//------------------------------// // Chapter 48 // Story: A Noble Death // by LSTS Connor //------------------------------// Six shrugged the dirt kicked up by the nearby explosion off her back as she witnessed the battlefield before her. It reminded her of Reach, watching the clashes below from her point in the backline. She had just arrived through the entrance left by the changeling turncoat when a magical artillery bolt smashed into the cavern wall above her, bathing and showering the Spartan in a mix of orange light and shattered stone. Black and green buildings of various angular and geometric shapes made up the bulk of the changeling architecture. Most were already damaged or destroyed the closer one got to the frontline as magical artillery destroyed all in its crosshairs. A line of completely collapsed buildings told Six exactly where the front had stagnated and where the fighting was at its bloodiest. A single glowing red dome stood out among the ruins, just behind what Six assumed to be the changeling defensive line. But what really caught Six’s eyes was the spire at the center of it all. It rose to the roof of the cavern, its thinnest point at the very center before thickening out again as it approached the hanging city. Ornate buildings with various colored accents ranging from blue to purple and red hung like stalactites and stalagmites from the ceiling. What was up there? Six couldn’t know. But the way the changelings were defending it from magical strikes with multicolored shields certainly gave her an idea. She had been told that one of the support mage companies would be waiting for her just outside the tunnel to give her new orders and assist her. Some squad known as the ‘Elements’ were waiting for her arrival. Shining Armor had given her the surface-level briefing. Hopefully, this ‘Elements’ group would have her orders. Scanning the small plaza before her, damaged chitinous buildings walling them in, she found the aforementioned support division slinging spell after spell into the air and towards the front. Cantering over, Six found her attention drawn to one multicolored group of ponies in particular, a group that all looked completely out of place save for one purple unicorn who was seemingly keeping the others in her group in check. Judging by the purple glow surrounding a vibrating pink earth pony. ‘Twilight? What's a civilian, no…civilians doing here?’ Confusion overtaking her mind, Six approached the group curiously, her heavy hoof falls muffled by the sound of the magical barrage being fired all around her. She was now close enough to hear the pegasus with rainbow hair speak to Twilight in a scratchy voice not too dissimilar to Pixy’s or Spitfire’s.  “Why are we still waiting here, Twilight? Shouldn't we be out there kicking changeling flanks instead of waiting for some pegasus we don’t even know?” “Darling, you must really check the papers every now and then. This ‘pegasus’ is no mere nopony. Surely you know what happened in Las Pegasus during their invasion? Does the ‘Angel’ ring any bells?” The white unicorn answered in what seemed like a comically high-class tone. “You could have also just listened to my brother when we arrived here… if he wasn't so preoccupied with our safety.” Six heard Twilight grumble under her breath as she looked up and around before her eyes met Six’s, and a smile began to grow on her face. “Pff, probably just some overenthusiastic reporter looking somepony other than us to talk about. I’m betting you this ‘Angel’ is nothing more than a pony that was in the wrong place at the right time.” Six was now standing directly behind the rainbow pegasus, who appeared to be the only one of the group not aware of the Spartan's presence. The orange pony in a cowboy hat spoke up next with a nervous chuckle. “Uhh, sugar cube, you may want to turn around.” “They're behind me, aren’t they?” was the deadpan response the orange pony got. “Eeeyup.” Turning around, the rainbow pegasus had to crane her neck to look up at the much larger Spartan, a nervous smile and laugh leaving her lips at the full stature of the mare that towered over her. “Ehehehe… It was all a joke?” Six just huffed in annoyance before looking towards Twilight, who now had a small yellow pegasus hiding behind her. “What are you doing here with a bunch of civilians?” “Waiting on you, actually. As the Elements of Harmony, it's our duty to help protect Equestria. And as the wielders of its strongest artifacts, it means we’re here to help you!” ‘She…she has to be joking, right? I’m…I’m not taking a bunch of civilians into a warzone.’ “…really?” Six asked in a deadpan voice. “No. I refuse to bring a bunch of clearly untrained civilians into the middle of a battlefield. Just give me my orders, bring me to my Spartans, and leave the fighting to the soldiers.” The rainbow one spoke up, “And leave all the fun to you? No way!”  “Although we may be a bunch of ‘Civilians,’ as you so kindly put it,” Continued the white Unicorn, “We have had our fair share of… encounters with these ruffians during the wedding they so hideously crashed. We are not as defenseless as you may think. I once even saw Applejack here take on five of those changelings at once without a scratch on her!” She pointed towards the orange pony in a cowboy hat attempting to coax the yellow pegasus out from behind Twilight. “And what about her?” Six pointed towards the eeping pegasus behind Twilight. “Fluttershy is…different,” answered Twilight as a single turquoise eye looked up at Six from behind the unicorn. “And her?” Six gestured towards the pink earth pony that seemed to vibrate while trapped in a purple glow with an almost manic smile on her face. “Don’t worry about it,” Twilight answered quickly, causing Six to raise an eyebrow. Frankly, she wanted to ask about it now, but the nearby impact of a changeling spell sending a pair of unprepared unicorns flying straightened her priorities.  