//------------------------------//
// Part 8: Rescue 
// Story: The Adventures of Kaela Fie and Caelus Storm 
// by Caelus Storm 
//------------------------------//


The Adventures of Kaela Fie and Caelus Storm



Part 8: Rescue


Caelus flew low and fast, eyes only for the opening that was the castle gate.  Two changelings rose up to meet him, armed with wickedly curved spears.  With a shout, Caelus flipped in the air and slammed all four hooves into the first changeling.  They hit the ground and Caelus felt something crack under him.  The changeling coughed up a glob of green fluid and lay on the ground, wheezing.
Caelus ducked under the spear swipe of the other changeling.  He turned, raising his right foreleg, the hoof blade extending from its sheath.  He blocked the next swing, then rose up on his hind legs and slashed at the changeling.  Through luck, he hit its foreleg.  The changeling hissed as it dropped its spear and lunged at Caelus, fangs bared.  Caelus instinctively brought his blade up to defend himself.  the action brought the edge of the blade into the changelings neck.
Green changeling ichor splattered across his face, causing him to step back in surprise.  Oh, sweet Celestia and Luna, I killed something, he thought, panicking.  He took a deep breath.  They took Fie, he told himself, they took her and hurt her.  I will kill all of them if they are between me and my daughter.  His mind believed his words, but his gut still twisted at the thought.
Hallow Eve landed next to him, looking between Caelus and the two dead changelings.  "you did what you had to do," she said.
Caelus nodded, locking away his emotions.  "Let's go," he said turning and trotting into the hive.


*  *  *


Fie clutched her side where the changeling drone had kicked her while leaving a bowl of water in her cell.  The blow had struck right at the base of the wing, sending a searing pain through her whole left side.  when the pain faded enough for her to move, Kaela edged forward until her muzzle bumped into the bowl.  She tried not to think about what the bowl was made out of as she greedily slurped down the water.  The water tasted heavily of minerals, but it was all Fie had put in her body since she had been foalnapped.  At least her tummy had stopped making hungry noises yesterday, but she knew that wasn't necessarily a good thing.  Given her ultra-high metabolism, it would take less time for her to starve.
Kaela may only be six, but she was smart for her age.  She knew that she wouldn't make it more than a a few days without food.  Probably less, with the changelings constantly stealing love from her.  Her body wasn't given a chance to recover from the constant magical assault.  Her ear twitched at the sound of changelings hissing angrily not far from her cell.  There was a shout, the clash of metal and metal, then silence.  After a few moments, Fie heard the sound of two sets of hoofsteps, along with a few indistinct words.
"Help," Fie tried calling out, but her voice came out as a hoarse whisper.  She tried to get to her hooves, only to fall over after taking a single step.
"This one," a voice shouted.  There was a loud banging, followed by two more.  At the third impact, the door swung inward.
Kaela looked up, and found herself staring into familiar purple-gray eyes.  "Storm?" she murmured.
"Fie."


