//------------------------------//
// The living inferno Part II 
// Story: Spiders and Magic: The Harmony Avengers 
// by andrew7 
//------------------------------//

Meanwhile outside of the hive, despite Twilights, Lunas and Sunsets combined effort by blocking the volcano with those stalagmites and stopping more lave to burst its way on the surface, including Rainbow Dash and Spitfire cooling the atmosphere down a little bit by creating that twister of theirs, the situation unfortunately didn’t improve very well.

Chrysalis along with her Changeling subjects were also not doing any better either, being literally on the brink of their strengths with their protective magic barrier around their hive steadily weakening and losing its effect, threatening to fade away every minute, while the blocked lava was in the contrary gaining on strength, forming into a one large wave, ready to lash out.

“It doesn’t look good.” Sunset murmured nervously as she watched the pink glowing shield cautiously. “The barrier is already starting to fade away.”

“It has been nearly half an hour since Peter and the others went inside.” Twilight said meekly, her voice filled with concern while trotting nervously on the solid ground. “What is taking them so long?”

“Lets hope that Chrysalis and Changelings can last a little bit longer, to buy our friends a little more time..” Luna murmured in a slight tension.

“Look! There they are.” Sunset called out as she spotted and pointing her hoof at Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie, Felicia and Spike galloping their way out of the hive, bearing a webbing bags with Chrysalis eggs each on her/his back. However, what was strange and rather very worrying though was that Peter and Logan were missing. Something was seriously wrong.

“Guys! Guys!” Twilight immediately rushed to her friends side, with Luna and Sunset following, yet her deep amethyst eyes were filled with concern, as well as dark thoughts started spreading across her mind. “What is wrong? Where are Peter and Logan?”

“They had to stay behind a little bit.” Spike explained while finally putting his webbing back down, sighing and stretching his back.

“What do you say?!” Both Twilight and Luna nearly shrieked of fright, their heartbeats steadily gaining on strength, evident by both princess never cease growing concern slowly turning into worries.

“There were some of the Changelings left behind, so Peter along with Logan went after them.” Rarity explained though in an uneasy like manner, also worried for their friends wellbeings.

“Argh! That reckless idiot….He has done it again.” Though shocked by the testimony for a while, a small frown formed on Twilight face with a slight frustration growing inside her. But strangely, her anger soon lessened as she could do nothing but also being proud for and respecting her husbands decision and his natural willingness to help the others in need.

“Avengers!” Chrysalis suddenly and nearly jelled out, calling upon her friends with a somewhat strained voice and her breathing sounding ragged, resembling a broken glass brushing over rough surface.

“Chrysalis!” Luna called back to Changeling queen, yet already recognizing from the mares rather strained voice that the situation was getting bad. “How are you doing?”

“I am afraid that we cannot hold the barrier any longer!” Chrysalis proceed thought her gritted teeth, as the fatigue was slowly taking its effect and strain of pain coursed through mares cranium, yet still doing her best to focus her magic nonetheless. “My children are already exhausted by keeping it for such a long time. You have to leave right now!”

“No…” Twilight exhaled meekly with a combination of worry and concern, yet just like against her mind, young princess proceeded galloping towards the hives entrance. “Peter!”

“Twilight!” Both Pinkie and Fluttershy yelled out simultaneously, instinctively running after along with Rarity, Spike and Applejack, grabbing and stopping her friend in her tracks.

“Are you out of your mind, darling?” Rarity yelled out while holding Twilight by her cape.

“You cannot go back there, sugar cube!” Applejack added, her emerald green eyes gleaming with concern.

“Let go of me!” Twilight shrieked in a both frustration and growing despair, struggling to break free from her friends grasp. “Peter and Logan are still in there!”

“Sparkle!” Felicia though surprisingly step in, sharply spun Twilight around, making young alicorn to face the cat burglar, though speaking with a both firm yet also soft like manner. “Peter is a big matured boy. Tough one included. And I know what I am saying. He has long ago learned how to take care of and rely on himself. Don’t you think that a little trust in your stallion wouldn’t hurt?”

Felicias statement totally left Twilight nothing but speechless, yet considering snow white maned mares firm yet honest words as strangely a spark of hope ignited inside her chest, as well as a slight hint of relieve associated with it.

“She is right, Twilight.” Now Luna intervened, placing her hoof over Twilight shoulder. “Peter is Spider-Mane, a Knight of Equestria. He has been through and accomplishing so much in his life, Equestria included than any other pony of his age could only possibly to dream off, because we had never stopped trusting in him.” A small yet genuine smile formed on Princess of the Moons face. “He will be just fine. We just have to believe in him.”

“Yeah. And besides….Logan wont let anything happen to him.” Pinkie Pie added positively.

