The Changeling empire

by red reaper


Under the golden mask

Starlight was locked in the prisoner’s chamber in Eclipse’s fortress. It was a dark room, made out of metal, and the only light there was the light of a few torches. “Twilight...” Starlight sighed to herself, “Celestia, if you hear me, I want to apologize, for the ponies that I took their cutie marks, for kidnapping the elements of harmony, for changing the timeline... And for destroying the lives of everypony here.”

“Celestia will not hear you here,” a masculine voice told Starlight through the darkness, “Celestia is dead like the rest.” Starlight tried to use her magic to light up the room, but her magic didn’t work. Starlight took one of the torches and she walked towards the voice. Starlight saw a stallion, possibly in his 20’s. The stallion had an orange coat, stained by black blood wounds, his orange mane was messed and his face was covered by an orange beard and his horn was broken.

“Sunburst?” Starlight asked the stallion that turned his head towards her.

“How do you know my name?” The stallion asked.

“Sunburst, it’s me, Starlight,” Starlight smiled and she hugged Sunburst, that looked at Starlight and tears started to leak from his eyes, “You have no idea how much I missed you.” Starlight hugged and cried as well, and Sunburst hugged her and leaned his head on her shoulder.

“Then why didn’t you came with me?” Sunburst asked Starlight, and the mare’s smile faded away, “You should have celebrated my success with me, but instead, you left me.” Starlight released herself from the hug as Sunburst looked at her with rage.

“No,” Starlight cried to her friend, “I thought you left me. I thought...”

“Because I had a cutie a mark, so we weren’t friends anymore,” Sunburst got up on his legs, and he walked towards Starlight, “You left me! While I was alone in the school of Celestia, afraid, you were supposed to give me some light in the darkness. But no, instead you decided to declare war on cutie marks, Leaving me and brainwashing others to your will. All because you thought I left you.” Sunburst stops in his steps, and he smiled and giggled. “But I could expect from our kind, taking advantage of others, claiming ourselves to be superiors. All it takes from ponies to do whatever they want is claiming they are the victims.” Silver blades burst from Sunburst’s front legs as his skin started to tear apart, revealing a skin made of gold, the body of Sunburst was ripped on the floor as Starlight looked in tears at the one who captured her, General Eclipse.

“Sunburst?” Starlight asked in terror.

“Sunburst is dead!” Eclipse shouted at Starlight, “He was murdered by the ponies. For standing up against their beliefs, he was being ripped apart. I am Eclipse.” Starlight cried as the room started to fall apart, leaving her and the General in darkness. Starlight opened her eyes and she found herself tied to a chair as she was surrounded by strange machines, she looked to her left and she saw Eclipse on another chair as a wire was connected to his neck. The golden pony opened his eyes and he looked at Starlight as the wire was removed from his neck by a familiar purple aura.

“Good morning ‘friend’,” Eclipse got up off his chair as Starlight felt a sharp pain in the back of her neck.

“We have what we need General,” a feminine voice said behind Starlight and She knew that voice.

“Twilight?” Starlight asked, and she heard the sound of hoof stamping getting closer to her, and she saw Twilight, but Twilight looked different, her hair was tied up, she wore a white coat and glasses, and she had no wings.

“I am not your Twilight, Miss Glimmer,” Twilight told Starlight in a cold voice, “here my name is Dr. Sparkle.” Dr. Sparkle turned to Eclipse. “You were right, she is the one who did the spell.”

“Of course I knew,” Eclipse turned again to Starlight, “Who else would be so selfish to mess with the fabric of time, if not a unicorn.” Eclipse opened the metal door of the lab and two changelings came, “Take Miss Glimmer to her chamber and keep her locked, there. No one will enter or leave her room without my permission.” The guards nodded and they took Starlight from the room as she looked at what of become of her friend, all because of her.