Before leaving Canterlot, I managed to find the report Twilight had written the second time she and her friends had dealt with Queen Chrysalis and her changelings. From that information I was able to piece together a likely location to start my search for them. I had told Princess Celestia and Luna that I was looking to do some field work and would return with my findings. It didn’t take nearly as long as I had expected to pick up the trail, but it had still been almost two years since the last time they had surfaced. After a few days, I had made it into the former changeling stronghold. While searching for clues, I heard an insect like hiss and moved out of the way before a chitinous spear lodged itself into the spacing between floor tiles. I turned to face the changeling warrior as he narrowed his eyes at my black cloaked figure as I glared at him coldly, my golden eyes like molten pools in the shadow of my hood. He returned my glare in full force with his cold blue orbs that passed for eyes as he hissed out a low warning and readied another spear.
“Come a long way to die, Stranger.” I simply smirked and tapped my right hoof lightly on the floor. Lucky me, it was stone. I willed my power through it to pool like a shadow under him as I then forced the stone around him up his legs making sure not to hurt him just yet as he struggled trapped in the rock as I stepped slowly to move within reach of him.
“I’d like to ask you a few questions, changeling. Let’s start with an easy one. What is your name?” The warrior glared and hissed at me as I drew in closer, lifting my hood from my head as I narrowed my eyes in a stern manner at him. His hissing stopped as he seemed dumbfounded by my appearance. His face then twisted in pain as I forced the rock around his legs to tighten on him. “What is your name, Changeling? Don’t make me repeat myself again.”
“Aah! Creeper, I’m called Creeper. Please have mercy.” I growled at his plea in disgust.
“Just answer my questions Creeper, and you won’t have to appeal to my sense of mercy. Am I understood?”
“Yes.” Creeper whimpered in pain. At his answer, I lessened the pressure around his legs as she let out a sigh. “Thank you.”
“Thank your good sense, Creeper. Where would I go to find Queen Chrysalis?” Creeper looked at me with a mixture of confusion and horror.
“Queen Chrysalis? She moved the hive to Mount Mourne.” I opened up my map and scanned the local area for nearby mountain ranges. I was rather surprised to find it on the map about sixty miles away from here.
“Just how far away is it?” Creeper seemed a bit scared of me again and looked down at the stone around his legs holding him in place.
“Not too far for flight, maybe three days on the hoof, but with your magic could be a lot faster for you.” I gave him a dry look.
“Perhaps I should bring you along.” Creeper gulped looking back up at me.
“Why would you want to do something like that?”
“Well, so I can make sure you’re telling me the truth and not leading me away from the hive and so you can’t fly ahead and warn them of my coming. Though, I guess if you’re very against coming, I could solve the second issue by simply killing you.” Creeper’s eyes grew wider as I went completely dead pan in my expression.
“Sure, I’d be happy to lead you.”I thought it was very likely he was leading me into a trap but that trap could be more warriors which would let me show him I mean business. I willed most of the stone from his legs as a bit crept up his chest as I formed a collar around his neck making sure it was uncomfortable but not choking him.
“Shall we get going, Creeper? Oh, leave the spear on the floor. I’d hate to show you what the neckwear I made you is for just yet.” I stopped him from bolting away by magically yanking him back by the stone collar as I walked up to him. “And now you’ve seen the leash. Let’s not be so eager to hurt ourselves, Creeper.” We headed out towards the mountain range as I worked out a nice easy trail for us to walk.
“Who are you?” Creeper asked after a few hours of silence. I smiled to him after forming another set of stairs up the face of the mountain as I pulled out and popped a nickel sized piece of rock candy into my mouth.
“Onyxian, though I doubt you would have heard of me.”
“You’re the one that caught Echo in the Crystal Palace and sent her back to the Queen.” Creeper’s mouth went slack as I chuckled lightly.
“I’m surprised you’d know that, are all warriors so well informed?”
“Word gets around when we’re idle.” I chuckled and we began our climb into the mountain range that housed Mount Mourne. “You know, the Queen became very interested in you once she found out you were the source of the magical influx. What do you plan on doing once you get to Mount Mourne?” I thought about the question for a bit as we continued our climb.
“I guess I’d like to have a little chat with her. I’m aware that she’s not on the friendliest terms with a group that I sympathize with so I intend to ask her a few questions and answer some of her”
“Why don’t you send me ahead so I can state your intentions?” I looked over at him and sat down rather tired from climbing so many steps and the magic it had taken to make them.
“Because I don’t trust that her and my concept of guest are the same thing and that she wouldn’t just send all of her warriors to extend her invitation. I’d rather go to her at my own pace. Do you already tire of my company, Creeper?” He looked at me and sat down. “I won’t hold it against you.”
“I’m sure I would find your company more enjoyable if I were a willing companion.” I gave a shrug and a slight tilt of my head.
“Fair enough, can’t say I’d enjoy the company of somepony that had recently stronghoofed me for information and had threatened me.” I looked at Creeper and laid back on the stone looking up to the night sky above. “So, changelings feed on love, does it have to be directed at you?” I could hear Creeper shifting around in a slightly uneasy fashion.
