//------------------------------// // The Union // Story: The Age of Hunting // by SwordTune //------------------------------// "What in world is this thing?" Zorne slammed his hoof against the barrier that had been brought up against his pack. He fired blasts of magic as well, but it was pointless. He cursed himself for listening to Princess Spectra and staying with their prisoners. What use were ponies if the princess was stuck inside a barrier of magic? "It took me an hour to fly here, you must have some something out by now," he said to his lieutenants. In total there were seven of them, all nearly as old and experienced as he was, but they all shook their heads. "We sent a group of ten to burrow under as moles," said one lieutenant, "but the barrier stretches down as far as they can dig. "All the way up too," added another. "We've been flying around as all manner of birds, but the barrier closes at the top like a dome." "And the straightforward approach is useless too." Zorne didn't need to be told how worthless they were, he could hear the sound of bison and oxen ramming against the repelling barrier. The magic was too strong for any single pony to be casting it, but there was no other source of magic that could produce a barrier to such effect. Right through the clear barrier, he could see the walls of the village centre. Shops and temples, scaffolds to repair what Princess Halfwing had meticulously destroyed months ago, they were all within sight, just down the road. But he might as well try to break through a steel cage. He sniffed it. The smell, or lack thereof, was the strangest thing. Even in the form a spell, a unicorn's magic still had their emotions mixed into it. But this barrier didn't smell like anything, as if the only thing powering the magic shield was a pure, unemotional form of magic. Zorne slammed his hoof into it again. It felt as unliving as a rock. For the first time in a long time, he didn't know what to do. What could anything do against a spell made from pure energy? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spectra kept her mouth silent and her mind running. They were underground, moving through a narrow caementine tunnel that forced the ponies to march in a single file. Behind her was her captain, and in front was a dozen armed ponies. She imagined the rear of the line was no different. They kept itchy cotton bags over their heads, but it was all pointless. It was clear Halfwing hadn't explained to her ponies the extent to what their senses could do. A sound like breaking glass galloped its echo down the tunnel. Without warning, the ponies all hurried through. Spectra listened closely to their quickened pace and felt the rough pushing from the ponies at the back of the line. Once they moved a little further down, Spectra heard the noise again, but slower this time, like the sound of water freezing between cracks in stone. "Was that magic?" Her captain's voice rung in her ears. His voice was so low Spectra could barely hear him, which she imagined was the point since none of the ponies' primitive ears could pick up on the low reverberation. She concentrated her magic into her throat, carefully changing only the organ that produced sound, expanding it until it could speak as low as her captain. "I didn't smell anything." She said quietly. Though she knew the ponies were incapable of hearing her, she instinctively guarded her words with whispers. "Neither did I, but I've heard unicorns cast spells that make that sound," her captain replied. "I've only heard it with barrier spells." "A barrier around the entire village square?" Spectra couldn't imagine how any pony could have enough power to maintain a spell of that size, but it did explain why Zorne's drones didn't rush to her aid immediately. They were observing from too far away, and the spell must have blocked them off. "It's all I can guess for now," he answered. "Sounds impossible, and I bet not even Zorne has seen a spell like this before." That sounded even more impossible than a massive barrier around the village centre. Zorne was one of the oldest hunter-drones, and likely the most respected captain in the hive. Even if it took a little longer, Spectra was sure he knew of a way to get through. Through. If they were blocked off inside the barrier, then why did it sound like it was breaking open? "Where do you think we're being moved if we had to pass through the barrier spell?" Her drone was silent for a moment but replied as if the realization dawned on him as well. "We're being moved outside, away from the centre, and probably the village as well." "In a tunnel where not even Zorne knows to find," Spectra finished. "Do you think the drones still think we're in there?" "It's too far down to track us by scent," her captain said. "But by now they've already sent messengers to tell Zorne we've been split up. But we can't whether or not he'll figure out where we are." Spectra didn't appreciate her captain's cynicism. But, hoping for a rescue was not how she was going to become a queen. The ponies were taking a risk by leaving their barrier. There was no doubt Halfwing wanted to see her, even if it was just to kill her herself. A confrontation, that's