Extended Holiday
Ch 132: Wedding Bells or Deathly Knells?
Act 20
“It’s like watching children playing with a claymore,” one Gryphon commented as he watched the airships currently being used in the battle. “Ma’am, we have the final reports for sustained casualties during the attack.” He turned to Thalia. “Merciful this run. Two dead, and only six sustained any meaningful injuries. We nearly lost the left ballista, but thanks to Clover’s work, we had time to make field repairs.”
Thalia narrowed her gaze as she looked over the paperwork. “And the compound?”
“Untouched, thank the Winds. Why is it whenever the clan leader is gone, this happens?”
“Because Ponyville and the Everfree are well acquainted with Murphy.” She returned the documents to the table. “Clover’s timely assistance did much to harry our enemies. They have thick chiton, but they’re going to be ground-bound, until they can grow their wings back. That means we have the advantage. Once you’ve finished your report on the status of the compound, send a messenger to the leaders of our Pegasus and Thestral units. We need to correlate on a strategy while the Changelings are still harried.”
The soldier saluted. “Yes, Ma’am. We've managed to get the old ones, cubs, and those Gryphonesses not able to fight in the inner chamber, and we’ve made sure to reinforce it this time. The cliff entrances are also sealed. We’re awaiting your permission to release Grif’s beast onto the battlefield.”
“His name is Sylvio, soldier, and you would do well to remember that. He and his pack are just as much a part of this family as you are.”
“With all due respect, Ma’am, I saw what he did to the Changelings last time. Right now, I’m just bucking glad he’s on our side.”
Thalia chuckled. “He takes after his master. Let’s leave Sylvio and his pack in reserve for now. They won’t be able to cross the lava patch, anyways. If you’ve nothing else to report, soldier, I’d like for you to deliver that summons now. This is war, and every second counts.”
The Gryphon thumped a hand to his shoulder. “I’ll take my leave then, Ma’am.” And with that, he took wing.
“Okay. So, I’ve got the spell formula in mind, and I’ve got the magic well in hand–err hoof. I … guess I just need to try pushing it,” Vital said as he passed over the frigid fields and concentrated. “Triplet Maximize Magic: Greater Magical Wall.” The seal appeared, spinning rapidly as energy arced out from his horn. Then it spread out to merge with the air around them, touching the ground between the natural walls and sealing itself in, before disappearing. He shuddered momentarily. “This really does feel different compared to the usual means. Not bad, just … different,” he said as he turned to face Trixie. “Would the lady do us the honor of the next defensive spell?”
“Trixie was thinking something else,” Trixie said as she spun her focus several times, before stabbing it in the ground facing away from the spikes. “Triplet Maximize Magic: Negative Energy Deathzone!” Bright blue and sickly purple energy spread outwards from the point of her staff. Large blue metal spikes shot from the ground all around them, before melting away into a sickly purple liquid, which soaked into the ground.
“Dare I even ask what that one does?”
“Shishkebab,” Trixie said simply.
“Medium rare or well done?” Vital quipped as he nuzzled her.
“I thought you liked them frozen.” she nuzzled back.
“That’s just for preservation,” he teased. “Though that might not be a bad idea for an AOE spell: a series of icicle daggers rising from the ground to impale an enemy. Not a technique I’d like to employ, but it never hurts to have something on hand ... hoof. Did I mention how much I hate having to correct myself?”
Trixie giggled a snorting laugh, then shook her head as she calmed down. “You're not supposed to employ combat magic because you like it.” Then she nuzzled him. “And for the record, Trixie thinks it’s cute.”
Vital blushed, and cleared his throat. “You, uh, make a good point. If I did like those kinds of techniques, then I’d probably be out of Clover’s class faster than you can say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.”
“... Trixie won’t ask.”
Vital chuckled. “I’m sure you’ll get it eventually. Just remind me to introduce you to a Mary Poppins later.”
Trixie cocked her head. “Is she some kind of Eastern Unicorn?”
“In a sense. You’d have to see her to understand. Let’s just say she knows the secret to making work more enjoyable. It’s one of her greater magical discoveries, and so simple, too,” he added with a wink.
“Trixie should go see how they're doing on the eastern front. She will be back when she can.” She kissed him on the cheek, before vanishing in a flash of light and dark energy.
Vital chuckled as a smile pulled at the edges of his cheeks. He began to whistle a familiar tune as he went about casting the spell again and again across the patches of wall.
It was about sixteen hours later when it began, a heavy thumping and pounding on the edge of the natural wall Ifrit’s lava had congealed into over the ground. The frigid earth groaned in protest as cracks began to appear and spider outwards. The defenders could do little more at the moment than wait with shields at the ready and bows drawn. The enemy would break through soon enough. Still, it was curious why they chipped away at the wall, instead of melting it with magic. Any Unicorn would know the pain such intense and constant impact to the horn would cause. All the same, the sense of dread was nearly palpable as their elemental defense began to crumble away. The captains prepared to release the deadly barrage, when they heard it. As the stones crumbled away, a melody carried through on thousands of thundering voices.
“Brothers of the mine rejoice!....”
Long lines of small, but stout Dwarf ponies began pouring through the newly made hole, each wearing finely crafted battle armor. The diggers struck hard and fiercely at the opening to widen it enough to get the scorpions through. They were nothing compared to the truck-sized mothers Vital Spark had seen in the mines, but they were large in their own right, ranging between a Volkswagen Beetle and a full sized RV. Each was plated in its own armor. Their pincers and stingers were covered in lethal-looking blades. Any questions as to how the dwarves got past the Changelings was answered when one giant scorpion came through still devouring one of the invaders’ corpses. The Ponies sang their anthem with dead seriousness as they marched up to New unity, forming one large column twenty Dwarves wide and twenty deep, with scorpion cavalry dispersed throughout. When the song finished, the Dwarves went silent. Not a one moved, save for a solitary figure who made his way to the wall.
“G’day, forces of the glorious Blue Lard,” he shouted with his brogue through a metal megaphone. “We heard you were havin’ a wee bit of a problem with some uninvited guests, so we figured we’d come help ya explain to them why they should sod the bloody Tartarus off!”
Blast had moved to the front lines, using his magic to keep a shield hovering in front of him. “Then get to work, and start taking out those bugs!” he shouted gruffly. “You pulled casters off the wall to secure this spot.” He turned around as the ground began to shake with the united stampede of hooves. A dark mass began to stir on the horizon. His eyes widened. “By Sleipnir’s beard,” he gasped. Then he whipped back around to address the combined troops. “Keep those bugs off our allies,” he snapped. “And somepony try to get some connection to the Gryphon compound! Mages, back to your posts!”
“Somebody call for pest control?” a voice asked as a wall of Gryphon arrows sank into the dark mass from the sky. A large jaguar-merlin Gryphon landed on the wall in front of Blast.
“While it is good to see you, we need communication channels opened. Get with the Dwarves and guard them. We’re stretched enough as is keeping them off the new wall, and those magic-eating crystal bombs of theirs aren’t making it any easier.”
“We’re already on that,” the Gryphon replied. “Just make sure to have arrows ready for emergency pickup. In bundles of twenty, if possible.”
“You’ll have it.”
“Well then, no point sitting around waiting for their wings to grow back. We’ve got bugs to kill.” The Gryphon jumped back into the air to rejoin his troops. “Just blow the horn, if you need to send a message to us,” he said as he fished into his bag and tossed an old warhorn to Blast. “Someone will come and get it.”
Blast nodded gravely. “Good luck out there.”
