The Young Warrior: Pharynx's Journey

by Melody Song

All Luck Must Wear Off

“I knew this invasion was a horrible idea.”

Pharynx heard his former mentor mutter as she fired another crossbow arrow at an attacking guard.

“I know a worse one.” Pharynx remarked, somersaulting in midair to buck a guard out of his way. Once he made sure Fortuna was looking at him, he pointed a little ways above them.

Thorax was hovering in the air nervously, eyes roaming the battlefield, showing nothing but pure terror. Fortuna sighed and punched a guard out of her way, flying to Pharynx. The male changeling was fifteen now, and nearly matched her in height, evidenced by the way she no longer had to look down at him to look him in the eye.

“We shouldn’t have let Athrex bring him.” Pharynx muttered. “For Thorax’s own good.”

“I know.” Fortuna replied, dodging a fired spell. “But we can’t do much about it now, except protect him. Remember this, Pharynx-”

“Is now the best time for a lesson?” Pharynx asked, and she smirked.

“You know me Phary, I can turn anything into a lesson.” she chuckled. “The lesson is short though, it’s only four words.”

“What then?” Pharynx asked, giving a lunging pegasus an uppercut that sent him reeling backwards.

“Always protect your brother.” Fortuna replied, kicking a guard away. “Not just him. A good warrior always defends those that can’t defend themselves. From the tiniest nymph to the oldest elder. Protect them without fail, and cherish the bonds you form with those who you care for.”

“I will Fortuna, I promise.” Pharynx swore, giving her a slight smile, right as they heard a familiar shriek.

“Speaking of protecting-Thorax!” Fortuna shot off, and Pharynx didn’t need to look far to see why.

Thorax had been surrounded by five guards, who were all armed. Worse, Athrex was nearby, only fighting one guard, and yet he did nothing. It made Pharynx feel a boiling cauldron of rage deep in his chest. He wanted to rush over and slam the guard away from Athrex to finish the job himself. But he had just made a promise to Fortuna that he needed to fulfill.

Pharynx raced forward and barreled towards the guards, snarling at them and firing his crossbow. He managed to drive two off, and Fortuna tackled a third. Thorax peeked out behind him.

“Thanks Pharynx…” Thorax whispered

“Eyes on your surroundings, Thorax, not me.” Pharynx ordered. “If you’re going to be here you’ll work best as a scout.”

“That’s what I told Athrex, but he insisted I-ahhh!”

Thorax broke off with a shriek as a magic blast hit him in the side and forced him away from Pharynx. Pharynx spun around and fired an arrow at the unicorn who had cast the spell, then turned around, looking for his brother. His eyes widened.

Thorax was struggling, pinned against the side of a building by a pegasus guard. Pharynx shot towards him, but a golden blur flashed by him before he could get there.

“Fortuna, no-!” Pharynx tried to call for her, but Fortuna was already there.

The General knocked the guard away, biting into his shoulder underneath his armor to drag him away. He howled in pain and struggled to free himself, but she held on tight. Thorax dropped from the wall, but Pharynx made it in time to catch him so he wouldn’t fall to the ground. He held his brother, supporting the smaller changeling as he tried to force his now bent wings to work. Pharynx’s eyes widened in terror as he realized all he could do now was watch his mentor.

The Royal Guard grabbed Fortuna by the shoulder and tossed her at the side of a building. Fortuna hit it headfirst, but managed to recover, growling threateningly at the stallion. The guard lunged again and slammed her into the building again, pinning her there. Then, before Pharynx could even register what was happening, Fortuna’s wings stopped buzzing, and she fell limp. Pharynx snarled and grabbed Thorax’s hoof, preparing to drag his brother over to save his mentor.

But just as he prepared to leap at the guard, something hit him in the side. A huge pink shield that burned like the sun had collided with him, and seemingly every other changeling, as the Royal Guards were unfazed. Pharynx howled in pain and heard Thorax screaming as well, his hooves flailing for his brother. Pharynx felt himself being thrown out of the city, instinctively grabbing Thorax and pulling him into his hooves, holding him protectively. The light was blinding, but Pharynx still raised his head, frantically searching for a glimpse of the golden mane, a shimmer of silver wings…

The last thing Pharynx saw before he was flung out of reach was his mentor’s body being forcefully tossed towards a forest in the distance. He reached a hoof out for her helplessly, hearing a scream that he only later registered to be his own. Thorax’s weight dragged him down, and he screwed his eyes shut, bracing for impact and holding his brother tightly.

