Chapter 22
Over a week has passed since the town was visited by that dark figure and during that time I spent all of it recovering physically and mentally.
I couldn't wrap my mind around it this stallion instilled fear in me like no other. I felt weak a broken form of the changeling I once used to be I wanted nothing more than to be in the reassuring arms of my queen but of course she's not here either which leaves me to deal with it by myself.
The petrification that I was experiencing stopped sometime during the week and my body was recovering from the shock till the end of it. During the time Yellow or Peachy sweet as her disguise was called took care of me. Whenever I would be asleep and having a nightmare she was there to comfort me. I greatly appreciated her efforts into making me feel better.
Today my body felt like it had returned to normalcy and I decided that today was the day that I would start traveling to the hive I needed answers and that stallion was going to give me some one way or another.
When Yellow arrived I told her that I was going to the hive, she insisted that she go with me to make sure that I was safe but I told her that she needed to protect the Appaloosan faction of the hive. I also told her that if I didn't return to break the news to everyone. She hugged me and I hugged her back I told her that I would be back soon and headed off.
Nothing eventful happened on my way to the hive but oddly enough my brain kept repeating small insignificant things. One was in my time in Ponyville where Silver and Zecora mentioned a brown stallion named Specter and then that crazy pony's words back in Los Pegasus "Silence will fall when you least expect it."
I decided to put those out of my mind as I entered the changeling hive, it seemed empty no changelings had returned since I had dispersed them across Equestria.
I figured the stallion would be in the throne room and indeed he was. He was sitting on the throne with his hoof propping his face up, he was a brown colored stallion with a grey and black mane with a purple star cutie mark but instead of a black triangle within it, it had a black triangle with lines stretching from the black triangle to the 5 corners of the star.
"So you've finally arrived I was wondering when you would show up I've become awfully bored within the confines of your home."
I returned to my changeling form and began to charge up a spell.
"Eager aren't we?" he said as his horn lit up with a green glow.
He didn't move though which struck me as odd but then a green aura seeped out of his eyes. He reminded me of Sombra in some ways and this intrigued me.
"Before we begin tell me where did you learn your magic?"
He wasted no time in answering me.
"Princess Luna and King Sombra taught me all I know."
So I was right he does have some connection to Sombra.
"Is it true that your name is Specter?"
"Yes my name is Specter although I'm curious to know how you came across my name."
"Silver Spoon and Zecora mentioned you during my time in Ponyville."
He closed his eyes for a moment probably reminiscing on something.
"Yes I knew those two well although that’s not why we’re here. I challenged you to a fight so let's see what you’re made of."
A shadow version of himself took form as he sat on the throne in the same position as when I entered here.
"Are you going to fight or are you just a coward who needs shadows to do his dirty work?"
"Didn't I tell you once before, you won't even be able to beat my shadow but if by some luck you can or even damage me while I'm sitting here I'll fight you for real?"
He's toying with me? I don't like to be toyed with. I charged up a light spell and hurled it at the shadow; the shadow disappeared and then reappeared as if nothing happened.
"Here's a little tip, if you don't use the right amount of light magic my shadow will keep reforming."
I don't have enough power to keep wasting on his shadows I'm going to have to find a way to get around it and attack him directly. I checked my surroundings for anything that may help me accomplish this.
My eyes landed upon the stalactite on the ceiling it was at just the right angle above him that it could cause a decent distraction. I shot a laser blast at it and after some crumbling it toppled down towards him.
As he began to levitate it away from him it gave me just enough time to charge up a laser beam and aim it at a vital spot. Once released it began to travel towards its destination, (his heart) just as it was about to hit him he moved his hoof to block it.
I thought that his hoof would of been blown to bits but imagine my surprise when he redirected it into the wall. Needless to say I was in awe a pony redirecting magic with his hoof instead of their horn was unheard of.
"Congratulations you managed to try and fail to hit me."
He said as he lowered the stalactite unto the floor.
Stepping off the throne he continued "Now is when the real fight begins."
One second he was standing near the throne and the next he was gone.
"Are you ready to see why back in school they used to call me The Silent Specter?"
After that all was silent but then out of nowhere a blast of magic zoomed by me.
"That was a warning shot the next one I shoot won't be so lenient."
His voice sounded like it was coming from everywhere at once. There was no real way to pinpoint his location so I did the next best thing to protect myself.
"A force field? That won't last against me the only pony who was able to defend himself against me with a force field was extremely skilled with that style of magic. A changelings won't even stand a chance against me."
He began to fire magic from all sides leaving cracks in my shield whenever one hit.
'I won't be able to last any longer' I thought to myself as pieces of the shield began to crack away into nothingness.
I quickly dispelled the shield and ran for the exit.
I didn’t get far, before I could even reach the exit the floor opened up and I fell into the newly formed crevice.
I spread my wings and used them to fly out of the crevice.
He was waiting for me at the top. He wasn’t in his shadow form and he seemed to just be standing their unamused.
“I would of thought that the new king of the changelings would put up a better fight than this, maybe a little incentive would help you fight better.”
As soon as he finished speaking I heard footsteps stomping in unison coming closer to what remained of the throne room. The stomping grew louder until I was finally able to see what it was.
