perished."

"Yes, these golem ponies really wanted to make sure they deterred visitors..."

"Alas Discord, this ancient city is full of many deadly traps. Some even work to cause madness and fray you're very emotions. We must remain vigilant! Let us continue on..."

All three of them were finally aware of their surroundings and the cave system that lay before them. Crystals of varying sizes and colors lined the black, stone walls. Discord let out a small cry, having pulled the crystal shard free from his body. Several small red crystals glowed with a strange artificial light. They seemed to be headed in four different directions, one of the paths simply ended in darkness the lights fading into nothingness.

"If we remember correctly, it is down the lower right path. For if we traverse the wrong tunnel we'll be lost down here forever..."

"Master I think we should get going, lest we are still here once nightfall comes to play!"

Starswirl lit his horn, giving of an eerie silver glow. As they wandered through the darkened tunnel, a low electric hum emanated from the blue crystals above them. The whole place buzzed with activity, a strange thing for a desolate, empty city devoid of life.

"It almost seems as if something is watching our progress," thought Discord, as a sharp chill ran up his spine.

A small indentation in the wall suddenly snapped open, a black box appeared in the slot. The strange object whirred and sputtered, slowly zooming in as it focused on the dumbstruck changeling.

Bzzzt! "[Unknown entity detected, beginning sanitary protocols. Quarantine activated!]"

Bang! Bang! The sound of metal doors being slammed shut echoed down the corridor. It seemed that the path was now sealed from behind. As quickly as it had appeared, the small gizmo retracted into the hole.

"What the buck was that?"

"Hush Discord, this place is full of strange mechanical creations. It seems we have simply tripped an alarm system. But enough chit-chat, we need to move! That door thou heard shut is now heading towards us at a deadly velocity, blades as thick as trees surround its center!"

Starswirl grabbed his apprentice traveling at a rather leisurely pace and dragged her through the tunnel surrounded by a bubble of magic. Discord galloped beside them, adrenaline now masking the pain of his leg. The sound of metal scraping against rock steadily grew louder as the now bladed door sped up. They ran for several minutes, hearts pounding like hammers till the tunnel began to open up into a small village. Starswirl gently threw Aurora out into the open, then jumped right after her. Discord slid forward, the door crashing to a halt directly behind him. They released a heavy sigh of relief, content with the fact that they survived intact.

"They really wanted to kill intruders, huh?"

"It would seem that they had very tight security, hopefully we won't meet what caused such drastic measures!"

"You and me both, father..."

Before them stood a massive building, a perfect sphere with a single bridge connected to the sheer cliff face just beneath their hooves. It's surface was made of some strange, almost pure white metal unknown to either equine. Aurora gasped at the dark cavern beneath the sphere, several blood red eyes gleamed in the thick shadows. A hideous screech of hunger rang out causing a frenzy of tentacles to writhe and twist in the blackness. She recalled reading about said creatures in several horror novels, but did not believe they existed till now.

"Darkwraiths! We figured they were simply a mere creation in the mind of a writer. Never would we have imagined we would see one in reality."

"If we traverse this bridge avoid the edges, one slip could mean lunch for these fiends! Stay behind me and divert thou eyes, if thou stare too long they will stir!"

Slowly they traversed the bridge, using all the willpower they could muster to avoid their gaze. Finally they reached the other side, the creatures returning to their tunnels beneath. A small trickle of stones rolled down the cliff, setting off a second frenzy. Once satisfied the Darkwraiths froze up and drifted back into their ancient slumber.

A large door stood before them barring their way. To the left was a small keypad with strange symbols resembling numbers. The always mathematical genius ,Aurora quickly worked out the common pattern.

"Hmm a simple continuous number pattern, if we were to adjust this algorithm with a sequence of letters... It should just slide open, just give it a bit."

Suddenly the door slid open, sliding into the now flat wall. The building was black as night. But aa they entered a generator roared into life, blinding them with dazzling white light. It took several minutes for their eyes to re-adjust to the brightly lit interior. A room full of high tech gadgets opened up before them. A large flickering screen was connected to a small work station, apparently showing a video feed dated more than three hundred years ago. Discord pressed a random key in the center of the work station sending the footage to the larger screen.

"What is this magic? It replays images it has seen previously?"

"This is no magic Discord, all this here is the wondrous study of science and technology. The golems were the first to tinker with it, granting them skin of metal and hooves of stone. They were the outcasts of society, the ones fooling with magic beyond normal understanding. In the end it was their reliance on technology that was their greatest downfall."

The image faded into view, a seemingly peaceful scene playing out on the screen. Golem-ponies wandered in and out of frame, their metallic flesh twinkling in the light of crystals. This scene continued for several minutes, everything appearing perfect. Suddenly the screen blacked out, the image disappearing behind a curtain of moving shadow. A moment past before it faded out, revealing a scene of death and utter carnage.

Headless golem-ponies littered the floor, their dark silvery blood seeping out. Wires and paneling were yanked out of walls. Beneath the ruined wall was written a message made from skulls.

Beware thee who enter into shadow, the ancient one sleeps lightly, his nightmares becoming thou reality. Avoid the abyss beneath, his son awaits with open maw. Fear was our greatest threat, both of others and ourselves...

The camera slowly panned upward, revealing a colossal creature made of pure shadow. Its eyes fell upon the small black screen. A roar of pure malice escaped it, it dove towards the camera with jaw outstretched. With a loud crunch and the sound of shattered glass the screen flashed white then cut directly to black.

"T-that thing.... It appeared in my n-nightmare! Did... Is that what caused all of this?" He gestured towards the abandoned structure they stood within.

"Nothing is for certain... The only records of what happened were burned before they could be recovered. The only thing we do know is that only a being capable of dark magic could destroy an entire nation."

"Wait! There is another image on here, hang on I'll just send it...alright perhaps this will help clarify."

A new image appeared revealing a large empty chamber, held in place by pylons. A single golem-ponie stood before a pedestal, her hooves grasping seven small crystals, each a color in the rainbow. From behind a barred door came the sounds of cannon fire and the screams of innocents. The young mare looked towards the sounds, her face contorted in an image of sadness. Returning to the crystals, she began to whisper ancient words of magic. With each syllable the sounds of suffering were extinguished, time was now a luxury she could not afford.

Finally her spell was complete, the crystals were now connected in a field of electricity. The golem-pony took one last look at the chamber before leaping into the field of energy. A brief flash of multi-colored light flew in all directions, revealing nothing but the crystals and a small blockade of stone now barricading the door. The sound of fury roared through the city finally ending in utter silence.

"What was that? Why was she carrying those crystals?"

Starswirl stood with his mouth agape, they now knew where to find the gems they had sought on this dangerous quest.

"The Gems of Emotion! They are within the cave system below us! If we remember there is a machine that will take us down a floor."

"The cave system, beneath the Darkwraiths?" Asked Aurora, a fearful inflection in her voice. "This is foolhardy but we guess there is little choice..."

Discord swallowed hard, he imagined the tentacles tearing him apart and shivered.

"I wish, t-to remain here! I cannot enter the darkness where t-that thing c-could be watching."

"If thou stay above, the voices of the dead will drive thou insane..."

The changeling tried with effort to keep his demeanor calm, his fear staying close to the surface. "No, I must be brave, for the kingdom...and Luna!"

Chamber of Emotion

At the very back of the room a single metallic cylinder led down towards the dark reaches of the cavern. A small door sild open, revealing a room held up with thick cables. Starswirl stepped into the cylinder, he pressed a number of buttons and beckoned to the others.

"Come quickly, this mode of transport will only stay open for a short time!"

Discord eyed the room warily, a trickle of sweat rolled down his forehead.

"Are you sure its safe, master?"

"Positive! Aurora, show him that it is perfectly safe."

The unicorn stepped into the elevator, the floor rocking ever so slightly. Discord gave one more look of apprehension before slowly pulling himself through the door. With a lurching jolt the cylinder dropped rapidly, the cavern opening up before them. A single Darkwraith wrapped its tentacles around the shaft, a hungry look shining from its red eyes. Before it could heave itself at the cylinder, a violent jolt of electricity arcing through its body.

"Well I guess they needed someway to keep those things at bay..."

A few minutes passed before they came to a sudden stop, sending them barreling into each other. The door slid open on to a tunnel covered with a thick black substance. It pulsed with a strange necrotic energy, it was obviously left by something created with black magic. Slowly Discord rose from the floor prompting the two unicorns to do the same. A sharp, piercing screech echoed through the void. A sudden flash of movement slithered from view, something big was down here with them.

Show thyself, creature of shadow! Roared starswirl, a bright pulsing light began to form around his horn.

The ground shook as a colossal form burst from the earth. Before them stood a creature of immense power, a beast buried in myths...

"The Leviathan! It lives! Aurora was amazed to see such a horrendous beast in the flesh."

The Leviathan resembled a serpent with the mouth of a dragon, its gaping jaws glistening with spittle and some form of acidic venom. A large fin extended down its back, sharp needle-like spines extended from the fleshy membrane. Its ancient, wrinkled skin was a deep indigo hue bordering on the edges of black. A mottled pattern of stripes ran down its stomach, glowing with a reddish bioluminescence.

Violently the beast lunged forward, its fangs closing dangerously close to Discords skull. It reared back, preparing to lunge once more. A bolt of silver magic struck above its eyes causing the beast to veer towards Starswirl. Once more it lunged, pinning his leg within its jaws. Starswirl struggled with little success to free himself, the Leviathans hot breath running down his spine.

"Run! Flee! It will not kill all of us!"

"Starswirl! We cannot abandon thee, let us see how well it handles an incineration spell!"

Aurora began to rise into the air, a purple fire lit around her, wreathing the unicorn in a barrier of flame. The purple fire grew increasingly larger as the spell began to charge. Shouting in a strange tongue, the magical apprentice released her pent up fury. A huge wall of fire shot towards the Leviathan causing the beast to screech in pain and rage. Starswirl fell from its now open jaws, landing on the back of the now flying changeling.

"We thought thou had snapped thy wing clean off!"

"I used the simple healing spell that you taught me last year, it was relatively easy to be honest..."

Aurora now stood facing a very angry leviathan, its howl of unbridled wrath quaking the very chamber. It lashed out with a bladed tail, trying desperately to cleave the unicorn in two. She launched three powerful bolts of energy, each one hitting its designated target. With each hit the beast recoiled in renewed pain.

"Ha! We see thou does not like magic! Perhaps a thunder rod spell would be powerful enough to obliterate any trace of thee!"

"Aurora don't be foolish! Even a full grown alicorn would struggle controlling that much power!"

"Then prepare to witness my true potential, Master!"

The air crackled with intense energy, the crystals around them charged with pure electricity. Bursts of thunder roared above, a dark black cloud appearing above the stunned creature. With the force of a hurricane, a single bolt of lightning struck the Leviathans heart blasting the beast into a cave wall. The cavern shook and began to collapse, crushing it beneath massive boulders.

"My apprentice....she did that?! That was an incredible display of magic my dear Aurora, even we would struggle with a spell so devastating!"

"That was amazing, you defeated a beast of legend!" Discords face was struck with a look of awe and adoration, his heart pounding with the excitement of battle.

Aurora simply blushed, she to amazed at the primal force that had been conjured.

At the end of the cavern was a door, long sealed by the earth. Aurora aimed towards it ready to blast the stone.

"Wait! Let me handle this, thou energy level needs replenishing!"

She began to argue but immediately felt the effects of the devastating spell.

"We suppose thou are right..." The unicorn suddenly collapsed, her body taking the toll.

Discord lifted her on to his back, determination crossing his features.

"I will carry thee through the cavern, I owe you that much.."

"T-thank thou, my brother!"

Crackle! Boom! The earth barring their passage was utterly obliterated, raining dust and shards of stone throughout the chamber. Cautiously they ventured into the large hall, prepared for any number of horrendous creatures. The chamber seemed still and calm, the musty smell of age pervading it.

A large pedestal occupied the center of the room, it hummed with latent magical energies. Directly in front of it was a computer monitor embedded in one of the many pylons. A single switch glowed silently, waiting for an adventurer to power it up. Discord placed his hoof over the switch and pushed it into place. Click! Slowly the machine began to operate, releasing a boiling pillar of steam, Within the pedestal a small spark of blue began to form. After several painstaking minutes a simple figure of blue light morphed out of the spark.

The figure resembled the mare they had witnessed protecting the gems. An elegant voice of authority filled the room, the figure pulled back her hood revealing her true self. Before them stood the image of a golem that appeared very different from the ones they had seen. Her flesh was smooth and multi- faceted like that of a crystal. Her mane was luscious and flowing, a light sheen within. Her eyes shone with peaceful life, she appeared to be quite content.

"Shaer ast obur cylist an Cadenzia, Thul abdu sherrah?"

"Perhaps try to speak to her, she may recognize our language." Offered Starswirl, the strange language unknown to his ears.

"Do. You. Understand. Me?"

"[Unknown voice pattern recognized, translation parameters online... Translation complete!]"

The machine replayed the first sentence, now understandable through the wonders of technology.

"At last, after 300 years we were beginning to lose hope, I am Mistress Cadenzia. Have thou come for the gems?"

"Yes, we need the power of the gems to destroy a force of evil much greater then our city defenses can handle."

"Do thee face the ancient one, he who slumbers beneath the earth?"

"No, we face creatures of chaos... They are the changelings, a hive species known for their shape-shifting capabilities. A massive army awaits beneath, within the walls of Tartarus."

"The changelings... We thought they were extinct! Our battalions slaughtered thousands of them during the War of Faces. Those fiends allied with the dark one in offer, giving them the powers they have used ever since. The gems alone cannot eradicate them, they must be bound in stone and given to those with the seven emotions corresponding with the stone. Only together can they destroy, apart they can only imprison."

"And where can we find said gems?"

"If thee wishes to create the weapons of power, first you must travel through the gateway that lies within this machine. Our kind, the crystal ponies wish not to be discovered... Lest the evil finds us once more. "

The figure suddenly vanished, revealing a large metallic ball bathed in green energy. With a flash and the sound of electricity, a small portal began to form. The gateway slowly grew, each wave of energy increasing the corporeality of the portal. Within seconds it had fully formed, the machine now humming quietly in response.

"Well are you two coming? Or are you too afraid to use such primitive magic?" Asked Discord, a bemused expression on his face.

"Of course we are, brother! It just seems somewhat strange, unnatural..."

"It is simply the practice of science, nothing more!"

Briefly they wondered how they would return, but thought that perhaps it could wait. They trotted up to the edge of the machine, staring in wonder at the pulsing green sphere. Starswirl grabbed the two young apprentices in each fore hoof and leapt into the gateway.

