The moon was round and pale, and this heavenly jewel looked especially brilliant against the dull background of the cloudy evening sky which cast its dark curtain upon the motionless, fog-laden sea. A massive fortress of an airship with a multitude of gun ports and landing bays on either side glided silently above the water. Platoons of Pegasi pushed forward the fog covering hiding the advance of the battleship. Two comparatively-diminutive striped airships trailed after.
From the bridge of one of the Zebra ships, Reagle and Zaza stared in awe at the vessel in front of them. Den and Blue stood closely by.
“You must admit,” Reagle chirped. “When the Equestrians build airships, they build them big.”
Zaza nodded. “A Cloud Carrier, they call it,” she said.
“Yes, but technically it’s the other way around,” Den explained. “Actually, clouds carry the Thunderhead. We Pegasi have built many cities in the clouds using such technology.”
“I have read the history of your people,” Reagle said. “In your time, you were lauded as weather warlords. A pity you chose submission to the Alicorn goddesses.”
“We still beat you Griffins and drove you out of Equestria,” Den countered. “With your lack of magic you were fodder for dragons until only recently, as I recall.”
Reagle seethed a bit, looking at Den threateningly. They appeared on the verge of coming to blows.
“Let’s not fight!” Blue interjected.
Zaza coughed in an attempt to distract them. “Past history aside, with such a weapon, this operation has a chance of success.”
“Oh, it’ll succeed alright,” said Blue confidently.
Luna and Twilight Sparkle stood on the bridge of the Thunderhead, overseeing its operation. Around them, pony technicians tended to the intricate assembly of gauges and levers.
Twilight looked at a number of gauges and compared them against a checklist. “Princess, all readings are within normal parameters. The cloud generators are operating at maximum efficiency.”
“We shall avenge my sister’s sacrifice here.” Luna’s voice was disturbingly cold.
Twilight carried on with her work, but voiced her concern for the moon princess. “Luna, this isn’t about vengeance. This preemptive strike is to ensure the safety and security of us all.”
Luna caught herself. “You are right, Twilight Sparkle.”
Captain Shining Armor entered the bridge and saluted. “Princesses, we are in range.”
“Excellent,” said Luna. “Now is the time! Captain, send word to fire all cannons. They shall taste the fury of our barrage!”
The Thunderhead’s gun ports swung open, launching cannonballs through the clouds with a reverberating boom and flashes that illuminated the evening sky .
Chrysalis walked with Echo and Amorpheus through the rows of green cocoons. Wingless Changeling workers tended carefully to the pods.
“With so much power, what do you intend to do?” asked Echo.
“Contained within these souls is enough magic to teleport entire armies,” said Amorpheus. “We could be at the doorsteps of our enemies in but a blink."
“Never mind the minor magic,” said Echo. “What of substantiation?”
“Even this amount of energy is not enough for that," said Chrysalis dismissively.
An officer stumbled towards them. “My Queen, we are under attack! The Equestrians have airships! We’ve already lost a War Wing!”
A War Wing was ripped asunder by the combined cannon onslaught of the Thunderhead and the Zebra ships. The remaining three War Wings quickly responded to the explosions by encasing themselves in magical energy shields. Stray cannonballs exploded harmlessly against the auras, and the gun ports of the War Wings quickly opened to retaliate.
Shining Armor and Cadance stood facing one another on the Thunderhead’s coning tower.
“Now, my love," said Shining Armor.
“Let our bond be an unbreakable shield," said Cadance.
They touched horns, enveloping the Thunderhead and Zebra airships in a powerful pink shield wall. Flying cannon balls peppered the barrier.
Sweat quickly lining their brows, Shining Armor and Cadance looked at each other lovingly and smiled as blasts behind them resonated against the shield.
A teal Pegasus clad in black and silver armor and sporting a gleaming silver javelin flew in front of her regiment composed of Pegasus fliers and a small number of menacing, leather-winged bat ponies from Luna’s personal guard. They all awaited the word to attack, which Captain Rainbow Dash provided with a smirk.
“For Equestria!” she shouted to the cheers of thousands. “Follow me!”
Zaza and Blueberry assembled in the hanger of the Zebra airship along with a multitude of Zebra Zerkers and Royal Guards.
“Prepare your equipment,” Blueberry commanded. “When they breach those walls we’re the first ones in, okay?”
The Royal Guards nodded, readying their lances.
Zaza followed with a speech in Zebra-tongue: “@%#?????!” Blueberry leaned her head to the side, trying to decipher the foreign dialect and tone. Zaza’s speech sent the Zerkers stamping their hooves and rearing upwards in enthusiasm.