“Don’t worry,” the Dwarf shouted to Blast. “We’ll give you all plenty of time to get your skirts on and freshen up.” And with that, he turned to join the charge, laughing all the while.
Avalon glanced back and forth as she looked between the fragment of bloodstone, the map, and the grimoire she’d been studying from the horde of knowledge they’d just raided. “All right, Gilgamesh. If anything goes wrong, I’ll be relying on you to burn the map and crush the bloodstone, understand? That will neutralize the spell and allow me the opportunity to recover.”
“I-I should be able to manage that,” Gilgamesh replied as he twiddled his thumbs.
“You remember what I taught you about accessing your magic?”
Gilgamesh nodded.
“Good. Just focus on flame, instead of the ice you conjured last time, and direct it at the table, if you think it’s necessary.” With that said, Avalon seized her focus by the chain and held it up over the blood stone. “Par la puissance des vents, je vous en supplie. Accorde-moi la vue au delà de la vue. Révéler ce qui nous attend. Montre-moi où je veux aller.” Her hand tensed a moment as a trickle of blood began to run down the chain, over the focus, and down to the amulet’s edge, before gravity performed its inevitable work, and the droplets fell on the stone. The brown and green slowly faded as the stone absorbed the drops and became red as the blood that fell upon it. It glowed and began to move, sliding across the map to land in the middle of the Everfree Forest.
The stone glowed brighter as the blood seeped out over the area. A beam shot up to form a red-tinged projection. Smoke billowed across the image, followed by the flash of steel and the hisses of Changeling and scorpion alike. Blue stones detonated, tearing through Changeling and Pony indiscriminately. Arrows rained down in calculated strikes as the horde of insectoids advanced. “Enough!” Avalon swiped her talons violently through the projection. The light died as she released her grip on her focus’ chain. The bloodstone had lost all color, leaving nothing but a polished white stone in its place. “Caring, did you get all that?”
“It would seem Chrysalis is at it again,” Caring nodded.
“Any chances of kicking our speed up?”
“I’m working on the calculations now, but you may want to warn Grif.”
“Where is he?”
“Last time I tracked him, he was in the mess hall.”
“Of course he was.” Avalon sighed as she turned to Gilgamesh. “Come on. Let’s go get him, before he makes a mess all over himself.”
“Uh, o-okay.” Gilgamesh glanced back to the table. “W-what was that, anyways?”
“A scrying spell. You can see why they weren’t used that often. It’s a one-shot per bloodstone. They’re pretty much just quartz after the spell’s finished.”
“I-I meant, what’s happening?”
“In a word, war. Now come on. We’ve got a Gryphon to wrangle and an entrance strategy to plan.”
Big Guns snorted as he squatted down and heaved yet another boulder for the trebuchet. “You know,” he grunted, “this’d be a lot easier, if we had some Earthbreakers here.”
“Less talking, more loading,” Tall Oak said as he primed the lever.
“I’m just saying.”
“You think I don’t know that?”
“Gonna talk with Hammer Strike about it?”
“Eeyup.”
“Pensword, too?”
“Eeyup.”
“Know anyone who can teach it?”
“Nope.”
“Great,” Big Guns groaned as he watched the trebuchet launch. Then he leaned down to pick up his next boulder. “Remind me to file a complaint with Celestia after.”
Tall Oak chuckled. “Get in line.”
Big Guns couldn’t help but laugh. “Touché. So, how long you betting till Grif shows up to fry the rest of those creeps?”
“Grif will get here when he gets here,” Oak chuckled. “Not the worst scrape I’ve been waiting for him in.”
“Dare I even ask?”
“Imagine half as many Ponies, twice as many Gryphons, and they're not fighting together.”
“That many?” Big Guns raised both brows in surprise, then gave a brief nod of respect to the Earth Pony. “Hard to believe they could outnumber this with how fast that old maggot keeps pumping out those things.”
“Let’s just hope Hammer Strike figures out how to take her out for good soon.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Big Guns agreed as he hauled up another stone and grinned. “So, ready to squash out an infestation?”
Deep in the royal chamber of New Unity Hive, Me-Me sat patiently. Her horn glowed brightly as she did everything she could to organize the actions of her Changelings. In Ponyville, the rust-red Changelings moved in organized groups to escort civilians to safe zones and organize various attacks and strikes. It was far from easy for her, having little experience in such matters, but currently, she was the only one who could.
<Evacuation is proceeding at a rapid pace, my Queen. Bunkers 001 through 005 are completely full. Warding is in progress as we speak, and Princesses Twilight and Celestia have taken to the battlefield together,> one of her captains reported over the link.
<How are our soldiers holding? Better than last time, I hope.>
<No casualties to report as of yet. It would seem that the Gryphons and princesses have the situation well in hoof. If they become hard pressed, should we engage?>
<Yes. Engage as soon as you think it opportune.>
<Understood. Any further commands I should relay to the troops?>
<No shapeshifting. We don’t want to confuse our allies, if we can avoid it.>
<Understood. With your permission, my fellow captains and I would like to try to innovate a means of identification for allies, even when in a separate form. While it won’t be appropriate for this battle, it could prove invaluable in future crises.>
<You have my permission, Captain. Try to keep my children alive out there.>
<Of course, my Queen. Tenna, over and out.>
Me-Me continued to scan the hive mind, getting viewpoints from all over Ponyville and the surrounding area her children were in. Her troops were indeed fighting much better than they had previously. The studies they had made in those strategy books had saved much time, as had their previous reconnaissance on the enemy. She began making notes of other improvements for the soldier strain, completely oblivious to her surroundings.
That was, until Pupa’s scream echoed both through the hive mind and the tunnels <H–help!> She staggered into the chamber and started bashing her head against a rock. <Out. Get out!> Tears poured down the chiton on her cheeks. <L–leave me alone!>
It took a moment for Me-Me to reorient herself, but when she did, she quickly approached the young princess and proceeded to wrap a leg around her, holding her close. <Yes, Mother is out there, but you're perfectly safe here.> She pushed her own mind towards the young ‘Ling. Chrysalis was older and more powerful, but Me-Me was far closer to the foal, and her will quickly overrode Chrysalis’ probes, forcing her out.
<She … she got … she knows. She felt where I am,> Pupa whimpered. <I’ve doomed the hive.> The thought was but a whisper between the two, but the wave of her fear and grief washed out from her like a storm surge as she wailed.
<Don’t worry, little sister. She can’t reach us here,> Me-Me promised as she held Pupa tight. <She’ll have to pass through Hammer Strike and the Dwarves, before she can reach us, and I have contingencies, if she does.> She stroked Pupa’s mane. <Everything will be fine.>
Pupa sniffled and cuddled into her sister’s embrace. Thankfulness radiated from her body, bathing Me-Me in its warm glow.
Me-Me couldn’t help but smile. If Pupa had begun to project emotions like this, then it meant she was progressing as a princess. In time, she would teach the young ‘Ling to control that power. For now, a gentler touch was required. <Don’t worry. We’ll be alright. Mother hasn’t beaten them yet, and she never will.>
While the battle continued to rage in New Unity, Mountainside Falls was making its own mark on history at the grounds of Baron Happy Hooves’ old manor. The old path was worn, but still visible, even if a series of landslides over the years had made the climb difficult. Fortunately, since the majority population at Dream City were winged, they didn’t need to worry about such things. Luna stood decked in her full High Chieftess regalia, while Pensword and Lunar Fang were dressed in their ursa minor robes and armor. Fox Feather wore her newly adopted Fox Clan robes as she stood proudly next to her husband.
