//------------------------------// // Ponies... and changelings... in need // Story: The Elements of Salvation // by Slick Dash //------------------------------// "ARCHY!" Thor screamed, he sprung into the air and tried to chase after his kidnapped friend. He only reached a few feet before his wing joints seized up in ager. Thor screamed and crashed to the floor, fighting against Sweetness's attack had obviously taken a bigger toll on the stallion than he had thought. "Thor!" both Ruby and Angelica cried, rushing to the pegasus's side. Angelica stumbled for a second, surprised by Ruby's concern for the pegasus stallion, but continued to his side regardless. Thor tried to push himself up, his forelegs trembling with difficulty to keep him upright. "A-Archy!" He grunted. Anglica tried to pull Thor to his hooves, but no matter how hard she tried, the stallion was too heavy. "Seed, gimme a hoof here!" She cried looking over to where Seed had been stood. He had also vanished. "OVER THERE!" Sweetness shouted, pointing off towards the vanishing Archy. From above the high grass, the group could all see a brown maned orange stallion rushing towards the mountains. "SEED!" They all cried. Thor sprang up in pain, ignoring the burning sensation in his wings, he shot into the air and aimed himself like a bullet to his friend. With a loud smack, the two came crashing to the floor as Thor shot into the farm stallion. "Thor let me go!" Seed screamed with fury in his voice. "No!" Thor defied bluntly, clinging onto Seed's forelegs tightly in a vain attempt to stop the far stronger stallion. "Can't you hear him?!" Seed screamed, the departing Archy's cries were still audible over the low wind running across the dead outlands. "He's scremin' for us t' save 'im!" "YES!" Thor cried, his voice breaking as he bit back tears. "I can hear him." "THEN LEMME GO!" Seed bucked hard on the ground, the sudden movement caught Thor by surprise letting Seed slip easily out of the hold. "Seed wait!" The burgundy stallion cried miserably as his friend rushed away. "Seed! Don't go!" Ruby screamed after him, Seed shook his head gently, he knew it was a bad idea but he couldn't help it. One of his longest friends was in trouble, Seed needed to help him! "HOLD IT PONY!" Came a loud voice. Another collision from behind him, this one far rougher than Thor's attempt to catch the stallion. Seed went face first into the ground, a mouth full of dirt greeted him gladly, as he and his captor skidded a few feet forward. "SEED!" Screamed Sweetness, unusually terrified. She bolted forward, the others did to, rushing to save Seed from it! Thor got to his hooves, not even attempting flight again, he picked up speed just as Sweetness and the others reached him. Seed grunted, struggling to look up to spit out the dirt that was choking him. He immediately knew this wasn't one of his friends. They wouldn't have done this so viciously, he squirmed and just managed to roll over with the heavy weight pushing down on his back. He looked up into a set of pale dead green eyes. Seed kicked suddenly, trying to push away the changeling. His hind legs were blocked by the changeling's easily. The a knee shot into Seed's stomach, winding him, his eyes bulged slightly with the force of the strike, when the knee came away, he didn't try to escape again. "Idiot..." The figure above him murmured. Beneath the haze of pain, Seed noticed the voice. A changeling? Talking? THE QUEEN! "GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Thor screamed, the changeling jumped fast. He shot into the air his wings buzzing to keep him up, he gently kicked the back of the stallion as he passed beneath him, making him fall over his orange friend who grunted in new found pain. The changeling tutted, turning in time to see the yellow mare shoot towards him through the air. A quick evasion left her ahead of him confused. He swooped down and grabbed her from behind, linking his forelegs, one across her throat, the other up the side of her skull. "You don't want to do that pony!" He whispered into the mare's ear. Angy shivered in disgust at his cold breath on her neck. "Let her go!" Came a loud cry from bellow. The changeling turned and saw Ruby, her legs were spread, keeping her low to the ground. Her horn was glowing brightly, ready to fire a spell. The changeling chuckled. "Do you think you can do it? Fire, hit me, without hitting her? Or can you even fire before I snap her pretty little neck!" He jerked his forelegs suddenly, making Angy cry out in fear, she scrunched her eyes and stretched her neck, trying to resist against the strong forelegs around her. Ruby flinched as well, horror made her horn begin to dim, until it was still and not a threat. The cold green eyes travelled to the one from the group who hadn't attacked yet. Sweetness stood there, staring at him, her eyes a cold and angry red. She was close to another attack... "You're getting good at controlling that now aren't you!" The changeling laughed, he twitched again making Angelica irrupt into a chorus of begging. "Nonononononoooo! Please, please! Don't!" The fear in her voice was foreign to many of the group, it was enough to make Sweetness's face soften with worry. Her eyes flickered back to normal and the changeling relaxed his grip around the