Sunlight blinded the trio, the dark cavern system was no longer above them. The air felt crisp and fresh against their cheeks, a nice change from the musty, dry air beneath the earth. They stood upon a small hill overlooking a large plain. Situated on the northern side was a bustling city surrounding a tall crystalline palace. Crystal ponies wandered too and fro, busy in their daily lives.

"My word, these beings are made of crystal! We are certain that our little friend is down there somewhere, most likely within the main tower."

"How do we get down exactly? "

"Magic of course... Or do thou struggle with a simple hover spell?"

"No, master! My thoughts were muddied for a second." Aurora smiled sheepishly, dumbfounded that she could ask such an obvious question.

Both unicorns were now bathed in magical energy, enabling the ability to fly. Discord buzzed once, twice, then finally managed to get lift. The ground disappeared from beneath their hooves, giving Discord a sense of falling. The trio slowly glided towards the city, enjoying the air flowing around them.

Before long they touched down once again on firm terrain, right outside the cities gates. Two menacing guards glared down at the strange individuals, fear and anger dawned on their faces as they recognized the creature within the party.

"Halt! Thou dare to bring a treacherous changeling here?! What is the meaning of thy blasphemy? I should rend the beasts foul head from thy shoulders!"

Discord took a step back, fearful of the imposing figure before him.

"Calm thyself, Ender! They are merely guests of mine, they wish to destroy the changeling horde that sits on their doorstep."

"Yet they carry one within their party?"

"I do not know the reasoning behind such decisions but alas it is theirs to make. Please, come in! We have much too discuss..."

"With great pleasure, milady!"

"Please I am no royal mistress, I am merely an oracle. Thou may call me Madame Cadenzia!"

"Lead on."

Cadenzia led them through the city streets, resulting in a few raised eyebrows and questioning glances. A small group of fillies giggled at the strange insect-like pony casually trotting beside the Oracle. Discord gave them a small smirk before shape-shifting into his griffon form, resulting in many loud gasps.

"Discord! Show some restraint, thou are not some foolish show pony!"

"I was just..."

"Alright, just try not to enjoy the attention too much!"

After a small tour of the town they proceeded towards a small symbol beneath the towering palace. The crystal pony released a single bolt of magic that was instantly absorbed into the floor. The sound of shifting metal pierced the air, causing several civilians to jump in fright. A door opened beneath them revealing a large crystal hallway that glowed with its own light.

"Oh perfect, more underground tunnels..."

"Don't fret young master, it is simply a vault protected by powerful magic. Within this vault lies the gems thou seek, but first we must explain the sheer complexity of forming them into practical weaponry."

Before they could begin however, a small, lanky mare was seen running towards the group. Her urgent gallop and stern expression led Starswirl to believe that this was something very serious.

"Madame Cadenzia! We have received word that the city of Canterlot has fallen under siege by the changeling leader known as Broodlord Arachnor. His army sacked the castle in a single night. Massive siege engines were used in the assualt, decimating entire legions of valiant troops.

Both the king and queen have been evacuated to the last line of defence at Hoofholm. Unfortunately in the ensuing chaos the young princesses were captured and are now being held hostage. Equestria is in desperate need of help, and they requested for Starswirl the Bearded to return immediately!"

"Well it would appear our time is short,. Very well , I will teach thou the spell to create the Elements. To increase the speed of creation thou will need to pool each others magic together."

"Very well, it shall be done!"

"Yes, we must hurry back and rescue Luna! Those monsters could be feeding on her emotions at this very moment!"

"Discord, Calm thyself! Hatred does not solve anything, rather it complicates it!"

The hour grew late before they had finished grasping the master spell work needed to forge the powerful Elements. Young Discord began to grow restless, his mind finding it difficult to focus. Image after image of pain, torture and death swam through his thoughts, causing him to become numb and distant. Starswirl feared for the young changelings sanity, having gone through so much yet still remaining so young.

Back in Canterlot Palace the changeling leader addressed his followers, "My fellow changelings, tonight we celebrate our victory! This city has fallen prey to our relentless onslaught, the blood of ponies litters the streets, the very air breathes the taste of victory!"

"I reward thee with these two delectable alicorns! The sisterly bond is very powerful between them, a feast for every changeling! Prepare the war machines, for tomorrow we will crush the last remaining hope this country has! And at last this pathetic kingdom shall be ours!"

The main hall erupted with applause, the changelings saluting their new ruler. Every last soldier stood tall, ready to crush the enemy and capture Equestria.

"All hail, the mighty Arachnor! Shika sin valak!"

Celestia wrapped her young sister within her wing, her fear for herself and her sister were great. Luna shivered beneath her sisters embrace, tears streaming down her face."

"We don't want to die... If only Discord was here, he would know what to do!"

"Hush Luna, Starswirl will return and smite their wickedness, evil cannot hold power for long!"

"A-and Discord to?"

"Yes and him as well, sleep now my sister. They will not lay a hoof on you! I swear it!"

Luna huddled closer, the warmth of her sisters body calming her spirit. One single thought ran through her mind as she began to dream. 'Please Discord, save me!"

Birth of the Elements

Three painstaking days past before the elements were finally constructed. At last they had a weapon to destroy the fiends that had plagued them for centuries.

"At last the elements are ours! The changeling army will be vanquished once and for all! All we need is the seven spirits to power the weapons, their magic will be the catalyst."

"And where pray tell will we find them father?"

"Perhaps there is a way... Aurora, we have need of your expertise. We need thou to see the true nature within the hearts of the crystal ponies! Though we think we may have already found one, Magic. Aurora after thou incredible display we think it would be more then appropriate for thou to wield it."

"With great thanks master, We will honor this role with complete and utter sincerity!"

Aurora was amazed that she would be picked by one of the most prestigious unicorns to become a force for good. The Element had chosen her? She wondered briefly if it had chosen wisely but quickly shut the thought out.

"Discord! It has chosen thou! It would appear you hold the power of Diversity, a fitting choice!"

"But... I am a changeling, how could it choose me?" Discord asked questioningly, his expression a mixture of pride and confusion.

"It works through your persona, not thou race or affiliations. It is the wonder of old magic."

All they needed now was the final five, a small army against the forces of chaos. They began their search in the city, certain they would come across the elements rather quickly. Hours passed with no sign of another, hope began to wane. At long last they decided to retire, perhaps a new dawn would hold better results. From behind them came the sounds of hurried hoofsteps, belonging to none other then the oracle.

"Discord! Aurora! I heard thee are searching for somepony to hold the magical elements, i know of three very special mares who could wield these powerful artifacts. One lives just outside the city in a massive subterranean dome, marked by a single crystal pylon. The other two however, thou have already met...""

Discord stared at the elder pony, his gaze focused on the single item she held in hoof. A glowing orb that showed his likeness and slowly faded to black.

The mistress caught his staring eyes and quickly hid the object away, a brief moment of silence passed before she answered the unspoken question.

"Don't let the orb of fate take thou thoughts, it is simply revealing one of your alternate destinies. But for now it is not important..."

"The others you speak of, are they perhaps the princesses?"

"Yes, their powerful affinities grant them powers beyond those of mere mortal ponies. Now begone! Thou hath a kingdom to save!"

Both the changeling and unicorn bowed before the oracle, muttering a small word of thanks.

Before long they began to wander out towards the borderlands of the crystal empire. The harsh icy land beyond a jarring contrast to the vibrant city behind them. At the very edge of the wasteland a massive crystal pylon stood tall, a hum of power surrounding it. A single metal door jutted out of the earth, leading deep underground. Discord lightly rapped on the door hoping for an answer. After several minutes the sound of shifting gear whirred from behind the door, slowly it begun to roll into the frame. At the now open door stood a pony made entirely of steel, her metallic surface was the color of bronze. A mess of silvery wires protruded from her head, flowing over her neck just like a mane. On her tail was a single wire ending in a somewhat bladed tip.

"Strangers are not welcome here! Begone ponies of flesh and blood!" Said the metallic pony, her voice a strange mixture of both feminine and robotic qualities.

"But we have need of your-"

Slam! The door shut suddenly, barring access to the underground complex.

"Well I think we'll just be going now, thanks! Another pony who hates us! Swell..."

"Discord thou can't just give up! Without her assistance we may never get close enough to save your alicorn friend."

"Damn you make a good point..."

From behind the thick steel door stood the metal pony, watching them carefully through the security monitor.

Bzzt! "Wait what is it that thou request?" Her voice blared through the intercom.

"Equestria has fallen under siege by the changelings, they decimated our defenses and the royal princesses are hostages to be bartered. A small resistance group has held their ground for some time, but the hivelord has other ideas. Please we beg of thou, help us!" Aurora stared into the monitor, tears forming on her eyes. Her pitiable look tugged ever so slightly at the golems heartstrings.

The door rapidly began to rotate open, revealing a large room with smooth walls and a single set of stairs leading into the main building.

"We will allow thee to enter but the changeling with thou must stay above!"

"Discord will thou be alright out here?"

"Simply fantastic... I could use a nap while i'm waiting!" Discords voice was heavily sarcastic, irritating the metallic golem further.

"Ignore him....his just, well a bit of a jerk."

Aurora trotted into the rather small room, the door rolling shut behind her. The golem gestured towards the stairs, hoping to avoid talking until it was absolutely needed. After walking for what felt like hours they had finally reached the main building. A small pad sat attached to the left of the larger door. She gently placed her thin hoof against it, a green light shining brightly underneath.

"Access Granted, Welcome back Ironheart!"

"A peculiar name for somepony clearly made of a steel-bronze alloy, Perhaps it stands for something more?"

"We do not speak of such things! The ancient one destroyed my family and the wound is yet to heal, even centuries later it still hurts!"

"Oh we did not mean to offend!"

"Don't fret, thou are hardly the first who has asked that, now let us discuss my obligation to help thee."

They both stepped through the door into a brightly lit room filled with all manner of brilliant technology. From cameras to advanced weaponry, the golem had it all. On a large desk in the center of the complex stood a single picture within a wooden frame. It showed a simple scene of mother and child, Ironheart stood to the left gazing towards the pair with adoring eyes.

"Is that-?"

My sister and her baby daughter, the first of my family to fall to the living shadow. Ironheart stared at the picture with a stern scowl, anger rising once more at the painful memory.

"My fierce loyalty to the ones we have lost is why we felt a connection to thou predicament, the minions of chaos dare rear their head to me? I will smite them and bathe in their foul treacherous blood!"

"We carry with us the magical weapons known as the Elements of Harmony, ever since we stepped into thou living quarters one of them began to glow. Thou art to carry the element of loyalty, your duty to our cause will empower us." Carefully Aurora opened the bag she carried on her flank and handed the simple stone to Ironheart.

The stone shone brightly, shattering into pieces and revealing a metal ball with a symbol within matching her cutie mark.

"It is a pair of gears exactly like my mark! We can feel the ancient magic coursing through it!" The steel pony was utterly amazed to witness the birth of something so magically inspiring.

Aurora took her hoof in hers and shook it, "Welcome to our small army Ironheart! Once we are together the changelings will flee in terror!"

The dawn of a new day shone through the metal bars of the cell, Celestia could feel the solar energy granting her strength. In the corner lay a very weak alicorn, the feeding having taken its toll on the younger sister. Her small rapid breathes worrying the elder sister even more. A small note flew through the gap in the bars, landing beneath her left hoof.

"What is this? Perhaps word of our rescue?" Celestia gently pried open the seal and read it rather hurriedly.

To whom it may concern,

The items have been recovered and we are ready to begin a rescue. Both thou and Luna must be prepared, for it to work we will need your alicorn magic. Beware the changeling spies, they have eyes and ears throughout, contained with is a set of matches. Burn this upon reading lest they discover our plans.

Be Safe.

"Luna wake up! They are coming to rescue us tonight... Try to eat something, you will need it to destroy the hivelord."

"Discord, we knew he would return for us! When the time comes we will be ready!" Luna stared into her sisters eyes, hope returning to her dull eyes. Celestia gazed back, her own hope rising with her sisters.

Discord awoke suddenly, a dark dream sending shivers down his spine. The mental image of Luna being drained plaguing his mind, he felt sick as if he was the one who fed. Quickly he reassured himself, Don't be so dark, tonight they will be saved and the changeling scum will be sent from Equestria forever!

Around him his father and sister slept, their light snores filling the quiet air. Discord undid the latch and stood out in the tropical rain. On the small rise above stood the immovable form of their newest member. Being made of steel she hardly slept, instead she chose to remain lookout throughout the night.

"Ironheart?"

"Halt! Who dares approach?"

"It is simply I Discord, have you caught scent of where we are headed next?"

"Yes, we are facing due south and are within several hundred kilometers of Canterlot, by dusk we shall reach its ivory towers." Ironheart sniffed the air ever so slightly, her keen sense of smell detected nothing but the changeling beside her.

Leaving her to her own thoughts, Discord returned to camp and began to prepare for a day of travel. Once he was prepared he sat himself at the table and drank his daily meal of emotion. As the sun rose the sleeping forms within the tent awoke, loud yawns escaped their well rested bodies.

"Good morning father!" Discord smiled, a hint of mischievousness held within, "I see your loud snores didn't attract a manticore female in the dead of night!"

"If we really did sound as bad as thou think, do thou really think we want to listen to a snarky child? No? Well then thou can learn!"

"Again thou two? We mean really? Colts..."

After they had all finished their rather small meal, they neatly packed the tent away and begun the final trek to free the denizens of Canterlot. As the sun began to rise ever higher in the sky, the heat began to climb. By midday the air was heavy with humidity the sweat clinging to the skin of the group. Ironheart continued on apparently unfazed by the stifling heat.

"How does the weather not deter you?"

"We are made of steel, thou would need much more heat to affect a golem. Cold weather is more of a threat to us then the sun bearing down through the trees."

"Right, I forget how different your kind is."

The rest of the day passed in utter silence, thoughts focused on the task at hand. The forest had begun to thin, the valleys and mountains towering over the landscape. Even from a few kilometers away the castle appeared to be badly damaged. Several of the towers had collapsed, revealing the inner rooms to the still air. They continued toward the city, the dark of night beginning to form around them. The skies suddenly filled with a loud buzzing drone, a squadron of elite changelings flew overhead seeking a meal far below.

"Get down now! We must not be seen!" Quickly they all dropped to the ground and waited for the small swarm to disperse.

Discord could hear a slight voice itching at his skull, but he ignored it hoping it was his mind playing tricks.

"Ignore the voices young one, do not fall back to your roots so easily!"

"Argghh! The voices, what are they?"

"The Broodlord calls to his minions, the hivemind shares the bond. He does not hold sway over thou fully, for you were born of another hive."

"It seems we may have to double back, find an entrance out of sight." Starswirl sighed softly, he knew the situation would turn dire come morning. His look of dismay filled Discord with dread.