Luna cleared her throat as she looked over the crowd of Ponies that had followed them there, and began her address. “While it is officially recognized that Pensword here rules over this land at the Solar Court in Canterlot, we Thestrals have our own traditions and ceremonies to follow. With the new formation of the Lunar Court, it is time that we also recognize Commander Pensword, as he has now returned to take stewardship over these lands once again, after a long absence.”
Nopony said anything as the winds blew through the red, white, blue, and gold petals of the many wild flowers that had grown in over the years. They danced in the breeze, almost as if to welcome Pensword’s return.
Luna stepped forward as she held out two items in her magical grip: a tomahawk, and a hoe. “Do you, Pensword, retake the tools of our kind for hunting, living, defense and building?”
“I do hereby assert and return to my duties over my own home,” Pensword replied humbly as he took the hoe and raised it up, before striking down to dig up a chunk of dirt. “By this gesture, I show I am willing to work in the fields with my own citizens, with those whom I am duty bound to protect.”
He then took the tomahawk and a log was brought by members from the Dream Clan. He approached the log and cut a shallow groove with the tool. He picked up the shavings, and placed them gently on the divet he’d made, before striking flint and steel to ignite the shavings into flame. “With the work and sweat, I lit this fire to show that I will give warmth to those in need. I will use my tools of war to prosper my lands in time of peace, just as the this tomahawk can be used to fight in times of need and to prosper in times of peace.”
Luna smiled. “Then it is done. Let it be known that by the law of the Lunar Courts, High Duke Pensword, commander of Equestria’s armed forces, has claim on these lands, and that these grounds, which once housed a caring and progressive soul, will house one again. For on this patch of land, House Pen’s personal lodge and housing shall be built. May they stand as long as time shall flow, even until the end of days and night.” She slammed the butt of her warhammer against the ground three times, then nodded.
With the ceremony complete, the ponies began to disperse, flying off to their homes to prepare for the celebrations to come that evening. The sun was just beginning to set when a lone Pegasus began to approach. His armor was well polished, and the golden grim glowed with the energy of a thunderbolt. A stormy charcoal crest bristled atop his black steel helmet. Luna and Pensword turned as one to gaze on him as he passed through the meadow without disturbing so much as a petal. Lunar Fang and Fox Feather gasped.
“Commander Hurricane,” Luna replied. “I am touched that thou wouldst dein to let me see thee, after all this time.” She frowned at the slip, but it seemed appropriate. Seeing such an old friend had left her feeling nostalgic.
Hurricane’s expression was grave as he stared the pair down. “I’m afraid there’s no time for pleasantries, Luna. You need to gather your warriors immediately. It’s taking a great deal for me to manifest here in the physical plane, so I must speak quickly. An enemy is assaulting Unity, and you need to get there as soon as possible to bolster their defenses. Celestia is there as well, but she’s rusty. I don’t trust a rusty sword. I trust an untried one even less. Get there as fast as you can.”
He looked to Commander Pensword. “And you, Commander, you will need to use that crown of yours to help Me-Me with her troops. The time for convalescence is over. Time for both of you to go to war.” He turned. “I have things to do elsewhere, but I wasn’t about to let more good soldiers die before their time. Go now, Pensword, and show those invaders what it means to harm the things we hold dear.” He turned aside, and faded with the last light as dusk gave way to night.
Luna and Pensword looked at each other as the stars began to light up the sky. No words were spoken as they leaped into action, flapping their wings as quickly as they could go, while Luna used her magic to raise the moon in perhaps one of its fastest ascents in recorded history. Fox Feather and Lunar Fang strained behind as the four flew with all haste.
“The moment we’re within earshot of the city, I’ll sound the call to arms,” Luna promised. “We should be able to rally the troops within the hour. From there, I’ll perform a three jump trip with the troops to bolster Hammer Strike’s forces. Once the fight is over, you and I need to discuss Commander Hurricane in greater detail. It would seem both Pegasus and Thestral have a new guardian spirit. Arrangements will need to be made.”
Pensword nodded grimly, but his mind was already far from the mountains of his foalhood. His foals were in danger, as were his troops. He looked back to see his own sentiments mirrored in his wives’ faces as they flew through the night. The family, the troops. They wouldn’t be in danger for long. Not if they had anything to say about it.
“So, um … about that date next Tuesday. I was thinking. Could we maybe move it to Wednesday?” Vital Spark asked as he worked the carving utensil to mark the arrow shafts with runes, while Trixie supplied the extra magic to empower them.
“Does Vital Spark have something better to do?” Trixie asked as she worked.
“It’s not that. It’s just … well, it’s kind of a proven fact. Everything seems to go wrong on a Tuesday. Do we really want to risk having that chaos that’s bound to take place affect our time together?”
“As long as you're there, I could care less,” Trixie noted.
Vital Spark chuckled. “I love you.” Then his eyes widened as he realized what he’d just said.
Trixie stopped short for a moment and the shafts she’d ben handling clattered to the table as she looked at him. Tears formed in her eyes. “Trixie loves you, too.”
Vital gulped. “That’s … that’s the first time I’ve ever said that about someone who’s not well … you know.” He chuckled nervously. “Is it, uh … normal for my heart to be beating this fast?”
“Tr–.” She cleared her throat. “That is, I think that's how you know it’s real,” she finished with a blush.
“Then I guess we’d better finish up this battle fast, huh?” Vital said with a hint of a smirk. “After all, the sooner we’re done here, the sooner I can take you out again.”
“Let's get these arrows out there,” Trixie nodded, bundling said arrows up with magic and taking several in her levitation field, literally charging them as she made her way toward the wall.
Vital Spark gaped after her as he carried his own tools behind to keep up the work. “I am so screwed, if I mess this up, aren’t I?” he muttered under his breath. Then he looked heavenward. “Please, don’t let me mess this up.”
“Caring, are the cannons fully integrated?” Grif asked as he checked his armor straps on the bridge.
“They’re still new, but Hammer Strike was able to give me a decent idea for how to control them. I think I can hit anything at about a hundred yards with sufficient accuracy.
Grif nodded. “Adjust thaumic resonance for air.”
“Wouldn’t fire be more effective?”
“In the case of overall damage, yes, but focused air aspect is going to be invisible to anybody who doesn’t know what to look for. Let's see Chrysalis freak out when her Changelings start splitting in half without reason.”
“I’ll make sure it’s prepared, then,” Caring responded with just a hint of smugness. “We should be appearing in Unity’s airspace within the next half hour. It appears the Thestrals have fielded Pensword’s airships to provide support.”
“Figured they would. Any idea what we’re up against?”
“Thanks to the modifications Hammer Strike made to the Gantrithor’s sensory enchantments, I can number between twenty and thirty thousand active non-friendly Changeling signatures in and around Unity.”
Grif let out a low whistle. “Good to know there’ll be plenty to go around. As soon as I disembark, put the ship on lockdown. Don’t let anyone else out, until it’s over.”
“Your wives will object.”
“I know.” He let out a heavy sigh. “Just keep them here, until we have things under control. I’ll fight better knowing they're safe”
“They’re going to kill you.”
“I feel better knowing they’ll get that chance. Now, did that jury rig you walked me through work?”
“Yes. I’ve managed to read the contents of Taze’s iPod from your ‘headphone jack’ through the wiring by modifying it to integrate with the the spell pathways. Every song can be played throughout the ship. “
“”Good.” Grif cracked his knuckles, then his neck. “As soon as we get within earshot, crank all external projection crystals to full, pick a song from the Rev it Up playlist at random, and make sure they can hear it from here to Canterlot.”