“Hope so.” Fluttershy meekly stated, ye her voice sounding more like a whisper.

“Right….” Twilight stated decisively, yet feeling that some weight was plaguing both on her shoulders and heart was lifted, feeling much better and relieved, yet though a small deep yet rightful concern for her beloved husbands life remained nonetheless. Nothing would ever change that as well it would be always in there.

“The barrier is fading away! Everypony out!” Chrysalis suddenly yelled on top of her lungs, alerting everypony on the ground as the magic barrier that she along with her loyal Changelings were generating and holding for so long in order to protect their hive, being the last line of their defence lost its effects and fading away completely.

In the moment, like everything would just come into temporary halt and time freezing for a while. All the accumulated blazing molten magma that was held for so long by the magic barrier, now free to go, eventually burst forward, rushing its way like a wild tide with a great speed and unspeakable and nearly unmatched force of the nature, burning everything that comes into its way, heading right to the Changelings hive.

Twilight, Luna, Sunset, Elements of Harmony, Felicia and Spike were just dully staring as the molten lava like wave uninterruptedly raced its way towards them, finding themselves like frozen solid, unable to move totally out of bewilderment. Yet eventually being able to recuperate her senses first and reacting quickly, Twilight generated her magic through her horn and in the instance she along with everypony disappeared in a flash of light, just at time before the magma wave passed through and finally hitting Changelings hive in the fullest of its natural force, its molten rock pieces splashing and spreading all over by the impact, as its tremendous heat started literally consuming and burning the rock like construction, as some of the magma got its way right inside through the main entrance as well as several other holes in the hive.

“By Celestia….” Both Rainbow Dash and Spitfire exhaled with both their combined voices literally strained, with nearly every breath leaving their lungs and blood freezing in their veins by what had just transpired.

Twilight along with Luna, Sunset, Spike, Elements of Harmony and Felicia, along with every Chrysalis eggs being safely wrapped inside Spider-Manes webbing bags reappeared in a safety of the distant, high cliff as Chrysalis and all of her Changelings joined their friends side and they all witnessed with a horror and could only helplessly stare as one of the greatest natural force was literally consuming the hive.

“Peter…Logan…” A meek voice merged from Twilight, filled with worries and though sounding more like a hardly hearable whisper, begging stars for her husband and gruff friend being alright and returning back safe and sound. “Hang in there, please.”



“That way.” Wolverine instructed as he continued in his galloping pursuit through a deep tunnel, with Spider-Mane crawling upside down on the ceiling along, sniffing the air and led by his trusty nose to the rescue of whoever yet didn’t make it out from the hive.

The familiar insectoid and pony mixed like scent as well as childish squeaking and whimpering was getting stronger as the heroes dug deeper, when they finally saw small light at the end of the tunnel.

“Hey look Wolvie! The light at the end of the tunnel!” Peter exclaimed somehow excited. “I wonder what might be on the other side.”

“Quite weird, bub.” Wolverine deadpanned. “Flashback really does add ten pounds.”

Though wondering blankly what Logans blunt and rather offhand remark was, yet not intenting to figure it out now, Spider-Mane and Wolverine finally reached the end of the tunnel, finding themselves within yet another round chamber which appeared to be a bedroom, having dug lots of specific holes suited for sleeping. However, the room though had no ceiling, with spiralling stairs on the wall leading right up to the higher floor of the hive.

Yet Peter and Logan both perked their ears and finally managing to locate the source of the of the child like squeaking, coming from one the passages that though was blocked by the rocks and debris, arguably caused by the yet another series of quakes occurring before.

“They are over there alright.” Wolverine extended his hoof, pointing on and watching the buried passage thoughtfully. “Hurm. Where is th' bulldozer when ya need one?”

“Leave it to me, bub.” Spidey though nonchalantly replied in a slight boasting like manner, standing on his hinder hooves, cracking his knuckles before firing strands of webbing from both of his hooves as a sticky substance spread and stuck on the rock like barricade. Peter then pulled and tightened his webbing and with a considerable amount of his spider strength, the knight managed to break and pull the rock like made barricade off by tossing the boulders and debris around.

“See? What do you need some heavy tech for when you get a proportionate strength of spider, steel rope like strong webbings and brain instead?” Spidey stated cocky and smugly placing his hooves on his hips, being obviously more than happy about ever creating his webbing formula.

“Hurm. One nice day, those webs are gonna eventually git inta that webhead of yours.” Wolverine sarcastically grumbled, with a faint hint of jealousy in his voice, yet deep down the grumpy mutant couldn’t help but being once again impressed with kids ingenious effort.

“Well, well. What do we got here?” Spidey trailed off in an amazed yet also in a somewhat innocent like manner as he peaked inside now free tunnel and his yes under his lenses widened what he just saw in there. Wolverine, wondering what stunned Parkers so much, joined kids side and then he knew.

