//------------------------------// // 28 - A misplaced siege, pt 3 // Story: The master and the windigo // by stupidswampdragon //------------------------------// The changeling gave a startled screech; he'd failed to notice the Guard officer creeping up on him. His idea of calling for help was sound, but came too late. A shortsword landed straight in the middle of his neck, silencing him for good. He collapsed on the ground, the dull thud the loudest sound he ever got to make. The Source glanced around hurriedly, waiting for some kind of reaction from the nearby houses. This one almost warned the rest, the shapeshifted game-master chided itself. Tsk! Convenience is really the death of talent. I'm too used to warping reality and watching events from afar. The mistake bore no retribution, however; nothing moved. The sounds of the nearby battle served as a great distraction. The Source acknowledged the brief luck with a frown, and yanked the shortsword from the changeling. It was stupid, relying on godly powers that were only usable in very special circumstances. I'm going to be in trouble once I'm back on the run. The Source wiped the short blade clean, then checked the entrance of a nearby house. The door offered no resistance and opened up with a creek. The occupants had left in a hurry, forgetting to even lock the house. The Source gave that absent-mindedness a thankful smile, then hopped through the entrance and closed the door behind. Now, where's the stairs to the second floor? The Source made its way across the deserted rooms, eyebrows wrinkled. The house was a little bit too large; and infuriatingly enough, some doors were locked inside. Sheesh, I'm going to miss Lyra's fight because I can't find a good vantage point! The Source rolled its eyes. The game-master tried to pry a locked door open, but only had a short-sword to use; so the process was slow. While the Source had the powers to bypass such simple obstacles, pride had limited methods to those available to a simple Guard. I can't believe this! I can't even do surveillance without relying on cop-out powers any more?! "They are pulling back." Lyra gave Snowy's report a curt nod; the situation was the same on her end as well. Second by second, the circle of changelings surrounding her kept increasing in diameter. "Did we win?" This remark simply made Lyra snicker. There was no way the changelings would call it quits; a tough pony wasn't enough to beat an army of monsters. The bugs had a trick in store, she was sure of it. "Unlikely," she mumbled, finally finding a moment of pause between two shallow pants of hers. Sweat was rolling down her side, as if she was in a sauna. The salty droplets had found their way into the many scratches decorating her skin, producing a burning sensation that rivalled her headache. While Snowy's power carried some healing factor, it came at a great price; each burst of the servant magic tore at the fabric of Lyra's memories. Thusly, Lyra was stuck between deciding if she wanted to keep her mind intact and suffer the wounds - or if she wanted to remain in prime shape, at the cost of completely erasing the pony who she was. The conundrum would have struck her as cruel, were it not for the fact that she was to be eaten by changelings either way. Knowing the outcome allowed her to pick her choices with cool practicality. She simply had to maximize the length of her resistance. All other considerations were secondary. "When do we win?" Snowy turned back a little, just enough so she could sneak a peek at her master. "Is simply holding out still Master's best plan?" Lyra squeezed one eye and drew a lungful of fresh air, the gears in her head turning. She had to convince Snowy, lest the windigo tried to 'save' her. You still don't quite like my idea of honourable death, do you. "The Guard... needs time to... evacuate everypony." She explained in a breathless voice. She was holding her head low, so her sweat would run towards the ground and avoid her eyes. The feeling was unusual; she had rarely had to consider such details before. "I... I'm the only one... left here. I'll... I'll have to do." Snowy didn't answer to that one. Lyra didn't insist on talking too much either; she was all too busy catching her breath. Far from her, the changelings were still retreating at a languid pace. "Far" being a relative term; the bugs were a little over fifty steps away - but from Lyra's perspective, the distance seemed to rival the length of Canterlot's longest avenues. "Had I known Master was planning to make us heroes like this, I would have never gone along with this plan." Snowy broke into a grumble. The windigo kept her ears glued to her neck, in case the palpable displeasure in her voice wasn't enough. "What shall I do, if Master is no more?" "Pfft. Who cares... 