mare. "That's better." It said as it hovered closer to the ground and set the yellow pegasus down to her utter surprise. The changeling touched down on the ground just as Thor got to his hooves roughly. He staggered slightly as he recuperated from the pain of both his wings and the attack. The changeling looked around the group and addressed them. "You're all idiots! Running after an enemy that's obviously using the other pony as bait?" "That 'other pony' has a name!" Thor spat angrily. "Yes, Archimedes Wright, son of the element of magic Twilight Sparkle and Noteworthy..." The changeling recited with obvious ease. "Born and raised in Ponyville, his anger at his father abandoning him leaves him short tempered at times which make it easy to antagonise. Threat level at around 35/50." "He's our friend," Seed grunted as he picked himself up with Thor's help. "Not a bunch o' facts on a list!" The changeling scoffed. "Friends? Pfft, friends only get you killed!" His eyes twinkled with devilish delight. "Your parents learnt that with the draconequus." Ruby gasped. Angelica, who had slowly crept away from the dangerous individual, took hold of her, quickly comforting her before the enemy saw their words hurt the platinum mare. "Where are they?" Seed demanded, "We know they're alive..." He realised he had ammunition to push the mystery changeling back! "Your Queen told us... jus' before she died!" The changeling changed in an instant, not physically, but mentally. His gaze turned to one of hate, his eyes grew darker and in a second he was at Apple Seed's throat! "Don't you dare speak of my mother! PONY!" He spat, venom in every word he spoke. Seed pushed back, putting his strength to good use. He pushed until the two were balanced perfectly against each other, neither giving an inch. "I'll say what I wan' 'bout you changeling scum!" The creatures teeth bared as it growled angrily. "I don't know who you think you are, but you're messin' with the wrong ponies!" "I know who he is." Seed froze, he turned around and stared as did everypony else. All to the pony who had spoken. Thor. The burgundy stallion began to approach, not even blinking as he stared at the changeling stallion. "Archy told me about you! The changeling he thought was leading the group that attacked Ponyville." "Well I guess my cover's blown." The changeling sighed, backing up slightly from Apple Seed. "Dying Armour." He gave a curt nod to them all, distain was obvious in every one of his movements. When he finnished his introduction, Ruby began to speak, still shaky from her friend's near death experience. "W-why did you let Angelica go? You're a-" "Changeling?" The grim green creature asked casually. "Simple..." Though he claimed it was, he seemed to struggle at saying it. He bit his lip as he looked around. "I-I-I need help..." Thor laughed hard. "You're kidding me? YOU are asking US for help?!" He glared at Dying Armour as he crossed the space between them, cracking his shoulder as he came closer menacingly. "Why would we help you? The same creatures who burnt our home to the ground," "Thor?!" Angelica said cautiously, her throat still hurt from the grip of the changeling, she rubbed it slowly, she didn't want Thor to be hurt, or even meet the fate she had just avoided. "The same creatures who attacked our families, kidnapped them!" "Thor calm down please!" Ruby said, her eyes not leaving the face of the silent changeling, his eyebrows raised, challenging the burgundy pony as he approached. "The same creatures who killed Zecora, and tried to kill us!" "We never tried to kill you." Dying armour said coldly. "I'm sorry, did you miss what just happened?" Thor yelled. He reached the side of Seed, and the two stallions stood strong, it was clear Seed felt the same as his lifelong friend by his steely expression. "Their target wasn't you!" Dying Armour yelled, clearly growing frustrated with the hostile pegasus. "Pfft! Ok then, who were they here for?" The changeling stallion opened his mouth, then froze, he closed it again, and looked away angrily. "You?" Thor and Seed turned to Ruby who had spoken. She took a few tentative steps forward. "Ruby, be careful!" Seed whispered, Ruby gave him a look that said 'It's ok.' "They were here for you weren't they? We were just in the way..." Armour looked up at the platinum mare, the sun gleamed off of her platinum coat causing his eyes to water, he was blinded and he looked away letting out a grunt of an answer. "Yes!" Thor stared at the changeling in genuine shock, as did all the others, the pegasus opened his mouth and asked the question that was on everypony's lips. "W-why? You're their leader..." Dying Armour scoffed. "Not anymore! Not since Discord took over!" the ponies all turned quickly to the child of said Draconequus. Sweetness stood there, her face looked like somepony had just slapped her. "W-what?" Dying Armour smirked, slowly he turned to her, and strutted leisurely towards her. "Your sweet daddy Discord, he lead us to Ponyville! Then to Canterlot! Betrayed my mother! Betrayed me! Tried to kill me, then set my own brothers on me!" He lunged, grabbing hold of the purple maned mare. He pulled her neck back, exposing it to the cold air. "That's why they're after me, my own brothers and sisters! Twisted by your father!" He