There were two little Changelings like foals, one being obviously a boy, while the second one was a girl, crouching in the corner of the small passage, hanging on each other and trembling out of fear.

“Hey there, little guys.” Peter spoke off with a very soft and soothing like voice on the baby Changelings and extending his hoof. “You can come out now. We have come to recue you.” However, a terrified squeak escaped from insectoid foals throats and pressing themselves more against the edge.

“Ain't be afraid.” Wolverine also spoke in a more softer and tranquil like tone, aside from his trademark gruff and raspy voice. Despite his tough and rough like attitude, the X-Men just couldn’t bring himself to resist or ignore the natural child like cuteness the Changeling kids bore. He alone didn’t know why, but it would appear that a gruff stallion had always had a hidden soft spot for younglings, especially teenage girls, like Rogue, Jubilee and Kitty Pryde for instance.

“Just look.” With their time drastically growing short, yet getting an idea, Peter pulled his mask off, revealing his face, chocolate brown messy mane and deep brown eyes full of sensitiveness. Both foals artic blue eyes slightly widened and their fear also started slowly declining by seeing masked stallions face exposed, being actually nothing but a mere normal pony. “That is right. I am just a normal pony, like everypony else is. And my pal here also.” Peter softly stated yet glancing upon Wolverine, prompting the gruff stallion to do the same.

Logan merely nodded his head, out of instincts knowing it would be the best, the X-Men slid his mask off his face, revealing his trademark animal like hairstyle and hirsute like façade. Right then and seemingly already surpassing their insecurity and gaining confidence, the Changeling foals made it into their hooves and carefully yet with certainty walking towards two unmasked stallions.

“Are you two okay?” Peter asked while taking a sit and offering both of his hooves to the foals and much for his surprise, both Changeling younglings, like they would instinctively and due to their natural ability like all members of their kind sensing love literally snuggled to Peter, nuzzling their heads affectionately against stallions solid chest like two puppies, releasing a joyous happy squeaks.

“Alright. I get it. You are welcome.” Peter chuckled with a wide smile on his face as he returned his own affection to the foals. “Kids. If you wanted to play hide and seek, I think you have a little overdone yourselves.”

“Hurm, Parker.” Logan though grunted somehow impatiently. “I really hate ta bust yours and squirts ….Eghm…Little moment, but…. We still gotta git out from here!”

“Oh! Right.” Peter stated decisively, shifting into his own more assertive side, but unfortunately and like out of his Parker Luck, his Spider Sense within the back of his cranium started literally blurring out of control on its fullest. “Uh oh!” Young stallion grumbled sarcastically and clutching at his cranium. “And just when the things started going so easy for us.”

“Whut?” Wolverine dully asked, though also being very well familiar with that unfortunate reaction on Parkers face when something unfortunate was about to happen, yet in the instance, the ground as well as the entire interior started shaking in its very foundation.

“That.” Peter blankly trailed off and pointing his hoof over the tunnel they came through and the eyes of both stallions shot open in a near terror as a molten lava was violently rushing its way through the tunnel accompanied with lasting tremors right to Peters, Logans and Changeling kids direction.

“Oh crud/crap!” Logan and Peter both cursed under their breaths simultaneously with an odd mixture of dullness and frustration while both foals squeaked out of fright, finding themselves staring at the burning and superhot wave of molten rocks and solids rushing uncontrollably towards them, threatening to consume and burn them to dust.

But luckily regaining their senses and reacting quickly and out of instincts, Peter and Logan grabbed the Changelings kids each, leaping out of the way just in time before the magma soon burst its way into the room, flooding it. Peter, with a colt Changeling foal landed on a wall, adhering himself on it with his hooves, while Logan also landed, yet unleashing his adamantium claws from his left hoof and stabbing them right into a wall, using them as an ice axe to hold himself while holding a second foal with his free hoof.

“This is unexpected!” Logan blurted out while watching more magma getting inside the room and slowly rising and burning the sculpture, yet forcing a Changeling infant to climb on his back, while releasing the claws of his another hoof and stabbing it into the wall.

“Chris and the Changelings must have lost control over their protective barrier! Therefore, the magma must have burst its way inside the hive!” Peter deducted their situation thoughtfully, while also forcing his Changeling filly on his back. “What more can possibly go wrong?” He muttered sarcastically, yet soon finding himself to repentant over his poor choice of words.

His Spider Sense once again started blurring as yet another series of quakes rattled throughout the entire room, prompting both stallions stuck on the wall to hold themselves fest. “Ya just had ta ask. Didn’t ya?” Wolverine snarled and denying Parker a venomous scowl for once again not keeping his blubber mouth shut, while the foals were holding themselves around their saviours necks.