Six had looked away for only a second to assess the damage, but when she looked back, Fluttershy had already gotten to the injured unicorns. The Spartan watched the previously extremely shy pegasus almost expertly direct the medics toward the injured. It seems she was most certainly the closest thing to a doctor in the group. Six bit her lip as she looked over the group before her. She knew Twilight could at least handle herself, having been supervised by Six personally, but it was the others that worried her. They didn’t even have any armor or weapons with them of any kind! No, she would not take them with her. Orders be damned. She was finding her Spartans and completing her objective. Bringing them along would only slow her down and risk their lives unnecessarily.  “You’re not coming with me. My Spartans and I can do the job without you. If you really are needed, you can remain in the rear here until the fighting stops or dies down. Now, are you going to give me my orders?” The rainbow pegasus at Six’s side looked like she wanted to speak up, but a look from Six made her words die on her tongue. “Artifacts or no artifacts, this is a warzone. You would only be a danger to yourselves and others without proper training. The only person here I trust to hold their own is Twilight since I know what she can do. The rest of you would only be target practice for the changelings.” Six looked Twilight in the eye, “Unless their presence is absolutely necessary for whatever it is I need you for on the mission, they are staying here.” The unicorn pulled out a piece of parchment and began looking it over. “The only thing it says is that us Elements are there to help ‘Deal with any serious magical difficulties’… If you take it at face value, only myself and rarity would be needed.” “Perfect, grab some armor and come with me, Twilight. The others can stay here until the fighting is over.” “But what about the Elements? Only when the six of us are together can we use them!” Twilight called out after the Spartan. But Six had already begun to make her way towards the perimeter of the camp, leaving the four still present and one vibrating mare alone to watch the Spartan walk away. Six waited on the edge of the plaza, inspecting her armor for any residual damage it might have received. Everything looked to be fine, only a few new scratches marring its plating around her hooves. Superficial damage only, she noted as she spread her bladed feathers and began sharpening their edges as well. It took more effort than her knife, as feathers were not as easy to run a stone across, but she got the job done. Her body shivered involuntarily as the vibrations every few strokes triggered a tingle that ran down her spine.  Not even Six was entirely sure whether her sharpening had any effect on her feathers, but that wasn’t the point of her actions. She needed to keep her mind sharp and focused on the task ahead, but she couldn’t stop Luna’s words from bleeding through her mental barriers. How does she put the past to rest? How could she even? She was created for one specific purpose: to fight the Covenant. It was all she knew… it was all she ever wanted to do. But now? Now she couldn’t do that. She had accepted that long ago with the help of Spear. The first pony she viewed as more than an annoyance. The first pony she would call a friend. But the changelings took that from her… that ‘Venator’ butcher. She couldn’t suppress the growl from leaving her lips at that thought. She wanted to do nothing more than get up and charge the changeling lines by herself. To force the ‘Venator’ to scream out Spear’s name as she sunk her knife into his throa-. ‘No…’ She stopped herself, her body freezing alongside her train of thought. She remained like that for several seconds before sighing heavily, her mind still filled with Luna’s words. Protecting those around her had to come first, but she didn’t know if she could keep that mentality when she would see the Venator again. Luckily for the Spartan, however, her mind wasn’t able to ruminate on that question as Twilight, clad in an appropriated set of guard armor that looked oddly similar to that of her brother, approached. “The girls will be staying behind with our reinforcements should we need any.” “Good… you know where my Spartans are?” Twilight nodded, “After we’re all together, we can begin our mission.” Six hummed as she stood up and gestured with her hoof for the unicorn to lead the way, “Good, you can give me the rundown on the way there.” Twilight did so, leading the Spartan towards the rest of Noble and explaining exactly what their mission was. Their objective was to help break the defenses of what seemed to be a type of detention center for changeling prisoners. It was currently serving as the bulwark for the entire center changeling defensive line. The changelings organized and supplied their front with the love they needed to fight effectively from there. It was a high-priority target, and the changelings knew it. As such, it was defended by a shield artillery spells could not crack. Their mission was to sneak through enemy lines, reach the detention center, and use Twilight's magical expertise to crack the shield before storming the building. The unicorn mentioned that the shield was the reason why all of her friends were here. Although those higher up in the chain did not doubt Twilight's magical skill, it appears they wanted to be sure the shield would fall by bringing in the ‘Elements of Harmony’ as a surefire way to break the changeling defenses. That still irked the Spartan to no end. Why would the most powerful magical artifacts in Equestria be entrusted to a bunch of civilians with no formal training whatsoever?! Hell, one