*  *  *


Caelus held the filly close, stroking her mane.  She was a mess, her coat matted, her mane tangled, and her feathers crooked or broken.  Caelus tried to pull the inhibitor ring off of Fie's horn, but it was locked on.
"Eve, can you help me with this?" he said.
The batpony nodded, her short hoof blade sliding from its sheath.  "Hold still, Miss Kaela," she said.  Very carefully, Hallow Eve pried the pure black onyx from the inhibitor ring.  There was a burst of magical energy, causing Fie to cry out, but the inhibitor ring clattered to the ground.
"You okay, Fie?" Caelus said, checking her for further signs of injury.
Kaela nodded, clinging weakly to him.
"Then let's get you out of here," Caelus said.  He put the filly on his back and left the dark cell, followed by Eve.
"Well now, where do you think you're running off to?"
At the exit stood the tall, menacing form of Queen Chrysalis.  Kaela whimpered and tried to hide from the changeling queen, shrinking down on Caelus' back.  Caelus tensed.
"Give me back what's mine and I'll make sure your deaths are painless," Chrysalis said.  "More or less."
"Fie is my daughter," Caelus spat.  "If you want her, it'll be over my dead body."
Chrysalis' horn flashed green and a long, crooked sword appeared floating next to her.  Caelus set Kaela down next to Eve.
"Storm," Fie said, raising a hoof to try and hold him back.
"don't worry, I'll be fine," he said.  He looked at Eve.  "Keep her safe."
"What are you doing?" Eve hissed, "You're going to get yourself killed."
Caelus hardened his expression.  "Fie is my daughter," he said, turning to face Chrysalis.  "Nopony.  Hurts.  Fie."  His hoof blade slid from its sheath as he approached the changeling queen.
Queen Chrysalis laughed cruelly, readying her sword.  "Foolish pony, sentiment won't be enough to defeat me."
Caelus stood still, watching the bug-like equine for signs of her next move.  This wasn't like sparring with the other pegasi and earth ponies.  Chrysalis wouldn't have to move attack with her blade, and holding it in her magic gave her an entire range of motion impossible for him or any pony to replicate.  The changeling queen's sword flew forward, catching Caelus off guard.  He dodged right and the sword only tore off a bit of his mane.  Fear bubbled up within him, but it wasn't his own.  It was Kaela's.  Gritting his teeth, Caelus reared up and swung at Chrysalis.  Steel met whatever substance the queen's sword was made out of.  Chrysalis chuckled.
"Is that the best you can do?" she taunted, swinging at Caelus again.  "How pitiful."
Caelus ducked, wincing as he felt the blade nick his ear.  He stepped back, standing on three legs, holding his hoof blade in a defensive position.  However, Chrysalis wasn't about to give him any breathing room, and Caelus was forced to retreat under the sudden, fierce onslaught.  He tripped over a loose stone and fell on his back.
Queen Chrysalis smiled and stabbed downwards.
"Storm!" Fie cried
Time slowed.  Caelus found his mind going back to something Princess Luna had told him the day after Fie's discovery.

"You'll be able to fly faster for longer, and your reflexes will become sharper," Luna said, a slight twinkle in her eyes.

Caelus felt himself moving before he even thought.  As Chrysalis' sword descended towards his abdomen, he brought his hoof blade up to deflect it.  At the same time, he twisted to avoid the deadly black sword.  He continued to roll, pushing off the ground with all four hooves and launching himself backwards.  He saw the surprised look on Chrysalis' face as he passed mere hoof widths away from her.
Time resumed its normal speed and he landed a good distance behind the changeling queen.  A sharp pain near his hind leg and a warm wetness told him he hadn't escaped unscathed.
Queen Chrysalis turned slowly.  One hole-filled hoof went to her neck, and came away covered in green ichor.  It wasn't more than a scratch, but it was the most serious wound she had suffered in a long time.  Her eyes burned like hateful green fires and with a hiss she lunged at Caelus.
Caelus sidestepped and raised his hoof blade to block.  He staggered under the force of the blow and Chrysalis followed up with a vicious cut to his side.  He twisted so his armor caught the brunt of the blow, but he was still knocked off his hooves and winded.
"I will rip out your heart and bleed you dry of love," Chrysalis growled.  She picked up the blue pegasus with her magic and slammed him into the wall.
The wall shook.  Caelus felt his armor dent, but considered himself lucky that it wasn't his spine.  The world shook again, and Caelus wondered in his dazed state why Chrysalis hadn't gutted him yet.  the whole castle shook, and with a sound of breaking stone the ceiling exploded inwards.  Sunlight streamed through the opening, causing Caelus to squint and Queen Chysalis to hiss.
"Enough!" a voice boomed.  Princess Celestia descended from above.  No longer wearing her regalia, the white alicorn was clothed in gleaming golden armor.  Her mane crackled with barely contained anger.  "I told you after the Royal Wedding, Chrysalis, that any further excursions into Equestria would result in punishment."
Queen Chrysalis laughed.  "Celestia you foal.  you have forgotten I bested you then, and I will defeat you now."
Celestia's horn glowed and wrenched Chrysalis' sword from her magical grasp.
"What!" Chrysalis shouted, "Impossible!"
The Sun Princess' horn glowed brighter.  "Queen Chrysalis, for crimes against Equestria, I hereby strip you of your power."
Chrysalis' horn shattered.  The insect queen shrieked as green magic crackled through the air.
"And your position as Queen of the Changelings," Celestia continued.  The Queen's wings evaporated in a burst of fire.  "May your Hive judge you for your other transgressions."
Caelus limped over to Kaela, who was hiding behind Hallow Eve.  His vision was blurry, and he was pretty sure he had a concussion.  Even so, he was more concerned with his daughter.  "Fie, are you alright?" he asked, breathing heavily.
"Mmhmm," she said, hugging him.  "But you're hurt."
"She's right, you don't look so good," Hallow Eve said, supporting Caelus on one side.
" 'M fine," he said, "just need to...to catch my..."
"Storm!" Fie cried as his vision grayed.
"Princess Celestia," Eve called out as Caelus lost consciousness.