However and furthermore, the magma underneath was storming by tremors, as the ceiling above them started cracking and causing several boulders felt down, bouncing from the rounded walls of the room, cracking it yet luckily missing both stallions calved in heroic attires and falling right into the hot lava, making quite a large series of splashes by the force of the impact.

Reacting quickly to his Spider Sense, Spider-Mane swiftly leaped from the wall right to Wolverines location and grabbing the X-Men over his torso. “Going up!” Peter playfully yet cautiously jerked out as he fired a strand of webbing from his free hoof to the damaged ceiling and springing himself along with his gruff partner and Changeling pipsqueaks up before the magma could splash them as both heroes safely made it on the second floor of the edge. Yet surprisingly, two Changelings burst into a happy like giggle.

“Chm. So much for going back now.” Peter murmured sarcastically while pulling his mask over his face again, fixing the insect like filly on his back and watching the molten lava that was steadily filling the former sleeping room like a glass of milk. “Hey Logan.” Peter then casually addressed Logan

“Whut is it?” Logan dully replied, wondering what got into kids mind in the times like these before also pulling his own mask over his hairy face, with foal Changeling on his back.

“You usually curse quite a lot about that….like hell catchphrase of yours. How is this for an example?” Masked stallion trailed off and prompting his gruff friend to look at the magma.

“This?” Wolverine however snorted in a dismissing and contemptuous like manner. “Bah! Passin' through th' volcano with all this lava, molten rocks and smoke stench around is actually more like a walkin' through a rosy garden ta me. Madripoor or Savage Land on th' other hand...”

“Chm, at least there you can feel like home.” Spidey replied though his muffled voice sounding a little apprehensively, still feeling somewhat uncertain if not even uneasy about a way different lifestyle Wolverine preferred to live, more suited for an action, brute force and danger.

“Yeah.” Wolverine snorted abrasively. “Well, I prefer th' life this way. Its who I am.”

“Well…Whatever.” Peter sheepishly chuckled, dismissing the sentence before straightening himself up. “Now…What do you think we get out of here?”

“That is th' first sensible word ya have said fer the entire day, bub.” Wolverine scoffed, clearing his nostrils, sniffing the air around in order to judge which way to go next. But unfortunately, the intense heat generated by the magma made the local atmosphere and air so hot, that even for Logan superhuman sense of smell it was rather complicated to get something.

“What is the matter Miser Holmes?” Spider-Men deadpanned in a poor impersonation of Watson yet encouraging a Changeling filly that by the way chewing his masked ear a bit. “Have not a clue?”

“Save it junior.” Wolverine huffed irritated at yet one of Parkers trademark quirky remark. “It ain't that easy ta find a fresh air when it is so damn hot in here. Not ta mention havin' a baby insect pony behind your head.” Logan grumbled uneasily as a Changeling foal was playfully messing with his mane while still scanning the heated air, with more sweat pouring down to his face as he finally managing to catch up something. “I git a fresh air. Faint, yet plausible. That way.” The gruff stallion instructed and going down the near hall with Parker following in his tracks.

“Better hang on to your shells kids. Get ready for some piggyback ride of your life.”



The heroes, bearing two Changelings kids on their backs passed through several more passages of gradually falling apart Changeling hive in a search for a way out, with walls crackling and rocks crumbling and the temperature inside becoming more and more hot and unbearable every minute as Wolverine led the way, following a faint scent of a fresh air in a hope that there would arguably be some of those holes that Changelings used for flying in and out, before making their way on a spiralling stair right up to the next floor.

“Well…” Spidey trailed off while gasping for air and galloping, his voice sounding hopeful. “If it wasn’t that bad, Chris could make hot springs from her old hive. I am sure that Rarity and Fluttershy would love it.

“This place would be long expect so intended only fer demolition anyway, kid.” Wolverine grunted with a distant sign of remorse in his voice, like he would be also feeling somewhat sorry for Chrysalis and her Changelings home that was steadily crumbling like a house build from the cards.

They eventually reached the highest top floor and making their way through another passage and within a few moments they found themselves in a small hall, which though also for their dismay appeared to be the end of the line. There was actually a mere small hole in the wall, only and maybe suite for a mouse to fit in.

“Nice tracking Wolvie.” Spider-Mane deadpanned, sarcastically acknowledging his gruff partner for his top class tracking skills. “The only problem is…There is no exit!”

“Then I will just have ta make one.” Wolverine, not letting himself distraught calmly replied with a slight growl while surrendering the Changeling foal from his back to Parker, standing upright on his hinder hooves and stepping closer to the wall. The X-Men unleashed his adamantium claws from both of his hooves with a SNIKT sound and started fiercely slashing the stony yet seemingly not so thick wall, leaving three slashing marks with each swipe on it, yet gradually continuing in his task in a rounded circle like motion.