of them was even hiding behind Twilight like some scared cat. It just confused and angered the Spartan to no end that if something went wrong and Twilight couldn’t crack the shield on her own, she would be responsible for what amounted to five civilians in the heart of enemy territory. A situation not even a Spartan would be comfortable in. But so long as Twilight could do what was required, such a contingency wouldn’t be needed. Six and her Spartans could do the rest and bring this conflict one step closer to its end. From what Six understood, should they succeed, a total collapse of the central changeling line should soon follow, allowing for a follow-up offensive that would encircle and utterly crush the majority of the changeling armed forces. Allowing for the final strike against the palace, bringing this war to a complete and definite close. Outnumbered, outgunned, escorting a valuable asset, and deep behind enemy lines on a mission that would decide the entire course of the war. Any normal soldier would be shaking in their boots, but to Six? It sounded like a bog-standard mission for a Spartan team.  Only this time… they would all be coming home. The pair reached their destination shortly afterward, armor covered in kicked-up dust and dirt when a partially collapsed building they passed gave out under its own weight. Nobody was seriously hurt, but a lot of uniforms would need a good cleaning. The position they approached was a lot like the one they had just left. A plaza surrounded by angular changeling buildings that served as the firing positions for the many artillery mages. And on the sidelines, sitting and waiting under the logistical tent, one talking with a guard he towered over and the other sitting atop a box fiddling with their metallic red wing, were her Spartans. “There they are, “pointed out Twilight with her foreleg. Six merely hummed in acknowledgment, her eyes focused on Pixy and the new red wing she bore. Pixy seemed to be completely engrossed in her task, with what Six could now identify as a screwdriver of some kind held between her lips. She was adjusting some dials and gears across the wings structure, the pegasus paying extremely close attention to the metallic feathers. Approaching the tent, it didn’t take long for gazes to turn and their presence to be announced with a wave of whispers and stares. Sparrow’s conversational partner was one such guard to have noticed the approaching Spartan and Element bearer. Confused as to why the pony he was talking to suddenly began staring at something over his shoulder, Sparrow followed their gaze before his own rested upon Six. A smile broke out on his face as he extended one wing and gave a light smack against the back of Pixy's head, who was still too engrossed in her task to notice the shift in the atmosphere. With a yelp, Pixy dropped the screwdriver between her lips. “Ow! What was that for?!” she yelled towards Sparrow with a glare. The grinning stallion simply raised a foreleg. Confused, Pixy looked to where he was pointing. Six barely had time to react to the smile on Pixy’s face before the white and red pegasus was hovering right in front of her, the biggest smile she had ever seen on her face. “I knew it would take more than a few rocks to bring you down!” Sparrow joined his hovering partner, walking up to stand before Six. “It's good to see up, Six. When we arrived, they were still digging you out.” Pixy added, “Should have seen Spirit, poor bug. Blamed herself for letting you be buried.” Her gaze turned to Twilight. “Long time no see, purple. Here to help us kick some changeling flanks?” Before Twilight could answer, Six began speaking, her eyes fixated on the metallic red wing Pixy wore. “ Spartan, were this any other time, I would have you sent home.” Confused, the pegasus followed her gaze before a lightbulb went off inside her mind as she realized what Six was talking about. “Oh…yeah, I know I… shouldn’t be in combat, yadda yadda. Practically everypony won’t shut up about it. Early prototype this, some kinks to work out that. I’m sorry, Six, but I just don’t care, not after Canterlot. I’m not going to sit in some… physical therapy while you’re all out here risking your lives. Plus, the ‘Morgan’ here, “She gestured to the prosthetic in question, “ Is working pretty damn well.” Six sighed, “Is it combat-tested, at least?” Pixy grinned sheepishly,“If you count the past few hours as it being tested, yes?” Six bit her lip, “Fine, but if anything goes wrong, you’re going back and will have to answer to me. Got it?” Pixy swallowed nervously, “Y-yep.” The Spartan smiled, “Good, now listen up. I have our new mission.” Sparrow spoke up, “Does it involve that dome I’m hearing these mages complain so much about?” Six nodded, “Twilight here will brief you on the specifics.” The sounds of combat were more prevalent than ever now as they approached the divide between friend and foe. Thanks to the air support Spitfire's Wonderbolts provided, a gap could be found on the changeling line, giving the Spartans the opening they would need to enter enemy territory undetected. But that opening wouldn’t last for long as a magical message informed Twilight that their window was closing. Finally reaching the divide, they found two unicorn guards exchanging magical fire with what remained of the changeling defenses. A particularly intense aerial and ground-based bombardment had weakened them severely, giving the Spartans the opening they required. Looking back through her visor to the Spartans crouched low behind her, she didn’t need any verbal confirmation that they were ready. Their hard faces said it all. Six’s eyes did linger on the prosthetic Pixy wore in worry for a moment before her mind steeled itself. Even if something went wrong, Six had trained her for all eventualities. There was no doubt about it anymore in the Spartans' minds. They were ready, and it was time to end this war. Dashing out from cover and jumping over the makeshift defenses the guards had set up, Six sprinted over the no-man's-land and lept, wings outstretched onto a surprised changeling. Their battle buddy yelped in fright before he, too, was cut down by the red wing Pixy bore. Twilight and Sparrow joined them seconds afterward as they all ran deeper into the changeling city. They had to move quickly before any more changelings arrived to reinforce the garrison. Galloping from building to building, navigating the changeling architecture would have been nigh impossible were it not for the dome of their objective visible on the horizon. Its red-tinted glow acting as a lighthouse for the Spartan team.  