"INCOMING!" Steamlord yelled at the top of his lungs.
The cloud had bared down upon the ship and were tackling it or firing strange bursts of olive green energy from their horns. The cannons on the ship were creating a display of fireworks as the ammo tore through changeling after changeling. Ink was still near the entrance of the ship fumbling with his makeshift communication apparatus. Sunrise and the knights were busy controlling any damages being causeed to the ship's exterior whilst Centurion had exited the flying machine and had now stepped onto the roof. Several of the changelings looked at this bizarre creation. They had never seen anything like it, and it didn't give off any signs of love...or life, for that matter. Before these changelings could do anything else, they were gunned down by two arm-mounted gatling lasers held within the robots back. The assembled weaponry was creating an incredibly bright display of exploding insect parts raining down on the swamp below. Surprisingly, Centurion was capable of firing grape-shots from its gatling lasers, creating a lovely mist of impending doom in its trajectory.
"There's far too many of these bugs, dad." Sunrise shouted as she closened on the cockpit.
"I refuse to crash again. That'll be the third time!"
Steamlord twisted his ship towards the left to ram into some changelings in the way, which he did very well. Cadence was rather shocked at this being's ways. Ponies would never have performed such...acts of barbarity. Running down living creatures was a horrid thing to do in wagons, so why do it here? Even though they were changelings, the mere firepower this vehicle possessed was more than many Equestrian ships. The pink alicorn was nearly blinded by an incredibly bright flash of blue coming from a massive explosion in front of the ship. Centurion had blown an immense gap in the rank of the changelings, but it was quickly plugged up. Steamlord was clearly irritated.
"They have arrived. Imminent intereception." Ink said without removing his 'eyes' from his contraption."
"Who has?" Cadence asked.
As Steamlord was trying to correct the ship's trajectory, SS said:
"Incoming automatons. Forms are identical to those encountered near the griffin village."
Missiles came in from the left and blasted through the changelings like a machine gun. The creatures scattered through confusion and many more were gunned down as the bird-like machines flew through the crowd by the hundreds.
"How many of these things did you make?" Steamlord asked in surprise.
"Many. Many are reserve. Many are scouts for mineral deposits. Others are replacements. They aren't sole arrivals. Look through windows."
Cadence hopped up to put her two front hooves against the wall of the ship and took a peek. Two gargantuan beasts of metal were being carried by several of those flying bird automatons.
"I found a place where we can land." Steamlord said.
"It is close to the Luna's position. Digging is required." SS added.
The landing area was an open marsh in the swamplands surrounded by practically nothing. With a controlled rotation, Steamlord landed the ship gently into the murky water. At nearly the same time, the two giants were let go by the "birds" and smashed into the water. These machines screamed and screached as their rusted parts started to work, but they were than enough for the job. The changelings couldn't dent them, but the machines were more than capable crushing anything between their fists. When Steamlord exited his ship and saw this, he was surprised.
"I thought you only had one." Steamlord said to Ink.
"I have many. I only use one at a time. Too costly. Too much space needed."
Ignoring the murky water splashing everywhere as well as the trees being uprooted by the monstrous creations and thrown at the swarm, the group continued though the murky waters, hoping to find the queen, if Steamlord understood correctly.
"Wow. This place is very murky and dirty." Cadence noted.
"It's a swamp. That's how swamps are. Atleast, that's how I remember them."
The pink pony turned her head to look at the creature and hummed.
"I would really like you to tell me how your world is, because I don't feel any good coming from you. I actually feel sadness and regret in immense portions."
Steamlord glared at the alicorn who flinched at the sight.
"Cadence, it would be best if you don't speak to my father about these things. You must understand that there are things that should left in someone's mind." Sunrise pleaded.
"Yes. I understand." Cadence nodded.
Ink and Centurion had already split from the group and were bent over, looking at a vibrating portion of unstable ground. It seemed to be vibrating like water.
"What are you doing over there?" Steamlord shouted.
"Instability in mass. Possible hollowing beneath surface. There might be tunnels here." Ink said.
The creature faded down towards the ground, seemingly putting its 'ears' against it. After awhile, he stood back up and said:
"There are sounds of wing fluttering and hoofs stampeding below. Primary assumptions were correct."
"Then we need to puncture that quietly. Teutonic, could you--"
Before Sunrise could finish, a missile from one of the flying machines flew towards the group and conveniantly smashed near the soft area in the swamp lands. It created a tunnel through which the water of the swamp slowly but surely drained into. Some changelings flew out in terror and ignored the group in order to find a safer place.
Cadence and Steamlord walked towards the hole and looked into the dark hole. Surprisingly, the tunnel they were looking through seemed illuminated by fluorescent green mushrooms growing everywhere.
"Well, let's go."
Cadence was about to jump in, but was blocked by Steamlord's right arm.
"No. That's suicide. Knights."
The three had expelled steam in advance and had were already holding their claymores. They already knew what they were supposed to do.
"You too, Centurion. Multiple targets require rapid firing weapons with high holding capacity."
The machine's fore arms seemed to open to reveal components of arm-held gatling guns. These same components began to extend as the pieces intereacted and interlocked with eachother, the barrels extending and the cartridge belts coming out from its back. The four jumped in the hole, intent on performing their duty. The remaining four waited as silence seemed to be the only thing emanating from the tunnel. The fight still seemed to be going on behind them, with the whole thing apparently resulting in a stalemate. For Steamlord, the Ink Mechanic may have numbers and somehow capable of working with rusted apparel, but sometimes, quality trumps quantity.
Eventually, there were sounds of shooting and general combat in the tunnels that lasted for several long minutes. Smoke began to rise from the tunnel as battle continued to rage like a roaring beast. After atleast fifteen minutes, Hospitaller came out. His presence indicated that it was now safe for the group to enter. Cadence needed to warn the group:
"I must warn you that the changelings can take on anypony's appearance. Be wary of who is around you."
"I think we understood that already." Sunrise said in a disrespectful tone.
"Sunrise. Watch your manners." Steamlord warned.
"...Okay. Sorry."
"Don't use sarcasm."
The four slid down the short way down the tunnel entrance and landed firmly on the ground, or almost. Sunise and Cadence tripped and slammed face first into the mud. They both began to complain and curse in their own ways.
"Hmmm. Tunnel structure chewed out and carved to resemble constructs. Changelings attempting to imitate pony buildings and building techniques. Assume structural integrity of tunnels to be sound. Only things to be wary of are inhabitants." Ink said.
The mechanic...slammed his face into the mud, twirled it around, then lifted it up and blinked a few times. Steamlord just ignored the event and walked away. Ink was analyzing everything again. Steamlord ordered his Knights to watch the front while Centurion watched the back whilst the group walked in the middle. The entirety of these brownish black tunnels seemed rather long, if not excessively long. Every now and then, the group would encounter wht looked like the start of a building front, only to see it stopped midway. The changelings either had problems making them...or were extreme procrastinators. Either way, the group needed to find the 'throne room' as fast as they could. They couldn't evade the patrolling changelings for long.
"Over there." Cadence whispered.
There was what looked like a circular hole in the tunnel walls covered by green algae. Steamlord and the other three slowly walked up to the 'door' under the light of the mushrooms and slowly pushed through.
"Okay. Whatever is through here, you must be cautious. It might just be a citadel full...of..." Steamlord just stared at the horrid view before him.
"Oh dear. I believe we've found-" Cadence said.