what she expected this to end with. Spectra expected it to happen no matter what happened. She had bargained for this, going to war with Halfwing. Now it was a matter of changing with the situation. The march was nowhere as gruelling as travelling from the hive. Spectra guessed they had been marching for no more than an hour before they finally stopped. She could feel the fresh air flowing from above them, presenting the smell of prickling pine. They were finally pushed up a slope to the surface, somewhere at the edge of the village. It's wasn't yet in the thick woods. The air blew pine from one side, but smoke and the smell of marble came from the other. The ponies had bound all their wings, but that couldn't stop her from transforming into a hawk and taking off through the sky. She gathered her magic, feeling her body tense up as her inner organs were broken down to mould into that of a bird's. But a jolt shook the spell away and her body snapped back into its original shape. She tried again but felt the jolt again as the ponies in front dragged her along. "We're not gonna let your pack catch your scent," one of the stallions said. "I'll kick you along if I have to." Just to reiterate his point, the voice who made the threat stepped behind Spectra and struck her back, sending her forward into the dirt. Another pony was quick to grab her by the back of her neck and pull her up. "You idiot, we're trying not to leave any tracks." Spectra heard scuffling around her in the dirt. Multiple hooves moved to scrub at where she had fallen. "Hopefully they won't notice we were here. Now let's go." Spectra stumbled forward again from another push. "I was trying to make'em go faster," said the pony who had kicked her. The other quickly brushed him aside. "Be quiet, Sugar Coal. Bad enough you have a mouth big enough for stones. Just remember, I don't want to get in trouble with the Lady and neither do you." They marched uphill further into the forest, and Spectra could smell the stronger scents of holly branches and bilberries. There was running water near as well, the higher up they went. The other pony may have stopped Sugar Coal's brazen aggression, but they were as rough as ever pushing them up their path. Spectra could ignore the loss of balance whenever they were pushed, but the abrupt movements with each push undid all her attempts to transform. They shook her insides each time, half suspended in magic and an emulsion of undirected flesh, until she was forced to bring it back to her pony form. The cycle repeated itself an hour until a hoof pressed Spectra's back and forced her face to the ground. She would have returned gesture with a blast of magic had she not smelled oiled bronze spear tips hoving not too far from her neck. Spectra recognized the smell of iron ore and cut marble bricks. To her right, the unmistakable sound of stallions drudging up ore from the earth could be heard. Her senses were so focused that when the bag was lifted from her head, the light blinded her even more than the darkness. It took a few seconds to find her bearings by sight. The water she had smelled was no natural stream. A massive aqueduct made from caementine spilt water into troughs for miners as they returned from, or left for, the mine. Tables smelling of the same wood as the forest's trees were laid out around the mine, filled with plates of barley and cups of cider. Tents were out as well, from simple tarps held up by wood poles to elaborate fixtures that almost looked sturdy enough to be permanent. In the middle of all the tents stood what almost looked like a temple. It had a wide rectangular base that supported strong walls of marble and caementine. As it climbed higher, the sections grew narrower, becoming rectangular columns of stone that reached many times over the ponies' heads. And in front of Spectra stared the eyes of a Changeling. The black chitinous carapace looked strong and healthy. It was rich in colour, and more importantly, was shaped into overlapping armour plates. Her frame was slightly taller and more slender than the Changelings that stood farther back, but she wasn't so distinct that a passing glance wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. It was her smell that triggered the first memory. That scent was in every hidden crack and corner of the cave. It was a scent that she had associated with weakness for so long. It reminded Spectra of her early months in the hive, and slowly, she cast her gaze on the Changeling's side, where a torn wing was shamelessly displayed. "Not the family reunion either of us imagined," said Halfwing, looking down at her sister being pinned by spears. Spectra glared at the ponies around her. They all had the same scars around their hooves, soldiers and miners alike. Her sister had turned Marblestop into a village of slaves by feeding only on the magic of the rich and powerful. Now Spectra understood why the refugees were able to integrate with Riverfork so well. Among them were no poor labourers, only trained masters and flourishing apprentices, or merchants with powerful connections. Spectra rose slowly, presenting no threat to make the spears at her neck go any deeper. It was