Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

by Alphadude007

Whispers from the Past

Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms

Chapter 2-Whispers from the Past

-Canterlot Castle courtyard balcony-

Twilight flapped her new wings as she descended onto the balcony from which she had taken off. As soon as her hooves touched the stone path, her friends rushed to greet her. It wasn't two seconds later when all her friends were embracing her in a warm hug.

The group of friends remained in the hug for a few seconds before a cyan pegasus with a rainbow-colored mane spoke up. "You being a princess doesn't change anything, right?"

"This doesn't change anything at all, Rainbow." Twilight responded, still embracing her friends.

"Yeah! Just because Twilight is a princess now doesn't mean we still can't have lots of fun together!" A bubblegum pink pony with a poofy hot pink mane said as the hug broke up. They all looked at Twilight with smiles on their faces.

"Pinkie's right. We're still the best of friends, are we not?" A white unicorn with a curly styled mane said in a sophisticated tone.

"Of course we are, Rarity." An orange pony with a blond mane named Applejack answered in a country accent. "We're sticking to ya like syrup on a pancake, Twilight."

Twilight looked at her friends with a big smile on her face. They had been through thin and thick together, carrying each other through all the trying times and having fun together when there wasn't a catastrophe to avoid.

A timid voice spoke up. "Applejack's right. What ever happens, Twilight, we'll be there for you." Said Fluttershy, a yellow pegasus with a long pink mane and tail.

Twilight's eyes began to tear up at seeing her friends this happy for her. Fluttershy was right. What ever happens, they'd be there for her. "I love you girls." Twilight said, pulling the other five ponies into another hug.

-Canterlot Castle south tower-

From the castle tower, Princess Celestia looked at her student with pride. The sun goddess was so proud of how far Twilight had come in the few years she had been in Ponyville. Save for that one fluke where she had sent the small town into a rampage over a doll she put a hex on, Twilight's studies in the magic of friendship had gone perfectly.

"You have done well, sister." Said Celestia's sister, Luna, with a smile on her face. Celestia beamed at her sister's remark.

"It was Twilight that did most of the work. I merely instructed her." Celestia said, trying to give Twilight the credit.

"Merely instructed? You raised her as if she were your own, taught her what most unicorns would dream of learning, and to top it off, you even molded her into a princess. I'd say the word 'instructing' is an understatement." Luna said, raising an eyebrow, challenging her sister to make a comeback.

Celestia sighed in resignation. "Okay so maybe I had quite a bit of involvement with my student's studies. That doesn't rule out the fact that she has come a long way from the social recluse that she was just a few years ago." She said, turning her attention back to the ceremony below. The ponies were still cheering for their newest princess and Twilight was still enjoying the company of her friends.

Friends. Celestia thought. Being an unaging princess, she had seen many good friends come and go. Starswirl, Clover the Clever, Chancellor Puddinghead… The list went on and on. However, she knew how their friendships would end every time. She'd outlast them. Her smile faded as she remembered friends from centuries past. Ponies of varying shape and character filled her mind as she recounted the days she had with each of them. Celestia gave a heavy sigh as she remembered her now deceased friends.

"Is everything okay, Tia?" Luna asked, putting a hoof on her sister's shoulder.

Celestia's smile returned as quickly as it had vanished. "Yes, everything is fine. Just got lost in thought." She said as she looked at Twilight from the tower. Her thoughts took over again as she thought about the immortality that Twilight had just been given. It was a great gift, but also a terrible curse. Does Twilight know the consequences of what she has just received? Celestia thought. Of course she does. She is the smartest unicorn in Equestria after all. But still… She thought. Oh enough of these thoughts. Let's just celebrate for now. Celestia resolved as her horn lit up.

Luna glanced at her sister, seeing her horn light up. "Where are you going?"

"To go congratulate my student." Celestia said, her horn flashing a bright yellow light, causing Luna to shield her eyes. When Luna looked up, Celestia was gone. She looked down at the ceremony and saw Celestia teleport in front of Twilight and her friends. Luna smiled warmly her sister. She hadn't seen Celestia this happy in a long time.

Luna looked down at the parade and smiled. Like Twilight said, everything is certainly fine. Luna thought.

-Sky above the northern border of the Everfree Forest-

"We should be nearing the mountain range soon! How far into the mountains is this love source?" Chrysalis shouted to Raspian, who was trying desperately hard to keep pace with her. Chrysalis looked ahead to see the large mountains towering over her. The sheer size of the mountains should have been enough to put the changeling queen in a state of awe, but her mind was on her subjects. The two changelings were now speeding over the last of the green treetops of the Everfree Forest as the terrain became hillier and more elevated. As they neared the mountains, both changelings felt a sharp drop in air temperature. Being cold blooded, they knew they couldn't stay in the cold for extended periods of time. However, if it meant that they might freeze to death in the middle of a mountain range to find food for her people, Chrysalis would take that risk.