The brothers landed hard on the ground not long after they left the city's limits. By the time they had recovered from their daze and sat up, they were scraped up and covered in dirt. But Pharynx didn’t care, and spat out his own blood before scrambling up from the dent they had made in the earth. He took off running, heading back towards the mountain city in the distance, determined to track Fortuna down. He could hear his brother getting up behind him, but paid no attention.

“Pharynx, wait!”

“I have to find her!”

“Pharynx, please! I-It’s too late-!”

“No it’s not!” Pharynx yelled, glaring at his brother, who was limping towards him. He continued running, not caring at the moment if his brother followed or not. “Fortuna! Fortuna!!”

---------------------------------------

Pharynx moved through the Hive, hooves instinctively guiding him to his room. He could scarcely believe that just a few days ago, Fortuna had been there, with all her wisdom, guidance, and power, and now…

Now she was gone. They never found her body, and were forced to merely put up a marker in the place where they would have buried her. Within main room of the Veteran’s Hall, with all the other great warriors long past, the single wooden post stood. Pharynx gritted his teeth, adjusting the strap of the saddlebags he wore. They were Fortuna’s.

Fortuna had apparently left most of her things to Pharynx, and among those things was her title as Head General. Pharynx had just had his naming ceremony. But this time, he had been numb through it all. No pride leapt into his chest as Chrysalis dubbed him the new General, not like it had when Fortuna had made him deputy. Though his brother offered him his congratulations, Pharynx knew it was also laced with sadness. Fortuna had been well known and though sometimes her ideals were not shared by others, the Hive respected her, and many of Pharynx’s fellow warriors had loved her company.

Pharynx entered his room, dropping the saddlebags, causing a few things to spill. One was a hoofband with the lesbian flag colors, another was a dagger with a deep blue hilt, and the last was a photo of Fortuna and himself. Pharynx gritted his teeth at the sight of the things, and put them back in the saddlebags.

“Pharynx?” Thorax caught his attention from where he was sitting in their nest. “D-Did you get everything?”

“Yes…” Pharynx walked over and flopped down into the nest, closing his eyes despite not being tired. He felt Thorax laying down beside him. “Everything I could.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, some of it is being put in the Veteran's Hall, that's probably the stuff she left to you... but... Fortuna left me her name, Thorax.” Pharynx admitted, tasting his brother’s surprise.

“H-Her name?”

“Yes… I don’t know what to do with it, but… I’m going to cherish it.” Pharynx told him.

“I-I’m really sorry Pharynx, if I hadn’t… she wouldn’t be…”

“It’s not your fault Thorax.” Pharynx opened his eyes and looked up at his brother. That's right, he didn’t blame him. Thorax hadn’t chosen to be attacked, and Fortuna had always taught him that some things can’t have assigned blame. She wouldn’t want him to be mad at his brother, he knew that. “You didn’t ask to join the invasion.”

“I guess…” Thorax whimpered softly, giving him a sad smile. “Remember when Fortuna brought me with you to training that one time, and I hid underneath her while you practiced with your dagger?”

Pharynx chuckled dryly. “Yeah, I remember. You were convinced it was going to end up in your head.”

Thorax blushed. “What about when she took you on patrol for the first time? You seemed so happy when you got back.”

“True… or when she taught me how to play chess…” Pharynx trailed off, closing his eyes again.

“I miss her too, Phar.” Thorax whispered, pressing against him.

“I know.”

With that, the room was silent. Pharynx did his best to fall asleep, but couldn't help shifting uncomfortably. Things just weren't the same anymore. Thorax suddenly pressed close against the older changeling, wrapping a hoof around his brother. Pharynx stopped moving, pressed against Thorax, and took deep breaths to calm himself.

Slowly, the fifteen year old, brand new Head General of the Hive, fell asleep.