//------------------------------//
// Revelations 
// Story: A Spiritual Journey 
// by HalfAngelHuman 
//------------------------------//

	"I have given you a new life. You shall not tell anyone what I have done. Understood?"
Kalinka trembled violently, the scarring memory returning to her mind. Her breathing spiked as her eyes continued to move left and right. "S-spirit?" she stuttered. "S-shouldn't we get going? W-we need to deliver her l-letter."
"We were told to deliver it as soon as naturally possible. We weren't given a time limit." Spirit countered. "Now please answer my question."
"No."
"And why not?"
"Spirit, I am your superior. I don't have to answer your-"
"Kalinka," Spirit said, his expression hardening. "I saved your life. The least you could do is answer my question."
"I-I can't."
"Why not?"
"I just can't!"
Spirit glared at Kalinka before suddenly sighing. "I didn't want to do this..." he said as he walked towards her.
"Wait, w-what are you-"
"If you won't answer my question, then I'll Soul Search you." Spirit said, his blue eyes beginning to shine.
"What!? N-no, stop!" Kalinka yelled as she tried to push him away. "Spirit, don't!" she said as she began to fall into the trance.

*Kalinka's Mind*

When Spirit entered her head, he found himself in a hallway of doors. At the end of the hall, a large door stood before him. 'That must be where the memory she's hiding is.' he deduced, walking towards the large door. Along the way, he past by much smaller doors that held all her other memories. Some doors were rather simple, as one was labeled "Kalinka's favorite color" or "Kalinka's craziest dream". Others tempted Spirit to open them like " Kalinka's greatest fear" and "Kalinka's secret crush".
"Finally," Spirit said, standing in front of the door. "Time to get my answer." he said, placing his hoof on the door.
"NO!" A voice rang out, startling the Changeling. The hall was suddenly bathed in a blinding white light, forcing Spirit to shield his eyes. Spirit suddenly found himself being launched away from the door, crashing straight into the wall behind him.

