//------------------------------//
// FOTC: Chapter 6 - The first days 
// Story: Fall of the Changelings 
// by Dream Whisper 
//------------------------------//

“...  and that is how the first plague had begun. Next lesson will be tomorrow, early in the morning. Now head off to Captain Lorewing. He will teach you about the art of flight”

Slowly I got out of the trance-like state I had been in for the last couple of hours. The lecturing had been boring, to say the least. It seemed as this Captain Whateverhisnamewas had tried his best to bore me to death. There had been a moment where I had just slipped into dream just to wake up to his glooming stare, almost as if he wanted to rip my body apart with his eyes. 

“You are dismissed.”

With that, he just turned around towards a smaller door I had not noticed before in the back of the hall and left. I thought about following him, but then I just shrugged and turned towards the huge doorway we had entered through. If they just let me wander around like this, I might as well find my way somewhere else. It’s not like I wanted to serve their stupid cause or anything like that. I wanted to go home… And I hate myself for allowing myself to keep coming up with it. 

“Oh, you thought you could simply trail off like that?”

A deep voice coming from behind me startled me. If I guessed correctly, it was the voice of that particularly angry guard from earlier today. His angry snarl destroyed my thoughts of simply wandering off into freedom. Well, there was nothing to find in ‘freedom’ anyway. I didn’t even know where I was. Still, the thought annoyed me to be forced to participate in this society of crazy ‘Changelings’ if that really was their name. They haven’t shown much ‘changing’ in the last hours. Everything I had learned about them so far was that they have a long and boring history, beginning with the prime example of boredom: The first changeling. He had apparently been the first one to come in contact with the amulet. It had granted him this … ‘majestic body architecture’, which was nothing but the dark shell that I now carried around with me too. Furthermore, he had been granted ‘great power’. Then he had done a bunch of nonsense, fought with a couple of mythical creations and finally brought the ‘plague’ - I was still not sure what that was actually supposed to mean. 

“It is quite interesting to see you standing there, ignoring me. If however, you are not going to obey my command I think I will have to execute you on the hive’s behalf. The hive will.”

No patience, these changelings. Only slowly I started following the heavily armored pony. He gave his best to disappear behind every corner, so I had to stumble through this castle almost alone. Whenever I decided it had been too much though, he came back to prevent me from just wandering off. I wonder if he was playing some changeling form of hide-and-seek with me or whether they had an universal pony-detection sensor in their ‘hive’ or maybe it was just my luck to be caught every time. 





“Here you go. Have fun...” 

The ‘have fun’ sounded much more like ‘go die’ than anything else. Clear annoyance, distrust, arrogance and hatred. You have got to love those ponies because otherwise…

“Ahhh. Hello ther’ . Are you the young fella that is shupposed to be my trainee? Look at those wings! Have you even used shem once?”

The heavy accent made it hard to fully understand what he was saying, especially when his voice started to fade out in his excitement. However, from the first moment I had seen that pon… changeling, I had started to like him. He was friendly beyond mere reason. This contrast to every other changeling was quite impressive, but as was his strange voice deficiency.  He seemed to have problems with his ‘s’, sometimes letting the air just flow out of his mouth and sometimes adding it where it isn’t needed. The way he spoke his ‘r’ also reminded me a bit of a scottish accent. 

“Now come witsh me and let’s get ready for takeoff.”

He took me through further halls, but this time the journey ended very soon. He opened just another door, but this time searing light streamed through the opening. I had to close my eyes from the intensity of the sunrays burning into my eyeballs. For a minute or so there was nothing but the sharp pain in my eyes and the feeling of having become blind. For the last days I had not seen the sun, but had it ever been THIS intense?

Everything seemed of sudden, unknown brightness. Even the time I had met queen Chrysalis in the giant marble hall it had not been this intense. I slowly stumbled forward, but just to lose my ground. Everything suddenly turned upside down as I felt the well known pull of gravity. I couldn’t even make out where I was falling, just that everything was shining in unnatural light. The impact however, was not what I had expected it to be. Instead of a hard, bonecrushing percussion, I actually felt a soft fabric below me. From somewhere above me I could hear the laughter of captain Lorewing echoing down. 

“Heheh. I shee you have introdushed yourshelf to the flight hall already.”

The flight hall seemed more like a gaping abyss hall. Looking up to the ledge I had fallen from, I could guess the height to be about a hundred hooves or so. The irritating light seemed to come from… Well, it was actually quite strange to see where it was coming from. Looking directly at it was impossible due to the sheer intensity, but I could very well see the green gluey walls containing dark lines that lead up to the point of light. However, I still had no idea what those actually were.