“Cool….” Spidey murmured for himself with bewildered expression underneath of his mask, while two Changeling foals sitting on masked stallions back were chuckling happily, like they would actually liked and being happy with Wolverines doing so far.

Finally, Logan was done with his task, leaving quite a scratched like circle on the wall, though that was just the purpose. The X-Men then sheathed his claws back into his hooves, turning his back and by performing one single powerful mule kick right into the circles centre, he managed to literally kick the rock circle like panel off with enough force to shatter it and make a large hole into the wall.

“One exit served.” Wolverine nonchalantly declared with a small smug grin forming on his face, boasting himself and being obviously satisfied with himself.

“Yeah, yeah. Just watch out not to blow up.” Spider-Mane deadpanned, edging closer to the hole to joint his partners side and peeking outside yet his eyes under his lenses shot open as they were actually finding themselves on the peak of the hive, with a peculiar sight all over the caver, that by the way was still flooded with lava formed lake and the volcano in its centre, that though luckily and by Twilights, Lunas and Sunsets efforts wasn’t hurling any more lava.

“How! During my early days back on Earth, I have been regularly throwing wisecrack between punches and usually coming out on top, but this just might be a little out of scale.” Peter deadpanned once more while scanning the surroundings, in over estimating two hundred feet above the solid ground.

“Wait, look! There are th' guys down there!” Logan pointed his hoof as his masked eyes landed right on and spotting their friends in a distance and much for both masked stallions relief standing on a high cliff in safety, surrounded by molten lava. “If only he could git their attention!”

“Wait, Logan! I may have an idea.” Peter exhaled in a near squeak as a sudden idea emerged right from his mind. He put the Changelings kids down, lifting his suit over his torso to reveal his utility belt, holding numerous reserve cartridges and reaching for one of its pockets and eventually pulling a little pellet like thing.

“Whutcha doin'?” Logan asked dumbfounded, slightly titling his head to the side, wondering what Parkers was up to, as well as both Changeling infants were also watching masked stallions action curiously.

“A firework pellet.” Spidey explained while concentrating on carefully reloading a pellet into a spinneret nozzle of his web shooting device, grinning smugly, though Wolverine seemed baffled by Parkers weird statement, still not being quite familiar or used to all this magic stuff. “It contains a very special magic dust like mixture, that when by exposed to a certain level of pressure ignites before exploding and creating a miniature firework in the process. I have burrowed some from Trixie, as she usually uses it on her performances.” When being finally ready, masked stallion aimed his hoof, with his pellet like projectile load and ready to fire. “Here goes!”

Peter jerked his hoof and firing his firework pellet, creating a miniature shock pressure by the shot, as the pellet flew like from a slingshot over hundred yards distance before exploding and creating a miniature yet quite dazzling like firework of light blue and violet colours and glowing sparks.



“What is that?” Applejack trailed off by spotting and seeing a wirework like explosion occurring over the hive.

“Uuu! A firework!” Pinkie exhaled joyously.

“Now wait….” Twilight though spoke off, using her super sense spell, with her eyes glowing with a white glow, taking a closer look and young princess gasped for breath, yet soon a happiness as well as a great deal of relief took its place by seeing a large hole in the hive walls, yet also seeing Peter and Logan standing inside, waving to attract their attention, yet also having two Changeling babies with them.  “Those are Peter and Logan over there!”

“They are alright!” Luna exhaled in relief as a warm serene smile formed on Guardian of the Moons face.

“Thank Celestia!” Rarity along with Fluttershy also exhaled relieved, thanking stars for their friends being alright, for then.

“But they are stuck up there and unable to get down.” Twilight though stated still with a little concern remained in her voice, knowing that the danger was not over yet, not until her husband and gruff friend would be safe and back with them.

“We are on it!” Rainbow Dash decisively stated, her violet eyes literally blazing with determination, spreading her wings before glancing upon Spitfire, who couldn’t react any differently, grinning smugly, placing her googles back over her eyes also spreading her yellow wings and then just like on the command, both Pegasus mares sprung themselves into the air, flying their way to the hive.



“Guess they got our message. Nice, bub.” Wolverine stated hopefully as he saw both Rainbow Dash and Spitfire flying right to their direction and grinning satisfied on Parker.

“Like Trixie would like to say if she was here: Simply magnificent and grandiose performance!” Peter chuckled while humorously trying to imitate Trixies own boastful and theatrical like manner, though once again failing without having much of the success.

“Hurm. Ya better ain't even think about bein' her assistant, okay?” Wolverine shook his head embarrassed, with his proud grin immediately forming into a frown and feeling once again embarrassed about kids lame joking around.