pointless to transform even though there was enough time to focus her magic now. If she ran, Halfwing's hunter-drones would pluck her from the sky. and probably eliminate her pack just for extra security. Besides, she wasn't going to bow to a cripple. "I didn't you'd even survive the march from the hive." She pointed to Halfwing's broken side. "Hunter-drones carry you all the way?" Halfwing leered at her. "You and Tenacity have never given me respect. But I've had to work harder every step of the way because of that, so don't think spitting insults can hurt me any more than you already have." "Didn't tear off your wing," Spectra reminded her. Halfwing shrugged. "Out of the four of us, you two were closest. So I hope you'll understand my reservations." She gave a signal with her hoof to the spear-holders and they grabbed Spectra roughly by the neck and bound her legs together with a thick cord of rope. The rest of her pack bristled and hissed from seeing their princess so rudely submitted, but a herd of spear points bore down on them as well, the eyes of the ponies almost daring them to give threat. Spectra struggled against the bindings, testing their strength. No doubt the pony who tied her up was once a slave to the dockmasters. She had seen how ponies moored their boats to the docks, twisting ropes into intricate knots no storm could ever hope to undo. This one was so tight there was no room to even twist her hooves around. "Put them as deep as the mine goes," she ordered the ponies. "They should feel right at home down in the dark." The soldiers grunted and began pushing the Spectra and her hunter-drones over to the mine's entrance. Even with Halfwing's pack in the camp, the soldiers were just as cautious. Speartip overlapped speartip, each soldier not daring to give the Changelings room to even twitch. Spectra wanted to call out, give a final taunt to her sister before she went under, tell her that Tenacity and Majesta were hunting for her with even more drones. But what would that do? Alert her to the rest of the army, most likely. Silence was the better option, and she imagined there'd be plenty of it inside the mines. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Zorne puzzled at the barrier from the roof of a bakery. Save for the rear guard which he sent back to watch their prisoners, he and his pack had the barrier completely surrounded, above ground and in their underground waterways. They could besiege the village, waiting out the ponies inside, but there was no telling how long that'd take, or what would happen to the princess during that time. "Tell the drones to stop their ramming," he ordered one of his lieutenants. "We're doing more damage to the ground that we are to that spell." The lieutenant nodded and chattered a command to all the Changelings on the surface. Immediately they stopped their assault and pulled back shops surrounding the village square. Zorne stared at the caementine road that lead out of the centre. The material was strong and heavy, but also brittle. The force of the pack ramming into the barrier was deflected all into the ground. He buzzed his wings and flew down to the other side of the barrier. "What is it, captain?" His lieutenants followed instinctively and without question. "Look at the ground where we've been attacking." He pointed a hoof at the cracked caementine that reached a quarter of the way around the village centre. He then gestured to the unassailed side of the barrier, where the caementine was untouched. "This barrier is as solid as any metal. But even though it reaches deep into the ground, the ground is fine." One lieutenant poked the barrier. "It's magic, sir, I'm sure it doesn't have to act as material things do." Zorne shot a bolt of green energy at the ground below him, scorching the surface and chipping off a chunk of the caementine. "Even magic has to obey nature's logic," he said. Zorne scooped the chunk of caementine off the ground and balanced it on his hoof. He pressed it against the barrier, but the rock passed through it as if it was air, falling away from his hoof on the other side of the barrier. "An hour attacking this barrier and we didn't even think to try alternatives," Zorne growled, equally frustrated at himself and his pack. His lieutenants simply looked at each other. "We never imagined ponies could create spell this complex. A selective barrier, that kind of magic is even beyond us." Zorne nodded, though he was seething. "It's obvious they knew who'd come knocking on their door. Order the pack to fall back to the nest for now." "Sir," protested one lieutenant. "We could build siege engines to hurl bricks into the village centre. We'd need construction materials to do so." "Wood is plentiful in the forest," added another lieutenant. "If we retreat, do we have permission to begin harvesting lumber for the catapults?" Zorne thought for a moment. He had planned to return to the nest and coerce one of their prey to sabotage the barrier from within, but that plan had many risks. Having a second plan would be wiser. He nodded to his lieutenants, agreeing with their choice. Zorne shifted to a hawk and left his lieutenants to signal the retreat. Wind on his