To my horror it was the dead skeletons of my fellow deceased changelings.
“You dare defile the graves of my ancestors.”
“Oh I do dare its not like you can do anything about it.”
“That’s where you're wrong.” I said as my horn began to light up.
“Then show me what you’ve got I’ve grown tired of this battle.”
With a battle cry I charged towards him and his army of skeletons. Before the first skeleton could even reached me I teleported behind all of them into the hall. The reason I did this was because the odds were stacked against me. I wouldn’t have been able to fight them all, not without help of some kind.
I racked my brain for anything within the hive that could help me accomplish this but none came up. The more I thought about it the closer the skeletons were closing in on me.
Eventually after running about the halls an idea struck me. It would be risky and dangerous but it was one of the only ways I stood a chance at defeating him.
After running for a little while longer I found the room I had been looking for. The Warriors chamber is what most of the hive have grown accustomed to calling it, this room was where changelings destined to become warriors were housed.
As I walked in I noticed how the cocoon's that they were placed in hadn’t been disturbed. It looked like Specter hadn’t messed with any of the pods, to make sure I checked all of them.
Once finished I began to detach the pods from the ceiling and place them on the ground one by one. These were the spare warriors, Chrysalis told me that unleashing them from their coma like state would be done in extreme emergencies and this was an emergency. I didn’t need to awaken them all so I left some of the pods hanging on the ceiling in the event that something came up later.
I charged up my horn and with a small burst of magic I unleashed each from their cocoon. They stumbled about at first but after adjusting to their surroundings they stood at attention.
When a changeling is out of their pods their first instinct is to connect to the hive mind. Once the connection is made they learn the basic information needed to carry out their goal.
“My fellow changelings I have awakened you from your slumber for one reason and one reason only.
“ Your task is to apprehend the threat known as Specter. He is dangerous and armed with vasts knowledge of magic and at this moment he is leading a skeleton army of our own deceased this way.
“I need you all to fight with everything you’ve got and hopefully at the end of the day we will be able to face our queen and tell her that we vanquished a powerful threat.”
They all nodded and began to march out into the hall.
“That’s a nice speech it’s a shame that they won’t survive that battle however.”
I turned my head to see that Specter was leaning on the doorway watching the changeling warriors march into battle.
I immediately shot a green beam of energy at him. It had no effect however, at the last second he became a shadow and reappeared in front of me.
Talking to him any longer would be a futile endeavor I decided. With this decision set I began to fire a torrent of laser blasts at him. All of which he dodged and returned with his own fire.
All throughout the fight I grew weaker and oddly enough Specter did as well. We both grew so weak that we were able to land blows on each other. I made every attack count leading to me having the upper hoof.
Eventually I was able to put the rest of my energy into one attack, I charged my horn with every ounce of love I had left and fired it with all my might at him. He was unable to dodge it but he did try to weaken it with his own force field.
We were both panting and for awhile none of us did anything but stare. After a couple more minutes of panting he spoke.
“I can’t believe i've been pushed this far but this is the end of you Camo the Changeling.”
His horn glowed with a brilliant green light and aura began to pour out of his eyes. Not wanting to stay their any longer I ran away from him.
My body was on autopilot, all I knew was that I needed to escape the confines of the hive.
Along the way I heard bones break and when I looked down at the floor I saw that it was my own hooves steeping on the bones of the changeling skeletons that were previously animated.
That wasn’t the only thing I saw however, as I was running by I saw the dead bodies of the changeling warriors. I wanted to grieve for them but I knew that I had to reach the outside of the hive quickly.
Eventually I saw a light at the end of the tunnel and this made me go faster. My hooves were aching excruciatingly but I ignored it and drew closer to the light.
As soon as I could see the scenery outside it was blocked by a black smoke forming into my worst nightmare. It condensed into the form of a pony and knowing only one unicorn that could use this I began to plant all my hooves on the ground.
Somewhere in the back of my mind my brain was telling me that this wasn't going to work but I ignored it hoping that I would not have to come face to face with this stallion. Unfortunately for me that wasn't the case he had manifested back into his normal form and I had managed to stop right in front of him.
His dragon like eyes stared at my pure blue and green changeling eyes. I dreaded every moment of looking at him and as much as I wanted to get away from him I couldn't. His eyes were holding me in place as if I had no will of my own.
Then unexpectedly he said "thank you for running you've given me just enough time to charge a deadly spell of mine."
Right then my body decided to work again. I turned around and began to run back into the hive. The ground began to shake as I tried desperately to get away from the stallion. As I got further from him he kept on talking.
"I've been working on this spell for a couple of years and even now it still doesn't work exactly like I want it to but it should be more than enough to finish you off."
Everything became silent no longer could I hear the clip clopping of my own hooves on the floor. It was as if everything was in slow motion and out of curiosity I turned around. There was a massive amount of energy headed my way and there was nothing I could do about it. It was too quick to teleport away from and my force field would never be able to block it.
"I'm sorry fellow changelings, my queen but... I've failed you all."
Specter's attack connected with my body and with a loud scream I felt my life fade into nothingness.