“Now come bach up her’ and let me fix your wingsh.”

It took me some time to actually regain my orientation. Obviously, I was lying on some fluffy fabric at the bottom of a high pit. Instead of practicing flying in freedom, this was an enclosed hall with artificial lighting. I wondered why they wouldn’t just practice outside, but before I could even ask, Captain Lorewing already answered that question:

“We used to train outshide, but there had been inshidents wish the stray animals.”

They were seriously not training outside anymore because of stray animals? Where in Equestria have I landed here? Still, it was probably for the best. If I had fallen somewhere outside, I would probably have found myself pierced by spikes once again. This fabric had also helped greatly in reducing the severity of the impact. Getting up to Captain Lorewing, however, would be another task. There were no stairs anywhere around, not even a ladder. Was I supposed to magically lift myself up there or what? I still was unsure how my horn would react to my commands, especially considering the recent events with Silver Coil. 

“Flahp your wingsh boih!”

“But I can’t! I have no idea how!”

“You musht be kidding meh!”

Without leaving me time to respond, he opened his wings and slowly descended to me. There was a certain grace in the way he flew down that did not match up with his voice. While his voice showcased his messy character, the way he flew was completely different, almost as if he had become a different pony. He even made a loop and a couple of helices, not to brag off or anything, but because he enjoyed the flight so much. When he landed there was an unignorable expression of sadness in his face, but just for a couple of seconds until the awkward smile reappeared.

“Well, boih, how often have yoush ushed there wings of yoursh?”

It took me a second just to realize what he had actually asked. Well, the answer was pretty easy to give though. After the initial disaster, I really hadn’t used them at all.

“To be quite honest: I didn’t know these were wings for quite a long time…”

“Oshtia! Ish that true?”

“I have no idea how to use these… plastic wings.”
[
To be quite honest, I had a firm grasp on how to use them in general, just not how I could use them. While tinkering around, I had actually created small winged creatures. I had attached two feathers onto a small mechanical device that basically just flapped its tiny arms up and down. At first, the device completely failed, not even rising an inch or so. With further improvements and further feathers, I actually created a suitable mechanical bird… sort of. It took a lot of studying wings, which is the main reason for my knowledge of flight. However, the flight of insects always fascinated me: Instead of having feathers, which allow aviation by their sheer design, insects have to deal with their chitinous layout. Feathers actually bend the streams of air around them in such a way that there is low resistance when flapping up and high resistance when flapping down. Insect wings, however, are stable. They don’t bend air around them and thus should theoretically be impossible to fly with. Studying insects for hours and even working with biologists had not solved that problem. And now I was to fly with these? I didn’t even know how to move them!

“Just shpread thosh wingsh.”

“I would love to SHpread SHoSHe wingSH!” 

Although I had not intended to sound this harsh, it had to be done. This accent was getting more annoying by the second. And the inability to move those darn things on my back didn’t help my calmness either. This whole thing was just ridiculous!

“Ish… I hust wantshed… wanted to shelp...”

For a moment, I stood there gazing. I was not sure how I should react to this. Had I gone too far? No. This is just what they all deserve. These changelings, these monsters! Their feelings were none of my business. He was a captain for Celestia’s sake. Captains are not supposed to be muttering weaklings. Captains are supposed to be strong leaders, harsh commanders and ideal examples for their fellow comrades. This was all just a bunch of ridiculous nonsense, and nothing I wanted to be a part of. I used levitation, the spell I could most easily access, having had to lift thousands of screws, cogs, and other small, fiddly parts in the factory. It had required much concentration, and over the years I had mastered the concept. What I had not expected though, was the reaction of my horn to the command. Instead of simply lifting me up onto the high end of the cliff, something went wrong with the spell. The world below me suddenly retracted with incredible speed, while the air just gave a quick sizzling sound. Like a cannonball fired from some forsaken cannon, I crashed into the ceiling.  If I hadn’t had this shell, I would have probably been nothing but bits and pieces by then. However, if I hadn’t been in this shell, the whole problem would not have even existed… 

Before Captain Lorewing was able to react, I already fell down again. Luckily the angle I had taken proved to be sufficient to reach the edge of the cliff with my hooves. Slowly, and still a bit taken by the hard impact, I pulled myself up again. Meanwhile, Captain Lorewing thrusted himself into the air right below me. 

“Now come back here!”