Before long, after dodging the changeling reinforcements they had predicted, the four of them were overlooking their objective from the safety of a nearby, partially collapsed, clocktower. It was a base not too dissimilar to the one she had dealt with in Las Pegasus, only this time, instead of repurposed garden fences being used as walls, thick barricades of black resin protected the building at its core. The structure looked…familiar to the Spartan. It reminded her faintly of an old building she had once seen framed in an ONI handler’s office. The words ‘Old Sydney Opera House’ were etched into its frame on a golden plate. Six shook her head, clearing her mind of the intrusive thought, before continuing her scouting. Watchtowers made of the same black and green material stood at each corner, with all of it protected behind the red barrier they had come here to destroy. Six could already spot several concentrating changelings of various sizes powering the dome as thin tendrils of red magic linked them to its structure. A spiderweb of magic providing the perfect frontline defense. Six had no doubt the changelings would deploy something similar around the palace once the ponies' artillery was in range. Pixy was the first to speak up as Six continued to study the area below. “So, purple, think you can get us in?” Twilight peeked over the wall, “I…should be able to.” Sparrow interjected, “But can you do it without alerting them?” Twilight took a deep breath, “I don’t know, maybe? If I brute force it, most definitely, but that would require the Elements with the power I can feel that barrier radiating. If… If I can find a weak point in its matrix, I should be able to open a hole in it quietly.” After a few minutes, Six suddenly spoke up. “How about there?” She gestured towards the eastern side of the compound, where they all watched a changeling convoy exit through an opening in the barrier. A carriage filled with luminous red jars left the dome’s protective field and began its journey down the street and towards the front with a contingent of soldiers buzzing around it. The Spartans watched as the opening it left on the barrier rippled like flowing water before closing completely, sealing the shield once more. The ripples they saw radiated outwards across the dome for several meters in every direction before smoothing out. Twilight spoke up with a smile now upon her face, “Yes! Those disturbances are sure to have weakened the spell's cohesion just enough for me to get us inside quietly, though we may have to get quite close to where the opening was for my intrusion to go smoothly.” “Leave that part to us, Twilight. We’ll get you close enough. Once we’re inside, I want you to stick to Sparrow like glue. Stealth is of utmost importance here until the changeling in charge is dealt with and the prisoners below are freed. So keep your mind calm and remember my training.” briefed Six looking for confirmations of understanding from her subordinates. She got a nod from all involved. “What about after?” Pixy questioned “We hold the fort until reinforcements arrive. After that, we push towards the palace and capture the enemy Queen, ending this war.” Sparrow interjected, “And if that ‘Venator’ arrives?” His question caused Six to freeze momentarily before responding. “I’ll deal with him… Now let’s go before a patrol shows up.” Doing as ordered, her fellow Spartans quietly followed Six into a neighboring alley before dashing across the street and toward the barrier. Hugging the wall encased by the dome, the team remained low to the ground, making their visual profiles as small as possible as they approached the weak point.  They were only a few hooves away from the rippling section of the wall when the sound of hoofsteps came close. A changeling guard was directly above them, patrolling the battlements. The team remained as still as stone, each pony holding their breath as the slow hoofsteps began to dampen, the guard above them walking further down the wall and away from the Spartans. With a flick of her wing, Six signaled the group to continue, and within moments they had reached their destination. Stacking up, they found a small gap between the dome and the wall, giving them just enough space to enter, then climb up and over. With another flick of her wing, Six gestured to Twilight to work her literal and figurative magic on the barrier. Taking a deep breath, Twilight did just so, touching her horn against the rippling dome and channeling her own purple magic into it. The effect on the barrier was almost immediate as the purple coloring spread out across a small area before opening up the gateway they required.  