“Uh oh!” Spidey cursed and clutching as his Spider Sense once again went overdrive within the back of his cranium, being and sounding that strong and quite familiar to the while when that lava burst its way right into that room.

“Now whut?!” Wolverine also grumbled in a near despaired like demeanour, knowing very well that funny reaction that Spider-Mane had every time when something unfortunate was about to transpire, which could always meant only one thing: trouble.

And in the instance, another series of quakes transpired, sending tremors throughout the entire hive this time, yet a much stronger tremors and quakes echoed right from the tunnel Spidey and Wolverine came as both superheroes perked their ears and turning around, only for their further dismay to see another wave of molten lava rushing its way right to their direction, reflecting right on Spider-Manes masked lenses, masking a shocked and freaked expression the knight bore underneath his visage.

Once again, there came one of those odd moments when the entire world around came into an involuntary halt and Spider-Mane along with Wolverine found themselves immovable, like their own muscles clenched against their wills and just dully starring at lava wave rushing towards them, yet with Peters Spider Sense never ceasing to ring in his head, to the point when it nearly felt painful.

“JUMP!” Yet eventually everything once again came full circle, like a party balloon popping from too much helium intake, as Peter yelled out aloud, grabbing both Changeling squirts and proceed in a high speed gallop on his hinder hooves right to the exit, with Wolverine following. “Better fasten your seatbelts kids! This is going to be a bumpy ride!”

“OH CRUD!” Logan cursed aloud as he and Parker with Changeling foals in his hooves leaped to the highest/furthest of their abilities right out of the hole, just before the magma burst out of the hole, as well as from other holes of the hive with flames literally engulfing and consuming the rock dug sculpture.

Reacting out of instincts and his Spider Sense, Spidey fired a strand of webbing that etched itself on a rocky ceiling, forcing himself into an intense and quite a very uneasy swing over a hot, blazing molten lava lake, with little Changelings in his hooves though chuckling, evidently enjoying the wild ride. “Okay. I am not a total jerk at all. I am a total extreme lamebrain now. Swinging across a molten boiling lava like some twisted stuntman for some cheap action movie. Oh well…At least those squirts are having fun.”

Wolverine on the other hoof and unfortunately, already started losing an altitude as gravitation started taking its effects pulling the mutant down, threatening to fall right into the molten lava, and unfortunately bearing an extra weight of his adamantium skeleton it didn’t make Logans situation any better.

But luckily, some blurs of a rainbow and blue-orange like colour zipped through the air, as Rainbow Dash and Spitfire managed to grab Wolverine by each of his armpits, saving him just in time before he could fall right into the magma lake.

“Need a lift?” Rainbow asked mockingly while carrying Logan with an aid of Spitfire into safety.

“Hurm. Once again, my butt bein' saved by th' bunch of girls. Is there any justice left in this world?” Logan grumbled, feeling a little embarrassed about being saved by ponies, not to mention being girls/mares actually, who by the way were also his teammates and friends now.

“Chm….You are welcome, dude.” Spitfire sarcastically replied with also an undercurrent of exasperation.

Spider-Mane continued in his swing across a blazing magma lake, before ceasing his momentum, using a strength of his lower body, the knight threw himself from his webbing, performing a flip as he once again and much to his relief gracefully landed on the solid ground of the cliff with Changeling kids still in his hooves. “Ta-Dah!”

Yet just in time, Rainbow and Spitfire carrying Wolverine along caught up to their masked friends shortly, releasing and letting the X-Men down to the solid ground, strangely and much for Logans relief.

“Wow! That was some ride, Pete!” Rainbow edged closer and playfully punched Spideys shoulder.

“I am stickin' with th' motorcycles.” Logan though on the contrary grumbled in a somewhat in an uneasy like manner.

“Chm. Everypony will notice that you are the old-school, old chum. Which is quite fitting. Old-school, old chum. Don’t you think?” Peter chuckled humorously while taking off his mask and putting the Changelings foals down as Logan merely growled with a snort in a slight irritation in response.

“Peter!” A feminine voice though called out, its sweet tone echoing in Peters ears, impossible to forget as Twilight rushed to his side with a speed of lighting and wrapping her hooves over her knights neck tightly. Peters instincts immediately kicked in and returning an embrace to his princess on the fullest, as her sweet crispy sent filled young stallions sense yet also feeling something wet on his neck as soft sniffles escaped from Twilight.

“It is okay, Twi. I am here. Safe and sound, all together again.” Peter spoke of in a soft and soothing voice, trying to calm his beloved wife down, holding her close to himself, like they would be separated for eons, yet glad to be together again.

“Thank the stars you are alright. Well done, my friend.” Luna also edged closer and wrapped her hoof over her best friends neck and brushing the side of her cheek against his affectionately, with her heart literally overflowing with joy, as Sunset, Pinkie and Spike on the contrary rushed their way right to Logan and hugging him tightly.