The anger had purged any accent he may have had. I gave my best to run as quickly as I could, since I did not want to end up on one of the lances the guards kept carrying around. Unoriented, I drifted around random corners, not sure what would expect me behind the next one. Even though I had thoroughly expected it, I didn’t encounter one guard. I just followed ancient halls, all stuck up with that disgusting green snot. I burst through the doors, trying to find a way to escape.

When I looked back, there was nopony following me anymore. Still, I felt the need to run, the need to escape from this horrible place. I didn’t care about it anymore. Of course there was nowhere to go, but everywhere would be better than here…





I can’t remember what door had lead me to freedom, but I can very well remember how surprised I had been. I had almost thought myself lost, when there had suddenly been a hot sun burning my skin. I stumbled a couple of steps forward, completely without orientation once again. This time however, there was no abyss to fall into. When my eyes had finally accustomed to the bright lighting, I found myself in… a dead valley. There is not much more to say about it. The same black earth, the same burnt shrubbery that I had seen before. Nothing lived out here. The vast emptiness reminded me of the emptiness of the ‘hive’. From out here, you could clearly see the shape of the castle, although distorted through the vast amount of green, gluey gunge on it. 

I ran further down, further into the valley. There was really nowhere to run to, just a general direction: Away from the forsaken castle inhibited by monstrous creatures. I may now look differently, but I have not changed! I am still the same pony! The further I ran though, the harder I could force myself forward. Slowly, I saw the reason fading why I should move forward. I had escaped, there was nopony following me anymore… If there ever had been anypony, that is. It was weird to realize that they had not chased me for some reason. Maybe they knew that this vast emptiness was no place to escape from or maybe they had more important things to worry about. 

I didn’t know where to go and that was probably the worst part of it all. I have heard of people getting lost on simple tours because of a lack of orientation. Luckily I knew how to interpret the sun’s altitude in the sky to my advantage. By the direction where it was rising, I would be able to see where east was. By the route over the sky, I would be kept reminded on where to walk. However, I had no idea in what general direction civilisation lay. Would I have to trott northways? Should I try to find cities further south? Or maybe I could follow rivers? Rivers always lead to civilisation as I was told. However, this land didn’t seem like there were many rivers around. 

So, where should I head? There were some simple signs I had to pay attention to: 
This climate seemed far too hot to belong to either polar region. It had to be a hotter region, somewhere close to the equator. 
The vegetation suggested similar, however what was left of the actual vegetation couldn’t tell much. This land was completely burnt down to the last bits and pieces. 
I decided to seek my luck further in the north until I would be able to find a suitable river to follow. Ahead of me lay a shattered landscape, filled with rocks and burnt ground. So… The sun was somewhere in the sky right now and I couldn’t tell yet if it was still ascending or maybe already descending. I guessed on ascending and decided to just take the easy path downhill. 

It was all burnt. All of it. There was not a single bush or tree down here, that was still alive. I wondered how that could have happened. I mean, Celestia is careful enough to prevent deserts from spreading too far. Of course, Camels, Zebras and others still have to live somewhere.. but this? This was not a place where anything could possibly live. And now I was out here, stepping forward through these black valleys. I started to wonder: Why would it even be black out here? I had tributed it to the ground being this burnt, but as I looked closer, it seemed less and less like it. What would even be burnt, the rocks? I have never seen burnt rocks, maybe because that is actually quite hard to achieve. It wasn’t covered with burnt vegetation either. It seemed to be just black stone, small pebbles with lots of holes inside of it; Dragonstone, named for its usual occurrence close to dragon hives. 

I had never personally seen this kind of stone, only heard of it by explorers and adventurers. Those ponies who just set out into the world to find themselves. I never needed it, never wanted it. I knew how the world worked, by books and experiments. I taught myself everything that there was to know. So why would I want to get out there, where I would only miss what I had? And yet I could have used the knowledge right there, among the dragonstones in some forsaken land. I would have known how to react, how to cope with the situation. Now I was stranded in a dead valley that probably was inhibited by mighty dragons. GREAT! A good start to this epic adventure. Still, I trotted further. Not in the hopes of finding anything here, but hoping to find something that would just lead me away. Away from the castle, away from this new strangeness, away from what or not I was supposed to do. Not only that, but also away from my old life. Away from harsh memories, away from what I have used to be. Away into an unknown land that held new memories, new exciting experiences and maybe new love. I could still feel my heart burning in the well known pain. I had already lost my life long before this all had happened. I had CLINGED to it, not realizing it was long lost. My whole life had been the lie I had been telling myself. NOTHING BUT A LIE! It’s all lies. I have never been loved, I have never loved. I have… I can’t… My legs just gave in and my body toppled over. Although I had expected a harsh impact, there was just nothing. I have lost everything. I have even lost myself… 