Twilight was visibly sweating and drained from the ordeal, but they now had their entrance. With a nod of thanks to the unicorn, Six squeezed her way through the opening before scaling the wall before her. Using her feathers for support, Six was quickly up and over the barrier, her armored form landing behind several empty jars and unopened crates. Scanning her new environment, she watched her Motion tracker ping only a handful of moving targets in range, one of them being the changeling on the battlements from earlier. But that was only the changelings she could detect. For all the spartan knew, a veritable swarm could occupy their target building as her tracker seemed unable to detect anything past its angular jet-black walls. Several *thuds* to her left and the appearance of three yellow dots appearing behind her signaled the rest of her Spartans' arrival. “Okay,” Six began with a whisper towards her teammates, “Pixy, you're with me. Sparrow, stay with Twilight and hold our exit.” A cacophony of silent affirmatives was her answer before she turned and scouted out the entrance to the compound.  It was a doorway of the same frosted green glass she had seen during their entrance to the outer hive. A single large changeling praetorian stood guard at the entrance, overlooking the buzzing worker drones ferrying supplies and jars from one place to another in the courtyard. Dealing with the guard wasn’t going to be a problem. Getting to them, however, is where it got complicated. Unless they wanted to risk the lives of any potential prisoners held within the building's walls, they needed to remain undetected for as long as possible. And currently, there were way too many eyes between them and the door.  They would need a distraction of some kind to draw the praetorian at the door away, and luckily for them, there were several distractions waiting to happen right in front of their target. Specifically, a drone that was clearly struggling with the jars they were carrying. It appeared that they were on their last legs. Six looked at Pixy and saw that she was thinking the same thing, getting ready to dash. They knew it would only be a matter of time until… “Woah!” *Crash* A collective groan resonated throughout the assembled changelings. It seems this was not the first time that such an accident had happened. A pained cry left the fallen changeling’s lips, causing several ‘lings to come over and see what was wrong. The praetorian at the door yelled something at them in their unknown language. The pair used this small distraction to get closer, dashing from cover to cover before coming to a stop just around the corner from the door. Another yell back towards the praetorian as a sizable circle had now appeared around the fallen changeling. The guard groaned and muttered something under their breath before calling back and making their way toward the buildup. With the opening they had been waiting for now upon them, Six and Pixy quickly turned the corner and entered the building, making sure the coast was clear behind the frosted green glass before entering fully. The inside of the building was barren with the same jet-black walls and connecting tissues. The walls, however, never quite seemed to be at a perfect 90° angle to the ground creating a chaotic hallway that never seemed right to any ponies eyes. Six could Identify a psychological warfare tactic when she saw one, and this was most definitely one. Slowly sneaking down the hallway, Six’s eyes were glued to her tracker, watching like a hawk for any faint flickers of approaching hostiles. There were none, the only blips being Pixy and the group of changelings outside at the very edge of her tracker's range. They methodically checked each room, looking for either the changeling in charge or the holding cells where their prisoners were kept. And it seems as though they were about to find one of those objectives as the sound of a distant pair of pony hooves against the ground reached their ears. Looking over to see if Pixy had heard the same, her expression said it all. The sounds came from a faraway doorway on their right, a pair of stairs leading downwards. Six took point, her posture low and wings poised to strike should it be a ruse. Changelings were, after all, shapeshifters. And Six wouldn’t be surprised if they suddenly found themselves peering into a training session of some kind.  Heading down the jet-black stairs, illuminated by the glowing green light of multiple crystals lining the walls, Six could hear somebody speaking. “…-ust what? You expect me to trust you?” She recognized that voice, but only barely. She had only ever heard it once before and even then in passing. ‘Raidat,’ she remembered, the second in command of Horizon Squad. She remembered they were considered M.I.A. after the attack in Canterlot. “No, but a little consideration would be nice. I did just betray the Queen again by helping you here, “an unrecognized yet distinctly dual-tone voice spoke.  Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Six peered into the cell and was met with an unconscious changeling lying on the ground just outside where the talking was coming from. “Speaking of which… Hey, Demon and co. No need to hide, could hear you walking down those steps from a hive away, ‘the voice called out, making Six and Pixy freeze mid-stride. ‘Alright then,’ Six thought as she carefully entered the room, wings ready to strike at any possible threats. Pixy did so as well, though from a hovering position behind Six instead. Entering room, Six was met with a surprising sight. It was a large cave with green cocoons lining the walls and a high ceiling. Standing in the middle of the cavern, a lit cigarette in hoof and a worn officers cap bearing an unknown insignia, was a changeling. And standing next to them, a few hooves away and poised to strike, was Raidat the Zebra clad in half-melted blue and gold armor. The remnants of cocoon fluid still dripped off his coat as a drying ripped-open husk lay behind him. The changeling's eyes met Six’s visor, the Spartan seeing a flash of fear in their gaze as they tried to hide it by taking a long draw from their makeshift