*  *  *


"Awaken, Guardian."
Caelus stirred.  He expected to hurt, but surprisingly, he felt fine.  No trace of his injuries or exhaustion remained.  He opened his eyes, and found himself staring at the sleeping for of Fie.
"Fie," he said, scrambling to his hooves.  He gently shook the sleeping filly.
Kaela's eyes fluttered open.  Caelus breathed a sigh of relief.  "Storm?" she said, yawning.  "Where are we?"
"I don't know," he said, holding Kaela close.
"You are in the spirit plane, Guardian."
Caelus looked over his shoulder.  Behind him stood an alabaster alicorn with a deep red mane.  she was as tall as Celestia, and radiated ageless wisdom and power.  "W-who are you?" Caelus asked, rising to his hooves and putting himself between the strange mare and Fie.
"I go by many names, but most know me as Fate," the white mare replied.
"Why did you bring us here?" Caelus asked.
"I did not," Fate said, "It was my daughter who did."
Another mare stepped into the void.  Her coat was a light river blue, while her mane faded from dark blue to forest green.
"Who are you?" Caelus said, but felt a faint twinge of recognition.
Kaela's eyes widened.  "Mommy," she breathed.
The blue mare nodded.  "Yes," she said.  She looked at Caelus.  "My name is Kaia Alicornus Terrara, and I am Fie's mother."
Caelus blinked in surprise.  "Huh?" was all he could say as his mind grappled with this information.
Kaela had no such inhibitions as she galloped over to Kaia, hugging her.  "Mommy," she said.
Kaia leaned down, nuzzling the small filly's head head.  "Oh, my little cloud, I have missed you so," she said, shifting so she could hold her daughter close.  Kaela nuzzled against her mother's chest.
Caelus watched, unsure of how to feel.  He felt his wings twitch, somewhat envious of the mare, but at the same time, he was happy that Fie finally got to meet her mother.
"Mommy?" Kaela said, looking her mother in the eye, "What happened to you after I was born?  Why did I sleep for so long?"
Kaia's expression turned somber.  she hugged Fie close before gently releasing her.  "Do you know what was happening in Equestria when you were born, Kaela?"
Kaela thought for a moment.  "Luna said I was born almost two thousand years ago, which would mean...the Discordian Era."
Kaia nodded.  "Two thousand eleven years to be exact, but my sister was close.  During that time, Discord's dark forces hunted alicorns, and alicorns hunted Discord's monsters.  It was a fight we weren't winning, and Discord knew it.  he summoned an army and laid siege to the alicorn city in what is now the Badlands.  We fought as hard as we could, but the city fell.  What followed was a massacre.
"I was followed as I fled the city, and knew that I would not be able to escape.  So I found a cave in the forest of Everfree, reinforcing it with as many spells as I could.  you were born the next day.  I knew that if I stayed, neither of us would survive.  So I put you into stasis, my daughter.  I fled the cave, sealing it behind me and led Discord's monsters as far from you as I could.  Sadly, I did not get very far.  I was slain, my body utterly destroyed and my spirit broken.  It took me nigh upon a thousand years to pull my essence back together.  I stayed near the place you were hidden and watched over your slumber."
Kaela was stunned for a moment, then nuzzled close to her mother.  "So I'll never really meet you?" she murmured, tears forming in her eyes.
"Are we not meeting now?" Kaia asked, tilting her daughter's chin up.  "My body may be long gone, Kaela Fie, but my spirit is as strong as ever.  You can always find me in your dreams.  But that's not all."  Kaia's horn glowed, and a green metal necklace appeared around Kaela's neck.  "I will always be with you.  This is your inheritance, my daughter."
Kaia's form wavered slightly as she stood up.  "I have not forgotten you, brave Guardian," she said.  "My time here is short.  The energy it takes to bring you and Kaela here is taxing.  Even so, thank you for caring for my daughter, Caelus Storm.  I know that has not been easy, but I have watched you come to look at her as your own.  you flew to rescue her yourself, something few Guardians would do.  And for that, I am eternally grateful."  Kaia's form wavered again.  "It appears the real world is calling."
"Mommy?" Kaela said.
"Go with your daddy, Kaela," Kaia said, nuzzling her daughter one last time.  "Now, wake up, both of you."
The void shifted and faded into black.