The depression and bitterness in the following days was even worse than sunrays relentlessly burning down onto me, the lack of food and the dehydration. Even though my stomach was constantly rumbling and my throat had dried out, it were still minor tortures compared to the unrelenting torment of my own thoughts. I could not bring myself to burst out in tears, instead the sorrow was eating into my flesh. I have lost everything… I still can’t cope with that thought. What was I supposed to do? Being in the castle had distracted me from the realization and before that, the shock had protected me. Now I was all alone in some desert, left with my thoughts. 

It was the third day... or maybe the fourth. I could not really tell anymore, I did not care anymore, night being as indifferent to day as my heart from a cold, black stone. My mind had given up to measure time as it had lost all meaning. Why would you count the days if there is nowhere to count towards? If there is nothing to look forward to, why would you even think about time? Time becomes nothing than an abstract thought, not bothering you in your sorrow. 

A nice day to be spending alone, out in the desert isn’t it? The voice, once again. I had not actually expected it… again. The voice seemed to have the habit to start speaking in the strangest moments. Oh, I am just being kind to you. We don’t want you to go insane, do we? Well, hearing a bucking voice is quite close to insanity already. Yet I think it is time, time for me to start the convergence. You had your fun long enough, and now we can begin. It is going to be fun… Well for me, but not for you. Convergence? What the actual buck are you talking about? The convergence… It is the most wonderful thing you could imagine, it is a life changing experience. Every sad moment is purged by the sheer greatness of your new life beginning. You truly become a better pony. Just shut up, please! I don’t need to hear, I don’t even want to hear. Well, it is inevitable. You won’t be able to stop it anyway. You have lost the ability to stop it. Go tell yourself it is all a dream, because isn’t that easier than remembering? Remembering what she looks like? Stop it! This is none of your business! Oh, I know how she looked like. Her beautiful blue mane. Stop it! Stop it! Her beautiful green eyes. LIAR! STOP IT! Oh, and the way she moved. So elegantly. Shut up! Oh, but I haven’t told you about her cutie mark yet. You are lying! You couldn’t have known her! But I am in your head, am I not! “STOP! JUST SHUT UP!” I am not going to shut up, especially not when I can remember so well how she looked. Oh, she really was a beauty. Just… shut… Oh, can you remember how her eyes entranced you, her beautiful green eyes you could lose yourself in. Just… I… Don’t be silly. I know all about her. I am your only connection to her. You are… right. Of course I am. I know who she was. Tell me about her … NO! “What am I doing?! You are just a voice. JUST A VOICE! JUST A VOICE!” JUST A VOICE … I am more than … JUST A VOICE … Keep telling y… JUST A VOICE … Now liste… JUST A VOICE … Are y…  JUST A VOICE … JUST A VOICE … JUST A VOICE … JUST A VOICE … JUST A VOICE … JUST A VOICE … JUST A VOICE … J- just … just a … just a voice. She never loved you. 

...




Back then the voice stopped, once and for all as far as I can tell. The only problem was that I had changed due to its influence. I guess it was right, when it had talked about the convergence. Although it was not really a change for the better, it was most definitely a change of my very self. I can’t exactly trace back what had happened to me. I became hard and distant, became somepony I had never wanted to be, I had felt my life slide away and it had driven me to a point where I couldn’t take my old self anymore. I changed. Today I often say it was the magic of Vulcrim, the name that the voice had given itself. I like to say that because it is easier than those other explanations. Those other explanations involving my own weaknesses, my own anger and my desperation. Those other explanations involving the inevitable truth. It was not or not only Vulcrim. The voice may have made it easier, but in the end, it was only myself who broke down. To this day I cannot even say if Vulcrim existed or was just an imagined voice in my head. Maybe I had been insane all along or maybe I had only turned insane after Vulcrim had left. Maybe I had only turned more insane after I had not been able to calm myself with a voice anymore, or maybe it really had been convergence. I don’t know and honestly I do not care anymore. I am only glad that I did not commit suicide in that time of self-hatred and anger. Maybe Vulcrim was something that lead me to insanity, maybe it held me away from insanity; in either case, I changed when it was gone.

To whom did I change? That is a question even harder to answer, but not impossible. I think it is easiest to explain by telling my story further…