cigarette. “You're…bigger, face to face.” Six said nothing and instead began slowly circling around the changeling from a safe distance, her eyes behind the visor scanning the room for any more potential threats. Pixy did the same from above, ready to strike at a moment's notice from an unpredictable angle. “It’s uhh…” the changeling gulped nervously, composure failing for a moment, “*Ahem* Excuse me, it’s not every day you come face to face with a…Spartan, correct?” He looked towards the Zebra, “Mind telling them what I did for you? I would prefer not to lose my head if I had to sneeze.” Raidat stared at the changeling for an uncomfortably long second before facing Six. “Stand down. He is no threat.” “You sure?” questioned Pixy from above, “I don’t trust him.” “Neither do I, but he did just release me from captivity.” Six spoke for the first time, causing the changeling to flinch. “You’re that turncoat the Captain mentioned.” The changeling released the breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Yes, thank the Empress my message got through to you. Look, no offense, but your reputation among my species isn’t the best if the ‘Demon’ nickname didn’t tip you off already.” Pixy grumbled quietly under her breath, “Wish I had a cool nickname.” Curxe glanced up to the pegasus with the metallic red wing, having heard the comment. But before he could respond, Six spoke up. “Pixy, shut it.” The pegasus did so as Six faced Curxe once more. “Why help us?” “Enemy of my enemy and all that. The Queen needs to go, and you ponies are our best shot at removing her before she does something stupid,” he sighed, “But knowing Chrysalis, she’s already done so. Anyway, as you can see, I was attempting to sow a little chaos here to help you out before you showed up.” Six’s combat-ready posture began to ever so slightly soften. “…Alright, the Captain said you had supporters. Are they doing the same?” “My most trusted compatriots, yes, though until something dramatic happens, the majority in the common ranks won’t. They’re still following their old leader, damn ribbons.” “I take it that's why you helped me out, correct?” questioned Raidat. Curxe nodded. “The Commander in charge of this compound is on the fence. Give me a few minutes—alone—with him, and I’ll get him on our side,” the changeling explained as he made his way to the exit, giving Six a wide berth.  “Oh, and the name’s Curxe, by the way. The Armory is on the first floor, second door to the right. When you’re done down here, meet me on the roof.” And with that, the muffled sound of holed hooves heading up the flight of stairs greeted the trio’s ears as Pixy came down from her position above. “Think we can trust him?” Raidat responded, “I don’t know, but he did certainly make himself known as an ally.” Six raised herself to her full height. “We will see. Now, let's free the rest down here. I’ll go see what he wants afterward.” Raidat and Pixy nodded before they began searching through the cocoons lining the walls, freeing anypony they found. From fresh-faced recruits to members of the guard captured during the first attack on Canterlot, ponies from all walks of life were stored inside those strange cocoons.  Working quickly, most captured military personnel were freed, and the Spartans decided that it was safer for the non-combatants to remain asleep inside their apparently comfortable prisons. Once every pony identified as a guard and or soldier was freed, Six left Raidat and Pixy to organize their makeshift military force in order to see what this Curxe wanted on the roof. Heading up the flight of stairs, she found the compound to be eerily quiet, the sounds of the drones ferrying supplies in front of the building having vanished completely. Confused and curious, Six carefully peeked out the green glass door and into the courtyard. Sitting at its center, surrounded by drones armed with makeshift weapons, was the praetorian that had been guarding the door. Their limbs were bound by resin and their armor was reappropriated by the drones around them. Standing off to the side, looking just as confused and surprised as the near-catatonic praetorian, was a purple unicorn. Twilight and Six’s eyes locked, the Spartan tilting her head questioningly. Twilight shrugged back. The dome surrounding the complex was still active, yet from what Six could discern, the compound was theirs. Stepping back inside, she watched as a group of ponies entered what Curxe mentioned to be the armory, each pony leaving with several hooffuls of changeling armor and weapons. Giving the soldiers a nod while also making sure to mention that there were friendlies outside, Six made her way up to the roof of the building. The floors above were barren, with abandoned offices and empty barracks making up a majority of the rooms she passed. Making her way up and onto the roof of the curved building fully, Six found Curxe and several other changelings overlooking the plaza below. Standing next to Curxe was a changeling clad in military uniform, the same insignia that was emblazoned on Curxe’s cap being proudly displayed across the changeling’s military dress. Gathered to the left and right of the pair were a bunch of what seemed to be normal drones, their horns emitting the glowing tendrils that held the dome together. A small pink jar hung around all of their necks as a pink mist emanated from its small opening before being breathed in by the drone who wore it.  