“And what she said!” cried Blueberry to the Royal Guards.
Dark clouds of Changeling fliers armed with ebony spears came pouring from the War Wings. Den and Reagle flew to meet them.
Reagle sighed. “I suppose it would make sense they have only Changeling guards at their hive,” he said. “I am glad I don’t have to kill my brainwashed comrades.”
“I’m glad too,” said Den. “You guys are tough. I wouldn’t want to fight you.”
“Indeed,” Reagle chirped.
The lines collided. Fliers on both sides fell as they were impaled by lances. Soon it became a brutal dogfight as Pegasi and Changelings flew circles around one another trying to impale each other.
Den saw a Changeling with a lance chasing after Reagle. “Got one on your tail!” cried Den, his wings flapping vigorously to catch up with the Changeling. He readied his lance to spear it but images of Echo flashed through his mind. Instead, he impaled the Changeling’s right wing, taking a chunk of it. The Changeling buzzed in an attempt to remain airborne, but it could not maintain altitude and spun downwards.
“Amateurish work,” Reagle scolded. “You should have gone for the kill.”
“You owe me one!” Den spat back.
Reagle drew his sword and deflected a spear away from Den. As his sword skidded down the length of the enemy spear he angled the blade and beheaded the Changeling using its own momentum. “And the favor is returned!”
The Zebra ships fired their cannons in directed volleys, chipping away and then breaching a section of the wall, which gave them an opening to drop boarding ramps.
“Charge!” cried Blueberry as she ran down the boarding ramp into the castle. Royal Guards poured in after her.
“@%#!” Zaza yelled a similar order in her Zebra language. Her Zebra Zerkers trotted forward.
Queen Chrysalis and her officers crowded into the castle war room, a large dome-shaped structure adorned by torches burning with magical blue flames. Changeling officers moved around tiny toy airships around a small model of the island fortress. Chips of the building’s mortar fell as the fortress shook from heavy cannon fire.
A near-breathless Changeling soldier entered the War Room and bowed. “My Queen, they breached the western walls! The Equestrians have deployed ground troops! The worker caste is defenseless!”
Another Changeling nearly crashed as he flew into the room. “The enemy airship is defended by the Canterlot Shield, and our cannon fire is ineffective! Our third airship’s shields were taken down. It’s bleeding smoke!”
The Changeling officers gaped with alarm.
“Can we summon reinforcement from the Griffin Kingdoms?”
“They’ll arrive too late.”
“All the energy we’ve gathered—the harvest is lost,” said a despondent Changeling officer. “We were so close. Now nothing."
“Can we rebuild?”
“Not after this.”
The many voices in the War Room fell silent as they stared expectantly at their Queen.
“My monarch, we must make our escape while the War Wings distract them!” Amorpheus advised.
Chrysalis began laughing hysterically. “They’re attacking here!?”
“My Queen, we need commands,” pleaded a Changeling.
Chrysalis was still absorbed with her laughing fit. “They’re attacking here!” Chrysalis reiterated. Her green eyes had a crazed look as she cackled.
The Changeling officers looked to each other with fear and doubt. The lack of leadership from their sovereign caused a stir.
“Princess Larvi, what shall we do?” suggested one voice. It was Amorpheus.
Echo snapped from her stupor and stood tall. “Apparently Mother has gone mad, but I am your Princess! I shall organize the defenses. We need to get to the control tower and signal our ships. Move!” Echo’s wings began buzzing.
Inside the castle the ground battle raged. Blueberry lunged, avoiding a Changeling spear strike. Zaza jumped and smashed the Changeling against a stone wall. She kicked the Changeling in the head, finishing it off.
“That seems to be all of them in this part of the castle,” said Blue her chest heaving. “We’re gaining lots of ground. I’m surprised."
“We are where they least expect us,” Zaza panted. “However we can be sure to expect more."
Blue paused, diverting her attention to the green cocoons, one of which contained an armored Pegasus. “These are Royal Guards. I recognize their armor. They are from the Expeditionary forces into the White Wastes.”
A Zebra Zerker pointed a hoof at a cocoon that contained one of his own, calling attention to the swirl pattern on the Zebra’s flank. “These here are warriors from the Anazazi tribe.”
“So many... We’ve passed so many,” said Blue. “There’s a city here at least. Maybe two cities!”
“We can free our friends later,” said Zaza. “Come, we must advance!”
Echo and Amorpheus arrived at the control tower. The structure had large glass windows, through which Changelings shined large beacon lights into the distance. The Changelings turned and saluted.
Echo took a deep breath then commanded: “Signal the War Wings to rally on the eastern side of the island. Have them blast a hole through the battlements! We will retreat from there and evacuate the flightless worker caste!”