wings, he again surveyed the destruction Princess Halfwing managed to bring down onto the village. Many places were still destroyed, but over the past few months reconstruction had obviously been conducted. They were growing again, and stronger this time. Zorne still remembered what it was like to be a young hunter-drone, bullied and submissive to the older captains. But the hive's strength was a matter of evolution, removing the drones that got too comfortable with having power. Year after year as a hunter-drone Zorne remembered the beatings, starvation, and humiliation from older drones. Slaves. It had taken a long time for him to wrap his head around the difference between the multitude of pony drones, their farmers and their servants and their apprentices seemed all the same when he was young. But the most obvious of all was that slaves had it worse. They were beaten definitely humiliated. Sometimes starved too, but only on occasion, as well-fed workers were often the most productive. And now that they had their lives back, they were growing up stronger than ever, just like any hunter-drone captain. He had never seen magic like their barrier. Its rules seemed clear enough; only Changelings were denied. But what was the source, and how did it know if an animal was real, or just a Changeling? He doubted he'd find the answer, but the nest neared below him and all he needed was a solution. If Changelings weren't allowed through, then their only agents would have to be ponies. He changed back to his regular form and hovered up to the highest nest-rooms. "Captain." The guard watching over the prisoners' nest-rooms bowed his head to Zorne. He gestured with his head to the forest around them. "We're pulling back from the village for now. Go grab whatever you can from the traps, the pack wasted far too much magic at this point." "Yes, sir." Without hesitation, the hunter-drone hopped off his perch and flew down and made for the traps. Zorne landed on the edge of the nest-room. It was small. Unlike Princess Tenacity, Princess Spectra had brought only one prisoner. The other was too unfit for the march. There were broken twigs and scorch marks, signs that the hunter-drones had some trouble restraining the prey while he was away. His hooves clanked against a couple wooden bowls, stolen from the edges of Marblestop by some scouts. Water was left in one, while the other had a mix of nuts and roots. The prisoner, Lunti, was curled on the other side of the nest. In two strides Zorne crossed over to her, but the pony was asleep. Bruises on her neck and legs were indicative of the drones' rough handling when she tried to escape. Still, Zorne could help but notice her cleverness. It was unlikely that she coincidentally decided to try to escape only after he had been called to the village. Most likely she noticed the respect the hunter-drones gave him and decided the highest chance she had of escaping was when the leader was away. "Wake up, prey." He nudged her with his hoof. Under normal circumstances, Zorne would have been patient. He spent decades living and hunting among ponies and knew well the limits of their bodies. But every moment he wasted was a moment he was failing the princess the Queen had ordered him to accompany. He shook Lunti harder, and naturally, the pony was spooked awake. She rubbed her eyes until her vision focused on Zorne in his natural form. The sight clearly frightened her, he could smell it, but she breathed steadily and waited for him to say something. "Right now your life is at risk," he said bluntly. "You've been afforded luxuries because of Princess Spectra. Most prey do not ever see the sun again once they enter the hive. Worse still, they are fed on dozens of times a day." Sharpened by years of experience, Zorne could hear her muscles tense and smell adrenaline pumping through her blood. If she was like most prey he had seen in his lifetime, she was likely beginning to wonder if she could end her life with a sharpened twig. "But will only happen to you if you cannot help the Princess," Zorne said. Lunti stared at him, her expression suddenly taken aback. "I don't understand," she finally replied. Zorne growled. Dumber prey would have simply accepted the chance to save themselves. "Bring down a magic barrier," he gestured with hooves, trying to draw the image in the air. "A spell surrounds the village centre, one that forbids only Changelings from entering. Go inside and stop whatever is casting the spell." Lunti furrowed her brow. That was a sign that Zorne did not like. "What is it?" Lunti looked down, reluctant to answer. Zorne crackled his horn by pooling his magic too suddenly for a spell to take form. Lunti scrambled against the wall of the nest and shielded herself with her hooves. "You said whatever," she answered meekly. "If it's not a unicorn, then where's the spell coming from?" "I don't know," he answered with irritation. "If I did I might not be giving you this chance. So do not test me." Lunti paused again, lowering her legs and looking at Zorne. "Why are you giving me this chance. You mentioned Spectra, she's the one who disguised herself as Marina, right?" Zorne stayed silent. In truth, he didn't care