“Your lack of sanity is worrisome, sometimes.”
“Who's crazier, the crazy Gryphon or the ship that’s owned by the crazy Gryphon?”
Caring Circlet’s response brought a smile to Grif’s beak, but for the sake of decency, cannot be written here.
Dream City lights flickered to life as the sun set. An emergency mustering ground had been set up just a few blocks away from the museum, and it was filling rapidly with Thestral warriors. While Luna’s personal guard had been small, the Thestrals in Dream City had had over a thousand years to train, grow, and maintain their discipline. A veritable army had amassed at the call of their chieftess and princess.
Luna looked out over the three thousand troops, sighed, and shook her head. “Those among you who are fathers, please go home.” There was some confusion, but the High Chieftess commanded it. The troops began to trickle out. Luna waited patiently for the troops to reform. “Those who are mothers, nursing mares, or with foal at one month to eight months, please return to your homes. I admire your courage, but we must focus on protecting the future of our tribes.” Many a mare grumbled or sighed longingly as they passed through the crowd and back into the streets to journey home. “Those who are cadets, recruits, or less than five years of service, I need thee to defend the walls here, in case the Changelings split forces.” The young split off, forming into smaller units to fulfill the orders.
Of the initial three thousand, only one thousand now remained. “Those who are dating others in the force, form up, and return to your families.” This time the grumbling was more pronounced as the younger mares and stallions filed out.
Luna looked out over what now had become seven hundred troops. “The two hundred troops to my right, report to my airship and load up to give air support over the city.” She looked over the remaining Five hundred, then noticed two familiar mares standing defiantly at the front. She sighed. “Fox Feather, Lunar Fang, your commitment to Pensword is commendable, but we’re about to embark on a long-distance teleportation with five hundred troops. It’ll be hard enough teleporting long distances with that many passengers. I don’t want to risk either of your foals, and I don’t have time to focus on countermeasures to protect them. Report to the Moon’s Throne with the others. She will make all due speed to New Unity. The foals will be out of danger, and knowing our teacher, you should arrive by the time the battle is won.”
“If it weren’t for the urgency of the situation, we’d lodge a formal protest,” Lunar Fang said.
Fox Feather let out a defeated sigh. “But since you put it that way….”
“We’ll go,” they said together. The two mares approached their husband, and each gave him a kiss for luck, before falling back to join the troops marching towards Luna’s ship.
“Now,” Luna said as she turned to address the remaining troops, “it is time to join the battle. We’ll appear in Ponyville, where the magical fields are more stable. Once we’ve formed up ranks and set a proper staging ground, we’ll march on New Unity. I know Thestrals from Dream City to the Caves will be mustering to send reinforcements, once word of this gets out, despite my orders. That means we must be ready for them upon their arrival, whether they aid in the conflict or not.” She furrowed her brow as her horn began to glow. “Now let us depart.” With that, the mustering ground and all its occupants were bathed in gentle blue light. The moon’s rays descended to touch Luna’s magic, granting it a white tint as it bolstered the Alicorn’s strength. Soon the whole square was obscured by the beams. It grew to a bright flash complemented by the tinkle of magic. Then the light faded, and they were gone.
“Trixie, slow down!” Vital’s voice echoed through the castle’s halls as he raced after the pale blue Unicorn. His mane whipped behind him, obscuring Watcher as his tools rattled in his saddle bags. The castle walls and suits of armor blurred past as he tried to keep his focus on his marefriend. “Do you even know where the wood stores are?”
“Trixie knows her way, Vital Spark. Must she remind you there is a war going on?” she asked.
“You think I don’t know that? That’s all the more reason for us not to get separated, especially when it’s Changelings we’re dealing with. Do you want me to suddenly turn into an infiltrator and take you by surprise? And since when did you get so fast? You barely managed to make it up that staircase on the island, and now you’re running like a pride-driven Applejack on steroids. Not that she ever would use those things, mind you, but you get my point!” he said as they reached a sharp turn in the corridors towards a shadowed stairwell.
“You're not an infiltrator, Vital Spark,” Trixie shouted back.
“The point still stands!” He groaned and rolled his eyes. “That mare is going to be the death of me,” he muttered, only to find the world suddenly fading to black. The sound of rapid hoofsteps echoed foggily in his brain as he looked up at a set of sharpened fangs and glowing green eyes.
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” a sultry voice chuckled in his ear as he lost all consciousness. Chrysalis sneered over her prey. The other Ponies were all too well trained. Pensword was gone, and Hammer Strike was too powerful to take head on, but this one … this one was in their circle, which meant this one would be able to lead her to Pupa. She picked the limp Unicorn up in her magic and draped him on her back, before her body was engulfed in green flames to reveal a Pegasus Mare with a black coat, big shiny green eyes, and a vicious smirk. A short sword hung at her hip, and hints of deep blue shone in the sea-green of her mane as it jutted through the guardspony helmet. She chuckled to herself as she made her way through the halls to the nearest window and leapt into the air. The Ponies and Gryphons below were too busy fighting to notice one more soldier flying through the castle grounds. With that in mind, she made a beeline for the tallest tower. True, it was farthest from her target, but it would also be the least likely place for troops to begin their search, once that boisterous mare realized her mistake, if she ever realized it.
The room was surprisingly warm, given the age of the structure. Stray pieces of hay and the occasional feather indicated it had likely served as a housing quarters at some point. Still, that would make it suitable enough for her needs. She levitated her captive so he was propped against one of the beams, before securing him in the usual Changeling manner. “Now, then. Wakey wakey.” She sneered as a gentle beam traveled from her horn into his. “I have some questions for you, little Unicorn.”
Vital Spark began to rouse, his eyes tinted a gentle green as his lids began to open.
There was a flash of light, and quite suddenly Chrysalis found herself being knocked off her hooves and assaulted by what appeared to be the mercifully unconscious body of one of her drones being used as a club. Trixie's face was pulled into a complete snarl as she clubbed the Changeling queen again and again.
“You stay away from him!” she shouted as she threw the now broken drone away and fired random blasts at Chrysalis.
Chrysalis snarled in turn. “You give me my daughter!” She sent a barrage of green blasts into the floor at Trixie’s hooves, creating a natural smokescreen as she took to the air. “I haven’t come this far just to be stopped by the likes of you. This colt will lead me to her, and you won’t interfere!” She hissed her rage as she dove down at her target, while a dazed Vital Spark looked sleepily ahead. Chrysalis’ aura still clung to his horn, and he chuckled as he gazed at Trixie. Chrysalis grinned as she felt the surge of love being broadcast back to her. She laughed as she slammed into the mare’s flanks, throwing her off balance, before forcing her down with a hoof. She slammed her free hoof down on the focus that had dropped from the mare’s grasp and smirked in satisfaction as she heard the distinct crack of the structure starting to buckle under the pressure. “Now isn’t this a familiar scene? I put the lovestruck stallion in my control, and the mare can’t do a thing to stop me.” She chuckled. “This is just too good.” She licked her lips as her horn pulsed with the love energy. “Very good, as a matter of fact.”
Trixie reached for her focus with her hooves and barely managed to get a grip on it. She slammed its lower end as hard as she could manage, causing it to stand on end and smack into the Changeling’s face.
Chrysalis recoiled as she stumbled back. “How dare you?” she hissed.