leant in and whispered so only she could hear. "I wouldn't worry about him just betraying you, he seems to do it to everyone!" "Get off her!" A hard slam sent the changeling flying over the flattened grass. It was Seed, springing to the rescue. Stood just behind him, ready to back up his friend, was a furious Thor. Dying Armour chuckled as he lay there on the floor, he pushed himself up flung his long green hair out of his face and stared at the two stallions. The cut he had sustained from fighting his father was healed slightly, yet it scarred his face, far more profoundly against the other minor wounds from his brothers. He'd already been bested by a pony, his mother was dead, his people gone, he had nothing except this now! He raised his forelegs exposing his chest to the still armour clad ponies. "You want to kill me?!" "YES!" Thor shouted, Angy looked to him worriedly. Seed reached out as Thor tried to rush forward, stopping him. "Why shouldn' we?" the farm pony asked calmly, his fury obvious in his voice, far more dangerous than the rage filled pegasus. "Because I need your help, you're ponies, you help those in need." Armour challenged just as calmly. "What if that was just our parents?" Seed retorted. Armour smirked still his legs spread wide, ready for the deathly strike! "Then strike Apple Seed, take me down and prove you're no better than me!" Seed glared, almost falling off the edge into the abyss of rage he was millimetres away from. The changeling lowered his forelegs for a moment, and said something that made all the group gasp. "Or you help me, help me take down that damn Chimera! Take him out, and I'll help you get your parents back." ..... "Well, well..." Discord chuckled as he strolled between the hanging cages, stopping beside the one containing a furious looking Twilight. "You'll never guess what I just discovered everypony!" "Just leave us alone Discord!" Shouted an infuriated Spike from above the draconequus's head. The others all murmured in agreement at the dragon's words, causing the chimera to chuckle dryly. "What? Don't you want to talk to little old me anymore?" Twilight sprang up, causing her cage to sway slightly as she rushed to the side closest to the chimera's face. "We won't fall for any more tricks Discord!" The chimera smirked, his eye twinkling in the light. With speed that rivalled even Rainbow Dash, he rushed over to the shadowy corner where the unknown friend to the ponies sat. Leaning half in shadow, he smiled. "Why, because of your little buddy here?" "He knows all your tricks Discord!" Rainbow shouted, standing strongly beside Soarin as they stood by their cage's edge, they were the closest to the still unconscious princesses, and this close to their vulnerable leaders filled them with anger, directed purely at the draconequus they were looking at right now. "He's told us what you enjoy doing to prisoners, so we won't even falter!" cried Rarity from the other side of the room. Discord smirked, and walked calmly over to the element of Magic. He leant in, and said quietly. "He isn't who you think he is you know... it isn't Noteworthy!" Twilight stared, incredulous at the chimera's knowlege. She stumbled back and fell to her haunches, dumbstruck. She had been so sue. "Now what was that about not faltering?" Discord asked of the element of generosity, cackling as he did so. His gaze rose up to the highest cage. With a smirk he said simply. "I've broken one of you enough for the rest of you anyway!" Then his gaze travelled down to Applejack, still unmoved from her normal lying position. "Oh, sorry, two." He corrected. He looked around smiling to them all as though they were the closest friends in history. "You'll all break eventually!" He then turned away for the portal. He stepped through, then paused, recalling his purpose there. With one leg in the portal he turned and addressed the group. "What I discovered by the way, little Archimedes has been captured!" Gasps rasped around the cavernous room. Twilight exploded into a scream as she slammed against the cage. "WHAT?!" Discord laughed, without another word he popped through the portal and it's light began to die. "NOOOOOO!" Twilight screamed in a primal maternal yell. "Give him to me! Give me my baby! DISCORD! GIVE ME ARCHYYYYY!" Rainbow stared at the usually calm magenta pony, tears almost bursting out at how broken her friend had become in a mere instant. She looked up, trying to fight them away, and spotted her. Staring at her magenta friend in complete horror. Pinkie Pie. Her mane flat, her eyes filled with empathy for Twilight. Rainbow didn't cry out, she hoped seeing Twilight like this would make her talk, yet the mare's lips stayed closed. Twilight was still screaming when he spoke, the friend from the shadows. "Twilight, please, it's what he wants..." "SHUT UP!" Twilight screamed, her fiery gaze snapping to the shadowy corner. "YOU DON'T GET TO TALK!" "Twilight..." She whirled around and saw the mare on the same level as her... Applejack. She had stood, her hat was crooked, her mane in tatters. Yet her eyes were fixed on the mare. They were filled with the tears of someone who understood. Twilight's legs buckled, she fell and began to cry. "AJ... he's all I have! He's all I have..." "No-o." AJ's voice cracked with its lack