Treetop whooped, cutting down a fourth Changeling guard. To his left, Mirage had more of a struggle, as the lightning spell had drained her both magically and physically. She eventually dispatched her foe, but was surrounded by several more who thought she’d be an easy target. Treetop smashed his way through them, killing two in a single swipe.
The real Solitaire had waited until he could possibly miss, then threw the rock he held with all his might. The targeted Changeling was briefly stunned, dropping his sword and backpedaling a few steps. Solitaire ducked in, grabbing the dropped sword before the Changeling and taking an experimental swing. It was terribly well-balanced.
The Changelings just kept coming. For every one the worn-out Atlanteans brought down, two more took its place. They all knew they’d be overrun; it was just a matter of time before-
“Stop fighting!” A loud voice projected itself from the balcony overlooking the embattled cocoon chamber and bounced off the walls. Everyone, Changeling and Atlantean alike, immediately looked to its source.
A Changeling Queen spread her wings and fluttered down to the bloody floor. She had the albino-white mane and tail and crystal-clear wings of a cave dweller but the commanding tone of a ruler. Her personal crown was made from glassy black obsidian with a large twilight-white diamond embedded in the center.
“Who are you to barge in and disrupt my hive?” she demanded.
“Who are you to take my friends prisoner?” Mirage shot back.
The newcomer straightened. “I am Queen Echo of the Whispering Highlands Changeling Hive. I rule everything from the southern coast to the central mountains, from the peaks to the swampy lowlands. You and yours have been trespassing on my property.”
“If you had told that you exist, we would’ve known not to come. Our job is to clear out any Dominion forces in this part of Atlantean territory. You are impeding that process, and you need to stop.”
“And who are you to tell me what I can and can’t do?”
“Princess Mirage, heir to the throne of Queen Duplicate, the current ruling Queen of the Emberforge Valley Changeling Hive. I also command the Changeling forces attached to the Second Coastal Regiment, Atlantean Reserve Emergency Army.”
“Duplicate’s foal? Don't look like much.” Echo circled Mirage, who resisted the urge to follow her. “I honestly believe you could get yourself killed, doing what you do. Soldiering is a guard’s job.”
“Is that why you let the Dominion take your daughter away? Because she couldn't defend herself? Because you thought it wasn't necessary?”
“You dare-”
“Yes.”
Echo burned with rage. “You Atlanteans stole my Blossom! Foalnapped her! She - she…” The Queen couldn’t continue. An earthquake seemed to shake her to her core.
“Can be found,” Mirage said. She tried to talk as soothingly as possible. “Just tell me where she was taken.”
“You mean you don’t know where you took her?”
“I don’t.”
A Changeling Guard bounded in through the open doorway to the rest of the hive. “Queen Echo! The armory has been attacked!”
“Captain, you must deal with it alone.”
“But my Queen! Evidence of Dominion activity was found! Here it is now,” the Captain said, giving a pennant to Echo. “We’ve been betrayed, Queen Echo.”
The Queen held it firmly in her magic, searching for any indication of false evidence. Finding none, she regarded Mirage with a raised eyebrow. “It appears that you are honest. If the Dominion can sneak into my Hive, then they are more likely to have foalnapped my daughter. I’m willing to trust you - for now.”
A great crack brought their attention to the center of the hive. The pillar of liquid fire wobbled and twisted, straining the bright magical binds holding it together. Around the dangerous rain of falling emotions shaken loose, Changelings fled the scene.
“The pillar is emotional energy. Without it, the Hive will starve. If the pillar breaks its bonds, it could destroy the world.” Echo’s eyes showed fear.
“Then contain it.” A new voice, coming from a pink Unicorn, surprised everyone.
“You must be joking.” Echo leered.
“I’m not.” Rose Thorn’s horn lit and magic swirled around her like a hurricane. Her eyes shut tight, she sent her spell at the pillar. It stopped its deadly wobble, but still trembled. Mirage cast her own magic into the emotional fire, tired as she was. Combined, they were able to keep it still - but not for long.
Echo saw the determination in their eyes. She turned to face the fire and hurled a freeze spell into it. The fire immediately ceased all movement, trapped in time. A moment later, its frozen shell shattered into knives of solid emotion.
“Well, that didn’t work,” Crimson stated.
“Do you have a better idea, Pegasus?” Echo shot back.
“No.”
“Then shut the hell up.”
Crimson harrumphed and moved to stand next to Treetop. The colonel acknowledged him, then continued staring at the unstable tower of magic. Its trembling had begun to roll thunder through the hive. In response, the recovered Unicorns in the Atlantean ranks cast their lot with the wavering shields, bolstering them. Many Changelings also used what magic they could to hold the pillar in place.
Echo tried to freeze the emotional fire again. This time, with the magic of several hundred Unicorns, it stayed frozen. She pulled rocks together from the nearby mountains aboveground, and Rose blasted it with a small lightning spell to fuse them together. Upon the release of the many hundreds of spells, the pillar did not shake.
A sigh of relief escaped the Changeling Queen’s lungs. The immediate danger was past. She held the pennant her captain had given her in a grip tighter than the mountains were tall. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back. Only one word escaped her mouth.
“Blossom.”