Sparks flew from Trixie’s focus as she rose to her hooves and picked it up. She’d lost her grip in that last charge, and the wood now contained several wide fractures. Light pulsed dangerously from the crystal in intermittent flashes. “Not this time,” she growled. “Trixie has had everything taken from her: her reputation, her career, her dignity, her sanity.” Her magical aura surrounded the staff as she grit her teeth. The strain worsened as she poured her anger into her magic, and the focus snapped under the sheer force of her amplified grip. The higher her anger rose, the stronger her magic became. She had no idea where all this energy was coming from, but she didn’t really care at this point. “Trixie has heard herself being compared to others, to Twilight Sparkle, to you.” More magic overlayed her horn. The ground around her vibrated from the sheer force as an aura began to build around her body.
“Then one thing comes to Trixie. One beautiful, gloriousthing, unspoiled by hate or greed or contempt, given without any price, save the one she’s willing to pay.” In a sudden movement, her aura snapped around the Unicorn, obliterating the aura around his horn and causing Chrysalis to recoil from the feedback. A bright flash of light filled the room, and suddenly Vital Spark was gone.
“No!” Chrysalis cried.
Trixie glared back at the queen. “You will not have him. You will neverhave him. I don’t care what it takes.” Her magic filled the room, covering the two of them in a dome of energy as the glow surrounding her body intensified. Waves of heat warped the air around her as the floor began to smolder. “Trixie doesn’t care if she has to drag your soul into Tartarus herself. She won’t let you hurt Vital Spark or anyone else!”
Chrysalis laughed as she stared Trixie down. “You think that you can stop me? You, a petty mage? After all the love I’ve absorbed, I am a goddess compared to you! And besides,” she said as she grinned slyly. “We both know you don’t have the guts.”
Trixie leaned in, until her horn grated against Chrysalis’. “Try me, bitch.” Her horn intensified once more as she took a deep breath. “QUADRUPLE MAXIMIZE MAGIC: HOLLOW POINT VICTORY!”
And with that utterance, Trixie’s magic went to work seeping directly into her body and converting every atom of it into pure energy. In that instant, heat and force flared as the last of her form was consumed. She detonated, sending the uncontrolled magic lashing violently in all directions.
From the courtyard to the battlefield, everyone was temporarily deafened as the tower was practically vaporized. Gouts of fire and smoke rose from the floor’s remains as stone and tile rained down into the Everfree. Most unicorns experienced a temporary blackout from the sheer magical pressure. Back in Ponyville, Celestia and Twilight staggered at the powerful wave of magic. They looked to the Everfree, the veritable beacon of the explosion clearly visible long before the sound of its detonation reached their ears. Far away in Canterlot, startled nobles looked on the phenomenon in the distance with bewildered wonder. The sound of the detonation was much fainter, but still loud enough to echo along the winds.
The walls of the tower caved in like a set of dominos, dropping down into the lower floors to leave a crumbling pile of rock, stone, mortar, and splintered wood. Even as Ponies raced to the scene, another smaller blast erupted from the pile as Chrysalis emerged from the wreckage with a wild look in her eyes, cackling madly. “She did it. She actually did it. Oh, that mare has balls … well, had them.” She sneered as she gazed down below, catching sight of the prone Unicorn at the tower’s entrance. “What a shame she’s left her little toy all by himself.” She bore her fangs as she spread her translucent wings out. “Easy pickings.”
There was the sound of stone grinding as it moved aside. Dust and gravel shot into the air, obscuring the Changeling queen’s vision and casting a shadow over the ground below. “Oh, Chrysalis, you shouldn’t ever expect things to be thateasy.” The voice was Trixie’s, but at the same time, it wasn’t. Her pitch had been altered, causing her voice to project in a deeper, almost sultry tone.
The dust began to disperse, revealing a pair of flashing sapphire eyes with slitted pupils, like a dragon’s, complete with the sense of utter intimidation. Her mane was still mostly silver, but streaked with waves of darker grey that seemed to dance in the light. Her horn curved upwards, no longer conical in nature. Instead, it formed a single curved knife-like blade. Large powerful feathered wings beat on her back with a serene grace. Her cutie mark no longer featured a wand. Instead, the star sat at the end of a scythe blade. Trixie’s legs had grown from that of a regular Unicorn to long, powerful, graceful limbs. She stood as tall as Luna now. Her throaty chuckle bespoke eagerness and spread a sense of certain doom. “Trixie still has many tricks up her sleeve.”
As the after effects of the explosion dispersed and the troops prepared to resume battle, a familiar dark shape moved into New Unity's airspace. It easily dwarfed the airships the Thestrals were currently using for support. As it passed over the castle, it blocked out the moon completely, casting a shadow in the dark knight. At first, nothing happened, and then, quite suddenly music began to play.
Grif stood at the head of the ship, reared up on his hind paws with his swords crossed over his shoulders. As the lyrics began to play, he let himself drop over the edge and plummet to the ground. Changelings were thrown wide as he impacted. He charged ahead in a blur, shredding through the enemy in wide swaths. Ponies, Gryphons, and Dwarves cheered from behind as their adrenal glands began pumping harder. They charged forward, driven by rage and adrenaline so thick it washed like the tide of music crashing over the battlefield. The troops followed the example of the warrior, cutting a bloody swath through the Changelings ranks. True to form, Grif stood at the head, killing to the tune of the song.
The Changelings broke, or attempted to break. It was difficult to break ranks when your numbers were so big that soldiers stumbled into each other to get away. The battle would later come to be known as the Seven Minutes of Carnage. In a hundred years, the charge would take its place among the stuff of legend. In a thousand years, Ponies would be telling the myth of this fight. But for now, all that the army saw was battle, and all the Changelings felt was fear, fear that was amplified when their back lines were being torn apart by some invisible force. One minute there were fleeing Changelings, the next corpses. With their queen distracted, the limited intelligence of the commanding drones couldn’t cope with the pressure of a mysterious onslaught.
The Equestrian forces pulled back as the song finished, leaving a large bloody line between them and the invading forces. Grif chuckled as he entered the fortifications and clapped Blast Shield on the pauldron. “A little bird told me you colts needed somebody to come here and show you how to fight again.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I’d say we were managing well enough,” Blast countered with a smirk of his own. “Thought you were going to miss out on the fun.”
“Blast, I am the fun.” Grif motioned to the bloody mess over the wall. “I just accidentally turned the tables of this war for you.”
“Yes … accidentally,” Blast deadpanned as he rolled his eyes. “Anyways, you’ll be glad to know the compound is still safe, and we’ve managed to maintain structural integrity, though … we’re not quite sure what’s happening up in the tower. Now that we have a little breathing room, we can send troops up to investigate.”
“I came as quickly as I could. Direct me to Hammer Strike and we’ll work it out.”
“He sent us out ahead.” Blast furrowed his brow. “Come to think of it, I’m surprised he didn’t show up on the front lines.”
“I’ll check on him later. For now, we have a fight to win.” Grif nodded as he turned towards the rest of the troops. “So, any sign of her royal highness yet? If Hammer Strike’s not here, maybe I can kill steal this one.”
A dazed groan sounded as a dirty white Unicorn covered in scrapes shoved his way through the troops. “Grif? Is that you?”
“Vital?” Grif moved forward, shoving guards out of the way. “What happened to you?”
Vital Spark put a hoof to his horn. “Don’t know. Last thing I remember, I was running after Trixie. We were getting more supplies to restock arrows for your archers. Then … I guess I blacked out. That’s … almost a first, I suppose.” He chuckled, then winced. “Headache’s about the same as last time, though.”