"Master, let me go! I can pretend to be one of the simple minded drones, bringing two very unique prisoners. While the Broodlord is occupied Aurora and Ironheart could give the elements to the princesses. Once morning comes and he brings the prisoners to execute, we then eliminate the tyrannical king, with your help of course!"

"A brilliant plan my dear boy, take these with thou just in case." Starswirl handed him a small iron ball, the surface ran with magical runes. "If used in a time of need it will teleport the user to a safe distance, We want thee to use it to save the royal siblings, or our lives may be forfeit!"

"It will be done, oh and father? We will defeat them don't worry!" Discord gave his father a small reassuring grin before flying up into the changeling swarm, his *prisoners* followed along the ground bound in chains.

"You there, what have you caught in your web of liesss? Imposssible... The apprentice of the great Ssstarswirl and a golem?"

I thought they were wiped out by the cleanssing darknesss. The masster would be more then willing to ssee your prisonersss."

"On my way sir! Come, mortal scum, the master demands to see you!" Discord yanked on the chains, pulling them ever so slightly in feigned authority.

"Not so rough, thou need to fool them not maim us!" Whispered Aurora, slight anger rising in her voice.

"Sorry..."

Before the changeling stood the borderline ruins of Canterlot. Buildings lay in smoldering remains, the burnt bones of the victims scattered within. The town center opened up into the caverns beneath the city. The cries and screams of ponies filtered through the blackness. A black growth covered the ground,directly underhoof, it pulsed ever so slightly with each step. The castle itself was buried beneath an organic covering resembling a massive beehive. Thousands of changelings scurried over the fleshy composite, focused on the menial tasks of a hive species.

Discord shuddered at the state of the formerly gorgeous city, but he willed himself to continue knowing full well that it would never be the same. Both of the mares lagged behind, their gazes on the insectile structure in front of them.

"Those fiends! They will pay for this insurrection!"

"Hush, we must remain calm lest we be captured before our plan reaches fruition!"

Aurora hurriedly shut her lips, hoping none of the other changelings had heard the outburst. Eventually they reached the guarded door of the palace, surrounded on both sides by fake guard ponies.

"Halt! Who dares stand before the masters hive, are thee one of us or one of the traitorous pony lovers?"

"I am a loyal subject of our Lord, Arachnor! I request entry for my valuable prisoners!" Discord pulled the two mares before him, eliciting several murmurs of shock at the prisoners he had captured. The captain of the guard throttled the blond unicorn and spat in her face.

"Apprentice of the Usurper! She is high on our wanted list... How did you capture this unruly beast?"

"Quite simple really, her powers are nothing to that of our kind. Her pet golem simply gave itself up, seeing how pathetic its master was!"

"Alright, proceed!"

Discord stepped past tthe guards through the door, dragging his false prisoners with minimum force. The main hall was now a hatchery, hanging from the ceiling were hundreds of cocooned ponies. Each one writhed and squirmed trying desperately to escape this nightmare. Thousands of larva blanketed the blackened walls, feeding upon the pained emotions of the victims. He had to look away from the gruesome sight before he vomited, his stomach lurching at the feeding frenzy.

He hastened his pace, wanting to avoid this horrid scene. At the end of a long hallway sat a chitinous throne, within it sat a very distinct changeling. His bright golden eyes revealing a cold, calculating intelligence. The whispered voices began to increase within Discords mind, threatening to halter his progress. The large changeling rose from his seat, revealing his full height. Standing well over eight feet, he towered over all his subjects. Two massive wings protruded from his spine, buzzing ever so slightly in the still air. A deep, hissing voice spoke in a sinister manner

"Dissscord, I see you have rejoined our rankss. What do i owe for the pleasure of your company?"

"I have captured the great Starswirls apprentice and her pathetic golem creation! I will punish them as you see fit!"

"Excellent my young changeling, our effortss have finally resulted in the conquessst of Equestria! Perhapsss you should be the firssst to drain her life energy. Kill her!"

"No!"

"What?!"

"I mean, shouldn't we interrogate her first? She would know much about the war effort. My liege!"

"Do you perceive me asss a fool, Discord? Did you honessstly believe your foolish ploy would go unnoticed?! But you forget one little detail my child, now that you have revealed yourssself, you mussst obey the hivemind! Dessstroy them both, them we can watch as you consume your friend below us!"

"Yes my king... Arggh! No! I will not- I must feed!"

The king simply watched the futile display of self thought, laughing heartily at the pain he had caused.

"Rawwrr! Your weak mind control will not bind me to you!"

"Imposssible! No-one has ever denied my will! Guards, seize him!"

Discord pretended to put up a fight, but after awhile he fained defeat. He fell to the floor groveling at the broodlords feet.

"You have made the right choice Discord, tomorrow we execute the prisoners!"

The young changeling gave a small wink to his prisoners and mouthed the words, Tell Luna I am here to save her!

Aurora nodded slightly before being yanked to her hooves once again. She struggled briefly before following her newest captor.

A cold dank dungeon awaited them far below the castle, its walls slick with blood. The cell at the end creaked and groaned as it slid open. revealing two very malnourished alicorns. The door was bolted shut behind them, the guards hoofsteps fading away as he left the dungeon.

"Princesses! Tonight we free this kingdom from these fiends, let us discuss a plan of attack..."

Eve of Fallen Kings

Discord wandered the halls of the now organic castle, he stayed low profile hoping they would not guess his true nature. He searched high and low for any secret passages they may use to bring in the cavalry.

A single room adjacent the main hall was filled with simple castle supplies, but strangely he could feel a cold air wafting from the back wall. Slowly he examined the blank wall with his hooves, feeling for a crevice or switch. Briefly he felt a brick shift. The wall began to recede with a loud scraping sound, sending a sliver of fear down his back

"Guards! Did you hear something?"

"No sir, I'm sure it was just another loose stone breaking free of the tower..."

"You fool! What if it is an intruder? Go check, you mare brained twit!"

"At once sire...."

The changeling guard left the room, a mumbled curse escaped him. *Sigh* "Why do I have to check everything? Bloody paranoid king..."

Discord shut the door softly, he wondered how to explain the situation but thought that perhaps crawling through the tunnel would be his best option. He deliberated for merely a second before deciding that stealth would be a better option. Lowering his body to a crouch, he slid his body through the hole and shut the door.

The door to the room opened slightly, revealing a very irritable changeling. "Is anyone in here? Quit fooling around back here and get to your post!"

He waited a few moments before sighing and leaving the room. "Oh great now I'm ordering around empty rooms, joy!"

Discord released a long drawn out breath, his pursuer obviously was not the most intelligent of guards. He tried standing up and found the corridor was quite wide. He trotted through the long tunnel, hoping it would lead out towards the mountainside. The tunnel began to descend in a downwards spiral, heading further and further away from the castle above. A slight breeze began to pick up within, filling the tunnel with dry, musty air.

The changeling squinted into the darkness and thought he saw a sliver of sunny sky. A few minutes later he reached a seemingly dead end, the wall felt cold and wet to the touch, a single eye opened and stared at the little creature within.

"I see the way has been discovered once again, but first thou must answer a single question, What is your purpose here?"

"I am Discord, my friends plan to use this route to free the prisoners trapped within the castle. We may also need it for a small attack force!"

"The castle is besieged? My condolences, you may utilize my cave young master!"

The single eye reared back from the tunnel, revealing a large serpentine creature. Her golden eyes watched the changeling cautiously, unsure of his strange appearance.

"Yes, I am a changeling but you have my word dragon." Discord bowed low, hoping this gesture of good will would alleviate the distrust between them.

"Thou are quite noble of heart, a fine gift for your kind! I am Sil, the water dragon, at your service." The blue scales of the dragon shone in the moonlight, enveloping the cave with bright blue light. The dragons apparently female form was thin and wingless, two large fins replaced the hind legs.

Briefly the dragon dove beneath the water filled chamber before resurfacing with a small object resembling a breathing mask.

"Any who enter here must be able to stay submerged for several minutes, the cave has become flooded due to immense amounts of rain and must be drained."

:Thank you, do you know which way is east?"

"Once you reach the cave entrance head right, it will lead directly to the road."

Discord thanked her once more before diving beneath the water. A short time passed before he surfaced in a brightly lit chamber, the crisp night air felt like ice against his wet skin. At the entrance stood a familiar figure, it appeared that Starswirl had already planned to use this passage.

"Ah, there you are! Are the elements in place?" Asked the blue unicorn, a simple smile set upon his lips at the sight of the changeling.

"Yes, they are in the midst of planning their escape and the subsequent attack against the broodlord."

"Fantastic! Thou plan is working quite well, now return at once! We have a rebellion to lead!"

"Of course father!"

Within the dungeons of Canterlot, a plan was being hatched between the prisoners held behind iron doors.

"We carry with us two very powerful artifacts called the Elements of Harmony, thou shall take one each and unlock the powers within!"

"Aurora, I hear hoofsteps! Hide them now!" Hissed Ironheart, a sound of caution proceeding her words.

Aurora quickly dropped the elements in a small hole and set the single bed above it. The door swung open violently, crashing against the stone wall.

"You, apprentice scum! Come with me now!"

"No!"

"Do not try my patience unicorn!" spat the guard, anger rising in his voice "The more you struggle the more we enjoy our meal!"

"Take me instead!" The changeling whirled toward the golem, a questioning look spreading on his face.

"Ha! You think us idiots? One cannot drain a creature with no soul! Get back in you cell, before I drop you into the furnace!"

The door slammed behind him, shutting out the protests within. He took hold of the chains around Auroras neck and dragged her along behind him.

"Hehe, With the potency of your magic we will have an army of young changelings by the end of the week! So foolish that you would dare wander into our midst."

"Do thou ever shut up?"

"Why you little-!"

"Letting the prisoners get to you again, Nightfall? You really are an arrogant moron! Is she ready for feeding?"

"Yes, now you can take this wench off my hooves!"

"Excellent..." The second changeling escorted Aurora to a small room with a single machine wired into the main hall. Gently he lay her on the seat contained within a metal sphere.

"This is my latest invention, the Emotion Generator! It will drain all the feelings you hold dear and release it as a gas wherein our children feed on your very soul. The experience will leave you emotionless for some time, but that is not for us to worry about! Haha!"

"Thou monstrous fiend! We will make thou pay for this, changeling!"

The changeling continued to mock her, ignoring her seemingly hollow threat. He reached up to the upper half of the machine and flicked a small switch. The large sphere roared into life releasing a small cloud of noxious gases. Aurora coughed and spluttered as she felt herself become limp. All she could do was watch as a elongated tube stabbed into her abdomen. A feeling of utter despair washed over her as the emotions were stripped from her very soul. Her screams echoed throughout the castle, filling the others with horror and fury at the disgusting act.

"These beasts must be destroyed, their foul stench will be cleansed!" Ironheart turned away from the horrifying screams and pushed back the bed to reach the elements stashed beneath it. "I need thou princesses to take these weapons and bond with their power. Once thou have done so, I will shatter the weakened door and we will free Aurora from her torment!"

Both princesses took the small stone spheres and began to feel a surge of power, the elements began to bond with their masters. Luna felt the powerful emotions of generosity and honesty bind to her soul, granting her a small medallion in the shape of a crescent moon. Beside her, Celestia felt the powers of kindness and laughter course through her body and mold to her very persona. She too was given a small medallion, though hers was in the shape of the sun. They stood silent for several minutes, amazed at the strange items now hanging from their chests.

"Ironheart, thou hath come to free our kingdom from destruction and for this my sister and I thank thee! What is thy plan of escape ma'am?"

"It is my pleasure milady, my loyalty to those less fortunate is unyielding! Our plan is simple, regroup with Discord and Starswirl and with their aid we will free Aurora then vanquish the foul demon that has taken thy throne!"

Luna nodded in agreement, her body itching to escape the confining walls of her cell. Hoofsteps rang out in the hall, giving pause to their actions. They heard the brief sounds of a struggle followed by several murmured words. The door panel slid open, revealing the bright blue eyes of Discord.

"Stand back! Starswirl is going to break the door down with magic."

A bright glow blinded the prisoners momentarily, a single bolt of energy struck the door. It stood untouched for several seconds before imploding and falling to the floor in a single ball of mangled iron. Starswirl stared at the malnourished alicorns, surprised at the energy they still possessed.

"We see that thou are attuned with thy elemental powers. Are thou prepared for the assault?"

"Yes sir! Mother has taught me much in the way of lunar magic, the powers of the night help thee now!"

"And thou, Celestia?"

"I am ready, my kingdom needs its share of heroes."

"Discord, what is thy plan?"

"First we must free Aurora, without her magic element we cannot destroy the threat. Follow me,, I know where the machine lies."

Leaving the dungeon far behind, they began their plan. Many of the guards had retired to the main hall for a night of feasting, leaving the lower quarters completely unguarded. Silently they wandered through the empty halls, trying to deaden the sounds of their hoof falls. Each door was sealed with a thick, black ooze that shifted and squirmed like a living organism. At the end of the hallway was a single untouched door, its wooden frame covered in trace amounts of blood. The door flew open, a single changeling came running out. His fearful eyes caught sight of the group before him sending him into a groveling posture.

"Please don't hurt me, the hivemind wanted me to drain her. I had no part in- ack!"

Aurora grappled him from behind, pinning him against the wall. "Shut thou foul mouth beast! How long till they work out we are free?"

"About fifteen minutes, but if the king discovers the open cells it will be slaughter!" The changeling coughed out, his voice straining under the pressure.

"Hmm, just enough time to strike down thou tyrant king and sever your connection to the hive!" Aurora swiftly snapped his neck, leaving his corpse to fall in a heap.

"He was a prisoner! Thou cannot murder them in cold blood!" Starswirl glared at his apprentice, displeased with the way she handled herself.

"As if thou can judge me... Besides he was the kings adviser, if we had let him live it would of been for naught!"

"We can discuss this later, we need to save Equestria!" Shouted Discord, his eyes lit with purpose.

They began to head downstairs to the well guarded throne room. Luna held out a hoof, barring Discord from the others. She leaned close and whispered a single sentence, "We wish to make a promise... If we are ever separated... or worse. Would thy always remember me? Though we have only met twice, we have felt a connection to thou since the first meeting."

"Do not fret Luna, I would never forget you... Not ever! Now let us vanquish the beast that drained you of emotion!"

"Yes, let us destroy him... Together!"

Finally they reached the kings chamber, a small elite troop stood barring the way. The leader trotted forward, a large scythe hanging in the air beside him. The blades blackened steel glinted in the moonlight, its edge finely sharpened.

"Amusing... A small army, nay a group of victims deep within changeling territory? You will fall before me and my brethren! The kings chambers shall not be breached... This day will be your last!"