'bout that? You'll be a... a hero." Lyra struggled to speak. Every word fuelled the burning sensation in her lung. "A hero who will reside inside an amulet, waiting for the next foolhardy Master who thinks they can tame my rotten luck!" Snowy snorted. She tried to dig her hooves into the ground, but the ghostly appendages didn't even stir the dirt. "That should give me enough time to lament on how I have broken the lives of my last two Masters. Hah... this could be my punishment for the previous one, I suppose." Lyra jolted, her concentration failing so badly that she almost dropped the sword. Frig! I had completely forgotten about that amulet! She wrinkled her eyebrows, clenching her teeth so hard that her face started going numb. WHY?! Why can't I get anything right? Not even this! Why does everything I do must lead to somepony suffering? "I-" Whatever she wanted to placate Snowy with, the windigo never got to hear any of it. The changelings in front of Lyra parted, revealing a tall, alicorn-like figure. Lyra gasped and gulped dryly, all while whispering the name in dreadful reverence. Chrysalis! "So this was the reason for their temporary retreat." Snowy growled as she turned around. She ran her crimson eyes around, studying her environment; finally she gave a wry chuckle, grim determination and bits of joy mixing in her expression. "Sloth... that dragon is still on a rooftop, content with watching us. So she was telling the truth when she said that she wouldn't interfere." "That... the dragon... she's the servant of Chrysalis?" Lyra glimpsed briefly at her windigo. Oh c'me on! What am I supposed to do against this beast?! "Yes, though that doesn't matter right now." Snowy paced past her master, taking a spot between the pony and the Queen of Changelings. She raised a ghostly hoof and pointed it at the alicorn changeling, rising her voice to the point where she was almost shouting. "Stop right there!" Chrysalis wasn't intimidated by the threat. Quite the opposite - her lips curled into a crooked smile. "Hoo... wouldn't you look at this. You got one of these useless servants yourself." Her hoof digging into the hard soil, Lyra gritted her teeth and stopped backing away. Her fear of Chrysalis was still very much there, but she was also growing worried of backing too close to the regular changelings. The bugs had given her the favour of leaving her alone; she didn't want to tempt them into reconsidering. "Do not come any closer." Snowy repeated, hissing through her bared teeth. She hadn't moved an inch from her spot, and was standing right in the face of the advancing Chrysalis. "This is your last warning. I will protect my Master!" In a move that surprised everyone around, Chrysalis did stop. The pause seemed to have little to do with her being intimidated, though. The Queen's head cocked to the side, her mouth curling into an amused grin. "Sure - but would you care to help me out a little, then? I am a little lost. Is this the point where I tremble in fear?" Lyra couldn't help but notice how the Queen had used a most mocking voice, speaking as if she were a tourist looking for a map. Considering the dozens of ponies laying scattered around, Lyra would have been utterly enraged at such shameless effrontery - but standing in front of Chrysalis, she simply felt afraid. Oi, oi, oi... she's not even the least concerned about Snowy! Actually, it's more like she's mocking us. Does she not know of Snowy's powers? Or... don't tell me! Is she really this good?! "You would do well to fear me... to fear us." Snowy snorted and waved her head a little, giving the Queen a cue to look around. While far from the count of ponies, dozens of changelings littered the floor as well. The sight was not lost on Chrysalis. She hummed and gave a tiny nod. "Oh, so you meant this. Well, what could I say? Well done! Well done indeed." Lyra's teeth stopped clattering. She was still trembling, but her lower jaw dropped, giving her teeth sufficient clearance from each other. The Queen of Changelings had actually meant those lines. There was not even a shred of mocking or dishonesty in her voice. Not much care either. She simply doesn't give a darn, Lyra realized with a frown. I can't possibly beat up enough bugs to make a dent, and she knows it. A drop of sweat racing down her nose, Lyra glanced at her sword. The weapon no longer struck her as elegant. The polished surface was completely hidden under the thick layers of dust, green blood and other assorted grime. She couldn't see the elegant weapon - only a tool, used for inflicting pain. A crude, yet surprisingly efficient tool at that. A tool made for a singular purpose. But it's not like I came here expecting to walk away. All I have to do is buy the others time. She broke her gaze away from the sword and looked the Queen straight