"Not much farther, your majesty. The scouts said it was just south of the Crystal Empire's borders."

"How close to the Empire's borders did the scouts say?" Chrysalis asked, looking back and raising an eyebrow at Raspian.

"Just ten miles south of the southern-most gate!" The changeling captain shouted over the new mountain wind that began blowing into them.

Just far enough away for us to work without interruption. Perfect. Chrysalis thought as she began flying over small snow-covered hills.

Within minutes, the terrain under the changelings shifted dramatically. In little more than two miles, the land under the changelings had gone from rolling hills to rising mountain slopes.

Chrysalis and Raspian flying upward and forward into the mountains above them. Once they got above the mountains, Chrysalis stopped and began to hover in midair, Raspian following close behind.

"What *pant* do we do *pant* now?" Raspian asked between strained breaths.

Chrysalis looked around the mountainous land around them. The cold mountain wind cut straight through her flesh and into her bones. The wind blew her dark teal mane into her face, making it difficult to see.

"We can't stay up her for very long." She said. "Try to find some shelt-" Chyrsalis began to say, but cut herself off as a certain feeling slammed into her. It was sudden warmth. It wasn't tangible warmth like the heat of the sun, but a feeling of happiness and joy. It was a warmness that one might receive from feeling… love.

"Milady, are you alright?" Raspian asked in a concerned tone.

Chrysalis's head snapped in Raspian's direction. "This way." She said quickly and sternly, turning and diving towards the mountains below. Raspian didn't know what she was doing, but he followed her towards the rocks.

The wind whistled past her face as Chrysalis zipped towards the craggy tops of the mountains. The warmness she felt inside was getting warmer the closer she got to the mountain slopes.

"Can you feel it, Raspian?" Chrysalis called back to the captain.

"Feel wha-" Raspian was about to ask, but shut his mouth at the feeling of a soft warmth that hit him like a brick wall.

Chrysalis heard Raspian's words cut off and looked back at her captain. On the changeling's face was a look of hunger. The same kind of look a dog would have if there were a sizzling T-bone steak sitting in front of it.

"You feel it too! We need to find a landing spot and investigate!" She shouted over the mountain gusts that blew to and fro. The two changelings leveled out over the tops of the mountains and shot over them, scanning for a place to land.

"Agreed! Although I think we should hurry! With these winds and chilled air, we can't stay up here for much longer!" Raspian responded as they both looked down at the ground below while trying to keep balance in the wind. The wind was getting more intense now as it began to sound more like the howl of a windigo instead of just the blowing of a breeze. Raspian clenched his teeth at the sound as the wind tore through his very being, chilling him to the bone. Snow was being blown off the mountains as well, causing the snow to sting his eyes as he flew through it.

Chrysalis's eyes narrowed as she spotted a patch of snow in the middle of the mountains. It was surrounded by hills so the wind wouldn't be a factor and the patch had a cliff on the opposite side from their approach. "Down there! Hurry!" She shouted as she went into a dive towards the snowy opening. Raspian was soon behind her, ready to get out of the howling wind.

Chrysalis landed on the snow, happy her hooves were touching the ground again and not in the middle of a blizzard. Raspian's landing wasn't so graceful, however. A last minute gust sent his descent out of control. He fought to maintain his landing, but to no avail. He braced for impact as he careened past his queen and smashed face-first into a snow bank. Chyrsalis looked to where Raspian had crashed and saw that only his hindquarters were sticking out of the snow. Chrysalis chuckled with amusement at her captain's predicament.

"Tht cudve gn btter." Raspian said with a muffled voice from inside the mound of snow.

Chrysalis smirked at the spectacle. "Come on, Captain. We need to find that love source."

Raspian got up from under the snow and shook it off his body. "Yes, my lady." He said, brushing off some snow that clung to his twisted horn. He looked around him. Everywhere he looked, there were mountains and snow. No love source here. He thought as he trotted up next to his queen. "I don't see any sign of a love source near by. Where could it be?" He asked. He was definitely feeling the warmth that the love source was giving off, but he couldn't tell from where.