It didn’t take long for Six’s presence to be noticed as several changelings with jars around their necks began to back up as far as they could away from the Spartan, fear visible in their eyes. Curxe and his companion turned to greet the Spartan, an almost burnt-out cigarette falling from the base commander's lips as he laid eyes upon the being his people called Demon. “Have you freed and armed your comrades? Once the Colonel here gives the order, we won’t be able to hold this masquerade of loyalty any longer. We’re bound to receive some company until help arrives.” As if to answer the changelings' question, ponies of every color of the rainbow, clad in black and green changeling armor, began to fill the courtyard below. Members of the LSTS, Wonderbolts, and Horizon Squad led the defensive preparation efforts as a combined force of unicorns and changelings mounted the walls with pegasi circling the space between the building and dome. “That answer your question?” spoke Six, an audible smugness in her voice. “Yep… well, I guess this is as ready as we’re going to get.” He turned to face the base commander. “ Send the order Colonel. It's time we depose ourselves a Queen.” The officer nodded. “For the Empress.” Mobius couldn’t help but give a large fanged smile as he watched these, for lack of a better term, Demi-gods march down the main street below the palace. His armor’s red accent glowed a brilliantly as his heart swelled with a feeling only present when one witnessed their God. The ground shook in tandem with the march of the Empress’s Custodians below as he turned to face his Queen upon her throne. The room was eerily empty, with only himself and Chrysalis inside. How long had it been since he stood before this very throne, hundreds of eyes watching him be condemned to be the Venator? He couldn’t recall. It seemed so long ago when it had maybe been a few months. Mobius shook his head to rid himself of such thoughts as he approached his Queen, the royal horn emitting a deep crimson light as Mobius briefly felt his own aura brush against one of Chrysalis’s many tendrils. Her face was one of deep concentration, with her eyes closed and breathing slowed. Mobius didn’t dare make a sound as he kneeled before the throne and mouthed a prayer. Awakening the Custodians was no easy task, and keeping them awake was even harder. Their auras, once linked to the Empress herself, still required a powerful royal’s touch and immense amounts of love to remain active after leaving the magically sealed tomb. The Queen was barely able to make it to her throne before entering her trance fully. Finishing his prayer, Mobius began to make his way to the streets below, where his own contingent of Demi-gods in red awaited him. They stood in two long columns of five, giving him a total of ten custodians under him. The Custodians waited in absolute silence, save for one who stood at the formation's head. Each of them wore a deep crimson armor that covered them from horn to hoof, only a thin opening for the eyes allowed them to see. Glaives with blades made of metal so dark it appears as nothing but a void in reality to the changeling's eyes. The Custodian at the head of the formation wore far more ornate armor with a golden accent breaking up the uniform crimson that made up his uniform armored plates. Their helmet, unlike the others, was far more akin to the one Mobius wore, allowing for an unimpeded view of their scarred and stoic face. Wisps of red magic emanated from the corner of their one good crimson eye. Their other eye was clouded beyond use, only the faintest hints of the underlying cornea still visible to the Venator. Walking through the formation, Mobius could feel the power his Queen was pumping into their auras. More love than Mobius had ever seen, let alone felt, was being funneled through a spiderweb of queenly tendrils into each and every one of the fifty total Custodians she had awoken. Were he any other changeling, Mobius would have surely succumbed to temptation and begun to drink deeply of the power his Queen was projecting at this proximity. The aural pressure the Custodians expelled was strong, comparable to traversing the great ocean in the middle of a thunderstorm. His mind could withstand it easily, but that didn’t mean the boat didn’t rock. Every Custodian towered over the Venator, their size nearly double that of the Queen, with muscles and strength to match. Approaching the Custodian at the head of the formation, Mobius had to crane his neck to meet the gaze of the warrior before him. The much larger changeling stared into Mobius’s eyes for several moments before, to Mobius’s surprise, they began to kneel. They spoke in unison, their deep jet refined voices booming throughout the plaza beneath the palace. “For the Empress, we fight. By the Venator, we die. What would you have us do, my lord?” Mobius was about to respond, but before he could, a flicker in the distance caught his eye. Squinting, the Venator watched the red dome on the horizon begin to flicker before vanishing completely in a flash of crimson light that left spots in his vision. Almost instantly, pulses of SOS calls emanated throughout Mobius’s aura. Distant calls for help and confusion about what was going on filled his mind as messages of changelings fighting changelings entered his aura. But before he could even process the calls for assistance, a unified message sent out by hundreds of Aura’s simultaneously slammed into his own. ‘By the Empresses, we reject the Overqueen’s rule!’ Mobius shook his head as he brought his hoof up to his head to soothe his headache. He recognized the most prominent voice in that proclamation. How could he not? “Curxe, you damned fool…why?” he muttered to himself quietly in a mixture of anger and sadness. Another message was whispered into his ear, one directed specifically to him. “I’m sorry, my friend, but you left me no other choice. Please, let me show you the error of her ways…I don’t want to lose you too.