about the Princess's first hunt and knew no details. Yet Lunti continued to pry. "Something must have happened to her, that's why you're threatening me now." After a moment, Zorne answered. "Yes. But none of that matters to you. Do what I say, because if you make me fail my duties by refusing to help, you live a life with no rest from suffering." Lunti bit back her clever tone. Zorne's voice was low, rough, and aggressive, but there was no exaggeration in it. His threats were as real as his ability to carry them out, and even Lunti could feel the powerful magic he had stored in himself. "I guess I don't have many choices left in my life," Lunti lamented. She picked herself off the floor of the nest and brushed off dozens of twigs stuck to her hide. "But promise me this: I'll at least get a proper bed as a reward." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tenacity had to climb up a tree just to see over her bigger sister. They were crouched behind flourishing bushes, and the only gap between the thick flowers was blocked by Majesta's head. Cold air slipped past their hard chitin, carrying the scent of the mining camp towards them. Ponies, dirt, iron, and Changelings, they smelled it all. They were lucky that the winter winds that blew through the mountains put them downwind so that Halfwing could not smell them as well. "How'd you get so fat with only one pony to feed on?" Tenacity asked while they watched the camp return to its normal routine. "It's not fatness that makes me bigger." Majesta snapped back, annoyed. "Our proportions are the same, you're simply a runt." Tenacity pouted and poked Majesta in the back, feeling her carapace. "Nope, squishy means you're fat." "I can see a dozen ponies at the wall." She focused on the mining camp ahead of them. Their packs had taken positions around it. Combined, they had ninety-eight hunter-drones. Four were captains, with seventeen lieutenants. The rest were hungry drones waiting to strike the camp. "Two dozen," corrected Tenacity. "They're changing shifts right now, I can see another twelve coming up to the wall now." The two princesses heard reports from their captains. The messages came as high-pitched clicks that were inaudible to the ponies, and too short range for Halfwing to hear it from within the mining camp. "A dozen by the aqueduct," said one captain. Another added quickly. "Thirty moving in and out of the mine." "We see ten standing by the barrels of crystals, with another twenty ponies packaging them." The last report caught Majesta's ear. She recalled her time among ponies, pretending to be a student at a school for magicians. To make up for their weaknesses ponies devised many clever ways of strengthening their magic, and many of those ways included storing power in crystals. "We have the element of surprise," Tenacity said, pointing to the large caementine structure inside the camp. "That thing there, that's where Halfwing went." "We outnumber them, we should attack." Tenacity didn't hear her sister offer a suggestion. "If we strike that building, we might kill Halfwing before her ponies can react." "I know." "The hunter-drones can cover our escape with volleys of magic," Tenacity continued again. "You might think it's risky, but we can't be too hesitant." Majesta grabbed Tenacity by the hoof and dragged her down from the tree. "I said I know, sister." She let go. "We may have our differences, but I know there are times your bloodlust can be useful." "Wait, I didn't think you'd actually agree." Tenacity peered back through the bushes, considering the camp's defences with more severity now. "We're you watching when they took Spectra?" Majesta growled. "Halfwing put herself above the hive. If ponies can be taught to imprison Changelings, it won't be long until they realize they don't need her. And after that..." "Us," Tenacity finished, agreeing with Majesta's assessment. "Ponies and Changelings don't belong together." Majesta nodded. "Spectra was there, she had the chance to kill Halfwing, but she chose to let their spearpoints threaten her. Worse, her pack followed." That was right. Tenacity didn't realize it, they had only just caught up with Spectra's scent when the ponies were taking them into the mines, but the drones didn't seem to fight back. Not a single hunter-drone would hesitate to give their life for their princess. They were made to be expendable like that. But instead, Spectra taught her pack to fall in line. "Do you think Spectra has some kind of plan?" Tenacity was cautious to call her closest sister a weakling. They had bonded over tormenting Halfwing together. It somehow seemed fitting that Halfwing would drive them apart. Majesta shrugged. "Maybe, but I don't see the point." "In any case, we should remember to free her once Halfwing's dead," Tenacity said. "I don't think Zorne would be happy if he found out he failed to protect her." A high pitch trill left Majesta's mouth, a signal to their hunter-drones to prepare for a fight. "I never found the need to torent our sister, so I'll leave Halfwing to you." She directed Tenacity's gaze with her hoof to the barrels of crystals. "I think I can scatter most of the ponies, as long as the crystals do what I think they do." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unlike the vast caverns of the hive, the mine was narrow and cramped, its ceilings too low to comfortably stand. If these were the work conditions of the slaves who worked the mines, Spectra didn't blame them for rallying around Halfwing so eagerly. From the back of her own prison, she tried calling out to her pack but it seemed her sister had taken another precaution. The doors of each cell weren't just made of metal, but thick curtains made from sheep's wool as well. The thick barrier muffled sounds coming in and out, no matter how high or low Spectra pitched her voice. Spectra twisted her head around, tearing up the bag around her head. The ponies didn't even have the decency to remove it after locking her up. She had to lie low in the cell, its ceiling scraped against her horn when she tried to stand up normally. Have your fun, sister. Spectra knew she would deal with her sister soon enough. From inside the mine, her pack had the advantage against Halfwing's pony army. The narrow spaces nullified their larger numbers, while their ability to transform into smaller animals increased their mobility in places ponies would find difficult to move in. She flexed her magic, burning off excess matter until she was the size and shape of one of the jungle rodents that lived near the hive. They were large compared to the rats and beavers that lived along the river, but still small enough to scurry through the tunnels of the mine. Then she heard her sister's voice, muffled through the door. "I can sense more out there, Septarian," she spoke. "I have a feeling this is going to be a full family reunion." "Don't worry, we have blasting crystals prepared, Lady Changeling," he replied. Halfwing paused for a moment. "You know you don't have to call me that." "I know, love, but it feels weird when we're not alone." Spectra recoiled from the scent flooding the mine, so forceful it shocked her back to her original form and she covered her nose. It was more than Septarian's emotional magic; Halfwing's magic expressed a wide range of scents Spectra had never encountered before. But it quickly faded. "Watch them while I talk to my sister, and call at the first sign of trouble." "Of course." Spectra listened as his hoof steps echoed away. The curtains parted as the iron door opened with Halfwing walking in behind it. She moved casually, shutting it again and leaning comfortably against the wall opposite Spectra, who could smell the difference in magic between them. She had definitely made use of the village, feeding and growing her magic to a point that shouldn't have been possible for a few more years. "It had to be you, didn't it?" Halfwing sighed, as if with regret. "Tenacity would have been better. Her I can kill without question." Spectra didn't wait for her sister's hesitation to wear off. She flared her horn and cast a bolt of magic across the cell. Halfwing lowered her head, producing a barrier from her horn. Spectra rushed forward, shifting into the body of a guard hound, the kind that the farmers of Riverfork used to ward off wild predators. Halfwing moved aside, collapsing to the ground as her legs melted away and her body stretched into a massive serpent. In a single motion, the serpent circled the hound, compressing Spectra's lungs and threatening to splinter her bones. Halfwing's magic, however, smelled unmistakably passive, and before she was crushed in half, Halfwing released her death grip and retreated to the opposite end of the cell. She withdrew the snake's tale and brought back her legs, returning to her Changeling form. Spectra eyed her warily. "Don't tell me you've developed some kind of sisterly love during our time apart." "Oh no, not love," Halfwing chuckled spitefully. "I just want you to tell me something." She paused, looking down at her hooves as if finding the perfect way to word her question. The silence irritated Spectra. Halfwing had all the power she needed and freedom to use it, yet she was too weak-willed to use it. Spectra wondered if travelling this far to end her useless sister was a waste of time. But, as was the case of late, Halfwing cut through her expectations with a single word. "Why?" Spectra waited for more but that was it. It took her a second to notice that Halfwing was flapping the stump of her broken wing. "That has nothing to do with me," she said. "Then you've forgotten how we were born?" Halfwing spoke through gritted teeth. In her mind, images of her memory flashed. They were born into a pit, suffocating from the moment they left their eggs. Then, they didn't know how to kill. They didn't even know what killing meant. The only thing Spectra and her sisters knew how to do was survive. "Never," she replied grimly. Halfwing gazed down into Spectra's eyes, her nostrils flaring as she let out a strained breath. "So tell me why you chose me, and not Tenacity." "What do you mean?" Spectra asked. "I remember scrambling over her to get more air," Halfwing explained. "We fought, the both of us just trying to live until you threw yourself onto my back. That's when she got the chance to sink her fangs into it. Since then I've assumed the two