“Well that sounds suspicious,” Grif chuckled. “You go get some rest, okay?”
“In a minute,” Vital promised. “Anybody seen Trixie around?”
“Just got here,” Grif noted. “Maybe she had something to do with that explosion.”
“Explosion?”
“You know, the one that happened a few minutes ago? Pretty sure they felt it in Canterlot.”
“I … no, I don’t remember it. Was it sabotage?”
“I wasn’t here for it,” Grif reaffirmed.
“So I’m basically going to be comedic relief again for asking pointless questions you can’t answer?”
“If I had senzu beans, I’d be tossing them at your forehead.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Vital sighed. “So, we gonna investigate or stand around here all day?”
“Vital, there’s a war going on. You can play Scooby Doo, if you want, but I can’t leave the front for long.”
“Then I guess I’ll go. Hammer Strike doesn’t like me being on the front line, anyway,” he grumbled, then sighed. “Sorry. Sorry. I’m just frustrated over whatever happened. You get back to the front. I’ll see if I can’t find what happened to Trixie.”
“Good luck,” Grif offered as he turned to confront the re-grouping Changelings. A hint of a smile pulled at his beak. “Pensword is sogoing to lose that bet.”
Meanwhile, above the cloud cover, Trixie and Chrysalis traded blasts at each other, though it was clearly a one-sided fight. Despite her earlier advantage, Chrysalis found herself unable to land anything above a glancing blow on the new Alicorn. Her more damaging blasts were deflected without much more than a flick of the eyes. Meanwhile, Trixie’s blasts had left her with several injuries.
“Why won’t you fall?” Chrysalis snarled as she dove down for another strike, this one directed at Trixie’s barrel.
“Because, Chrysalis, every attack you send at me is shrouded in dark energy. You’re using an element of dark magic to bolster your regular magic, and it is positively delicious,” Trixie purred. “You're a monster, and you’re used to being the only monster on the battlefield. Unfortunately for you, you’re not the princess dark magic-wielding monster here. I am.”
The grin on Trixie’s face turned almost psychotic as her lips pulled back, revealing a mixture of straight incisors and teeth that seemed to be sharpened to points. “And like we Equestrians always say–.” Her horn glowed as she levitated the gem containing half of her focus all the way from the ruined tower below. “Faust.” Magic sheathed the weapon, causing the gem to glow as the magic hardened, forming a long thin shape. “Save.” A long curved magical blade sprouted from the side, crackling with motes of light and dark magic. The weapon moved with Trixie’s will. She swung experimentally a few times, before she held it menacingly towards the Changeling queen. “The princess.”
Trixie struck so fast that Chrysalis didn’t realize she’d moved, until it was over. One moment, the mare was in front of her, the next behind. There was a full second for Chrysalis to wonder what happened, before a burning pain ignited in her neck and the world faded to black. Trixie turned to watch as Chrysalis' body slumped onto the cloud for a minute, before it erupted in sapphire-blue flames and disintegrated. As the neck fully burned away, the Changeling’s head rolled off the side of the cloud and began falling to the castle below. The body soon fell through the clouds as the magic allowing it to stand on the vapor dissipated, but it never made it to earth as the flames reduced it to ash that scattered on the wind. Trixie let the scythe vanish, removed the gem from it’s fitting, and dropped the rest. With her grisly task finished, she glided casually down to the ground below.
Vital Spark had just made it to the base of the tower when his ears twitched. He looked up to see something spinning in the air as it fell. The speck grew larger. Vital Spark remained curious, though he at least had enough sense to step out of the object’s trajectory. A flash of blue and green greeted his eyes, before the object finally smashed into the ground and burst open, spewing green goo like a popped balloon. Vital Spark coughed and gagged at the taste of the substance as it hit his mouth. So busy was he wiping the residue from his face, he didn’t even notice the powerful aura holding the remnants of Chrysalis’ horn less than an inch away from his head.
“Hello, Vital Spark,” a familiar voice called as the distinct sound of magic and the clatter of an object being tossed aside drew his attention. “Tell me, how do I look?”
Vital took a few more seconds to wipe as much of the slime as he could from his eyes, before he finally opened to see what had become of the mare he’d been dating. First they fell on her hooves. Then they rose up, and up, and up. Longer legs, fuller body, a flowing mane that caught in the breeze, oh yeah, and the wings. It took his mind a moment to compute that fact. He then promptly sent it a reboot order to prevent a catastrophic meltdown, temporarily muting his emotions. That lasted for all of about five seconds, before everything came rushing back, and he found himself gaping at her again. “What the hay did I miss?”
“Oh, not a lot,” she said with a mischievous smile as her magic removed the remnants of goop from his coat. It also swam over his body, removing the lingering effects of Chrysalis’ spell and restoring some of his energy. “Chrysalis tried to kidnap you. I attempted a brave sacrifice to save you. Faust apparently had other plans, as you may have noticed,” she said as she lifted a wing. “I killed Chrysalis, and now I’m here with you.” She lifted him off the ground to stare face to face with him. “Do you still love me, Vital Spark?”
Vital blushed. “Trixie, I–.”
“Do you still love me? Yes or no,” she asked more intently.
Vital gulped. “I … think we both know the answer to that.”
“I need to hear you say it,” Trixie insisted.
Vital sighed as he looked heavenward. “Yes, and I mean it sincerely when I say this next part, God help me. I love you, Trixie Lulamoon. You’re prideful, quirky, silly, arrogant, cute, and just … well–.”
She cut him off with a kiss. “Marry me,” she said when she pulled away.
Vital stared ahead, frozen for a few moments as he took the experience in. His body felt warm, his heart pounded, and something deep in his magic seemed almost to break loose. “How’s this for an answer?” he returned as he used his forelegs to pull her muzzle against his own for a kiss. The two’s horns sparked, and then set off a series of magical bursts that detonated just below the cloud layer, lighting up the night with an instinctual passion that had been held back for far too long.
A large sphere filled with moon and starlight expanded from the forest path, pushing the Changelings as they staggered from the loss of their Queen’s directing influence. Pretorians struggled to retain order with the loss of the Queen’s presence in their hive connection. The babble of the drones was difficult to manage as the leaders struggled to take control of the fear and force the ranks to move.
Then five hundred Thestrals appeared in the midst of the confusion, compounding it. Grif had three Changelings flung into his space that he had to cut down as he heard a loud cry of triumph. Princess Luna had officially entered the fray.
The moment the magic had dissipated, Pensword charged at the nearest Changingling, which, thankfully, was not one of Me-Me’s, and one that the other five hundred troops hadn’t gone after. The Thestrals left their chieftess a wide berth as she plowed a path towards the castle. Pensword looked up at the castle walls. Anxiety gripped him as he looked up at pillar of smoke and dust that had replaced one of the towers. Moon River used to hide there. He shuddered, and prayed to any deity that would listen that the foals were safe.
Unfortunately, Pensword didn’t have much time to focus on that. The Changelings had formed ranks, taking a defensive position as they shifted to form a wedge. He frowned at the sight, then noticed how the moonlight glinted off a few stray tufts on the invaders’ backs. Could it be? “High Chieftess, the Changelings’ wings….”
“I noticed it as well, Commander, and the feeling of this magic in the air. It is ancient, powerful. I fear that Clover did something foolish.” She sighed. “Foolish, but effective.”
Pensword frowned. “The battlefield is mostly silent. Where is Hammer Strike, or Sticky Spit? This feels like a mop-up.”