The gruff stallion of course and though once again feeling somewhat uneasy with his friends close affection towards him as well as feeling a familiar warm sensation echoing within his chest, the X-Men returned his affection to them nonetheless, though keeping his serious and stone-faced expression intact, as the others along with every Changeling joined their saviours side in one happy reunion.

“Snaggle! Shift!” Chrysalis exhaled in a near strained and wavering voice as she also rushed to her friends side, her emerald viper eyes being fixed right on two Changeling babies by calling them by their actually names. Two squirts by hearing as well as seeing her mother trotted their way right to her side, hugging her long, healed hooves affectionately and squeaking happily like two puppies, as Chrysalis kneeled, lying down to their level and hugging her new born children, returning he own affection on the fullest.

“Snaggle?” Peter asked in disbelief by hearing the strange name.

“And….Shift?” Logan also murmured in a dumbfounded way, yet grunting not actually meaning any offence. “Hurm….Very fittin'.”

However, in the instance, both Peter sand Logans frames got suddenly engulfed in a sparkling bright green aura, as Chrysalis using her telekinesis via her horn pulled the heroes closer, wrapping her hooves over heroes necks and pulling them into a warm embrace. “You have no idea how grateful and bound I am to you with my life, my friends. You have my deepest gratitude as well as the entire Changeling swarm. Thank you. Thank all of you.”

Chrysalis thanked Peter, Logan along with the Avengers and the Elements of Harmony, with fresh tears forming in the corners of her eyes as all the Changelings, like they would all share her queens emotions all burst into pony style like applause, stomping their hooves to the ground wildly, flipping their insect like wings and having their deep blue lenses like eyes fixed on the heroes.

And furthermore, Snaggle squeaked happily and wrapping his small hooves over Peters neck, nuzzling his cheek over young stallions affectionately, while Shift did the same, though with Logan.

“Ah. It was nothing Chris, really. We were just happy we could help. The most important thing that everypony is okay.” Peter chuckled a little sheepishly, yet couldn’t be more happy about a good deed he was making on a daily basis along with his friends included.

“Erghm….Yeah. Yer…Welcome.” Wolverine murmured a little hesitantly yet Chrysalis knew and felt that gruff stallions words were honest.

However, the everyponys happy reunion moment along with pleasures though didn’t last very long as Chrysalis broke from Peter and Logan and with saddened gaze, the Changeling Queen passed the Avengers and the Elements of Harmony, approaching closer to the edge of the cliff and sombrely and helplessly watching as magma, molten rocks and flames were consuming and burning her hive, her home where she had been living for nearly a decade and the place where she brought most of her children to the world, raising them with care and love and now it was gone, with her children, sharing the same telepathic link all felt her queens sorrow, also sadly watching their home crumbling in front of their eyes by the intense heat of molten magma, all sharing a melancholic thoughts.

“My home….” Chrysalis murmured, her voice wavering, representing her solemn and melancholic demeanour.

“I am terribly sorry, Chris. We all really are.” Peter solemnly stated, closing his gap between himself and Changeling queen and gently placing his hoof over mares shoulder so he could at least comfort her a little bit.

“Don’t worry, Chrysalis. We will do everything we can to support you so you could find some another place where to establish a new hive.” Twilight spoke off with a sympathetic expression on her face, giving a Chris a warm honest smile.

“I will ask to my sister. I am sure that she would be more than willing to support you and your people as well.” Luna stated encouragingly, giving her support as well on the fullest, smiling warmly.

However, Wolverine though also step closer to the edge of the cliff and watching the magma lake, along with the blocked volcano crater and burning hive cautiously with a darkened expression. Something just didn’t seem right about all this.

“Um…Logan?” Peter being aware of his gruff partners serious and focusing demeanour asked cautiously, yet also being familiar with gruff stallions mood swings.

“Somethin' stinks.” Wolverine declared in a cool and very serious tone while keeping his steel cold gaze fixed on the lava.

“Dah!” Pinkie Pie bluntly exhaled, trailing of in one of her trademark smart mouth like statements. “There is a stench of smoke and sulfur all over. Of course it stinks around here, silly.”

“That ain't th' only thing that stinks, Pink One.” Logan though blinked with an edge of his masked eye dismissing pink party ponies rather offhanded yet also quite logical statement. “Whut I mean, this whole mess with th' volcano inside th' cave and all that lava around. Its really weird.”

“Mmm. Logan is right.” Twilight though deeply, agreeing and considering Logans suspicions. “It doesn’t make any sense. There had never been documented any volcanic activity in Macintosh Hills or elsewhere on the southern Equestria before.”

