//------------------------------// // The Final Battle // Story: Stars in the Shadow of Night // by Melody Song //------------------------------// "Alright everyone, this is going to be hard, but I believe that if we use all the usual tactics, we can defeat them." Shadowstar said. "And how do you plan on that?" Pharynx asked, polishing his crossbow. "We do what we've been doing. Focus on separating the other fighters, it'll cause a stalemate." Shadowstar explained. "Well, it's worth trying I guess." Smolder said, sharpening her spear with a claw. "Look, this is the biggest fight so far." Shadowstar turned to them, sighing. "If any of you want to stay back here at base camp, I'll understand." "Did you get a blow to the head in our last battle?" Ember asked, smirking. "We've been with you this whole time, through a lot of danger." "Agreed. You've taken us this far. We're not going anywhere." Tempest said. "I'd rather fight until my magic runs dry than abandon my team." "Have it your way then." Shadowstar said, looking around at all of them. "Smolder, Ember, Tempest, Pharynx, I take it you're ready to deliver a full on frontal attack?" "Ready as we'll ever be." Smolder replied Shadowstar nodded. "Gilda, Gallus, Gabby, ready to come in fast and furious quickly from the cover of darkness?" "Always." Gilda smirked "Thorax, Ocellus, Sandbar, ready to help, heal, and rescue?" "Of course." Ocellus told him "I'll do whatever I can." Sandbar promised. "Good." Shadowstar summoned his armor and put it on. "Let's move out." "Yes sir." Pharynx saluted, the others following his lead. Shadowstar blushed, embarrassed, but nodded. Tempest hitched herself to Pharynx with the harness, and Gallus lifted up Sandbar. After a minute to get adjusted, they took off. Together, the group flew away from their camp, heading for the battlefield in the distance. ------------------------------------------------------- Chrysalis, Torch, and Gruff stood at the front of their armies, as Shadowstar and his group touched down before them. Pharynx unhitched himself from Tempest, landing at her side. Gallus set Sandbar down. "You better be ready to lose, scum." Gruff growled "You better be talking to your fellow leaders." Gallus retorted. "Enough small talk. Go ahead, try to succeed with your pitiful attempt at a mutiny." Chrysalis laughed. "Well, you heard her." Shadowstar looked at his team, smiling. "Do what you're best at team." "As if Thorax is good at anything." Chrysalis spat, still laughing. However, her laughter died as the group began to take their respective positions. Gallus, Gilda, and Gabby ducked into the woods near the open field. Pharynx, Tempest, Ember, and Smolder took on battle stances in front of Shadowstar. Thorax and Ocellus followed the griffons and set their supplies down. Sandbar followed them, circling them protectively. "Ready for a battle?" Shadowstar asked, as the four warriors in front of him readied their weapons. "Attack!" Torch roared in response. The mass of creatures behind them charged. Pharynx and Tempest let out battle cries and charged. Ember and Smolder blew spouts of fire and followed. Shadowstar jumped in next, blasting creatures aside as they began fighting each other. A griffon was suddenly blown aside by a breath of fire from a dragon, and hit the ground. Thorax shot out from behind Sandbar and dodged past the creatures slashing at him. He ducked low and grabbed the griffon, pulling him back to Ocellus, who pulled out some burn ointment and began rubbing it into the burn wound. Thorax then stood by Sandbar, watching for more injuries. Gallus, Gilda, and Gabby darted in and out, helping to block attacks if necessary. It quickly became clear to the leaders that despite being smaller in size, the Resistance's tactics were effective. But then, something happened that shocked them even more. "Keep going! Stand and fight like the dragons you are!" Torch bellowed. Many of the dragons were now injured, and some were being healed alongside griffons and changelings by Thorax and Ocellus. They snarled as their leader gave them this order. Then, Shadowstar appeared in front of them. "Everyone, I know you've been taught your whole lives to obey your leader, but is this really worth it?" he asked them. "You don't need to fight each other, or us. Would you rather be divided and weaker, or united and strong? Friendship can form bonds no matter how different you are. Will you help us show your leaders the truth they've been blind to?" The creatures looked at each other, then, a blast came from out of nowhere behind Shadowstar and struck him in the back. He yelled and collapsed, hitting the ground. "Enough of this!" Chrysalis shouted. "Shadowstar!" his team raced to him. "Attack them, now! While they're distracted!" Chrysalis shouted. The creatures stood still, watching Shadowstar struggle to stand. Gallus, Gilda, and Gabby surrounded him protectively as Thorax and Ocellus grabbed their medic kits and bent over him. Sandbar joined them, while Pharynx, Tempest, Ember, and Smolder provided outer defense. "What