With less then a second to respond, the guard charged forward locking his blade with Discords horn. He reared back swiftly and dropped the scythe in a downward arc. Discord rolled beneath the blade, avoiding it by mere inches. The rest of the troop suddenly ran into the fray with weapons drawn. The others retaliated swiftly with their magic, sending several changelings crashing into the wall. At first they seemed defeated but alas they swarmed upon the group, pushing them back from the room.

Discord continued to dodge the relentless onslaught barreling down upon him, the blade almost slicing him clean in two. The large changeling began to laugh, believing that victory was assured. He didn't seem to notice the creature beneath him writhing on the floor. As sharp talons began to grow around Discords hooves, he dragged them across his tormentor and dug in deep. The changeling reared in agony, his laughter cut short by this turn of events. Around him his followers strength began to wane, unaccustomed to such powerful magic. The beating of wings echoed through the room as Discord took flight. He charged with great strength towards the open window, whereupon he threw the changeling through the thin glass and retracted his talons, causing his victim to plummet hundreds of feet.

Within the room the guards began to grow fearful. With every attempt at control, the ponies before them blasted them with bolts of energy and caused their green blood to spill. The changelings became desperate, slashing their weapons in a wide arc. One by one they fell, their lifeless husks collapsing to the floor.

"We have smote his greatest fighting force in a single fell sweep! Before us stands the traitorous dog that took this city by force. Be warned, his powers far out match that of an ordinary changeling. The Elements offer the only weapon that can stop him!" Starswirl stood up and trotted over the fallen corpses, briefly he blasted the door bursting the very hinges themselves.

The tall shadow of the king stood at the window, surveying the land far below. At the sound of shattered wood he turned slowly towards his adversaries.

"My, my! You have definitely made a name for yourself Discord. We should have butchered your mother much earlier... But then we wouldn't have seen the great Starswirl stoop to such low levels. Hahaha!"

"Thou hath nowhere to run, perhaps it is time thou begged for mercy..."

"Beg? My army has already received word of your coming, within a few minutes this throne room will be crawling with my kind! But first I must see to you...personally!"

The broodlord roared in fury, his form began to change swiftly. Draconic wings shot from his elongating spine ending in sharp edges that could easily cut through stone. His body grew tenfold in size, large claws forming beneath him. Within several seconds he had reached his full form. Aurora erected a bubble of protective magic as the brutal flames erupted from the former changelings maw.

The shield began to waver as the immense heat began to build. "Discord, quickly! Thou must pool the others magic and help me unleash it. Starswirl, take command of the shield, we must have enough time to release the elements!"

"Go now, we've got control over the shield, he will not end us!"

A heavy, booming voice echoed through the palace, "Fools, my fire will consume you utterly! No pathetic sorcery can stop me!"

"These are no ordinary artifacts Arachnor, they are the Elements of Harmony! We managed to hide the gems far from thou greedy hands!"

"Ironheart?! Impossible..."

Discord stood up and flew up toward the broodlord, his face inches from the illusionary dragon's.

"With the seven Elements here within us, your reign shall fall this night! Dear Luna grant us your Generosity and your Honesty! The Loyalty of Ironheart will be used this day!

"My friend Celestia, grant us your boon of Laughter and Kindness! And I shall grant the power of Diversity, together with Magic these seven powerful emotions will destroy your lifeless, black heart!"

Arachnor simply ignored the threat posed by the ponies beneath and proceeded to shatter the shield blocking his path. Aurora began to rise into the air, the combined elements filling her with tremendous amounts of magic. A large ring of magic surrounded the room, its blinding light closing around the broodlord. Desperately he fought to free himself from the bonds but found his way barred with powerful old magic. From outside the thrown room, changelings began to flee. They knew full well that the hum of energy they felt would tear their chaotic forms asunder.

The seven connected ponies shook with overwhelming power, their eyes glowed silver as the magic reached ita full charge. With a scream of fury and anger, Aurora released the pent up energy.

"No! NOOOO!"

Kaboom! With a massive surge of power the room simply exploded, the bright colors of the rainbow shone through the now ruined throne room. The broodlord was utterly disintegrated, his dark, twisted body exploding into a thousand glittering pieces. The shock wave blew through the changeling horde, sending them back to the depths of their caves. The hatchery was obliterated, thousands of eggs were shattered along with the cocoons encompassing the surviving denizens of Canterlot.

For miles around the explosion could be seen to all. On the borders of the city the king and queen rejoiced at the sight, glad to see Starswirls plan had payed off. All over Equestria the shouts of joy could be heard in the early morning air, the changeling horde had been destroyed.

Aurora collapsed upon the ground, her body having been host to a magic unseen for three centuries. Discord ran forward and stood by her side, his concerned look simply elicited a small chuckle from his sister.

"It seems like yesterday when our roles were reversed... Thou weakened frail form held within my hooves. We are fine, simple bed rest will do!"

Luna trotted forward and helped Discord raise her from the ground, Starswirl followed at a slow pace, making sure his apprentice wasn't injured in any way. Celestia opened the door to her chamber, whereupon a soft satin lined bed stood in the center. Briefly they hoisted her up with magic and gently lay her on the bed.

"Ah... This bed is heaven-" before she could finish however her body fell into sleep. For several moments they watched her chest rise and fall, her face the picture of perfect bliss. Quietly they shut the door behind them and wandered out into the hall.

"Thou hath done well my dear Discord, the king and queen will want to knight thou for all that was accomplished! But for now we must rest, a long night full of action sends my back into aggressive spasms..." Starswirl bowed to Discord, a proud smile set upon his lips..

Luna watched the elder pony leave before turning to Discord, "Thank thee, Discord! It seems once again thou hath saved my life... A true friend thou truly are!"

"Hey! If I knew another, more attractive princess, I may have not saved you at all!"

The changeling burst into laughter at the scowl that was pointed in his direction. He yawned loudly, his body worn out from the days events.

"So umm where do I sleep?"

"With an attitude like that? The hallway... Goodnight!"

Discord watched her go, his face a bright red at the sight of her rump. He shook his head profusely, No! She is a princess... I think she may be out of your league... He lay down upon the cold marble floor and reflected briefly on the days events. Within a few minutes his mind fell into sleep. His dreams focused on his best friend and her lovely smiling face.

Luna's Promise

Several years had past since the changelings attempted their failed plan to seize the throne. Discord had been knighted an honorary guard of the royal family and had served them faithfully through several small uprisings of the hive. Over countless days and nights the now teen changeling had attempted to become creatures of great power. Soon he had learnt to become a low level dragon and many other mythical beasts. Starswirl was more than impressed with how quickly Discord seem to grasp his natural gifts.

Aurora had returned to her studies in advanced spell weaving and finally managed to get a reign on her unseen potential. With each passing year she became more and more powerful, surpassing even her masters skill at the same age.

Ironheart decided to stay in Canterlot and teach young ponies about the golem species, often reciting tales of adventure, tragedy and love. Eventually the king decided to make her the guardian of the crystal empire and their adviser between the two cities. Both empires flourished under the close knit alliance they shared. Trade had once again been reopened between them.

Today was the first of many eventful days for Discord, for a long while he had become tired of the monotony and yearned for something...more.

Bang, bang, bang! "Oi, get up ya lazy mutt! Tonight we begin preparation for Celestia's crowning and we need our soldiers on full alert!"

Discord stared out through a misty haze, a groggy "Yes sir!" tumbled out from his mouth. Briefly he stretched his back and sat straight up. The door swung open revealing the face of his friend within the barracks.

"Yeesh! Thou look like hydra feces this morning!" A husky, wry voice spoke quickly. "You sure thou didn't sneak off with last eves grog?"

"Oh shut it Proudwing! Besides, you look like shite everyday!"

"Who me? I think thee might be thinking of somepony else... Wait, why are thou thinking of the guard captain?"

Discord let out a long drawn-out sigh, irritated with the stallions humor at such an early hour.

"Anyway... I took the liberty of getting thou some coffee from the guard house. Thought thou could use a little oomph!"

"Right... And I'm assuming you are expecting something in return? Last time I checked your not one for favors..."

"Oh yes, only a small price my shape-shifter friend! I simply request that thou hook me up with your sister..."

A loud shout of anger escaped the changeling, his irritable expression now formed into a scowl.

"Why in Starnovas name would I *set you up* with Aurora?"

"Well I just thought... Thou know, shes a young, single unicorn and well I'm a err very eager pegasus?" Proudwing began to stammer ever so slightly, shocked at the sudden outburst from Discord.

"Yes some may call me overprotective but, this is you were talking about... Any other pony except you!"

"Awww what? We've been best friends for five years, why can't I date your sister?"

"Well to be perfectly honest its not me you should be worried about..."

"Oh?"

"Have you ever actually met my sister? She is kind of, shall we say...hot-headed. Though believe me that's putting it mildly!"

"So your saying, no chance?"

"Precisely, now let us return to our duties. I'm still sitting on the commanders wanted list because of your last stunt!" Discord punched his friend lightly, feigning a disdainful expression.

I"t was just a baby hydra, don't know why he got so worked up about it."

"It did attach itself to his daughter and attempt to eat her mane... Oh right and then it tore apart Celestia's prized solar dress but then again it looked very fetching with bite marks and tears..."

"Well when you put it that way, it was still bloody hilarious!" Proudwing let out a loud unattractive snort and left the room in a laughing fit. Discord turned away, shaking his head and wondering once again how they became friends.

Once again he began his morning routine, first he gulped down the coffee and let the caffeine do its thing. Secondly he shape-shifted into his night guard form, so as not to frighten the general populace. It took him several minutes to apply the purple armor. Once he had donned the helm he proudly stared at his reflection in the mirror, he looked quite fitting in both the form and armor. Quietly he shut the door behind him and wandered towards the main hall, spear underwing.

As he reached the stairway he noticed numerous raised voices and the princess of the nights Royal Canterlot voice.

"THOU DARE ADDRESS A PRINCESS AS SUCH?! WE SHOULD WARN THOU PEGASUS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THOU INCUR OUR WRATH!"

The pegasus nation declines a peaceful negotiation with those of unicorn birth, thee dare threaten us with weak-willed magic? We should slay thou where you stand, princess!" A very muscular built pegasus raised his hoof in anger and mimed a sword through her neck.

Within seconds the entire Night Guard came to the princesses side, fifty or so blades were pointed towards the one who had spoken. Discord broke flank and stepped before the lead pegasus, his fury bristling right on the surface.

"Shut thy mouth, Commander Hurricane! How dare you threaten our beloved princess! I should have you hung for such traitorous words! "

"Commander Discord! Restrain your anger!" A single gray unicorn trotted forward and lay a hand on the twitching spear, lowering it ever so slightly.

The pegasus commander leapt forward, a single dagger escaping its hilt. He drew the weighted blade and lay it upon the changelings throat.

"Perhaps it would be better if we assassinated a commander of the night, at least we would have the sweet taste of vengeance. We pegasus stand alone, the weak minded unicorns will always be beneath our hoof!"

"ENOUGH! THOU WILL LEAVE THIS SACRED LAND IMMEDIATELY! IF THOU SO MUCH AS PLACE A HOOF UPON EQUESTRIAN SOIL, I WILL NOT HESITATE TO USE FORCE!

"Mark my words, princess! This land belongs to us and if thou cannot accept that, then prepare for war!"

The pegasus army took flight, the hatred thick within the air. A single blade flew through the air, landing several inches from Discords right leg. In a single motion the large door was thrust open, bursting with splinters in several places.

The news quickly spread of the declaration of war from the pegasus empire. Many citizens held protests and blamed the royal family for the broken treaty between them. The king and queen held a council meeting with the city of Canterlot, pleading with the civilians to see the quick tempered Hurricane for what he was, a tyrant.

"He simply demands more power, ever since the tenuous agreement between the three tribes thirty years ago he has grown more and more ego maniacal as the years past. If thou remember his reaction to the changeling invasion, he simply stated that once we were eliminated then he would destroy the hive and claim it for his own!"

"Why should the public listen to a man who recruited a changeling amongst our guard? A very reckless idea if I might be so bold! And whats more, when on duty he takes on the form of another thus thou hide the truth from the public!"

Angry murmurs of agreement spread throughout the hall, many of the ponies began to hurl questions and abuse towards the royal members.

"Order! Order! Thou speak of my recruitment into the guard? I'll have you know that I serve faithfully and with honor! If thou wish for me to reveal my form, so be it!" Discord stood on the center of the podium and erupted in a ball of green fire, revealing his true self.

Shock and outcry filled the very air at the sight. Several civilians cried foul and threw stones towards him.

"Get rid of that thing, it doesn't belong here! Brother and sisters, do thou not see the mad ravings of a lunatic king? A creature capable of being anyone, wandering our streets unchecked? What if the one thou kissed passionately were a fake? What if your children became friends with such a beast? These things feed off emotions! Ponder on that thought, i beg thee!"

The reporter continued his ranting for several minutes, resulting in more and more ponies turning towards this stranger and not the king.

The sky darkened within the hall, quieting everypony down almost immediately. From the upper chambers came Princess Luna, a determined look upon her face.

"Dear citizens of Canterlot, thy Princess of the Night demands the simple gesture of respect for said choices. The changeling whom stands before thee has saved my life more times then we can remember. He is known as Discord and he is the one who helped save thou from his own kind. He deserves respect, not fear and loathing!"

The princess took a breath, letting her words sink in before continuing, }As for the pegasus threat, it was a simple misunderstanding, but the commander threatened us and our kingdom. We do not tolerate such an act!"

"But your majesty, what brought on such unbridled fury?"

"It is simply an egotistical, corrupt leader with rage fueled decisions, personally we suspect that his second in command will deny him an army. "

"That's all the questions I need, thank you!"

"Citizens of Canterlot, return to your daily lives and place your safety in our capable hooves! Council dismissed!"

A few days later a single letter arrived for Princess Luna. Discord stood behind her, face rigid and unmoving. Quickly she began to read the flowing script on the scroll before her.

Dear Princess Of the Night,

We have received orders from Commander Hurricane to send a large battalion of soldiers marching toward your capital. For now his hand is stayed while I deny him an army, perhaps we could meet somewhere to discuss this turn of events? I apologize in advance for my Commanders untethered fury in peaceful discussions, his arrogance almost cost us with the windigoes and we would rather not repeat mistakes.

Your ally and friend,

Private Pansy

"Discord, we request a chariot for this eve. Tonight we must discuss the events that have transpired between the two tribes. We may need to hear thy word from thou, as my witness and protector."

"Yes Luna, umm I mean Your Majesty!"

Within several moments a large chariot emerged from the black clouds, its purple embroidery more than fitting for the Princess. Discord stepped forward and bowed before Luna.

"Milady, thou chariot awaits! I take great pleasure in escorting such a lovely alicorn."

"So chivalrous, it seems knighthood has made thou quite noble! But enough, we must be on our way immediately!"