in the eyes. "That's all you've got to say?" Lyra cackled. Her voice rang loud and clear; no longer did she tremble. She was still deathly afraid, but she had been given a second to compose herself; and she had used that second to build up quite an act. "I have beaten off like, dozens of your bugs. Me, an ordinary lyrist!" "Charming. However, despite the many openings... I am not hiring if that is what you are thinking." Chrysalis yanked a hoof in front of her face, covering her mouth as she laughed. "Try not to misunderstand. You did well! ...but you are still food, and Queen Chrysalis does not stoop to cooperating with lesser beings." Lesser being, huh? Surrounded by dozens of unconscious changelings, Lyra would have had a few comments regarding that assessment. She simply swallowed and buried her objections, however. If the Queen wanted to feel superior, then she would gladly play along. Anything to make the conversation last longer. Whatever! As long as I can stall the lot of you...! Bon, you better already be halfway to... uh... She bit onto her lip, trying hard to not let the confusion set onto her face. Try as she might, she couldn't recall the name of the cursed forest right next door. It was so famous, too. Well, infamous more like... ...focus, girl! That forest doesn't matter! Only keeping this Queen tied down does! "Lesser beings, huh. Well, I guess we did fall, like... pretty easily." Lyra chuckled sombrely. She looked around, turning her head in unnecessarily wide arcs. She wasn't looking around so much as giving the impression of looking around. "It's not like we had an even playing field, though." "Fufufu... you would say that, I suppose. It is quite interesting, though - only losers complain about fights being unfair." Chrysalis sighed and removed the hoof from her face, running the limb to comb her mane into order. "Happens all the time, too. It is almost funny, now that I think about it! Why are you ponies so hung up about me not being fair? You would think that being reduced to a living zombie would bother you more, but I rarely hear much about that. Not until the royal teeth snap around your neck, anyway." "Because not only have you got an army behind you, but you also have luck on your side!" Lyra cackled, doing her best to ignore the Queen's foreboding musing on teeth and necks. "See, all the Guards left for Canterlot days ago. Were they still around-!" "That has little to do with luck. I came here precisely because the Guard is not around." The boastful remark of Chrysalis left Lyra dumbstruck. Her head drooped to the side as her left eyebrow crept skywards. "Say what?" "Do you truly think that a Royal such as me would lack common sense?" Chrysalis shook her head in disapproval, the move accompanied by a shallow chuckle. "All I had to do was threaten that stupid wedding! I knew those useless, cowardly princesses would call their lapdogs home. Which, of course, leaves you lot out in the cold - or ripe for the taking, from my point of view. Luck, you say? Hah! You are simply so inferior that you fail to see my genius." The sword made a clang as the blade knocked against the ground; Lyra's magic had weakened to the point where she had almost let go of the weapon. While she had only meant the whole parley as a feint, her world had been completely turned upside-down instead. I... was allowed to be eaten alive? Intentionally? She didn't need to hide the trembling any more. She had failed to notice the exact moment, but fear had vanished from her mind - leaving a huge, empty space, devoid of any other emotion. The vacuum didn't promise to last long, though; for Lyra could feel anger bubbling, deep from her very being. It's that wedding, isn't it? The one I've read about... where that whoever princess gets to hook up with the captain of the Guard. That's the one which got threatened, wasn't it? "Seriously, I would have to be STUPID to go to Canterlot - especially after announcing that I would go there!" Chrysalis hollered. The act was quite unlike her. She seemed to have given up on looks; she was openly celebrating, laughing so loudly that her sides shook. "But no, Celestia does what a meekly noble would! She calls all her toy soldiers back home! The Elements, even! All so she could wall up and have The Perfect Wedding, bwahaha!" Still floating around, the tip of the sword scraped against the ground. Lyra couldn't do anything useful with the weapon, but felt the need to hold onto it tight. Her magic displayed the same duality - a lot of force was put into the grasp on the hilt, but there was no purpose in the resulting moves. I was... no, not just me. Bon, too... all of us, here... left on our own. We were left at the mercy of this monster. There was no way she could accept anything from Chrysalis at face value. Those