“That may be, but we get to add to our kills nonetheless,” Luna responded with a grin. It didn’t take them long at all to secure the area around the second gate. As they arrived, they heard the heavy detonation of fireworks, and looked up to see the lights flaring overhead.
“Open up for the High Chieftess of all Thestrals, for she has brought five hundred strong for the siege!” Luna called up to the ramparts. No answer came, save for the sound of the gates groaning open to and allowed them entrance. “What is the situation?” Luna demanded of the nearest soldier.
“Something happened a few minutes ago,” Grif shouted. “They’re stunned, though I don’t know how long it will last.”
“Who set off the fireworks?” Pensword asked curiously as the bloodbath continued. “Is Vital somewhere inside the keep, or did you put him on guard duty for once?”
“He had some trouble earlier. I thought he was headed to find Trixie, and then, hopefully, rest. No one's heard from her, apparently, since before the explosion at the tower.”
“Right.” Pensword’s jaw set in a grim line as he turned to address a trio of the free Thestrals. “You three with me. We’ll do a search for Trixie and Vital.” He turned, and bowed apologetically to Luna. “I am sorry, High Chieftess, but I must find my friend. We might have an infestation inside the walls.”
“Take ten, Commander, and go with the moon’s guidance in your search.” Luna dipped her head in benediction.
This proved to be unnecessary, however as the fireworks promptly finished. There was a flash of raspberry-colored light, and then something appeared silhouetted by the moon. It seemed to have the profile of a Pony, but larger and winged. Sapphire draconic eyes shone in contrast to the moon’s silver light. She waited just the perfect amount of time for the Thestrals to stare in awe, before she vanished, then reappeared in front of them. “Nice to see you could make it to the show.”
Luna gaped in shock as her mouth dropped, complete with a magically enhanced noise to sound like a creaking hinge.
Pensword managed to recover first. “What happened here?” he shouted, even as he struggled not to panic at the thought of Trixie being, by all appearances, a nightmare.
“I think it should be obvious.” Trixie grinned. “I finally understood what true power means. No matter how strong you are, if you think only about yourself, you just make yourself less than what you could be. It’s only when you are prepared to sacrifice it all for the sake of those you care for. That’s when you can find true strength. That’s when you know what you can truly do.”
“You have learned, then, Trixie Lulamoon.” Luna nodded, having finally regained her composure. “Though your appearance has some … troubling implications, I can sense the truth behind your words. We will discuss what happens from here at a later time.” The Alicorn shouldered her hammer and turned to the regrouping Changelings. “There are still many to reap.”
Trixie grinned as her focus gem was called to her from an unknown location. Once again, her magic wove around it, forming the scythe. “Then let’s away to the harvest. After all, I have wedding plans to make.” And Trixie charged forward into the battle, decapitating several Changelings with a single swing.
Luna smirked and looked to her thestrals. “What? You think I’m the only goddess of war?” She threw the hammer up, letting it spin several times, before catching it. “CHARGE!” And with a thunder of many hooves, the Thestrals returned to war.
It took a twenty-four hours of long combat and hard pressing, but once again, the Changelings were cut down to the last and the army of New Unity stood, battered and bruised, but victorious. Thanks to better fortifications and tactics, they’d managed to cut the losses down to a hundred souls who wouldn’t be feasting with their allies. Many more were wounded, but few were injured in any way that they couldn’t recover from in time. The Dwarves gathered as many scorpions as they could and released them onto the battlefield to feed on the enemy’s bodies. The carrion eaters took to their task with relish.
Ponyville had likewise been mercifully lucky. No Ponies were harmed, and the shelters had held for the battle. The militia and the Changelings from Me-Me’s hive had held Chrysalis’ forces back proudly, suffering only the loss of forty of their number. However, nearly all of the defenders had some kind of injury, including Twilight Sparkle, who was now being treated for a stab wound on her right hip. One Changeling’s horn had speared right through the plating. The dwarves had gone to collect the remaining enemy bodies for the scorpions back home. Celestia had scoffed at the idea, but it had apparently been approved by Hammer Strike, so she didn’t stop it.
So it was that Celestia and a still-limping Twilight found their way to the courtyard in New Unity. Troops were in relatively good of spirits, given the situation. Many were drinking as they talked about good times they’d had previously with now-dead comrades. Grif had still been unable to find Hammer Strike, so he authorized the opening of the booze supply to the soldiers. Shrial and Avalon were busy giving him an earful, while Gilda took care of the cubs, and a medic attended to wrapping a bandage around Grif’s front leg. Luna sat with a tankard nearby, laughing with a new Alicorn neither Twilight nor Celestia recognized at first.
“So, Grif, how big was the betting pool this time?” Vital Spark asked as he approached the trio. “Avalon, Shrial,” he said, nodding respectfully to each of them as he took a drink from his tankard.
“Thanks for the reminder,” Grif chuckled he rubbed his talons together. “Come on, people. Let’s see the bits!” he called. “I want them lined up like a pretty little chorus line.” His grin was vicious as a chorus of groans filled the air. Shrial, Avalon, Luna, and Gilda each tossed the Gryphon two sacks of bits a piece.
“What?” Celestia asked.
“Trixie ascended to Alicorn, and she and Vital Spark finally got on with the engagement,” Luna explained.
“Oh,” Celestia said, then grimaced as she passed Grif two sacks of bits herself. She actually looked to make sure Twilight wasn’t judging her, only to see Twilight toss a sack onto the pile.
“I still don’t see how you keep doing this, Grif.” Luna shook her head in disbelief.
“Grif just lucky, I guess,” he said in mock broken Equish, getting only a chuckle out of Vital for the reference.
“By the way, you’d better be ready to pay at least half of that to Clover,” Vital noted. “You know how she gets about debts.”
“For the ascension, I owe her maybe a quarter. The engagement? No. She had you two at five years from yesterday.”
“And Trixie?” Vital asked as he quirked an eyebrow.
“I didn’t let her get in. I don’t let anyone get into a betting pool revolving around them. That’s just bad policy.” He chuckled. “Didn’t change the fact she wanted in, though. So, now that you're all here, we’ve got two issues to discuss,” he noted. “Wait, where’s Pensword?”
“Right here,” Pensword said as he alighted on the ground. “Been searching for Moon River and her brothers.” His brow furrowed. “They’ve been AWOL for a day now. The Moon’s Throne arrives tomorrow, and Lunar Fang and Fox Feather are both on board. If I don’t find them before they get here….” Pensword shuddered, blissfully unaware of the shadows that loomed behind him.
They lunged simultaneously, tackling their target to the ground as giggles bombarded his ears. “Ah, the old sneak about to surprise the father trick, eh?” He rolled, and wrapped his forelegs around all four of his foals as he laughed. “Oh, Daddy’s missed you all,” he said as he nuzzled them “I’m so proud of you. Hiding from me like that to show just how much you’ve honed your skills.”
“Well now,” Grif cleared his throat. “Now that we’re all here, we have two pressing matters to cover. It’d probably be prudent to start with the lesser first.”
“You mean the fact Pensword owes you money?” Vital asked.
“Pensword’s been owing me money since we got back from the Third Gryphon War,” Grif chuckled. “No. First off is what the plan is for Trixie here.”
“Luna tests her for Nightmares,” Pensword answered without batting an eye.
“Wouldn’t work,” Clover’s voice cut in as she appeared. “Thanks for leaving me out of this, by the way,” she growled at Grif.