The changeling helped her into the chariot and called over two very bored looking guards to take position behind it. Discord trotted towards the front and set the reins around his mouth. Another gray unicorn came forward and took up position beside him, his magical wings stretching in readiness. They began to gallop across the flat ground, flapping their wings to gain momentum. Once they reached max speed the ground started to fall away, the powerful magic contained with their armor granting flight. The silent city shone in the darkness, a single jewel in a sea of inky blackness. Before long a single tower of clouds stood tall in the distance, silhouetted against the moon. Discord called across the rushing wind,

"Prepare for landing Duskhoof! Take it in nice and gentle, closer, closer... Alright stop! "

Slowly they descended, landing with a slight thud on the cloud itself. A bright flash of magic enveloped them all, granting them the ability to walk among the pegasi. Fifty or more soldiers stood in and around the tower. Above them squadrons of pegasi flew in a circular formation, their eyes fixed on the ebony sky. The portcullis began to rise slowly, a loud creaking groan breaking the still silence. A tall, silver-haired pegasus stood at the entrance, her wrought iron helm obscuring her features.

"Princess Luna! We thank thou for coming out here on such short notice, this unfortunate situation with our commander was unavoidable. We apologize for any threats he made against thou. "

"It is perfectly fine Private. Hurricane has always been rather arrogant and disrespectful, he was never one to accept our govern. But let us not spend our time talking in such chill air."

"Of course, though I must ask that your guards remain outside. You know how my fellow pegasus are with magic users..."

"It shall be done Private, but we must insist that the knight-commander remain at our side. He is my confidant and witness to the actions of your superior."

"Alright, he may be called forth to testify, if that is alright?"

Discord stepped forward and saluted the private, "Yes sir!"

The gate slammed shut behind them, shutting out the cold air almost immediately. Within the center chamber was a large hall filled to the brim with hundreds of pegasi and unicorns alike. Private Pansy took place behind a large table and prompted the princess to do the same. Once the royal council had become seated the private placed her helmet underhoof and begun to speak. Discord noticed that the pegasus was quite beautiful under all her armor, a long blonde mane spread across her shoulders.

"Tonight we have called an emergency meeting to discuss one Commander Hurricane's threat of war. Going against the treaty, he has shattered both our trust and support! My fellow Equestrians, what I propose is simple. We either relieve the commander of his power or fall into civil war. Tell me, which would be more desirable?"

"Commander Hurricane is right! The unicorns deserve to be conquered!"

"We unicorns are more powerful then your arrogant war torn society! Just try and take us down!"

"Order! Order! Let us not dally on old hatreds and cast out the tyrant king! Hurricane will be our fall if he remains at the seat of government! Let us hear from the princess and her knight-captain on what transpired a week ago..."

Luna stood up and surveyed every last pony in the room, hoping to stamp out those who had spoken out.

"Citizens of Canterlot and Pegasopolis hear my words! On the eve of last Tuesday we tried to rekindle the truce between the three kingdoms, wherein Commander Hurricane declined peace and threatened to slay me where we stood! "

Several ponies gasped in shock and outrage, even the pegasus stood agape over such a dishonorable act.

"Lies! Our commander would never do such a thing, the princess turns us against him! We should send her to the dungeon!"

The one who had spoken was grabbed by two clearly agitated guards, who then threw the pegasus out the open window.

"As my princess was saying, he tried to threaten her and I responded in kind. Whereupon he jumped me and lay a blade across my throat. For he believes the kingdom of Equestria should be his and his alone." Discord sat back down unwilling to become involved in politics. He surveyed the room and noticed several unusual unicorns with the crowd.

He turned towards Luna and spoke hastily in hushed voice, "Princess Luna something is not right, I spy several very on edge unicorns who seem.... Different."

"Changelings?"

"No something unique, unseen. Perhaps some form of dark magic?"

"Impossible, dark magic was banished from the library years ago!"

"With your leave I would like to question them, at least outside they will have less possible targets."

"Be swift, this meeting is very important, and many pegasi dislike our race."

"At once milady!"

Luna continued to discuss negotiations, peace offerings and potential war scenarios. Her eyes remained fixated on the crowd as Discord made his way to the suspicious group sitting among the back row. The changeling pushed through the crowd, desperate to reach the strange group before anything could be instigated. Suddenly the large black unicorn uttered a unique set of words, a single beam of entropic energy flew across the air. Discord leapt forward and tackled the unicorn to the ground. The unicorn struggled for several seconds before becoming cold and still. His lifeless form becoming a small cloud of black vapor.

The spell flew towards the leaders seated within the center of the room, hitting Private Pansy full in the chest. She was launched several meters into the stone wall, causing her to cough blood. Everypony in the room fell silent, watching the nearby medic rush to his superiors side. He placed a hoof upon her breast and felt for any broken ribs, his face slowly becoming pale as he felt the internal hemorrhaging within her broken form.

"Arggghh! What hit me? My body feels broken, perhaps I should st- ARRRRGGGHHH! NO! LAY ME DOWN, LAY ME DOWN!"

She fell back against the wall and stared at the changeling in front of her

"Private, it seems someone was trying to assassinate the leaders! I managed to stop them but the first bolt was faster than i thought possible. You, medic! How long does she have?"

"Judging by the rate of internal bleeding and shattered bones, less then ten minutes, the wounds are fatal!"

Discord stared in shock at the dying pegasus, for several seconds he pondered on the idea of releasing his rapid healing spell.

"Stand back, I am going to attempt a healing spell!"

"No, the magic will kill you!"

"Only if I was a unicorn, Luna I need to drain your emotion to keep a continuous stream of magic. It will leave you hollow, but it will pass within hours."

"Are thou sure it will work?"

Discord looked deeply into Luna's eyes and responded in kind,

"She was struck under my guard, i will not let another die from my recklessness!"

She merely watched as the changeling slammed his hoof on the hard floor and began the healing process. A cold feeling washed over her as the emotions were drained from her body. Within moments the dying pegasus was shrouded in a light golden bubble, the sounds of shifting bones and repairing tissue the only sound emanating from the hall. Discord focused his power to the singular point that had been struck directly, her loud shouts of pain making him wince in fear.

"Are you alright milady?"

"I' m a Private, trust me I know pain! Just don't stop or I'll probably blackout."

"Of course!"

Luna lay down upon the floor, the loss of feeling making her weary. But she ignored it and continued to allow him to use her energy. A long fifteen minutes passed before Discord finally fell forward, the task exacting its toll. Before him lay a perfectly healthy Private, her feverish, pale face now luminescent in the early morning sun. The princess stood unfeeling, her emotions stripped clean."

"Luna? How are you feeling?" Discords voice bled with concern.

"Emotionless, but perfectly fine nonetheless."

"I am truly sorry, I needed to drain your powerful lunar energy.

Private Pansy helped the changeling to his feet and curtsied before him.

"Thank thee Discord, on behalf of the Band of Wings we grant thou our unbroken trust! If it wasn't for thou I would be dead and this meeting would be in vain." The private kissed his cheek and continued to thank her savior.

"Enough praise! I would have done the same for anypony!"

"I'm sure thou would, this meeting shall now be called to end. Let us be reminded that Commander Hurricane enlists the aid of dark magic!"

"I highly doubt such a devout warrior would enlist aid from an outsider, perhaps there is someone willing to ignite a civil war between us. That spell was beyond that of a simple mage!"

"A distressing thought, but alas we must be prepared for Hurricane's fury! Goodnight princess, may your rule be long and prosperous!"

Discord turned towards the door, the princess held up beneath his shoulder. The chariot stood upturned, a single spear embedded within it. The two guards that had been behind them lay on the ground, still and unmoving. Discord scanned the clouds for his second in command, but saw only blank clouds and uneasy pegasi. From behind him came a light cough, the bulky unicorn stood on an angle his leg broken beneath him.

"Duskhoof? What happened?"

"Those strange unicorns teleported out of nowhere, launching their foul spells against us. The other two guards were unprepared for such a violent assault and were struck down where they stood. I managed to fend them off, this spear saved my life!" He pulled on the spears hilt and yanked it free of the metal armoring.

Both of them hoisted the princess into the chariot and flew in silence on the journey back. They touched down an hour later just as dawn appeared in the distance. Discord tried to awaken Luna, but she was now dead to the world.

"I'll take her to her private chambers Duskhoof, you are free from duty tonight my dear friend!"

"Oh, thank thou kindly Commander!"

The two of them exchanged salutes and left in opposite directions. The unicorn retreated to the barracks, he then slept for more then thirteen hours straight. Discord escorted the princess through the castle, avoiding the questioning stares of his battalion. He opened the mahogany door and trotted towards the large bed. Gently he set the princess down on the satin sheets. Luna's eyes snapped open suddenly, causing the changeling to cry out in shock.

"What happened? We cannot remember..."

"I used my draining ability on you to heal Private Pansy, after she was struck by an assassins death spell."

"Ah yes, my emotions have returned we believe."

"Alright perfect, well good day milady!"

"Discord?"

"Hmm?"

"I-" Before she could begin however the door was flung open, revealing the scowling face of Celestia.

"What the hell did thou do?! You drained her didn't you!" Celestia galloped forward her golden magic shining from her horn.

"Yes, but it was for a good cause!"

"Hah! What could warrant such foul magic?"

"Sister, stop this at once! Discord was using my energy to revive Private Pansy after she was struck by assassins."

"If thou ever lay a hoof on my sister again, changeling... You will regret it utterly!"

"Celestia, enough!" Luna glared at her sister, her anger at the elder sisters behavior very strong

Celestia simply snarled and left the room, her magic slamming the door behind her.

"We apologize for her behavior... Once again thou have proven thyself as a knight-commander. Perhaps we should meet together when thou art off duty one night?"

"I would love to, Luna! But for now you should get some rest..."

The princess smiled faintly before she slipped into the dreamworld, her faint snores filling the room. Discord stared at the sleeping form of Luna and not for the first time wondered upon the idea of dating a princess. He shut the door softly and returned to his quarters, his thoughts now on the gorgeous pegasus he had saved, Hell, I'd probably have more of a chance with a fellow soldier.

The next night started off quite dull, Discord was stuck with guarding the royal gardens and was none to happy with this punishment. Even the king was upset about what had transpired, blaming the distraught changeling for the attack.

"Stupid bloody changeling haters, I was just doing my duty!" Discord grumbled to himself, unaware of the sleep-walking filly behind him.

"Excuse me mister?"

The changeling whirled around to face the intruder and noticed a rather small filly with her eyes close. "What the? Are you still asleep little one?"

"I'm not sure, this nice princess is here with me and she says hi!"

"Wait, I'm confused..."

"Hehe, your funny mister! Luna says she will be there shortly, I need to walk back to my house now. Bye bye!"

Discord sat down on a large bench, his eyebrows raised in confusion, Alright, think i need to stop drinking so much coffee...

A few minutes passed with the changeling still trying to figure out what had just happened. A loud voice pierced the air, causing him to jump up with fright.

"Oh wow Discord, for a Night guard thou art awfully jumpy!"

"Jeez Luna, I really don't want a heart attack tonight thanks... Also what in the hay was that little girl on about?"

{Oh that...that is one of my abilities, we call it dream-walking."

"Wait you enter peoples dreams?! Err you haven't been in mine have you?"

"No, why?"

"No reason!"

Haha! We can only enter nightmares and create dreams from them, normal ones however... Strictly off limits!"

"Oh thank the sun..."

"Hmm?"

"Umm nothing..."

Luna stepped forward slightly and grabbed Discords hoof, within it she placed a small round gem and closed his hoof over it.

"That is part of a shooting star, we discovered it as a filly and thought thou should take it. Promise me this, When the time comes thou will wish upon the fragment of star and together our wishes can become one."

"Luna, I don't know what to say... Our friendship is the closest I've ever been to loving another who didn't raise me. A single best friend."

Discord raised a hoof in salute and said these words, "I hereby acknowledge the loyal friend pact and promise Princess Luna to wish upon a star, in doing so many attractive mares may or may not hunt after me!"

Luna playfully hit him in the arm, "Oh thou! Can't even go a night with out mentioning some pony slu- we mean nice, pleasant mare!"

"Haha don't be so jealous Princess, I'm sure some dashing mare has her eye on you!" Said Discord, winking slyly.

"We do not swing that way thank thou very much!"

"Pity... Many stallions find that quite hot!"

Luna sighed heavily, though she was used to his bad jokes sometimes it drove her just a little mental.

"Have thou ever looked up and seen the stars? Every night when my mother raises the moon, they are there watching and twinkling from vast distances. Beyond Equestria, beyond the planet we stand upon, a vast galaxy spreads out around us. Right now as we stare up at the night, some strange creature could be staring at us. Thou never now what lies beyond!"

"I admit it has an ethereal beauty to it, but to be perfectly honest we don't need to travel the stars to see it. Right here on this small sphere floating in space is true beauty. Unseen anywhere else in the world."

They sat there together for hours, the moon crawling across the sky as the two slowly began to sit closer and closer. To Discord this night was infinite, he could reach out and feel her flowing, silky mane. Luna sighed in contentment, happy to be with somepony so special.

Once the moon set and the sun began to rise, the two sleeping forms lay together beneath the gardens magnificent tree. Their worries forgotten within the realm of dreams.

Far above in the observatory tower, a single blue unicorn stared at the young changeling hopelessly falling for the princess. Starswirl wondered if he should just let them be, he knew Discord could love and care but he worried what others might think of this connection. He turned away and decided to let it play out, shattered love can cause anger. True love was untouchable. Before the unicorn shut the door, he remembered how his first apprentice was always reminding him that love was the one magic that could linger forever... The good... And the bad.

Friends Till the End

A week passed by ever so slowly. Commander Hurricanes forces had continued to build, his influence even reaching one of the griffon clans. Canterlot fell under heavy guard, the barracks abuzz with activity. Discord watched as the engineers began to construct several cannons for use in war. The first results were messy, uncontrollable but with continued experimentation they revealed the true destructive power within. The king himself was nowhere to be seen, the royal quarters shut off from the general public.

Winter had begun to fall throughout Equestria, bearing with it the ill-fated presence of the Windigoes. Many ponies fled the city, unsure of what would be birthed from the brink of war. Tonight was the thirtieth annual Hearths Warming Eve, usually this celebration brought with it peace and harmony but the forces of a tyrant were mobilizing to attack this very eve.

"Commander Discord, the princess requests thou immediate presence. A matter of great importance awaits!"

"Thank you, squire!" He saluted his fellow soldier and proceeded towards the war hall.

The hall was filled to the brim with guards, soldiers, knights and many other members of both military and authority figures. A small group of pegasi stood at attention behind their leader, nervously they looked around the room. Several pairs of eyes fixed upon them, many of the unicorns were untrustworthy of the Privates troops. At the head of the proceeding stood the king and Princess Luna, both sharing uneasy glances at the map in front of them. The king saw Discord and beckoned him over.