“Those are some complex orders to relay in horse code," said a Changeling operating the shutters for a signal spotlight.
“Best get on it!” snapped Amorpheus.
Echo saw the Thunderhead unload another volley of cannon fire. The assault collapsed one of the War Wing’s shields. The last rounds exploded against the ship’s hull. The ship began bleeding smoke.
“That enemy ship has so many more guns,” stammered Amorpheus. “Our shield teams cannot withstand them.”
Echo turned to the signal operators. “Signal the War Wings! Have them use each other as cover! Rotate so that when one shield is broken, the others will protect it as its shield team recovers!”
“A genius strategy," said Amorpheus, shooting her a look of astonishment.
“It will buy time," said Echo.
The battle in the skies intensified. Fliers meshed in the air while the airships dueled, trading volleys of cannon fire.
Den and Reagle were both blinded as a flickering spotlight beamed past them. In the winking of the spotlight’s shutter he recognized a pattern.
“That’s code they’re flashing!” shouted Den as he performed a barrel roll to avoid a Changeling.
“That must be the Air Control tower then!” said Reagle, pointing in the direction of the light with his sword.
“Let’s take it out!”
“Great minds think alike!”
A Changeling officer scrambled up the stairs of the control tower. “New orders from the Queen! We are to immediately withdraw every Changeling that is able. Those who cannot are to be abandoned.”
“What’s going on?” Echo asked. “We are going to withdraw without our workers? Belay that order!”
The beacon operators shook their heads. “Orders from the Queen supersede that of the Princess," one of them said.
The spotlights began broadcasting the new orders.
“Amorpheus, help with the evacuation of the workers,” Echo commanded. “Fly to one of the airships and see if we can’t convince a captain to stay longer."
“Princess Larvi, I am not leaving you," said Amorpheus, planting his hooves firmly on the ground.
Echo snarled. “I am the Princess. I order you to do as I bid.”
“Now you’re speaking like a Princess,” smiled Amorpheus, tipping his fedora. “Very well.”
“I’m going to see mother. She’s still in the castle. Maybe I can talk sense to her." Echo placed her hooves on Amorpheus’s shoulders.
“Good luck, Princess. I will wait for you."
“Do not wait for me. If I fail you will lead our people! You are wise and kindly, and with you they will survive.” Echo hugged Amorpheus.
“But…” Amorpheus gave a pained expression.
Echo pushed Amorpheus back. “That is an order!” she said fiercely as tears poured from her eyes.
Amorpheus nodded and flew down the stairway of the tower.
Aboard the bridge of the Thunderhead, Luna sat on the edge of her seat looking intently at the battle as it unfolded. She smiled as she saw the War Wings begin to turn away.
“They are retreating,” she said. “This is glorious! Now, pursue them.”
Twilight countered: “Luna! We should be more conservative with our forces!”
“Nay, I say now is the time to advance!” Luna shouted, her voice booming. “Let us deploy our reserves and seize their fortress!”
The control-tower glass shattered, alarming the Changelings. Reagle and Den threw themselves at the Changeling throng. Reagle impaled several with his lance, while Den spiraled and knocked out several more with his own. During the brawl, Den couldn’t help but notice the tip of a ghostly green mane disappear into a stairwell.
“Echo!” Den made for the stairwell.
Reagle cut back a couple of Changelings with his sword. “Hold a bloody tick! Don’t get too deep!” yelled the Griffin, chasing after the Pegasus.
Den was soon lost in the maze of the castle’s hallways. The gray-stone walls all looked alike. A Changeling emerged from a dark corner and attacked Den. It was a flightless worker; its attacks were wide and clumsy. It rasped angrily as it attacked with a spear.
“Get out of my way!” said Den, ducking the attacks.
“Begone, invader!” hissed the persistent worker as he fought on.
“Run or die!” cried Den, dodging the slow strikes.
Finally, in frustration, Den rammed the lance into the Changeling’s chest. The creature squirmed for a few moments before falling. Den’s lance was dampened by the Changeling’s life liquid. He looked uneasily at the dead Changeling.
“Echo will be harder," said Den, grinding his teeth.
Reagle finally rejoined Den.
“There you are! Odin’s odors, and they call me rash!” said Reagle.
“I saw her," said Den, lost in his own thoughts.
“Who?” asked Reagle in confusion.
From the dimly-lit hallway ahead, a few shadows moved along the ground.
“The enemy,” whispered Reagle.
Den snapped back to attention. “Right, we’ll ambush them.”