Grif shrugged. “Wasn’t sure. By all reports, you’ve been in a coma-like sleep for the last forty-eight hours or so.”
Clover didn’t deign that comment with a response. “Anyway, Trixie’s magic had already been too infused with dark magic to begin with. Nightmare testing wouldn’t work on her. If she was possessed, there’s a likelihood you’d get a false negative. The fact that she isn’t possessed means you could get a false positive. Too many variables.”
“Better than having a Changeling trying to absorb all your love,” Vital pointed out. “I was thinking about talking setting the wedding date.”
Luna looked to Celestia, who nodded. “We think, given circumstances, it may be best if Trixie’s ascension was held close to the barrel for now,” she noted. “Let the news of the attack wear down a bit, before we spring this on Equestria.”
“Judging by your reactions, I’m going to assume you didn’t think anypony else could ascend to Alicornhood?” Vital asked.
“I needed the assistance of a spell written by Star Swirl himself in order to ascend. Of course we didn’t think it was possible,” Twilight pointed out. “Though, I do have to admit, I’m curious why she looks so … different.”
“And by different, you mean...?” Vital asked.
“Well, there’s her horn’s makeup, the sharpened teeth, and then there’s the fact she’s practically doubled in height.”
“Star Swirl’s formula was based on the assumption a Pony couldn’t ascend naturally, because that was his theory,” Clover put emphasis on the word. “I, and several other mages, all agreed it should be possible to do so naturally, provided the right elements are put into place. For example, a powerful Unicorn ranging on the alpha plus scale, something Trixie here has reached easily. Then there would need to be a greater understanding of an aspect of the universe that is not properly understood. In this case, Trixie’s understanding of sacrifice, and what it means, as well as her understanding of the line between the light and dark magics, and the powers of each. And finally, a powerful unmaking of the Unicorn in a benevolent act.” Clover looked to the new Alicorn. “You used hollow point victory, I assume, given the explosion?”
Trixie looked away bashfully, but nodded. “I ... may have peeked at some of the older scrolls, while helping to clean up.”
Clover nodded. “I would hypothesize that Trixie’s taller stature is due to the longer buildup to her ascension without the aid of an outside source, like the Elements of Harmony. The rest of her changes, I assume, are mutations based on the balanced nature of her dark and light magic.” Clover was almost giddy as she looked into the sky and shook her hoof in the air. “You hear that, you grouchy old fart? I was right!”
“... Why am I not surprised at this reaction?” Vital deadpanned.
“Be that as it may, this is not the time to talk about such things.” Celestia looked to Grif. “And what, pray tell, is the other issue?”
“Him.” Grif pointed ahead between Celestia and Luna at the other end of the fortress. Gilgamesh stood, doing his best to keep out of sight of the crowds, and failing spectacularly.
“Ay caramba!” Luna said in a surprisingly good Spanish accent. “That is, by far, the largest Gryphon I have ever seen!”
“I found him when we arrived at the fort.” He looked both princesses in the eye. “I found him in the evoker fort.”
“That's impossible. The only beings who could enter that fort are you and Hammer Strike. It was sealed with blood magic. Only a very very close relative could get through there.”
“That's what I figured.” Grif whistled, catching the large Gryphon’s attention, then signaled for him to approach. “Celestia, Luna, meet Gilgamesh.”
“H-Hi,” Gilgamesh greeted hesitantly as he moved close to the group.
“This is Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. They rule this country. They’re not going to hurt you, and you can trust them,” Grif offered in a comforting tone.
“S-still not easy,” Gilgamesh muttered as he twiddled his thumbs.
Celestia smiled graciously. “I can understand that perspective very well.” She chuckled. “It took me some time to come out of my own shell when I was a foal. Welcome to our kingdom. Any friend of Grif’s is a friend of ours.” She extended a hoof to shake.
“T-thank you,” Gilgamesh replied as he reached hesitantly and took the hoof in turn.
Clover’s eyes widened, and she leaned in instantly to look at his talons. “They’re … pure alichorn,” she said. Her voice betrayed her bewilderment.
“You mean like our horns?” Vital asked.
“Our horns, Pegasus wing bones, Earth Pony hooves. It’s the element that allows Ponies to use magic directly from their bodies. It’s never been accounted to appear in any other race on Equis,” Clover noted.
“He seems to have some kind of Pony mutation,” Grif explained. “He has hooves on his back legs, but the rest of the leg is a lion’s, and he can … well, Gilgamesh, can you show them what you can do?”
“I-I think I can.” Gilgamesh took a step back from the group and held out his hands. After a few breaths, his hands began to glow, and a small flame began to grow in the air between them. As it grew, the air around it began to pick up, fueling the fire’s growth, until it suddenly extinguished, and he started shrinking back into himself. “S-sorry. I-I’m not used to c-casting.”
“You did great, Gilgamesh,” Grif soothed. He looked to Avalon. “Could you take him to the house? I think we have an empty room he can rest in for now.”
“We can get him there,” Avalon agreed. “But don’t think you’re off the hook just yet, mister.”
Grif looked at Celestia as they left. “Whoever he is, he seems to have had a traumatic experience. He has trouble trusting people, doesn’t remember anything major. A real shy type. The only thing he could give us from his past was this mark.” Grif drew the marking on the ground. “We haven’t found a clan to match it yet. Don’t suppose it means anything to you?”
Celestia furrowed her brow. “It certainly looks familiar, but I can’t quite place where I might have seen it before. What about you, Luna? You made it a point to know each of the Gryphon colors by heart. Do you recognize it?”
Luna shook her head. “If it is a clan crest, it’s a relatively new one.”
“I figured.” Grif nodded. “For the time being, I’ll keep him at the compound. But when we have a chance, I’d like some help looking into this. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to meet up with the search party.” He rose to his paws and headed towards the castle proper.
“Search party?” Vital asked as he watched the Gryphon walk off. “Search for who?”
“I’m wondering the same thing,” Pensword agreed as he nodded sagely.
“You know, you’re looking surprisingly calm for dealing with an alien Gryphon,” Vital noted. “I thought you would’ve freaked out a bit by now.”
“More importantly, though, where is Hammer Strike?” Luna piped up suddenly
Light was the first thing the stallion registered as he opened his eyes to the blue sky above. After a moment, he groaned, raising a tan hoof weakly over his eyes to block the light. He could hardly move. His whole body ached. A gentle breeze washed over him, and the rustling of leaves graced his ears as a large golden oak swayed overhead.
He growled with effort as he forced himself onto his side. His breathing came in labored heaves. Once he felt himself settle, he tried looking out once more, taking in cascading green hills. He just make out a forest of darkened trees in the distance, with only one major road leading into it. Other than that, he didn’t see much abnormality.
He groaned and shifted his hooves to his head. Stabs of pain kept coming in waves as he tried to remember what was going on. The only thing that would come back was the area around him. He couldn’t remember anything about how he got there, what was going on, or anything else for that matter. His thoughts drifted to himself as he opened his eyes, and looked at his hooves once more. His breathing quickened as he became worried. Panic began to settle in. His heart rate picked up the longer he tried to push the memories to come. In the end, his efforts were was met with the same result.
“Wh … what happened?” he rasped.
Pain lanced through his head, and his vision swam. The green hills, the trees, the sky. It all began to blur as a darkness seeped at the edge of his vision and gradually consumed all. His breathing slowed as the world went black and the sound of the wind escaped him. The last thing drifting into his fading consciousness was the sound of heavy hooves crushing the grass.
“Pa, come quick! I think somepony’s hurt!”