*  *  *


Back in Canterlot, Celestia paced in the waiting room in Canterlot Hospital.  Both Caelus and Kaela had been unconscious for the airship flight back, Caelus from a concussion and Kaela from exhaustion and near starvation.  The first thing they had done upon arriving at the hospital was get Kaela on an IV drip to get much needed nutrients in her.  Celestia had examined young Kaela on the airship.  The poor filly had several bruises and was already painfully thin.
"Princess Celestia."
Celestia turned around.  The lanky, gray-coated doctor stood in front of her, examining a clip board he held in his magic.  "Dr. Remedy," Celestia said, "any news?"
"Caelus Storm is suffering from a concussion and a long laceration above his left hind leg.  He is awake at the moment," the doctor said, "and visiting Kaela Fie."
Celestia nodded.  "And young Kaela?" she asked.
Dr. Remedy pushed some of his brown mane out of his face.  "Kaela Fie is suffering from extensive bruising, malnutrition, and a minute fracture on her pegasus humerus.  It was close, but she should make a full recovery."
Only centuries of practice kept Celestia from sighing in relief.  She quietly released her held breath.  "That is good," she said.  "May I see them?"
"Yes, this way," Dr. Remedy said, turning to go back through the door.
Celestia followed the unicorn doctor down the hall to room 104.  Dr. Remedy said something to the room's occupants, then gestured for the Princess to enter.
Caelus Storm stood next to the bed, softly murmuring to Kaela Fie.  Kaela herself was awake, though still clearly weak.  She smiled when she saw Celestia.
"Hello Celestia," she said.
"Hello Kaela," Celestia replied, "and hello Caelus."
"Princess," Caelus said, bowing his head.  His side was bandaged just in front of his left hind leg.
"How are you both feeling?" Celestia asked.
"Tired, but better," Kaela said, "and hungry too."
"Sore," Caelus said, "I'll live."
"Caelus," Celestia said, "I know this has been an ordeal for both you and Kaela.  I am sincerely sorry that I did not foresee something like this happening.  I am already planning preparations for you to return home, Caelus.  I feel that Kaela may be safer in a...somewhat less populated area."
Caelus bowed.  "Thank you, Your Majesty," he said.
they made small talk for a few more minutes, but Celestia had other duties to attend to.  She bid the two ponies farewell, and left the hospital.  None would have seen it through her nigh impenetrable mask, but Celestia spent the rest of the day smiling.