"Don't trust your sight, my captain. Remember that you should feel where the love is and not try to find it with your basic senses." Chrysalis said as she closed her eyes, trying to locate the position of the love source. There was a strong wave of love that was coming from directly beneath her. She began walking out of the snowy patch and onto a cliff that jutted out of the mountain. She looked down and saw a cave entrance in the cliff face. Bingo. She thought as she leapt over the cliff.

Raspian ran to the cliff edge and looked over it. He saw his queen's tail disappear into a cave in the cliff wall. He jumped down and maneuvered his way into the cave. The swirling wind outside made a light whistling sound as it blew in front of the cave entrance. Once inside, Raspian took a look around the cave's entrance. Shiny green emeralds crystals covered the walls, giving the cave walls an ethereal green light. He looked ahead to find Chrysalis walking farther into the cave. She seemed to be in a trance, following the direction of the love source.

"My lady?" Raspian called to his queen, his voice reverberating off the walls.

"I am fine, Raspian. I can feel the love nearby. It's so close." Chrysalis said, turning her head back to him but kept her eyes closed.

Raspian closed his eyes and focused on his internal compass. Yes, there was a love source in the cave. He could feel the soft warmness coming from in front of him. That meant that whatever the love was coming from, it was close and straight ahead of them.

They continued down the cave, their perforated hooves clicking and clacking on the cave floor. Raspian looked around to see that the emeralds were behind them and now they were walking on solid cave rock. The light from the emeralds still remained as something caught his eye. What he saw looked like scratches in the cave wall, but upon further inspection, he found that they were something else.

"Your majesty, come look at this." Raspian said. Chrysalis turned to see him looking at the wall. What she saw surprised her. Runes and markings covered the wall, but they weren't any markings she'd seen before. Her eyes travelled down the various markings to find one specific type of rune. Her eyes widened.

"I can't believe it." Chrysalis said in a shocked whisper. Raspian lowered his head next to hers.
"Is that ancient changeling text?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It is." Chrysalis said in awe. Raspian's jaw dropped. "Writing like this hasn't been seen in a thousand years."

"Can you read it?" Raspian asked, looking to his queen.

Chrysalis didn't turn her head to face Raspian as she spoke. "Study of the ancient language is one of my specialties, captain. Of course I can translate it." She said, focusing on the words.

After a few seconds, she read,

"In this cave, an ancient evil lies within,

When released, the long night shall begin.

Through it, all races shall bind,

As the fates of all become intertwined.

The Six will become Eight,

And end the Guardians' wait.

Raspian tilted his head at the mysterious runes. "What does it mean?"

Chrysalis shook her head. "Whatever it is talking about must have happened a thousand years ago when it was written. Come on, we need to find that love source." She said, trotting farther down into the cave. Raspian gave the text one last look before following his queen.

The cave was now becoming darker as they ventured deeper into the cave, the emeralds' light fading behind them.
"I can feel it. It's so close." Chrysalis said, breaking into a gallop towards the love source's location. Raspian raced behind her as she sped into the depths of the cave.

Desperation, hunger, and survival were all that went through Chrysalis's mind as she felt the love source growing stronger. The once soft warmness within her chest now felt like a raging inferno. Her eyes scanned the cave, trying to see where the love source was coming from. Within seconds, her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the cave as she slowed down. She looked around her to see that she was in a massive cavern. Stalactites and stalagmites covered the cave's floor and ceiling. Water dripped from the jagged rocks and dropped onto the cave floor producing a small plink sound. However, there was one corner of the cavern where light didn't shine on it. Only a shadow sat in the corner. Raspian caught up to Chrysalis and gazed in awe at the cavern before him.

"We could use this as a substitute cave if ours back home runs out of room." He said. Chrysalis looked at him and actually considered the idea. However, there were more important things to do. She jumped from the edge she was on and opened her wings. She glided down onto the cavern floor as the love source's presence got stronger. Raspian was soon by her side.

It was so close. Chrysalis walked toward the back corner of the cavern where the shadow was and took a closer look at it. It looked like the silhouette of a pony sitting down, but something about it seemed off. The love source was coming from it, but she couldn't really see what it was.

Chrysalis was about to signal Raspian to investigate it, but the shadow spoke up in a low growl. "Welcome to my dwelling place, Queen Chrysalis of the Changeling Hive."

Comments

[randomreader11]

Ominous prophecy checklist:
Written in an inhospitable environment, check.
Written in an ancient language, check
Additions to a group that operates with a certain number of members ( Elements of Harmony), check.
Mention of unknown person or persons that may or may not be allies, check.
The possible return of Nightmare Moon or something disturbingly similar.
You, sir, are currently walking the fine line between a cliched storyor a classical one. I hope you end up on the classical side.