*Reality*

Kalinka pushed Spirit away from her, the connection severed. Spirit fell on his back, his mind a jumbled mess. "I told you Spirit, I can't let you know!"
"Why not!?" he said, his mind coming to.
"I just can't!"
"Why!?"
"Because Chrysalis said I can't!" Kalinka yelled. She immediately realized her mistake, covering her mouth with her hooves. Spirit eyes widened in shock, his mouth agape.
"Chrysalis?" he said in disbelief. "W-what?"
Kalinka froze, her mind racing. 'No...'
"What did Chrysalis do?" Spirit asked the scared Changeling.
"...Promise me."
"What?"
"Promise me you won't tell anyone what I'm about to say!" Kalinka yelled, her breathing rose.
"Kalinka, calm down-"
"Promise me or I'll be forced to kill you!" she yelled, tears forming in her eyes.
"Okay, okay! I won't tell a soul!" Spirit said, his hooves up in defence. "Just calm down! Breathe, Kalinka, breathe!"
Kalinka began to take deep breaths, her trembling ceasing. "You know too much, Spirit. Chrysalis told me to eradicate anyone who learned the truth. I refuse to kill you Spirit, that's why I made you take an oath of silence. I trust you."
"Kalinka," Spirit said, placing a hoof on her shoulder. "You know that you can trust me."
"Thanks, Spirit." she said. "It happened fourteen years ago..."
Kalinka limped through the ruined town, her tiny legs struggled to keep her moving. 'So hungry...so tired...', the skinny pegasus thought as her legs finally out from under her. She fell face first into the ground, dirt and ash filling her nostrils. She remained on the ground, her eyes watering as her stomach began to rumble again. 'Why did they do it? Why did those Gryphons destroy our town?' she questioned as tears streamed her face. 'Mommy, Daddy, Riki.'
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?'"a voice jeered. Kalinka looked up to find a Gryphon staring back at her, a twisted grin on his face. "Looks like we missed one." he said as he grabbed her by the neck. Kalinka squirmed helplessly as she tried to breathe. "Since I'm in such a good mood, I'll make this quick." the Gryphon sneered as his talons squeezed tighter around her throat.
"Help...me..." Kalinka wheezed. "Somepony...help..."
"Save your breath," the Gryphon said. "No one is going to help you."
"Release her!" a voice rang out as a bolt of green magic clipped the Gryphon's wing.
"Gah!" the Gryphon yelped, dropping the frail pegasus as he grabbed his wing. "What the flying feather!?"
"I'm taking my daily walk out the forest," a tall black creature said, appearing into view. "And what do I find? A helpless little filly being strangled by a oversized rat with wings. I don't think that's very fair."
"Mind your own business!" the Gryphon yelled. "This doesn't concern you!"
"I believe it does," the creature corrected. "You Gryphons are a giant nuisance. Nothing but unintelligent, muscle brain cowards. I think it's time someone put you in your place." the creature said, taking a stance.
"You're kidding. You're kidding, right?" the Gryphon asked. The creature simply glared. "Oh, you're serious. If you wanted to die, why didn't you say so!" the Gryphon said as he charged at the creature. The equine-like being stood still, closing its eyes as the Gryphon grew closer. Then, it suddenly lunged forward, ramming its deformed horn into the Gryphon's head. The Gryphon slowly grabbed the creature's horn, staring directly into its eyes. "Your mistake," the creature said, its horn beginning to glow. "Was challenging royalty."  A flash of green light filled the surrounding area, making impossible for Kalinka to see what was happening. When the light finally vanished, the only thing left of the Gryphon was a pile of bones.
'So strong!' Kalinka thought in awe. Her moment of amazement quickly ended when she realized the creature was now focused on her.
"Now, what to do with you?" It said, walking towards the red filly. Kalinka tried to crawl away, fearful of what it might do to her. "Don't be afraid. If I was going to harm you I would have done it already." It said. Kalinka stopped trying to flee, the creature's logic making sense.
'Things can't get any worse than they already are, I suppose.' she thought. "W-who are you? What are you?"
"I am Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings."
"C-changelings? But I thought Changelings were just fairytales?"
"I can assure you that we are real." Chrysalis said. "But enough about me, what about you? Why are you here?"
"My name is Kalinka. This is my- was my home. The Gryphons were forcing my village to give them food and bits, or else they would somepony...disappear. We payed every month like they told us to, but one day they just suddenly attacked." Kalinka said, her eyes beginning to water again. "They burned down our homes and attacked anypony in sight. We tried to fight back, but there were too many." The young filly's eyes began to burn. "A-and n-now my mommy, d-daddy, and my b-brother a-are gone!"
Chrysalis sat next to the crying filly in silence, her face calm and collected. "If you stay here, you'll die of either starvation or being caught by another Gryphon." she said. "I can help you."
"Y-you can?" Kalinka said through her tears.
"Yes," Chrysalis confirmed. "My people have another way of making more Changelings. It is a forbidden way, though. Not many know how to do it."
"W-what is it?"
"I will infuse my blood with yours, turning you into a Changeling. Once I do this, there is no changing back." Chrysalis said, standing up. "Do you accept?" Kalinka struggled to stand up, swaying side-to-side.
"I-I don't want to die."
"So I have your permission?" Chrysalis asked. Kalinka nodded. "Then let us begin..." she said, biting the filly on the neck.
"After she bit my neck, I blacked out," Kalinka said. "When I came to, I was a Changeling. She told me to not tell anypony what she did. I guess we're both bad at keeping promises."
"Wow," Spirit said. "I-I didn't know. Sorry about your family. And your village. I didn't know." he said, staring at the cavern floor. “I didn’t know I was gonna open up old wounds. Sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Kalinka said, embracing the young hybrid. “It’s not your fault. To be honest, it felt great getting that off my chest. But if I find out that you told somepony,” she said, suddenly face-to-face with the hybrid. “I will be forced to kill you.”
“I-I won’t! I swear on my life!”
“That’s not going to last long.”
‘Shut. Up. Yin.’
“It’s been a long day, how about we get some rest?” Kalinka said.
“Sounds like a plan.”
“I’ll take first watch, you get some rest.”
“Okay. Goodnight, Cranberry.”
"Goodnight, Spirit." she said as Spirit began to drift off. Kalinka frowned as she looked towards the cave entrance. 'Sorry Spirit, but I can't tell you everything...'
"My Queen," Kalinka said, following Chrysalis back to the Hive. "If you don't mind me asking, what made you decide to help me? You went against one of your people's laws to help an insignificant filly." Chrysalis stopped walking, surprised by the Neo-Changeling's question.
"Recently," Chrysalis said, turning to face the filly. "I've found myself unable to produce an heir. I needed someone to take the throne when my time is up. I was walking through the forest when I came across you. I thought that you would make a suitable heir. That is why I saved you."
"Wait, I'm your heir?" Kalinka said.
"Correct. My subjects must never learn of this until it is time."
"If I'm your heir, does that make me your child?"
"My blood now flows through your veins. You are my child because of that."
"C-can I- may I...call you Mother?" Kalinka asked, her voice becoming quieter with each passing word.
"As long as you don't say it around my subjects, you have my permission." At the sound of those words, Kalinka ran next to Chrysalis, rubbing against her side.
"T-thank you, my Queen."
"You're welcome, my child."
"I-I love you, m-mother."
"I love you too, Kalinka."