"My loyal soldiers, let us begin our war preparations! Private Pansy, what is the status of the Band?"

"We are pinned down sire! Hurricanes forces attack from the east, their griffon air force is decimating our ranks. We have desperate need of thou artillery support!"

"An elite pegasus force can't even handle a pathetic griffon clan? Figures..."

"If it weren't for us he would be attacking the capital this very moment!"

"Enough! Fighting between ourselves is what landed us in this predicament, besides if we continue down this path it may just be our last winter! Look outside, do you not see the signs? The windigoes await on our very doorstep once again!" Discord threw open the windows, revealing the icy touch of winter.

A cold chill blew through the hall, freezing the air almost instantly. The wind howled its somber melodies as a single word was uttered.

Darkness...

The sky began to darken, the drums of war thundering from above. Private Pansy stood with mouth agape, shocked that her forces had been so quickly extinguished.

"Private! The time to move is now!"

She snapped out of her trance and stared the changeling in the eyes, "We will keep their forces at bay for as long as possible! Get those artillery weapons in place asap!"

"Yes ma'am! It shall be done!"

The small group of pegasus took to the skies, spears held beneath their wings. "For the Stormborn!"

Discord ran towards his liege and dropped into a defensive posture. The king was being escorted out by the rest of his band, their eyes focused on the clash of metal far above.

"Luna, we must get to the barracks! Without our support Pansy and her troop will surely fall prey to the elite griffon warriors."

"My lunar magic is more than capable of protecting my subjects!"

"Don't be foolish, as soon as you entered battle they would strike!"

"We will not abandon good soldiers!"

"There is no time for this! We must defend the artillery from attack. I have seen them in action, they will not be prepared for the onslaught!"

Luna stood her ground for another moment before heading towards the now open door. The battle raged above as they ran through the castle and out into the courtyard. The screeching of griffons was almost unintelligible over the roar of icy wind. A single tornado of frigid air ran a path of destruction throughout both sides of the conflict. Serrated icicles impaled the wings of several pegasi, rendering them helpless as their bodies were entombed in ice.

"This is far worse then we imagined, the windigoes will destroy us before to long! Forget the cannons, we need to gather the other elements! Only harmony can save us now!"

"Luna..."

"Yes?"

"I never got the chance to say this, but I-"

"Hush Discord! There is no time for this!"

Before he could respond however her lips touched his own, sending a spark of electricity through his withers and down his spine. Brief as it was, the two held onto the tender moment for years.

"A-are you sure the elements will work? They seem intent on hating one another..."

"Perhaps we-"

A bright ball of fire erupted from the upper chambers, melting the ice encasing the castle. The squadron that had breached the inner halls was incinerated in a heart beat, their ashes drifting away in the wind. From the open window the king could be seen engulfed in orange flames. The other side of the room was obscured by an unknown figure surrounded by purple flames. Both warriors stood facing one another, various spells flew throughout the room.

"Father!"

The king paused for a moment and gave his daughter a single loving smile. Suddenly he began to glow, causing his unseen foe to take a few cautious steps back. The chamber exploded with a violent wave of fire that turned the very stone into liquid magma. Luna cried out in anguish at the sight, her father having just sacrificed himself. The roar from the initial explosion caused a momentary cease fire. Neither side was sure who had initiated the blast, Hurricane simply continued his assault undeterred.

Discord tried to comfort the now distraught princess, her tears icy droplets against his skin.

"Luna, I know that you just want to let it all out but the kingdom is still in danger. I'm sure he would want you to honor his memory by stopping the bloodshed."

"Thou are right, we must stop Hurricane! But who was that other figure?"

"Who knows... But I'm sure no one could survive that blast. Let us be on our way, the Privates forces are beginning to falter!"

With each passing minute the temperature seemed to become increasingly frigid. Several soldiers fell from the sky, their wings seizing under the icy fingers of the blizzard. The harsh cries of the windigoes pierced the air, sending a small griffon squad fleeing in terror.

"Cowards! Our assault must press on!" Commander Hurricane began to grow increasingly more demented, his own forces were unsure of the motives that possessed this mad-pony.

"But sir our men-"

"No excuses!"

"This is madness!"

"No, this is warfare! If thou fail me..." He drew a single hoof across his neck in a threatening gesture.

Starswirl had been awoken by the sounds of screeching wind and the clash of blades. A violent explosion rocked the tower, causing the unicorn to stumble down a small flight of stairs. He pulled himself up and surveyed the upper chamber. A thick layer of molten stone covered the floor, barring escape from the tower. The ceiling was utterly obliterated, the freezing air rushed in to fill the void. Starswirl stood motionless, his mind reeling over the apparent use of a nova spell.

"The king must have sacrificed himself for the kingdom! We failed to protect him!" He stomped his hoof on the step shattering the delicate stone.

All of a sudden his body was wrapped in an aura of bluish-green magic and lifted over the boiling magma. Within moments he was once again on hard earth.

"Master! Your alive! Wait, where were you?"

"We had been in a deep slumber before we heard the shouts and clang of metal weapons. The explosion followed suite!"

"Starnova...he sacrificed himself.. For us."

"Do not fret my child, let us reclaim these lands from warfare!"

Luna stepped forward and spoke softly about her plans, "Perhaps we could use the elements to stop this madness?"

"It would be folly, such magics do not work in periods of civil war. The windigoes power stems from hatred and such a weapon can only banish or destroy. Do thou wish to be the one who wipes out an entire battalion?"

"No sir, we just thought..."

"We know of one that can help us Princess, she played a part in forming the treaty."

"Take us to her at once, time is not a luxury we possess."

The three took to the skies, desperately searching for the embassy now buried beneath a thick layer of snow. The battle begun to take a turn for the worse as more and more soldiers succumbed to the blizzards fury. Celestia had arrived earlier to aid them but alas even her powerful magic was powerless to the cold fury of nature. She tried with a great deal of effort to coat the city in a shield of heat, her focus beginning to falter. Before long she to became victim to the windigoes ancient power.

As the situation continued to deteriorate rapidly, Discord quickly began loosing hope. His mind reeled with thoughts of eternal winter and tombs of ice. However, before his mind could take root in sinister imaginings the silvery tip of the embassy appeared jutting out of the snow.

"We must clear this snow, any longer beneath this thick layer and they will freeze!"

"Stand back Discord!" A small flicker of fire erupted from the unicorn, the immense heat melting the frozen wall. Within seconds the earth was covered in a steaming puddle of water. The large door burst open, its denizens fleeing from their entrapment.

A single unicorn trotted out from behind the fearful group, her hooded face obscuring the simple grin on her face.

"Master Starswirl, how long has it been? We seem to have fallen back on our old hatreds... We presume that is why your here?"

"Its been far too long Clover. We thought that perhaps thou could give us the needed magic to vanquish the vicious windigoes and stop the insane attack from Hurricane."

The pale green unicorn stood still for a moment, contemplating on what could be used to stop this assault yet again. It seemed Commander Hurricanes fury had once again triumphed over his intelligence.

"Peace and friendship is the only magic we can think of that banishes those fiendish beings. Love could possibly work but that is an unknown subject to me. Unfortunately the Elements that thou possess are powerless in wake of ancient fury. Besides if used against the pegasi, it would destroy them all."

"If we used only half their power, could we at least keep the commander imprisoned for a time?" Discord questioned the elder unicorn, unsure how such powers worked.

"Why yes changeling we suppose that could work... Though we think we know where to find a powerful bond..." Clover gestured towards the two young ponies before her. "Though thou may hide it, We see the friendship between you both. Its energy blossoms forth like a thousand miniature suns, burning ever so brightly!"

"Our bond? You mean to say it is a form of magic?"

"A very powerful one, yes."

"And how exactly do we release it as a spell?"

"Very simple, thou must accept each others differences and calm the frantic mind of the Commander. Once this is accomplished it shall be released naturally."

Luna and Discord both gave each other a strange look. Her face was an exact mirror of his, a single smile perched on their lips.

"Fine it is settled, we take out our good friend Hurricane and then join hoof and sing songs to the bad fairies go away..." Said the changeling with thick sarcasm, his smile becoming a smirk.

"Discord! Behave thyself!"

"But..."

"No buts!"

"It's quite alright princess, we have managed to survive Starswirls sarcasm all these years..." Clover gave her old master a slight wink.

"Anyway, we should be vanquishing evil right at this moment. Starswirl are you coming?"

"Thou have saved us more than once, surely thou don't need my assistance."

"Right... So it isn't just laziness?"

"Stop stalling young one!"

"Just avoid the subject... Figures."

While this exchange had transpired, the pegasi troops had fallen back. Only a small unit stayed with their obviously deranged leader. Hurricane continued to attack with some unknown energy, even with frozen wing and shattered leg his blows were still very strong.

The private was locked in a seemingly never ending duel between the Comander and herself. Each pegasus was looking battered and bruised but still they fought. The soldiers beside her desperately kept the last hint of an army at bay. But even under their valiant efforts many of the unique buildings had been severely damaged. Hundreds of innocent ponies had frozen under the weathers fury, luckily it seemed they had been trapped within a bubble of heat before the ice had overwhelmed them.

Private Pansy began to grow weary from the fighting, her foe seemingly unable to falter. What dark magic coursed through his veins? As she awaited the inevitable, a bright silvery light exploded from the darkened sky. From the clouds came a navy blue alicorn, her horn glowing with blinding light. Beside her flew a griffon, but unlike any she had seen. His eyes flared with blue revealing the true form behind this disguise.

"Too late thou Princess of the Night arrives, my forces have won fool!"

"Has thou demented mind lost its power of sight? Your unit is the only one left! The rest were swept away by the windigoes YOU unleashed!"

"Excellent isn't it? It seems my master was right, eternal winter would be beautiful!"

"Have thou gone completely mad?!"

"Perhaps... But enough talk, let them witness your true death!"

"Commander Hurricane! On this day a terrible threshold has been exceeded! Thou madness has stripped many a soldier of their lives! We hereby place thou in custody for heinous war crimes against Equestria!"

"Just try to stop me!" The commander veered towards the princess, his bladed spear pointed towards her underside. As he drew closer a single blurred shadow flew past him. A sharp stabbing pain tore through the pegasus. Undeterred by the agonizing pain, he continued to slash at the princess. His body bled profusely from the open wounds across his chest but it only seemed to increase his fury.

Luna blasted him with several bolts of magic, trying to keep him at a distance. The private had managed to gain altitude during this fast battle. She flew behind her former leader and pulled him into a choker hold, he thrashed with all his might to throw her off but failed with each attempt.

"Attack him now while his under my hoof!"

Discord flew in with talons outstretched and raked him across the face. Another spurt of blood flew from the commanders unnaturally painless body. The changeling stared into his eyes and saw a dark being within.

"That thing is not Hurricane! In fact I don't think that's even a pegasus!"

"What?!"

The Commander finally revealed his true self, a strange amalgamation of horrendous creatures. Its evil whispering voice was enough to send chills down his spine.

"It seems my true form has been discovered... Before you flies a true creature of chaos! I am a draconequus, I am the true evolution of the changelings!"

"A tainted beast that must be cleansed!"

"My destiny has been fulfilled, your king lies dead, your kingdom in ruins! Before long the everlasting winter will consume you all..."

"Begone foul creature, the elements will destroy thou utterly!" Luna cried out in fury and unleashed a surge of magic upon this foul form.

Discord added his own to magic to the pool and together they trapped it forever in stone. The princess brought her hoof down through the statue, killing the mutant changeling within.

The soldiers that had blindly followed Hurricane, stared in shock and disgust at the fake before them. The harsh winds began to soften as both sides helped them up and lay their fallen to rest. A single bolt of energy flew into the sky, breaking apart the icy storm from within. Once again the magic of peace and friendship banished the creatures fueled by hate. The windigoes would never be fully vanquished, but only the winter months can bring forth their fury.

"Our duty is done, Discord thou have given me great strength in such a crisis. My fathers death was not in vain."

"It is my honor to serve your side milady! Our friendship will always remain stronger then any fiendish magic."

"We hope thou are right... But it seems our little friend was just following orders from an evil far greater."

"The figure within the castle, could that have been it?"

"We do not know Discord... When we find that beast, he will rue the day he murdered my father!"

Discord pulled her close and waited as her emotions finally burst forth. Her cries of pain stabbing him like a dagger. From the ruined castle stepped the haggard form of Celestia, an elder alicorn was draped over her shoulders. Luna looked up at her sister and gasped in horror at the injuries she had sustained.

:Sister! Are thou alright? Where is mother?"

"Luna, I... She was wounded by a strange black unicorn. Some form of curse was placed upon her... Her breathing is shallow but I think mother will pull through."

"Father... We saw him sacrifice himself for the kingdom."

"It has been a sad day my sister..."

The two sisters embraced one another, their tears mixing together. Private Pansy stepped forward and lay her helm before them.

"My liege, it was an honor to fight beside thee... To vanquish that dreaded clone! Your father will be missed, even the pegasus admired his steadfast resolve. I offer my condolences princess, but I must be on my way... Our true commander must be found at all costs!"

"Thank thee Private, your mighty warriors gave us the much needed time to destroy his form."

"Discord, It has been an honor... One day I may be the one who saves you!"

"Hehe perhaps..." Discord bowed low, his expression one of admiration.

Three days later, the city had returned to relative peace. Every civilian and soldier offered their hooves to repair the damage that had been caused. Several of the remaining griffon forces had been arrested and placed before a jury. As it so happened many of them were confused and disoriented, a dark magic had bound their will to the traitor. They were released hours later under close scrutiny. Their powerful wings were quite useful in clearing the heavy layer of snow blanketing the earth.

Discord refused to leave his mistresses side for any reason, he feared that an attempted assassination of the queen was inevitable and wished to protect the one he cared for. Luna slept through both the day and night, her pain over the loss of her father was great. Both of them felt their bond strengthen throughout the ordeal and remained in each others arms for most of the night.

Dawn rose late as the young Celestia struggled to raise the sun with her relative new gifts. Her fathers passing exacting its toll on the elder princess. The sun rose ever slowly into the sky, sharing its warmth with the kingdom of Equestria. All of the citizens were in mourning over their great leader. Not a single pony was missing at the funeral, even the pegasi that had attacked the city offered their sympathies.

The Queen managed to pull through, her injuries luckily not as severe as presumed. She rose from her seat and lay a hoof on her husbands empty cask. Not even ashes remained after such a powerful spell.

"My dear subjects. We are gathered here today to mourn the loss of a loving father, devoted husband and honorable king. King Starnova was more then just a pony, he was a symbol... A symbol of hope and peace. The sun rises from the heavens, his image forever emblazoned in its warmth. My daughter Celestia shall now be taking his place, Clover the Clever will be taking a role at her side as adviser. My youngest has a few words she would like to say." Queen Moonlight stood back and sat her tired body back down.