“No, but it’s much more filling if it is. Any particular reason for that question?” I rolled onto my side and looked over at him.
“I guess I was wondering if you needed to feed soon. I might be distrustful of you, but I can’t have you starve to death on me.”
“I’m doing fine, your concern is appreciated.” I opened a pouch and tore into some trail rations before settling down for a nap. I awoke to other hissing voices as I opened my eyes. “No, we’ll - we’ll get to the Queen soon. it’s too dangerous to try and force him to go anywhere. Just let him get there in his own time and we won’t have to worry about him starting off violent with us. Go inform the Queen.” I stayed silent and let him convince his fellow warriors to leave me alone, but mentally readied myself to strike in case they didn’t like his idea or wished to earn glory. The other warriors seemed to be listening to his idea and soon I heard them take to the sky and fly off in the direction of what I figured to be Mount Mourne. Once I was sure they were gone I sat up and looked over at Creeper who seemed rather scared by the fact I didn’t seem like I had just woken up.
“So was that a patrol or did you leave to go get help?” Creeper looked to be trying to shrink down as small as possible as I could see him shaking. “Creeper, don’t lie to me. You were smart enough to keep them from doing something very stupid. I only need one of you alive to lead me to Mount Mourne and likely would have just kept you. So, did they find us or did you bring them?” Creeper gulped and looked me in the eyes.
“It was a patrol that spotted us.” I relaxed and sat back.
“Fine, good work talking them down.” Creeper perked up at my compliment.
“Uh, thank you.” I could tell he was much calmer now and heard him shuffle as he relaxed. I closed my eyes and wrapped myself up tightly in my cloak to keep warm and woke up to the light of the sun in the sky with a slight yawn. I sat up and looked around to see Creeper beside me.
“I hope you managed to get some rest.” Creeper nodded lightly as we both stood up and started our last leg to Mount Mourne. The hours passed in relative calm as I was able to use trails and passes that were already carved into the mountain by nature so we weren’t having to stop for me to catch a break from magic use. By nightfall we had made it the gate of the fortress the changelings had carved out of Mount Mourne for their Queen. I absently tapped my hoof against the stone to get an idea of the layout to the impressive structure making note of a few other exits and entrances all around the mountain. I caused the stone collar around Creeper's neck to crumble to pieces at his hooves. “Sorry to trouble you with leading me the whole way on hoof, Creeper. Thank you for your generous service.” The changeling warrior bowed his head in a polite gesture as I made my way to the gate looking at the two warriors. “I am Onyxian. I come seeking an audience with her Highness Queen Chrysalis. I believe I am expected?” The warriors nodded and the gates opened enough to allow my entrance. It was rather dark and dank with that strange Aliens vibe to the interior decorium as a drone stood before me.
“Follow me, please. Her Highness is eager to meet you.” I quirked an eyebrow and followed him to a large set of double doors which were opened to reveal the queen sitting on a black throne with green cushions. I steeled my expression trying my best to show no weakness before what I know to be a cruel seductress.
“Ah, you must be what I sensed earlier this year. Onyxian, such a pleasure to meet the one who put such fear in my poor scout face to face.” She narrowed her eyes at me as I locked mine with her’s.
“Oh? I just figured I was making a point about my disdain at being spied on. I thought if you wanted to know something about me we could just meet and have a nice chat to get to know eachother better.” Queen Chrysalis rubbed her chin with the back of her right forehoof.
“So, you wish an exchange then? I guess that’s fair enough if I might be allowed to start.” I bowed my head in a polite fashion. “Why have you come all this way to me? Echo was under the impression that you seemed to dislike changeling kind.” I gave a shrug and shook my head.
“I wouldn’t say I dislike changeling kind so much as I am wary of any creature able to change its appearance. I’ve come to ask if you still have your gaze tightly fixed on the ponies of Equestria that I call my friends.” Queen Chrysalis perked up looking me over in an appraising fashion.
“Hmm interesting. So you’ve allied yourself to Equestria?”
“More like a select few that I call my friends that you have been at odds with before. Some of them felt a stirring darkness and I-”
“I have no designs on Equestria at this time, Onyxian. To be honest, I’ve been much more interested in what turned out to be you over the last six months.”
“As means to some end I’m sure. Why should I believe you when you’ve been Equestria’s most active adversary?” Queen Chrysalis got up from her throne and walked up to me tha both of us eye level with each other as I steeled my gaze back at her glare.
“Because I am not Equestria’s only recurring adversary, Onyxian. I’d do well to wait and let it fail before I try again and possibly end up simply giving it an easier time.” I quirked an eyebrow, Queen Chrysalis had certainly caught my interest.
“What?”
“Indeed it is a what, very good.” My eyes grew wide at the thought of what might again be able to rampage unopposed now that the Elements of Harmony were gone.
“The Nightmare Force is making a comeback?” Chrysalis gave me a knowing smile.
“Exactly.”