“Well….At normal circumstances, when the magma from the centre of the earth culminates, it causes the tectonic plates to move and creating a mountain or a potent volcano, with all of that accumulated lava and molten rocks due to the extreme heat and pressure eventually rising and finding its way through the dense rock layers towards the surface.” Peter explained, shifting into his scientific and logical side.

“That however doesn’t quite explains that volcano forming in such a short period of time." Felicia stated very thoughtfully and massaging her chin with her hoof, finding this entire thing with a volcano somewhat suspicious.

"Felicia got the point about this." Sunset Shimmer exchanged a respectful galnce yet also acknowledging cat burglars pretty admirable deduction. "It usually takes hundreds of years for tectonic plates to move and forming the actual volcano. Not to mention the one inside the caverns.”

“Mmm. Chrysalis….” Luna brooding in her own thoughts glanced upon Changeling queen with an interested expression and then shifting her attention to the blocked volcano in the middle of the lava lake. “What has exactly happened? Where did that volcano come from? Has this just appeared out of nowhere or has it has always been in here?”

“Actually, Princess Luna….” Chrysalis replied, yet her tone sounding confusing, uncertain how to put it. “I am the same confused and knowing almost as much as you do. That crater has just formed this afternoon out of nowhere without nopony expecting it within a matter of a several minutes. But yesterday, it wasn’t even there.” Changeling queens expression though darkened. “It is…It is almost like it had a mind on its own or something.”

“But…That is impossible.” Spike blurted out in disbelief.

“Unless…” Peter though stated, yet strangely his voice sounding somehow hesitant well if not even a little apprehensive as a dark and unfortunate though formed and coming to his mind.

“Unless what, Peter?” Twilight asked cautiously, yet though being very well familiar with her husbands unfortunate reactions like those and also started having a bad feeling about this, as well as the otherpony eyed the Knight of Equestria collectively, wondering what he means.

“Unless…..Something or…..Someone must have actually help to or creating it. Oh boy!” Unfortunately, Peters train of thoughts was suddenly broke off by once again by his Spider-Sense, buzzling in his cranium out of control and to the fullest, signalizing an upcoming danger as young stallion nearly clutched. Whatever the danger was about to come, it must have been big, really big. “Sometimes I hate myself for being usually right.”

“Well it is about time you figured out!” Suddenly a deep gruff voice echoed throughout the entire cavern, with a potent to literally send chills into others spines. “For a moment there, I have thought that you would actually give all the credit just to the mother nature.”

Peter, Twilight and everypony along with Changelings gasped in awe and nearly jumping out of fright, well of course with an exception of Wolverine, with his iron clad will trying to hold it together by the hearing of the mysterious voice echoing around. Yet Peter along with Twilight and Luna started having a serious and rather very unpleasant déjà vu, as they recalled the experience on that night with magical explosion fallout, place of power and meeting and fighting Grogar back there on the verge of Crystal Mountains.

“What…What…What was that? Who is there?” Pinkie Pie blurted out nervously, if not with a hint of fear and uncertainty being present in his voice while Fluttershy and Rarity clutched to themselves yet Spitfire and Rainbow Dash maintained a defensive like stance, ready for anything.

Yet in the instance and for Peters Spider Sense ringing once more, yet another series of powerful quakes echoed, sending the tremors throughout the entire caver and the blocked volcano suddenly erupted, causing a glow of light and sending the stalagmites around along with a heat wave so intense that everypony had to cover their eyes with their hooves, with more magma and molten rocks getting through on the surface, storming and rising the waves of the heating magma lake as blazes and flames erupted right from the volcano.

However and suddenly, like something, a shades of a large and bulky like being appeared right being a wall of raging flames. Yet, suddenly the flames erupted before dissipating, fading away in the process and right in the volcano emerged and stood a large bipedal creature, that looked like it would be composed entirely from fire and lava itself. It had a very robust and bulky physique, magma like feet with only a two fingers, strong arms with just like feet lava like palms, a fire coming out from his miniature volcano shaped shoulder and demon like head/skull, with devilish malicious expression, blazing yellow eyes, though was the most disturbing, that his entire head was in fire, blazing fiercely.

“Whut….Whut th'…?!” Wolverine blurted out incoherently, being quite confused by seeing a strange, obviously supernatural being of elemental like origins slowly making its way from the volcano, while Peter, Twilight and Luna found themselves literally starring with a both bewildered and shocked expressions.

“No…” They all muttered in synchronization incoherently, with their voices wavering, representing their shocked and apprehensive like demeanours.

“At last. After eons of denial, I rise up from the flames so triumphantly once more!” The magma like elemental stated with deep, gruff yet somewhat dramatic like manner, nonchalantly announcing his return about himself. “So I could unleash the inferno upon the world!”

To be continued……