"We the Princess of the Night, have been struck a painful loss. My father was a great man and his life lives on in all of us. He taught us to show respect and accept those who garner unease and suspicion. Today is a great tragedy but with it comes a single truth, their are those who would seek to destroy us! Sacrifice and true friendship are our only saving grace, with it we vanquished the windigoes and destroyed a being of pure chaos."

Princess Luna shed a single tear as her words hit home, every pony before her felt the pain her face portrayed. Discord escorted her from the hall, her tears know becoming a steady stream. Celestia gave her sister a single worried glance before turning to give her own speech.

"For years my father raised us to be kind, caring and giving to our subjects. He taught me that true sacrifice may one day be needed. The world is full of dark and twisted beings, ones who seek only death. The sun that he raised everyday kept most of them at bay, he not only sacrificed himself for us but for all of Equestria! We will never forget his valuable lessons and must now let the past guide us to a brighter future!"

The crowd erupted into a chorus of cheers, mixed with the tears of anguish. Everpony gave a single salute up towards the heavens, their noble king now held within their hearts.

The night came rather quickly giving way to the honor feast held for their dear departed king. Luna had not partaken in the banquet and instead lay within her chambers, huddled before a vast fireplace. A single knock on the door awoke her from a light sleep.

"Luna, are you alright? After today I wasn't sure if I was the best choice to offer my condolences..."

"Please come in, thou company would be most appreciated."

Slowly the door opened revealing a now unarmored changeling. His bright blue eyes were fixed upon the clearly depressed princess. He knelt down before her and pulled the blanket over her shoulder.

"Your father was a great man, I would not be standing here if it wasn't for his influence. I may have never really been involved with Starnova but I have always admired the pony he was. "

"It is alright Discord, we value your sympathy as much as anypony else, but please let us just forget this tragedy for the night. Stay with me this eve."

"Of course, I will not leave your side.. Luna."

Together they lay in each others hoofs, not talking nor thinking, just the two of them wrapped in a loving embrace. Luna sighed ever so softly, here she was with a special somepony who merely days ago lent his strength to banish one of his own. Never would she had guessed that her first love would be a changeling of all things.

"Luna? There is something I wish to know..."

"Yes?"

"Have you ever encountered somepony's dream that seemed to be real?"

"Several times, yes... What is this about?"

"The first time we started the journey into the golem city I was shown a nightmarish vision. It has plagued many a pleasant dream for all these years..."

"This vision, may we ask what it is?"

Discord shifted uncomfortably, he was unsure of whether these dreams warranted a second opinion. Luna gave him a gentle caress across his cheek, a single moment passed before he began.

"A lidded eye opens and bares its gaze upon me. A corrupted voice reverberating throughout the dark chambers. It spoke of broken promises and corrupting lies, my chaos was being tested... I shouted a threat to reveal my enemy but he implied that one day we would meet."

"Eyes wreathed in purple flames? The voice of nightmares spoken in delayed whispers? There is only one being that we know of that can breach the subconscious mind. It is known only as the Watcher. Many who have seen it have fallen to madness, disaster following in their wake... But it seems thou mind is not so easily tormented."

"Has it ever rang true with it's words?"

"Evil is sometimes as subtle as a mule in mud, but the darkest forms of it work in simple words and whispered insanity. Perhaps we shall delve into thou mind and bear witness to your tormentor."

"No! It is my burden alone!"

"Let me help thou... Please. We owe thou that much."

Discords face softened at the worried expression plastered on her face. He slowly rose to a standing position and gave her a reassuring smile.

"If it pleases you, go right ahead... But stay out of my most private thoughts!"

"Oh thou can be sure of that..." Luna gave him a wink, sending a single bead of sweat trickling down his back.

"Umm right, well..."

"Just lay back and relax, let me soothe your tired muscles... We have several ways to send thou into a lucid state..."

Discord gave her an uneasy smile before lying himself across the cold stone and shutting his eyes. A slight tugging motion began in his lower back, gently pressing the tense muscles into a lax state.

"Just let the feeling of bliss flow freely..."

The changeling began to drift off, her gentle hooves soothing his aching joints. A soft trickle of hair fell upon his face,

"And of course a single kiss to send thou to the world of dreams!"

Within moments he was deep in a trance, his light snores revealing that her sleep spell had worked. Luna lay her hoof across his forehead and closed her mind from the outside world. A stream of syllables escaped her lips, unintelligible by a non magic wielder. Her horn glowed softy as her body became ethereal, slowly her mind joined with the changeling before her. Distant memories flooded into view, she tried with effort to avoid them but a few escaped into her own

She saw a young changeling attached to a rather shocked unicorn, a light green hue of magic seeping from him. As quick as it had come, another memory took its place. Luna stood before Discord, her face was the picture of beauty. Her words barely registered to his ears, only a single thought flooded in. "She is stunning, I have never laid eyes on a filly so mesmerizing." Luna smiled at his words, even then he loved her.

Discord had drifted further into sleep, his mind begun to dream. Luna felt her hooves touch relatively solid earth, a dark cavern opened up around her. In the distance stood the changeling, his shouts the only sound throughout. Slowly she trotted forward, his words now becoming clear.

"It is here! Run away!"

"We are here to help!"

"Please, just leave... It comes for me!"

Suddenly the ground gave way around her, a single shard of land remaining where she stood. From the shadows came a malevolent voice, a shred of anger flickered in his words.

"Trespasser! Thou dare wander into my nightmare world? Your precious Discord will be mine in due time. The love thou share will be shattered into thousands of pieces, chaos will give rise from the broken chains."

"Enough of thou twisted lies! Before thou stands the Princess of the Night, my powers shall banish thou forever from his mind!"

"A noble gesture... My return shall soon be heralded by those that serve me! Nightmares will be the least of thou problems. Eternal fear will send all scurrying before my presence. This host is beyond his usage... Chaos courses within his veins but remains bound within. Goodnight princess, soon we will be meeting in person!"

Discord snapped awake, his body flailing out in shock. He stared up at the motionless figure of Luna and gave a single cry.

"Luna!"

Within her own dream she stood within a small room, a single light peeked through the metal door. Luna stared through the keyhole, her stomach heaved at the sight before her. Hundreds of fleshless ponies stood feeding on their own organs. They laughed and joked, oblivious to their own pain and lifeless bones. At the end of the hall was a sinister throne, sharp black obsidian stood in contrast against the bloodred unicorn seated within. His mane burned in a hellish inferno of orange flames.

Luna screamed for release from this twisted nightmare but nopony could hear her cries. The door slid open revealing a cloaked figure with purple eyes.

"Time to feed my little alicorn! Mwahaha!"

The shadowy creature screeched loudly and enveloped the princess in its tenebrous form. The last thing she heard was the twisted laughs from the damned ponies watching with greedy eyes.

Luna awoke in a daze, her body seemingly intact. She shook her head in horror and disbelief at the scenes she had witnessed.

"Are you alright? I thought you were trapped within my mind!"

"It would appear we are perfectly fine... The dark being has released its hold over thou, but we must be prepared for his return..."

"Return? So he lives outside of dreams?"

"It would seem so..."

"I thank you for the help, we shall be friends till the end!"

"Yes we will, let us spend the rest of this night in peace..."

"I second that motion!"

Together they stayed awake and read the old history books that spoke of the Watcher and his disciples. Luna was more then intrigued by the tales of his power and influence. Throughout the ages he had risen three times from banishment, blanketing the world in shadows and fear. The two fell asleep with the book in hand, their dreams now free of torment.

Prelude

Dreams of Broken Promise

The Origin of Discord

The dark reaches of earth opened up, ready to consume those who fall into the shadowy embrace of nothingness. A lone unicorn stood on the edge of the precipice, awaiting his quarry. From the darkness came a harsh scream. The sounds of pain and torture emanated from the tunnels, bearing with it the essence of despair. The blue unicorn trotted through the wide maw of the cave. Moonlight shone through holes in the ceiling, covering the cave with twisted visages. An unpleasant air hung over like a crushing fog. A chill ran up his spine, something was not right. Broken cries of fear continued deep within. From the shadows a bitter, mocking laugh rang out. Turning to face his adversary, the unicorn brought himself face to face with his quarry.

“Starswirl the Bearded! A pleasure indeed, I presume my subjects have treated you well?” The voice from the dark asked.

“No more foolish games, changeling!” Spat the unicorn, disgusted at her apparent lack of regard for the innocents they had slaughtered. “We have seen thy darkened tombs, we have witnessed countless feedings. We have even bared witness to thy hatcheries and the birth of a new queen. The time of thy judgment has come, the guilty lay before thee and surrender.”

“Surrender? To the likes of you? Do you think me so petty, to believe I would simply kneel before you? You dare challenge the queen in her own domain?! I daresay Starswirl that our majesty will be more than willing to destroy our last great threat. Seize him! “

Out of the darkness came a small band of changelings, the leader was carrying a large chain attached to a collar. The collar was covered in small needle-like spikes, designed specifically to strangle and maim the victim. Starswirl released a powerful arc of magic directly at the large changeling; the spell sent him into a sharp stalactite killing him instantly. The other foul creatures swarmed ever closer to the unicorn. They closed in around him, blocking off all available escape routes. Directing his horn upward, Starswirl unleashed a massive torrent of energy, trying desperately to dislodge the sharpened gems above.

“Not so fast little unicorn! If you so much as shatter a pebble, this whole cave system comes crashing down. Burrowing those you so recklessly tried to save! Just give in; you know this quest is futile…”

“We will never falter! This land shall not become home to you fiends!”

“We shall see about that!”

Redirecting the spell, Starswirl aimed towards the one who had spoken and released the pent up energy. It struck the dumbfounded changeling head on, tearing apart the very atoms that made up the now lifeless corpse. The group surrounding him quickly dispersed, terrified of this powerful unicorn. A single straggler tried to stop him but was simply unmatched by the wizard. A single concussion spell was all that he needed. Starswirl stepped over the unconscious changeling, his mind focused on the task at hand.

The huge underground labyrinth stretched from the fertile lands of Equestria to the east, to the misty swamps of Griffondal to the west. Many who have ventured into the caverns have either, vanished, been eaten alive or been driven insane by its denizens. Very few have ever made it out alive, fewer still could recount there ordeals. But still Starswirl continued on, determined to stop the changeling invasion. The sickening smells and the intense heat from within would have made a normal unicorn collapse, buried forever in this pit. And still he would not falter from his quest.

Unknown to the rest of the world, a relentless army of chaos stood silently in the bowels of Tartarus. Starswirl himself was the first to stumble unto this revelation. The king and queen bestowed the power of guardianship to the unicorn, a task befitting those of great worth. He alone stood against the might of the changelings, horrific creatures that fed off the emotions of their victims. Even now as he came ever closer to the lair of the queen, he could feel the emotions being twisted and consumed by spite.

The tunnel opened up revealing a huge cavern littered with small green eggs. In the center stood a throne covered in a thick, tenebrous membrane similar to that of a shell or carapace. Seated upon its strange surface was a creature that bled malevolence, its sinister green eyes staring unblinking into the face of the intruder. The creature slowly rose from its seat, revealing the rest of its body. A slender, equine like appearance gave way to its hideous insectile wings that buzzed and hummed as the creature lowered itself from the throne. Its skin was the color of onyx, devoid of any light. The long legs tapered off to a fine point, riddled with hollow scars. From its jaws protruded two sharpened canines, designed for the sole purpose to feed. A long flowing mane seemingly formed of spiders silk, rolled past its shoulders revealing the feminine aspects of the changeling. Before Starswirl stood a creature of unimaginable evil, the very cavern breathed with the sheer force this being spewed forth.

“Welcome to the Hatchery, my little unicorn! I believe you have come to vanquish my hive? A noble cause, but alas I cannot let you do so. My broodlings will make quick work of you, Arise my subjects! Destroy this fool!”

Suddenly the cavern came alive, thousands of changeling larvae burst forth from their eggs. Their hungry cries echoed through the Hatchery. The queen merely watched as her children ambushed Starswirl, leaping upon his back and stripping away the raw emotions. He struggled under the weight of the frenzied horde, desperately he thought of all the known repulsion spells he could think of. Only one came to mind but the sheer amount of energy would render him paralyzed, if only briefly. Consuming his vast magical reserves, Starswirl quickly became engulfed in a bright silvery light. Partially blinded the queen stood up and tried to stop the spell, recklessly firing bolts of green lightning in every direction. Several shots hit her own children, causing them to explode in violent spurts. But still Starswirl held his ground, slowly charging his repulsion shield. The young larvae became increasingly vicious as they felt a violent surge of power coursing through the unicorn.

The air began to crackle and bend, the very fabric of his magic altering the forces of nature around him. The ground began to heave beneath them, a loud thunderous roar echoed through the tunnels. Starswirl felt his very body becoming unstable, a sign of powerful magic. Screaming at the top of his lungs, the unicorn flared with arcane rage. His eyes shone with the same silver light now wrapped around his horn. The energy was released; a massive shock-wave of pure magic tore through the changelings, sending them to the far flung corners of the hatchery. Several of them ended up impaled on the stalactites hanging from the ceiling, raining small droplets of acidic green blood down upon him. The changeling queen stood up; shocked at the sheer multitude of lifeless spawn.

“You dare?! You decimated my entire brood!! I WILL FEAST UPON YOUR SOUL! The Black Widow shall consume your lifeless husssk!”

“You finally reveal thine self to thee, heartless wench? Arrogance is a villain’s greatest threat, but thou greatest ally. To the depths with thy, cur!”

With a bloodcurdling cry the queen leaped toward Starswirl, pinning him to the ground. Her fangs snapped shut, inches from his face. The unicorn fought hard, trying in vain to set her off-balance. The changeling began to feed. His emotions were swiftly devoured, leaving him hollow and devoid of hope. It seemed the situation was dire. As his mind grew grey and cold, a lone memory drifted into the conscious mind.

“Starswirl. Thou are hereby expelled from the College of Arcane Mastery: For reckless and dangerous behavior resulting in the death of one, Alistair Moonhoof. Do thou accept these charges?”

“I do, sir!”

“And what pray tell caused such grievous injuries?”

“A mutant changeling, sir!”

“Why in Tartarus were thou experimenting with those fiends?!”

“The feeding of emotions and the purpose for that which could be weaponized as a demoralizer, sir!”

“A noble cause, but foolish for such a young, brazen mage. Thou are hereby dismissed! Next!”

With a heavy heart Starswirl left the magistrate, a look of utter dismay plastered on his face. The other students glared, spat, and abused the poor unicorn. Even the teachers refused to acknowledge his existence, glancing up only to avoid contact. As he trotted back to his home the sudden pang of guilt thrust itself into his heart. How could he be so stupid? Letting such a young colt willingly be drained of emotion! And for what, a useless weapon that could be easily countered? He wished that it was simply a dream, that those events would cease to haunt his waking mind.