Reagle and Den charged, stopping in their tracks when they stumbled upon a familiar blue-coated mare and a female Zebra warrior. Embarassed, they turned their weapons away.
“You oafs! Aren’t you supposed to be flying air support?!” shouted Blue.
“Where are we?” asked Den.
“Near the center tower and the castle keep, but it is crazy we have not encountered much resistance so far," said Zaza.
“Come, let’s go together," Blue insisted, motioning forward.
Echo entered the massive war room chamber. She found Chrysalis still calmly staring at the model of the castle fortress.
Echo jumped in front of Chrysalis and pushed her face almost against her mother’s. “Mother, what is wrong? Why did you not take command until now? And might I add, your orders make no sense!”
Chrysalis smiled, patting Echo on the head and rubbing her green mane. “Little one, I wanted to see if you’d take charge.”
Echo shook her head as she composed her mane. “Now is not the time for a test.”
“My daughter, you have studied the higher magics, haven’t you?” asked Chrysalis.
“Yes, and?" said Echo dismissively.
Chrysalis gestured her hoof at the small model of the castle. “Tell me, what shape is this fortress? Look here at the positions of the five main towers. See how they are so perfectly distanced from the center and each other. Look here where the center tower is. Where we are." Chrysalis pointed gleefully at the small toy tower.
Echo’s eyes widened with astonishment and anger. “This is a magical conduit array…” She gasped. “You’re going to kill everyone! The worker caste, they’re flightless. We haven’t been able to evacuate them all!”
“Necessary sacrifices,” Chrysalis declared, “to keep the Equestrians guessing and further ensnared. They will be remembered in the annals of our history.” Chrysalis knocked the large table on its side, causing the toy pieces and models to spill out onto the floor. Using her magic, Chrysalis materialized a cylindrical spiral stairway.
Echo looked on in shock. “There must be another way!” she protested.
“Daughter, defend this chamber to the death. Our people’s future is at stake. If we lose this fortress and our harvest, all will indeed be lost." Chrysalis descended into the stairwell, which then disappeared behind her, leaving the façade of stonework to once again take its place.
Den, Blue, Zaza, and Reagle reached an enormous chamber lit by blue torch-flames and lined with ominous gothic-Griffin statues.
Reagle examined the empty seats and tables. “This is appears to be the war room, but where is their support staff?”
“Not to mention, where are their officers?” Zaza added.
Den staggered forward, examining the room more closely. He reached the other end and found, slumped behind a large table turned on its side, the Changeling with the ghostly green mane and emerald eyes—Echo.
“De-De-Den?!” said Echo stammering.
“Echo, you’re behind this?” said Den, tensing his body.
Echo winced and, taking a deep breath, stood tall, saying in a commanding voice: “All of you must leave. The castle and the grounds, it’s all a trap. It’s a massive magical array designed to leech life. You may save some of your army!”
“Holy hell!” said Reagle, his beak agape.
“Go!” cried Echo, her horn aglow, emanating a pressure that made her words carry physically and mentally.
Den looked back at his companions. “I may stop this. You three go back and warn everyone else. Reagle, Zaza, take my sister Blue to safety.”
“You’re not facing her alone!” cried Blueberry, ready to spring into action.
“Leave him, we have to escape!” cried Reagle, pulling Blueberry back.
“Come, Blue one," said Zaza, joining Reagle in restraining her.
“Den!” Blueberry called behind her as the Griffin and Zebra led her away. The door shut behind them.
Under the unnatural blue light of the magical torches, Den confronted Echo.
“Why did you stay?” asked Echo, her voice as chilled as an icicle. “I gave you a chance to leave.”
Den ignored her question and thought about the last time they spoke, when it was apparent she was an altogether different creature than the vulnerable one he’d met on that cliff in what seemed like a lifetime ago. “So, Princess Larvi, is it?”
Echo simply nodded and gestured to Den’s chest. “Your armor—so you’re a full Captain now?”
The reminder of his rank caused Den to raise his weapon defensively.
“What is it that you think you’re going to do with that lance?” said Echo casually. She stalked from side to side, looking him over. “You won’t hurt me. You love me.”
Den snarled and swiped his lance, cutting Echo’s cheek. “Do I? Or do I love the hollow mask?”
Echo snarled, flying backward. “You killed Thorax! Your lance now is dripping with Changeling blood—my people’s blood!” She fired a beam that scorched Den’s shoulder.
Den bit his teeth together and ignored the pain. “Twelve guards were killed by your friends. And now all these people will die!”
Echo paused. “Leave now, or I will kill you,” she said callously. “You cannot best me in combat." Echo’s horned glowed with green energy as she moved toward him threateningly.