of use, or was she fighting back tears. "No, he's not..." Twilight looked up and saw the tears running down AJ's face. "You got us!" She said as her voice crumbled as she let out a sob. Twilight looked around, at each cage's edge there her friends stood, even when captured, they were still there for her! "Yeah... we're here Twilight!" Whispered a high pitched voice from above. Twilight felt something gently strike her head, she looked up and saw a drop fall just before her face. Pinkie, she had spoken, and she wept for her friend as she leant against the wall of her cage. She too had listened to Applejack, and realised they were all still there for her. "P-Pinkie!" Twilight choked, as she crumbled into complete tears. ..... Archy was flung onto the cold rock floor of the cavernous cave, his armour had been ripped from his back with difficulty. Not by Changelings, they wouldn't have been able to... "Who is this?" Said a cold vicious voice. The dark stallion looked up the steps only inches from his nose. At the top there rested a carved throne, engraved from the darkest stone possible. Upon it sat somepony, not a changeling. "We found him being taken by the changeling your highness!" explained a tall dark stallion just beside the weary unicorn. "We attacked, took him, and brought him here!" "Why?" growled the stallion on the throne. "H-he's a pony sire!" Stuttered the guard. Archy got to his hooves shakily, the attack was a blur. The changelings had gotten him, he'd been crying for Seed and Thor... then there were screams! The changelings that held him released him in a flurry of green blood and screeching. He'd thought he was free! But mere seconds later he was a prisoner yet again, only of these new ponies! The outlanders? "Look at him!" The seated stallion was saying, casting his hoof aside angrily. "He's Equestrain!" "I'm sorry your majesty!" The guard rushed, bowing low. "But he had this!" Archy looked around in time to see his armour being thrown across the room to the seated king... "NO!" Archy cried taking a step towards the suite sailing through the air. The guard who had been speaking was just ahead of him, in one fluid motion, he spun, and in an astonishing feet of athleticism, spun the opposite direction of where Archy was moving, brought the leg back, and rammed the side in his chest, barring his progress, as well as winding the stallion, forcing him to crumble to the ground. "Hmmm." The king mused as he examined the armour, acting as though the attack on the stallion had never even happened. "I see, this is very nice!" contrary to what he said, he simply cast it aside. Waving a lazy hoof, he addressed the guard. "Kartoruss, take him to the cells. Put him with the other Equestrian. Let him see what his future will be." With a silent bow, the apparently named 'Kartoruss' turned and grabbed Archimedes with a strong levitation spell. Archy struggled at first, but after they had passed through several stone carved hallways, he realised he wouldn't be getting out any time soon. Resigned to his defeat, Archy stared at the surroundings. He'd heard tales of the outlanders. Ponies with utterly different traditions, even with their own monarchy. Judging by the way he had acted, Archy couldn't say he was too fond of this monarch really... The walls were bare, it scared him that no culture seemed to be seen, as though they were savages. It looked to empty to belong to a race that would be reasoned with, the fact he was being imprisoned merely because her was from Equestria meant that this was a group of ponies who were ignorant and prejudiced. Archy was in some real trouble now! The others thought he'd been taken by changelings, what if they discovered the lair without finding the outlanders? If that happened, Archy would simply rot in the jail cell he was now beeing taken to! Seconds after that grim thought came to mind, a stone wall slid away at the touch of the stallion carrieing him, and they descended down the cold dark stairway that lay behind it. When they came out of the narrow passageway, they broke out into a wide hall, bars lined the walls all the way across. These were clearly the cells, they looked small, tight, cramped, cold and dank. A literal hell to live in... Archy shuddered knowing he would not only be in one, but sharing one with somepony. A fellow Equestrian trapped for where he was from. They stopped beside one of the cells, and the guard released Archy unceremoniously, and while the dark stallion fell, he opened the gate to the cell. With a quick kick, Archy was sent from getting up, to falling into the cramp little space. Archy cried as he fell hard to the uneven floor. The pain only added to his aching from the armour being ripped off of his body! "There you go." Kartoruss laughed, not to Archy, but to whoever else was in this terrible cell with him. "You were missing home so much, we brought you a friend!" Laughing, the guard turned and walked down the hall, his steps echoing off the walls in the deadly silent hallway. Archy got to his hooves, panting with the pain and anger coursing through his veins. Butt over his own rasping breaths, he heard something. A voice, one he swore he must have imagined. A voice he had longed to hear, only to strike the one who owned it. "Archimedes? Is...i-is that you?"