“Starswirl?”

“Starswirl! Wake up!”

A voice from the dark called to him, it was the ghost of Alistair calling from beyond the veil.

“You must wake up! The longer you dream, the more emotions she consumes… Please, for the land will be lost under her rule.”

“I must…wake up!”

The cavern suddenly rushed back into view, resulting in vertigo. The changeling felt her power growing with each bite, but something felt off. Starswirl started to kick and struggle against her, the venom slowly leaving his body. The unicorn tried with some effort to raise his magic from the depths of his heart. A small trickle of silvery vapor slipped from his horn. The queen laughed at the futile attempt at magic, was this the greatest the world had to offer? This would be an easy victory. The vapor started to form a solid shape, a dragon of magical energy began to form.

“A creation spell? But how? Only the most powerful arcane users can control it! No! I will not fall to some weak magic trick!”

“Thou hath underestimated thee! I will smite your ashes!”

With a surge of energy, Starswirl stood up and threw the changeling off. The dragon flared its gossamer wings, its form now completely solid. A burst of arcane fire erupted from its jaws, striking the queen full bore and burning her wings. A cry of pain escaped her lips, her wings now lying in smoldering ruins. Turning his attention from the cries of agony, Starswirl directed the magical construct to release a torrent of flames upon the eggs. They snapped and popped as the intense heat consumed them. A look of pure hatred sat upon his brow. The screeches of death doing nothing to sway his hoof. The changeling queen could do nothing but watch as her life force began to fade.

“Thou disgusting vermin will never see the light of day! As for you!” He roared pointing towards the weakened broodmother, “I shall hang thou corpse over the battlements and it will serve as a warning to the rest of thy kind!”

“Why do you hold so much hatred for us? We simply wish to have our pl-“

“Shut thou slanderous mouth, wench!”

“You may hate us, revile us even. But please, I beg of you, protect my last egg. Raise him as you would a son, teach him the means to love, to become something I could not. “

“Why would we raise such a foul creature? Its very existence is a crime against nature!”

“Try to summon just a small amount of sympathy, if I had defeated you…you would be granted a hand of mercy. We are not the pure evil creatures that we are perceived to be. If raised by someone as pure as you, he could usher in a new dawn for my species! Please, protect him!”

“If thou words are sincere, I cannot turn down such an honorable request." His face softened slightly, "On a single condition, if he begins to develop immoral thoughts or harbors only to destroy. He must be purged from existence.”

“I accept your proposal, take the egg and raise him well!”

“And what about thou?”

“Leave me! I wish to see the embrace of death among my children.”

Starswirl took the small unhatched egg from her grasp, the throes of death taking her with them. He stared at the green egg, wondering on whether he should destroy it or honor his promise. A small black shape squirmed within, hungry for food. One small blue eye stared up at the unicorn, curious of this new being. A small smile crept onto the old unicorn’s face, a moment of sadness swept through his mind as he thought of his parents that had died long ago. He had decided to honor her sacrifice, the loss of one’s parents is unbearable, but the loss of one’s children is greater. He thought about the creatures he had destroyed and felt an agonizing wave of guilt.

“We will raise thee as we would a filly or colt, thou will become a force for light. I christen thee Discord, a fitting name for a creature of chaos.”

Enter the Changelings

Deep within the dungeons of Canterlot, a lone prisoner stared out at the clear blue skies. Her heart wanted to run free, but her spirit was more then broken. The young changeling sighed and sat down on the damp earth. A small door panel slid open, revealing the eyes of her guard.

"Get up! The king and queen wish ta speak with ya, make one lil step outta line and I'll whip ya till ye bleed!"

Several loud rattles and clangs rang out, the deadbolts sliding out of their locks. The prisoner backed up against the wall prepared for a harsh beating. In the doorway stood the king, a somewhat distressed expression on his face. Behind him was a light blue unicorn, that the prisoner instantly recognized as the murderer of her hive.

"You dare bring that monster here? I will have your hide for this!"

"Shut it, prisoner! Or i'll make ya scream!"

"Hush Raging Horn, we simply wish to discuss certain... Aspects of thou supposed treaty."

"Treaty? You think that we would side with you after he butchered our kind? In cold blood I'll have you know! The changeling spat, her rage slowly building with each word. "

"Please allow me to offer my condolences.We are aware our actions were harsh, uncaring... But please believe me, if i knew..." Starswirl stared into the changelings eyes, a single tear escaped him as he remembered her sisters kindness.

"If?! You mean to say you want my sympathy?! My sister should have devoured you when she had the chance!"

"Thou sister tried to tell me, but we were too blind to see. For the last four years we have raised and guided one of her surviving infants... He has surpassed our greatest expectations, he would be more then willing to offer a truce."

"May I see the child? I wish to see my sisters one great deed."

"We shall see prisoner, but for now I think it would be best not to reveal thy true self. "

The king offered her a simple choice, to be free but remain hidden or continue her life within the cell. Her choice was made, she would take the form of a deceased pony until a predetermined time in which she could communicate with Discord.

"But before I go I must warn you, another hive wishes to destroy both my so called traitorous brethren and the wondrous kingdom you call Equestria. Watch for assassins and spies, they hide within plain site. Even within these walls your security could be compromised."

"We appreciate the warning and will heed thy advice without delay. Thank thee for revealing a hidden kindness,"

"And what of the child? Will he be protected?"

"Young Discord is in capable hoofs, he will be safe!"

Without delaying any further, the prisoner left her confines far behind. A brief flash of green could be seen within the halls, revealing a magnificent golden-silver pegasus. She swiftly took flight, gliding out towards her newest home.

"We hope thou know what you are doing, Starswirl..."

"Trust me, she will stay true to her words."

Meanwhile, within the laboratory of Princess Luna...

"Are thou displeased with thine experiment?"

"Displeased? Wow, such an astute observation..." Discord rolled his eyes, amazed that such a brilliant mind could ask such an obvious question.

"We do not know what happened, thou should be able to revert back... Have thou actually tried that?"

"Well, no.... But it should just be natural right?"

"A changeling who doesn't know how to revert back to his true self? My, what a strange predicament."

Discord glared at the princess, her wry humor falling on deaf ears. He thought of his body and tried to picture himself in that form. A slight feeling of vertigo washed over him as his body rapidly began to change. In less then a minute Discord had reverted back to his blackened form.

"Ah ha! We have perfected the experiment... Excellent! From now on thou should be able to shape shift into many forms. "

"Thanks, I guess..."

"Now let us return to my room so as to further study your abilities!"

"Great, now I'm entertaining a princess. What am I, some lowly jester?"

Luna giggled softy, her mind focused on her task. "Hmm perhaps we could try dissection!"

"Your kidding right? Right?! Oh great..."

Discord feared for his sanity, This alicorn is completely mental! If I survive this, Starswirls got some explaining to do...

Luna managed to capture him in a bubble of magic, restricting his movements to a bare minimum. Discord tried to struggle to no avail. His fear quickly rising.

"Umm princess? Could you perhaps explain what thou are doing?"

"Oh, nothing to painful..." she replied, a sinister smile rising to her lips.

Soon enough they arrived at a door sealed by simple magic, Luna uttered several unintelligible words of some strange spell. The light green glow quickly dissipated, revealing a simple mahogany door. She then launched young Discord several feet into the room. He shouted in shock and panic, landing in a pile of flailing limbs.

"What in Tartarus is wrong with you?! Are all of you female ponies this mental?"

"Perhaps... Please take a seat, we just need to gather my *examination* equipment!" Luna tried with some effort to stay perfectly serious, but failed miserably.

"Bwahahaha! Thou should see the look on your face! Absolutely priceless! We had thou going for quite sometime... Even the supposed transformation thou were stuck in was a simple prank!"

"A prank?! That was all a.... Ok I admit that is actually quite amusing. I never would have thought a princess could be such a brilliant prankster. Somehow I think you and I will get along just fine!"

Luna smiled broadly, happy that she had finally met someone with her taste in humor.

"We are Princess Luna, a pleasure to meet thou!"

She gingerly extended her hoof, a playful expression on her face.

"A pleasure my- woah!" Thud! Discord was pulled of his hooves and thrown to the floor.

"Always pay attention to thou opponent, That's the first rule of Filly Fight Club. Second rule, thou don't tell a soul about the Filly Fight Club!"

Luna gave him a slight wink, pulling his bruised and battered body off the floor. A single smile was all it took for Discords heart to skip a beat.

A loud cough echoed around the room, surprising the two. A shadow melted away from the wall, revealing a hooded changeling. Her belt was adorned with many sharp daggers, their blades glinting in the light. Two dark green eyes stared out from beneath the hood, her expression one of cold hatred.

"The changeling prodigy and his little alicorn friend, perfect! The master said that you both must die, I fulfill his orders without complaint. You cannot live if we are to conquer this pathetic empire- Oof!"

"Quick Discord, run! We can keep her stunned only for a moment!"

"Princess! Let me handle this... I've got a few skills to put to use!"

Suddenly the floor became intangible, devolving into a quicksand like consistency. It pulled the assassin down, holding her body in place. Discord then re-solidified the floor, trapping her within.

"What kind of magic was that? It was absolutely incredible!"

"Shhh, I hear another close by... Reveal thyself traitor! Before I send you to the Dragons Peak!"

"Calm thyself! I am your mothers sister, it seems the kings security is quite lax! I have never seen an infant changeling do that before, are you some kind of hybrid?"

"It was simply the power of chaos, Starswirl believes it had something to do with how I was brought into this world..."

"Amazing! My sister was right to give thee to the unicorn..." The blue eyes of the changeling were fixed on Discord, a small look of regret flickered across her face.

"For now I must be going, the king requests that I do not meet thou until a later time. We will meet again, Discord."

She then slid open the window and proceeded to take flight, her silhouette disappearing into the sunset.

"A relative of yours?"

"It would seem so... Are thou alright, the changeling didn't hurt you did she?"

"No no! I'm fine! Thank thee for protecting me.."

"Umm yeh, no problems... It was just nothing."

Luna rushed forward and embraced a shocked Discord. He felt a sudden surge of heat in his face, a deep red blush appearing on his cheek.

"Errr, so... Do you want to maybe...hang out again sometime? We should really get to... know each other!"

"We would love too!"

The rush of hooves rang up the stairs, the guards only just now noticing a disturbance. The door flew open, revealing a very stressed Celestia.

"Changeling! Thou dare to attack a princess?!"

"No, sister! He saved me from the assassin that is now entombed within the floor."

Celestia gave her a puzzled look, her eyes widening when she spotted the second changeling trapped within the floor.

"Guards! Seize her!"

"With pleasure!"

Discord opened up a small gap in the floor, allowing the royal guard to clap the changeling in irons. The elder princess turned to face Discord, her scowl dissolving into a look of approval.

"Thank thou for keeping her safe, perhaps my father was right about you!"

Later that evening, after all the excitement had died down over the breach in security, a small dinner was held within the royal court. The king and queen spoke in hushed whispers, discussing the earlier events that had transpired. Starswirl gave Discord an affectionate pat on the head, a grin appearing on his face. He leaned forward and whispered to the young changeling,

"Impressive, thou have managed to gain the support of the royal family. And it would seem young Luna has taken quite a liking to thee."

"Yeh... She really is an interesting alicorn.."

"Hah! Now that is an understatement if we ever heard one. Unfortunately thou won't be able to spend much time with her. We have a mission to complete, the king has requested we create a powerful magical weapon to defend the kingdom. We may be gone for quite some time..."

"May I....write to the princess on our travels? I'm sure she would appreciate the sentiment."

"Of course! We see that thy to are smitten with the princess... Just remember Discord, love and changelings don't usually mix. We wouldn't want to break apart thou friendship."

"Yeh whatever..." Discord quickly looked away, his eyes locking onto the gorgeous form of the dark blue alicorn. She turned her head and caught his gaze, a dazzling smile appeared on her face.

"Discord! We are most impressed at thou courage in protecting our youngest daughter. We were certain that thou two would get along perfectly. Perhaps there is hope for the changelings yet."

"T-thank you, your Majesty! I was just doing what comes naturally..."

"Hush! It was a noble deed for one so young."

*Ahem* Starswirl cleared his throat. "It has been an honor to dine with royalty, but alas Discord and I must take our leave. Our trek for the Gems of Emotion will be a harrowing one if my assumptions are correct. "

"Ah a pity, we were hoping thou could stay for just a little while longer... But thy safety of a kingdom is a far higher priority."

Both the unicorn and the changeling bowed low, the king clearly impressed with the etiquette showed by Discord. Both princesses stood off to the side, their faces lit with smiles. Luna ran forward, a small bird perched on her back.

"Discord! This is Nightgale, she will help us communicate while your away! Anytime during the evening would be best!"

"I will be sure to keep in touch milady!"

Before he could properly wave goodbye however, Starswirl teleported out into the cool night air.

"Hey! I was just wanting to say goodbye!"

"Do not argue! It is for thou own good, in time you will see this!"

Once they had made it back to the tower, Starswirl began to pack in a somewhat mad rush. Aurora simply stood and stared as her master ran from room to room, a massive bag of essentials floating in front of him. Several times she tried to get an answer, but to no avail.

"Discord, do thou know what we are preparing for?"

"Oh some mystical gems or something, according to him it will take us roughly five years..."

"What? We are on a mission for the Gems of Emotion? But they are nothing more than myths! Also what does he mean five years?"

Starswirl suddenly stopped, the bags seemingly full too the brim.

"Well that was fast!"

"We are unicorns Aurora, it does lessen the work quite considerably! And to answer thou question, they do exist. For I have seen them with my very eyes. Each gem is found deep within the remnants of the ancient golem city, Zar. A century ago these ponies turned stone, ruled the mines of Equestria. "

"A powerful evil consumed the city almost overnight, the powerful gems had failed in there time of need. The feelings that powered them destroyed by fear and shadow. One by one the defenders fell, the city falling into ruins. Many have sought these powerful relics, but only one was ever close to succeeding... His insanity causing him to dive into the caverns depths, his cries of madness can still be heard within."

"We are to wander those accursed ruins? It is overrun with bats and giant spiders, it is even meant to be home to a leviathan!"

"Perhaps, but it is our duty to protect this wonderful kingdom. With my magical prowess and Discords strange abilities, we should be fine. We assume thou will be sharing this burden?"

"As if we could stay behind and leave thou defenseless again!"

"Let us be on our way! Discord! Prepare thyself for a long journey..."

"I will be at your side every step of the way master!" Discord had been listening to the tale intently, his curiosity beginning to surface. He was to go on a journey to ancient ruins, a task he would later regret...