Royal Guards and Zebra Zerkers ran frantically to board the Zebra ships.
“Hurry everyone!” shouted Zaza. “Drop everything, even your weapons!”
Blueberry lay hogtied next to Zaza. “Den!” she murmured with tears in her eyes.
Aboard the Thunderhead, Reagle rushed inside the bridge, panting heavily. Princesses Luna and Twilight looked over at him in surprise.
“It’s a trap! It’s all a trap!” shrieked Reagle as Luna’s night guards immobilized him.
The entire war room had been virtually torn to pieces: the stonework was chipped, several torches had been knocked over, and fragments of chairs and tables charred by magic and smashed by a lance littered the floor. In silence, Den and Echo circled one another, each examining the other’s tiniest movements. Den locked eyes with Echo in intense focus, to which she winced. Den saw his chance: he charged at her, drawing the powder bag from under his armor. She readied her magic for a counterattack, but Den lobbed the powder bag in the air and swiftly dodged her. Echo’s beam hit the powder bag before it had reached the floor, causing its contents to scatter into the air.
The white powder covered her Echo. She coughed and reeled back. “What was that?” she said, shaking herself of any visible powder.
Den lunged at Echo with his lance. Echo smirked confidently and prepared to attack him again only to find her horn flickering pathetically.
“You blocked my magic!” gasped Echo.
“Yes, you rely on magic too much.” Den sneered.
“And you think I wasn’t trained to fight without it?!” said Echo as she drew a spear from a Griffin guard statue.
Den charged again, but Echo managed to block the tip of his lance. Den flapped his wings and faced away from her, kicking her backward with hishind-hooves. She lost her balance, and the spear fell to the ground. Den kicked it across the room and poised himself over Echo with his lance pointed at her chest.
“I wonder if I stab you there I’ll hit your heart?” snarled Den. “Do you even have one?”
For a moment, Den stared at Echo; she appeared resigned to defeat and her eyes were sadly serene, much like that mare he met at the Canterlot cliffs.
A spark came from Echo’s horn. “You missed your chance to find out,” she said. “Magic’s back on.”
Echo suspended Den telekinetically in the air, undid and ripped away his war saddle, and swung his lance around so the tip faced him. Finally she tensed and readied herself to plunge the lance into his heart, but all at once she dropped Den and the lance, sending him crashing to the cold, stone floor. He started to get up with a groan but was assailed by Echo, who jumped on and wrapped her forelegs around him.
“I...” Den managed to sputter the beginning of a sentence before groaning as Echo’s choking hug squeezed the air out of him.
The castle began shaking violently with a low rumble, the vibrations stronger than that from simple cannon fire.
“You foal,” said Echo, “embrace me as if it were the last, as it surely will be!”
The two lovers gripped each other. Echo arched her head and kissed Den deeply in the mouth. They closed their eyes, oblivious to the demonic, green arcane energy which began to surge through the chamber.
The pale emerald energy penetrated everything. The tendrils sprouting, it jumped. Potted plants in the castle garden withered to husks. The tendrils chased Pegasi and Changelings using one body to arc to another after another regardless of race. From the skies dots began dropping. There were metallic clangs as pieces of armor hit the castle stone. Their wearers were mummified shells with expressions of pure despair sunk upon their faces.
The tentacles extended towards a retreating War Wing. It strangled a small Changeling in flight then jumped onto the ship. That small connection was enough to spread the green glow throughout. The ship pulsated with lines like blood veins spread across a gripping claw. As the line reached the Changeling captain, he fell dead clasping onto the steering wheel. The War Wing veered into the ocean, exploding.
Blue and Zaza stared at the second Zebra airship through the rising boarding ramp. Green energy engulfed the second ship that was still docked with the castle. Zaza pushed Blue back as demonic tendril reached through the boarding ramp almost grabbing them in its clutches. Pony and Zebra hugged one another in fear.
The Thunderhead was assaulted by a great many tentacles. Shining Armor gasped as Cadance collapsed on the ground beside him. The pink shield absorbed barrage after barrage of the lashing before imploding in pink spark. Shining Armor fell atop Cadance to protect her. However, before the tentacles reached him another shield was deployed, this time purple in color. A lavender mare ran to the coning tower. The ponderous airship barely pulled away before that shield, too, collapsed.
The tendrils reaching their maximum range, the energy pulsated further spreading themselves until they diffused forming a dome of white. The affected area was absorbed in white. Even the evening full moon was trumped by this brighter light. In the deepest part of the fortress in the chamber of pure light was a dark being. Diabolical laughing echoed through the chamber. Its eyes opened emerald green.