of you were born simply to make my life miserable." "You were closer," Spectra answered. She didn't remember it as vividly as Halfwing, but their first fight was still kept away in her mind like a scroll tucked away in a library. "I think I would have killed Tenacity if she was on top." "So it was just bad luck?" Halfwing's horn bristled, a spark of magic shooting up and lighting the cell for a moment. "And after? Mother had already branded me with my name but you still had to side with the runt!" Spectra slammed her hoof on the ground. "Fixing your life was not my job." "Neither was making it worse." The tension between them was palpable. Neither doubted that the other was using their sense of smell to read the other's emotions. In the middle of it all, Spectra wished she had learned how to conceal her emotions from Seris. They were both still young Changelings and their emotions flooded their ichor. There was a mixture of pain and anger inside Halfwing's magic. Loneliness, rejection, and self-loathing, all of it pained her, making her magic smell like burnt flesh. It was accompanied by a bitter anger. It ebbed and flowed in waves, the scent fading and strengthening in a constant rhythm, a sign that not all the anger was present. Much of it would be for Tenacity, she assumed. By contrast, Spectra smelled so bland. Rational patience bore little in terms of smell, and the lack of emotion only angered frustrated Halfwing more. It seemed to her that Spectra felt nothing about the life she had ruined. "Why keep fighting? Why come all this way just to torment me more?" "Did you really think I'd let you run away with so much power?" Spectra waved her hooves around. "You've so much to feed on, why wouldn't I come?" "And the others?" Halfwing asked. "Majesta and Tenacity, I can smell them out there. But what do you think Majesta will do with me out of the picture?" "Probably grow stronger," Spectra answered honestly. "But she'll be a problem for the future." "And you would allow that?" Halfwing gestured a hoof at Spectra. "Look around, you and I both know what Majesta could do with what I have." Spectra chortled. "You're scared that you'll lose to us." Those words struck Halfwing and she lowered her head. "I promised myself," she whispered, "to enjoy the moment I become Queen. I want to make mother feel every shred of pain she's given me, and none of you will stop me." Spectra looked down at the bag that had been over her head. If Halfwing wanted her dead, this would not be the first opportunity. Despite all her power, Spectra realized, her sister was still crippled on the inside. She was angry, that was all. It was laughable. Spectra thought that at the very least her sister would still have the fortitude of a Changeling princess. But she let her emotions get the better of her and sought the comfort of ponies instead of a hive. Halfwing wasn't meant to be a princess. She would never be Queen, no matter what. Still, that didn't change the fact that she had the power to kill. "Leave me," Spectra said. "No doubt Majesta would like to take us both out if she could. Keeping me alive might be the perfect bait." A wave of relief washed over Halfwing's aura, though her face displayed suspicion. "I hadn't thought of that. Why tell me this?" Spectra shrugged. "I get to live, and in the process, Majesta walks into a trap. You could say that's as much weight off my shoulders as killing you." It was a stupid plan. Halfwing huffed and sat on the idea. She didn't believe her sister would offer anything to help, then again, the plan did solve a mutual problem: Majesta. If she was was lucky, Halfwing wondered if Tenacity would allow herself to get trapped too. She ended up shaking that thought from her head. Luck had never been on her side. Her success would be on her own will to live, and nothing else. Sounds from outside the mine echoed down on them. The sound could be heard even through the muffled cell door. Boom. Crack. Shouts ran down the length of the mine. "Lady Changeling!" Shouted one voice. His friend next to him banged on the cell door. "The other Changelings are outside, Septarian's injured!" Magic gathered in the air. Spectra crawled away from Halfwing when she felt her chitin blistering. The air had become superheated from the arcs of crackling green pouring out of Halfwing's horn. She flung open the door and slammed it shut. "Watch this cell. If any other Changelings come in here, run and find me." Halfwing ran for the mine's entrance. She passed the numerous branches that led to the other cells, small caverns crammed with form slave masters, and now a few Changelings. The other ponies, miners and crystal detonators, they came flooding out of the mine as well. Some were eager to take up arms again and fight like they had for their freedom. Others simply didn't want to be trapped if the explosions outside collapsed the entrance. It was a reasonable fear. Outside, Halfwing could hear the sounds of war. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lunti's breathing was shakier than she thought it would be. She looked around as Zorne escorted her through the streets of Marblestop. For months she had listened to the stories. As a council member, her father personally dealt with the problems of many of Marblestop's refugees. But seeing the destruction was another thing. Walls were completely torn out, and the white caementine streets were still stained red in certain cracks. Ashes piled up in other homes, where bodies of the dead must have been burned, even though Lunti hoped what she was looking at were just splinters of wood and not bone fragments. What remained intact of the village was being brought down. She slowed her pace as she watched dozens of Changelings working in perfect harmony carry wood to build siege weapons. They seemed to hate carrying things by flight, so instead, they rolled logs along the wide streets. "Now you know what we'll do to their village if you can't bring that barrier down," Zorne said firmly. "We'll tear the village to the ground to find Princess Spectra." It bothered her that she was used to hearing those words now. Princess Spectra. The pony she had known for months was gone, replaced by a monster who just wanted to eat her. She had learned enough about their swarm just by watching from her nest, often while she wondered if she could jump and hit the ground before they caught her. There were a couple others like Spectra, leaders whose words moved the others without hesitation. Lunti breathed deeply to steady herself, but she flinched everytime a Changeling smashed a wall into cracked bricks, ammunition for their catapults. She jumped at a dull pain at her side. Zorne's chitin jabbed her roughly in the ribs. "Pay attention. Can you do this?" Lunti rubbed the pain away. "What do you mean?" "You're distracted," he told her. "You're useless if you lose focus." Lunti shook her head. "It's not like I see these things every day. I'll be fine once we get there." "You are lying. I can smell your fear." Lunti scrunched her face. "That's exactly what I mean. "Smelling fear" isn't something ponies hear very often." Despite how right he was, Lunti felt comfortable talking. Growing up with the elite of Riverfork had at least taught her how to be convincing. "Besides," she added, "how do I know you're not lying? You could be trying to scare me even more. Seems like something you'd do." "Adrenaline is flooding your system right now," he answered. Zorne gestured to the empty flood channels in the street, ones that would move water out of the village. "To my nose, it's as easy to smell as a steaming plate of vegetables." "You can't be serious," Lunti said. The barrier's magical thrumming began to encroach as they neared it. "I won't bother describing how your body is interrupting the magic flowing through it," Zorne smirked. "Just remember, I might frighten you, but I don't need to lie to do it." Lunti simply stared straight ahead. "Well with that weight on my shoulders, I don't think I can fail this." Zorne grunted but seemed to accept her answer. "We will see." They came onto the village square from the main marketplace by the river. The road that brought goods from the harbour to the rest of the village was now torn up and cracked. Lunti recognized the heavy hoofmarks of other animals, oxen and rams, along with some others she didn't recognize. The wide caementine path bore the weight of a good dozen half-built catapults, with piles of stone rubble ready to be launched through the ponies' selective barrier. "Why not just make a solid magic wall?" Lunti wondered out loud. Zorne pushed her forward. "Maybe you'll find out when you get to the pony casting the spell." Lunti stared at the dome encompassing the entire village centre. A pony? She couldn't imagine a whole school of wizards maintaining this spell for long. Whoever was casting it was quite possibly the most powerful unicorn in Equestria. She tested the barrier with a rock. As Zorne had explained on the way across the river, the barrier ignored the stone as it passed through it. But the pieces of chipped ox horns lying around the barrier proved that it was as solid as a bronze wall. Lunti reached out her hoof this time and closed her eyes. She expected some kind of tingling sensation, the kind of electrified feeling when a pony walked over somewhere that had just been struck by lightning, but to her flesh, the intense magic was no different from empty air. Lunti stepped through the barrier as easily as walking through a door and turned back to Zorne. It was tempting to sprint away, to keep running and hope that the Changelings wouldn't find her, or at least wouldn't bother. But the catapults were still in sight, and Zorne was still a leg's reach away. Even behind the barrier Lunti didn't feel protected from the Changeling. His glazed blue sockets stared back at her intensely. Her heart pounded as her body still felt under the threat of the Changelings. Wherever the Marblestop ponies were, they didn't have the privilege of feeling safe. Lunti nodded and faced the road leading into the square. She had to bring down the barrier, but that didn't mean she couldn't help the ponies here. Her old life was plagued with her selfishness. The things she did, they hurt the ones close to her. Whichever spirit was looking after her, Lunti hoped doing some good now would give her the fortune to escape one day.