The Evergreen Burns

Screams of panic were all that could be heard on that day. The day the changelings attacked The village of Evergreen Helm.

"Hello sir," Spark said, greeting his captain Gen. Childhood friends, Gen and Spark always dreamed of being royal guards for the princesses. When they were both declined entry to the royal guards they came to the village of Evergreen Helm to be guards for the small town. Gen, being older and stronger than Spark eventually became the captain of the town defence unit.

"Hello Spark, How is today looking?" Gen said, greeting his long time friend.
"Fairly good sir, I haven't had any troubles with the townsponies. The sky is darker than usual today though."

"I'm sure it's nothing we need to worry about. Probably just the pegasi scheduling some rain." Gen looked up at the sky, He agreed it was unusually dark. He'd just told Spark that so he wouldn't worry.

"Oh well," Spark said walking away. On his patrols, Spark passed by the local mage Soulstring's house. A violet colored unicorn, she was considered one of the best at magic. Spark admired her from afar, barely ever talking to her. He knew that her and Gen Were very close and there were rumors going around that she and him were seeing eachother. Then there was Callie and Fang. They were the ponies in charge of the village and it's people.

"Hey Sparky!" called callie. Sparky was a nickname she had given him the day he came to the village. He didn't mind it but he didn't like her using it too often around other ponies. Fang was the head mistress of the village, although she was away on a buisness trip to Baltimare on that day.

"Morning Callie, the sky seems a bit dark today don't you think?"

"Well now that you mention it-" She stopped talking, Immediately the two ponies looked up into the sky. Callie screamed when she saw what was happening. Changelings, creatures that could take forms of other ponies, were flying down in the hundreds onto the city. Spark pulled out his bow, drew an arrow and fired. 2 seconds later a changeling fell out of the sky, others following it.

"Get inside!" Spark screamed at Callie. The mare was frozen in shock at what was happening but she snapped back to reality.

"What are we going to do?!"

"I told you to get inside! The guards will handle it!" He screamed at her. The mare anger and fear in his eyes.

"But our houses won't protect us from them!"

"Then get in the catacombs! And hurry!" The mare quickly ran to the secret entrance door. As she was walking in she felt a tug on her arm, she looked back and realized she was being pulled out by a changeling. She started to scream but it put it's claw over her mouth. Gen saw what was happening and ran over. cutting down the changeling and ushering her inside the tomb. He closed the door and found Spark, who was getting more civilians to go to the catacombs.

"What the hell is going on?!" Gen yelled to Spark. Spark, seeing Gen there, got calmed down for a second before another changeling was on him. A quick stab through the chest with his sword made it howl with pain and drp dead.

"Changelings! They're everywhere!" Spark yelled as he ran towards Gen.

"I'll get the civilians into the caves! You stay here and defend the city!" Said Gen as he was making his way back towards the catacombs. There was a sudden explosion, Spark turned to see where it came from when he saw Soulstring's alchemy tower burning. Spark quickly flew up to the tower and saw Soulstring in the top room on the floor crying.

"Soulstring!" The unicorn looked up and saw Spark at her window. She opened it and Spark carried her down.

"What's happening? Why are the changelings attacking us?"

"We don't know! Come on, let's get you into the caves beneath the city." Spark and Soulstring dashed for the catacomb entrance. When they got there,the door was already closed and locked from the inside.

"Oh no. How could this happen!" Spark said as he banged on the door. It was clear that no one inside was going to open it.

"That house! Over there!" Soulstring grabbed Spark's hand and led him to the nearest house. She opened the door and was greeted with a downward stroke from a sword. Spark hastily stepped in and blocked it with his own and then pushed on the attacker, sending him flying across the room. Spark looked up again to see that it was private Cain of the guard unit, his wife and foal beside him.

"Cain what do you think you're doing you coward! The city is at ruin and it is about to fall!" Spark exclaimed with fury in his eyes. Spark and Soulstring quickly went into the house and shut the door. The two stallions proceeded to board it up.

"I- I'm sorry Spark... My family and I didn't get to the caves in time. I needed to protect them. Cain pleaded. Spark turned to him, a look of seriousness on his face.

"When you were picked to be in the defence squadron you made a comittment to the city. I understand that your family comes first but there are countless dead corpses on the streets right now. You could have prevented that. But it's too late now. The city is nearly lost."

Hours passed, the group was still inside the house when Soulstring finally spoke up.

"Spark, I know what you pegasi do. With that ranbow factory of yours, You pegasi are so judgemental that you kill any ponies who can't pass their flight test and turn them into rainbows. You make me sick." Soulstrings said to Spark who seemed shocked at this sudden outburst.

"What you don't know strings, Is that some of us are against that. And we always have been. Some of us believe that people make mistakes, and they do deserve a second chance. But other times, they don't. What I am trying to say here is that I am against the rainbow factory and against the murder of innocent ponies. But I am not going to go join that stupid resistance against it. It's a lost cause anyway, Celestia approved it.