“ An image of the broken dome flashed in his mind, the location of his best friend. Mobius stood in thought for several seconds, his mind in combat with itself. A battle between his duty to the Queen and the trust he held for his friend. Eventually, Mobius made up his mind. His face became as hard as steel as he rose to his full height and looked towards the still kneeling Custodian before him. “We march on the traitors, make them regret ever turning their back on the Swarm.” Six watched from the battlements of the changeling wall for any signs of movement. Something was wrong.  Where was their counterattack? All around them, the signs of combat could be seen from every aspect of the front. So why were they ignored? They held the most strategically vital area. The moment their reinforcements arrived, this war was as good as over, so why weren’t they fighting tooth and nail to not be overrun?! Six glanced to her side where the changeling turncoat stood, eyes glued to the street before them. The street that led directly to the palace was at the center of it all, and they watched that empty street. Could they have been betrayed? ‘No, he would have already made his move if we were,’ thought the Spartan as she turned back to look down the eerily empty street. Everyone around the two of them was nervous, with wings twitching, horns buzzing, and armor clanking. Only the low buzz of faraway chaos gave them company, and it didn’t help when it came to calming the troops' nerves. Suddenly Curxe, the base commander, and every single changeling's head snapped towards the palace and down the empty street. This uniform reaction did not go unnoticed as ponies began preparing for battle, ready to face whatever it was that had grabbed the changelings' attention so thoroughly. Six did the same, her eyes scanning the street like a roaming hawk searching the ground for prey.  “Oh no…” came the whisper from Curxe as several large figures bathed in red entered the Spartan's field of vision. And at the formations head, his small stature contrasting harshly with the much larger changelings around them, was the changeling Six would never forget. “It can’t be. Those are…” another disbelieving whisper from the changeling at her side. Their unfinished thought hung in the air before every single changeling simply said one word in what could only be described as a mix of awe and terror. “Custodians.” The ponies among the combined forces manning the walls looked around in confusion at their uneasy changeling allies before steeling themselves for the battle that was sure to follow. A low growl unconsciously made its way out of Six’s throat as she stared the Venator down, Mobius doing the same in turn as he approached their defenses with his Custodians at his back. A buzz to Six’s side drew her attention for a moment as Curxe flew down and landed several meters away from Mobius. “Mobius, my friend, what’s happened to you?” “I could ask you the same thing, traitor.” “My friend, deep down, you know I’m right. We’ve fought together, bled together, and watched friends die together. You saved my life once, let me save yours. The Queen is our real enemy, not the ponies.” “And you think these ponies know what's best for the swarm? With the Demon standing at your side?! By the Empress, you really are lost. Join me, put this rebellion down and serve the Queen once more. This transgression can be forgotten if you just join the Queen again!” Curxe stomped his hoof in frustration, “Don’t you see Mobius?! The Queen is the one who got us into this mess! She broke the most sacred of tenants and exposed our race to the world! And these Custodians, you must be able to feel the amount of love being consumed by them! It's enough to feed the entire swarm several times over! Even if you do win, you’ll all end up starving! Please, Mobius, I beg of you. By all that is holy, by the Empress herself, please… We’ve both lost too many friends. I don’t want to lose another.” Mobius stared at the begging changeling before him, the only sound filling the air being that of his armor flowing across his body. “…I’m sorry.” The living metal began to coalesce to a point on his hoof before extending and reshaping into a blade of pure crimson. With the force and speed of a lightning bolt, the Venator brought his sword down. Curxe looked at his former friend in sadness, the shadow of the approaching blade signaling his doom. He closed his eyes, waiting for the end. … … Yet it never came. Opening his eyes, he was met with the towering form of the Demon catching the blade between their bladed feathers. Her form glowed a brilliant gold as the Spartan's shield strained. “Go.” A cold voice from Six’s helmet speakers broke the silence. Curxe didn’t need to be told twice as he quickly scurried behind the fortified wall leaving Six with Mobius. Mobius roared in anger as he pulled his blade back and quickly turned to buck the Spartan in the chest, only for his legs to be swept and his form to hit the ground with a loud thud. Six, acting quick, moved to bring her bladed feathers down into Mobius's throat to quickly end this battle. Her blades were only inches away from his throat as Redfang quickly formed a thicker neck covering, preventing the killing blow. Sparks flew as the Spartan’s feathers scraped across the metal before her whole form was wracked with the full force of Mobius’s buck against her torso. Her shield was strained to its limit before cracking with the sound of shattering glass filling the air as she was thrown several meters back. Mobius growled as he got back up to his hooves. “Custodians! Crush these traitors and ponies. The Demon, however, is my prey.” Six did the same, her armor now visibly dirtied and paint scratched. Arcs of golden electricity danced across her form as the ten Custodians marched past the dueling pair. Six gave them only a passing glance be her eyes focused back on her opponent. Her teeth bared underneath her helmet as a single thought, a single overwhelming goal, entered her mind. ‘Avenge Spear.’