No. No! It is impossible. No changeling is capable to separating themselves from the Hive, it simply does not happen. And yet... so much has happened that is simply unprecedented. Even the concept of resistance is... was unheard of. We had passed miles of terrain before Nohbodi could break this trance of thought. "Hey! You OK?"
"Yes."
"Doesn't look like it. What's up?"
Some human phrases are still odd. I understood his meaning of course. "I... am unsure of our next course of action beyond locating the Hive. The very concept of what we are attempting is unknown. I... fear... for the future." Changelings had only recently aquired emotions as most other species know them. For all our intelligence and cunning, instinct plays a large part. Perhaps it was too large a part, for it afflicts me in such a manner when confronted with ideas that are barely comprehensible. "What will become of changelings if the Hive is no longer compatible with our well-being?"
"Memory, I guess. You're not living because of it. You'll just live like everyone else... er, sorry, that probably sounded wrong. But you get the idea. This hive isn't everything. I mean, it could've made the first changeling, but with or without it you'll still be, well, you."
He did have a point. I pondered this concept as we traveled. Eventually, a new consideration appeared. There was nothing here. Even the insects grew less frequent as we went onward. There was the implication of the unnatural as we neared our goal.
"Hey! Nohbodi!" We turned in tandem to view this arrival. It was Sky Sprinkle. We had both recognized the utterance as a familiar tone, though the vast majority of communication had been in the form of letters for several years.
Sky Sprinkle had grown into a most impressive mare. She was surprisingly muscled, and there was no noticable strain on her frame for the heavy-looking saddlebags she carried. After her receiving the station as the personal student of princess Celestia, she had refined her kinetic abilities beyond even that of Twilight Sparkle, though her abilities in 'general' magic were not a match for any personal student of the past. While the vast majority of her students had studied magic as their sole vocation, Sky Sprinkle had taken an interest in the military route. From what I had heard, she had little interest in the school for gifted unicorns, and the episode with Nohbodi had become a blessing. She was effectively a member of the military at this point, with a penchant for striking through any defences. Rumor had it that she could discuss tactical matters with her elders as an equal already. Despite that, she maintained what may be considered a 'civilian attitude' in public, being equally comfortable in several social circles of Canterlot.
"What's up? Haven't seen you in a long time Sky." Nohbodi extended a hand to shake her hoof, which was accepted.
"Celestia sent me. Twilight was more than a little freaked out over that scene at the tracks earlier."
"Didn't want to do that you know. Didn't plan on it either. Just kind of happened."
"Of course. Heard about you two looking for the old home. What's been going on between the letters?"
I resumed my pacing as they conversed. Nohbodi and Sky Sprinkle regaled each other with memories as I slipped into the pseudo-consciousness of deep thought combined with muscle memory. Shortly the plant life was all that remained, growing mildly more dense, yet a shadow concealed the end of the forest. Despite this being nearly the border of our ancestral homeland, I had no true knowledge of it. Some subconscious decree of the Hive declared that this was stricken from our collective minds. This 'Undiscovered West', did it have a mind? Was it conscious of itself? Did this genus loci of changelings require solitude? For the first time in... known... changeling history the Hive was less important.
It was changelings that mattered. I would have my answer. We all would.
I refocused to the physical world as we grew near the border. It was no mere shadow of a dense forest. It was a literal wall. A collection of creeping vines, thick as the trunk of an ancient oak each, woven into each other. I stopped only a few yards from the obstruction. Nohbodi and Sky Sprinkle stopped just before bumping into me. Each took their turn staring in awe at the towering border, matching any mountain in height, and surpassing in impassability. It extended as far as vision allowed, presumably to the shores. I turned to my comrade and lover. "Few maps exist detailing even the outline of this land. From what I had gathered, the mountains surround it on all sides but this. It must have been impossible for any to breach it without flight. I wonder how no pegasus had cleared such an obstacle to map the area." we collectively approached the tangled barrier. I searched it for magical signatures. The result was far less of a surprise than the wall itself. "Changeling magic in a solidified state. It has a near-overwhelming aura, the density of it is so great." I focused a thin beam at it, attempting to create a rift between two of the vines. It appeared to absorb my efforts. It was unusual, yet it was not a surprise, considering the circumstance. "It is, for all intents and purposed, changeling magic in a living form. There is a foreboding about it. Were I a drone I would not dare even approach it. It... speaks to me, in a manner similar to our pheremones. It sends the implication of danger, that we should not be here. That would dissuade any lesser changeling easily; reaching into the primal like that. Yet it would not stop a pony. One must have found it at some point in time. Why did none cross it, if flight would surpass it?"
Sky Sprinkle approached and laid a hoof to the material. She immediately withdrew the appendage and stepped back. "It... It drains magic. Not just changeling, pony too." We all ruminated on the subject when she reached a conclusion. "Of course! Pegasi and earth ponies also have their internal magic. Even at this distance it has a draining effect. A pegasus wouldn't be able to fly all the way up, or... Or would fall to their death if the inside does the same." The three of us retreated to the initial distance of a few yards, though only Sky Sprinkle was weakened by mere proximity. Nohbodi hesitated but little before returning to adjacent.
"And if they don't have magic?"
"Don't know. Everything has magic here in some way." Sky opined.
Nohbodi smiled. "Except for me." He reached out and touched the construction. It was imperceptible to the common senses, but I realized that a small portion, extended perhaps two or three feet from the point of contact in either direction, lost this quality. He attempted to move a vine, followed by simply punching it, but to no avail. It was simply too thick to break through, and absorbed any form of magic we knew of.
We were stuck. It could not end like this, not when we were so near the goal. I looked at my companions in turn. "We cannot surrender. Any ideas that may aid this endeavor?" We paused for consideration. Nohbodi kept his hand against the plant matter. The gap of magical interruption increased slightly to approximately a yard per side, but ceased to increase after that.
Minutes passed. That sense were little time seemed so much more pervaded the air.
"Got it! Nohbodi, keep your hand there." Sky opened one of her saddlebags. "Stay very still, ok?"
"Ok Sky." Nohbodi calmly retained his position.
"Oh yeah. I'm supposed to bring you in for questioning. It'll be less trouble this way though. Kind of like when I first awakened to my skill really." Her magic gripped a series of metal poles connected to one another. She produced six such items, and began to field-assemble them. Six javelins with broad blades. "Like I said, hold very still." she raised three of them in a semi-circular pattern.
I heard a booming sound, the speed barrier shattering, at the same moment I heard myself scream "No!". Time seemed to stop as I watched the projectiles fly at a speed no one here was capable of countering. Twilight Sparkle had spoken the truth when she said that she would not send an army after us.
She had sent an assassin.