are you idiots waiting for?! Get them!" Gruff yelled. The creatures turned to their leaders, then... those who were able rose onto their feet... and stood in front of the Resistance. They held up their weapons, pointing them not at the small team they surrounded, but the leaders. "What are you doing?!" Torch roared. "Just because our leader tells us to do something doesn't mean it's right!" a dragon called "I don't know why we listened to an ambassador like you anyway." a griffon added, looking at Gruff. "You won't get anywhere without me! I'm not sticking around to watch you bring Griffonstone to ruin!" Gruff yelled, fleeing as fast as his old body could carry him. "As for you, Chrysalis, love was never going to be produced from war, we're still starving!" a changeling yelled at Chrysalis. "But friendship will!" Thorax wormed his way through the crowd, leaving Ocellus to help Shadowstar. "Pharynx, Ocellus, and I haven't felt hungry since we made friends." "Ridiculous! The hunger of changelings can never be satisfied!" "Yes they can!" Thorax closed his eyes, and his chest began glowing with pink light. His crystalized wings shimmered in the sun's light. "You just need to be unafraid of sharing the love you have." "W-What are you doing?!" Chrysalis exclaimed. "Being the example the changelings deserve to see!" Thorax cried. Chrysalis opened her mouth and frantically tried to pull love from him, but a crossbow arrow shot forward and stopped her short. "I don't think so!" Pharynx stepped forward and rested a hoof on his brother's shoulder, his own chest glowing pink. "You're not laying a hoof on my brother." "I won't let you either!" Ocellus stepped forward and wrapped her hoof around Pharynx's shoulders, chest glowing as well. "These two are like my brothers, you can't hurt them!" Ember stepped forwards and took Thorax's hoof, holding it tight. "I'm not leaving you guys to handle this alone." Ember raised her voice. "A good leader shouldn't force their subjects to obey their every command! They should give them a choice on what to do and guide them down their own path!" "No!" Chrysalis cried. Ember's eyes suddenly widened as Thorax rose into the air, followed by Pharynx and Ocellus. Her claw slipped from it's grasp around Thorax's hoof, and she stepped back in shock. The pulsing light from their chests began to spread to the rest of their bodies. Their eyes widened, and gasps came from the creatures watching. But the three changelings merely gripped each other tighter, and closed their eyes. In a blinding flash of white light, the three floated down again, but they were different. Thorax was as tall as Chrysalis now, with lime green chitin, a purple carapace and wings, orange antlers, and deep purple eyes. Pharynx was a bit smaller, with cyan chitin, red carapace, antlers, and wings, and lavender eyes. Ocellus was light blue with coral carapace and wings, with a frill of the same color, and teal eyes. "Wow..." Ember breathed. "Don't you see? This is what can happen if you choose to give your love!" Thorax called The changelings stepped forward, then, one by one, began to give off love. Chrysalis screamed as her subjects were taken from her. As they transformed, she fled. The changelings all gathered around Thorax, and bowed to him. "Your majesty." they said as one. Thorax's eyes widened, and looked at Pharynx and Ocellus. The two smiled and bowed to him. He blinked in surprise, then bowed his head to them. "Y-You two will help me, right?" "Like I'd let you make all the decisions for the Hive on your own." Pharynx chuckled. "We're here for you, brother." Ocellus agreed, and Thorax hugged them. Ember watched them, then realized Torch was still there. She sighed, removed her helmet, then flapped her wings and took off, flying up to her huge father. "Dad." Ember hovered in his sightline. "I'm sorry that I broke your trust, but I knew you were doing the wrong thing. I won't apologize for that. A true leader should lead by example, not by force." Torch was silent. Ember held out the helmet to him. "I respect whatever decision you make... father." Torch watched her for a moment, then... he reached under his wing, and withdrew a purple-blue scepter with a red gem. It was a twig in his claws. Ember's eyes widened as he held it up to her. "You're ready, Ember. You have been for a long time. Perhaps I was simply too blinded by my ideals to see that." Torch said, holding it out to her. "You may not ever grow to be as big and strong as the Dragon Lords before you, and you may not be male. But you are the leader the dragons need. And that's what matters." Ember, eyes wide, flew closer, putting the helmet back on to leave her arms free. She grasped the scepter in both claws, and felt a surge of power as it aligned it's magic to her. She turned to face the others, and raised the scepter high. The dragons took notice, and bowed to her. She smiled, landing beside Thorax. Shadowstar had managed to sit up, and was watching them all proudly. It seemed that this battle was finally over, and everything was as it should be.