words, however... they rang so true. She had read about the wedding, about the threats; they were top news, overshadowing everything else. Most of the Guard had also disappeared as the big date had loomed closer. She hadn't left the house to see for herself, but she had heard Bon complaining about it. And now there she was, surrounded by monsters and the unmoving bodies of a lot of ponies. She even knew some of them - she was sure of it. She was sure even though she failed to recall most names. She flinched and ran her tongue down her teeth. Her mouth tasted incredibly sour; she found herself fighting the urge to spit. "But do you know what is even better? No? Well, do allow the great Queen to educate you, then!" Chrysalis hollered. She was having a ridiculously good time; her tears were flowing and her hoof was slapping the ground. "This village is the one closest to Canterlot - so the other places will be even less defended! Of all the guests, I am receiving the best wedding gift! The entirety of Equestria, given to me on a silver platter! Hahahahah... after such an offering, I should really praise your oh-so-toity Sun Princess, would you not agree?" All the muscles in Lyra's body tensed. She was back to shaking - but this time she was struggling to stay still. Other places? The... entirety of?! Is she... is she really going to go on attacking every town after this? A thin, bloody mist began clouding her vision; a familiar sensation. She had felt like this before, back among those accursed icy hills. Back when she had the talk with that perverted viscount. The one who raved about the princess being involved in this wicked game of his. The 'white hag', as Lyra remembered the phrase. She hadn't given those ideas much thought, but- -but didn't Pinkie also say there were a lot of servants in Canterlot? That the princess is a big time player? Lyra's eyes widened as reality dawned on her. Celestia's a thousands years old pony. She's shrewd. She wouldn't call the Guard away... not on a whim, not like this. So this whole disaster, this is for a purpose. "It's because I have survived." Lyra whispered. She couldn't help it; she could see as the pieces came together. Everything started making sense to her. It's all because of me. I was made fight against this monster. It had to be that way. She had no proof, but she didn't feel that detract from the validity. They couldn't take Snowy from me in the hills, so now they would kill me here instead. And who would make a better assassin than such an obvious monster? Who would blame the changelings for killing ponies? Chrysalis stopped laughing and eyed Lyra carefully. The queen seemed a little puzzled - she had only heard one word, and couldn't place that fragment anywhere. "Survive?" The Queen balked as she echoed the sole word she had managed to pick up. "Seriously, you plan on surviving? Against my changelings? Against me?" Lyra glanced up, looking Chrysalis square in the eyes. She no longer feared the bug-alicorn; there was little for her to fear. Her world was crumbling down around her anyway. "Just promise me something." She uttered the words with a crooked smile. "You were lured here to kill me... and that's all right. But let me suffice. No more - okay?" "Lured? No more? Hahaha, what? No more?" Chrysalis frowned. She shook her head wildly, a gurgling laughter escaping her mouth. "Who are you to order me around, huh? Of course we will not stop!" The sword in Lyra's magical grip shook. Right... of course she wouldn't stop. There's no power to oppose her. She is free to hunt down everypony... even Bon. Tsk! All of this just because of this game... because of me. The changelings are going to slaughter so many... just so Celestia could get her hooves on Snowy. This is... this...! "All of Equestria is mine for the taking!" Chrysalis raised her hooves and hollered on. "I will roam this whole country and collect all of your emotions for MY glory! And then I will conquer Canterlot and break your haughty Princesses! So shut up and stand still while I-" The Queen of Changelings couldn't finish her request. She had to shut her mouth and yank her head away, lest a sword made an intimate connection with her skull. "Tsk. Getting baited into something stupid... I expected better of you." The Source shook its head in disapproval. The Guard helmet's crest brushed against the window frame, threatening to dislodge the helmet from the pony's head; so the Source had no choice but to withdraw, taking a step away. Truth be told, that Guard armour was getting on the shapeshifted pony's nerves. Reverting back to the ethereal game master would be giving up on the Guard persona however, and that officer still might had some uses. Staring out the window, the Source returned its gaze to the freshly continued battle below. It seemed that Lyra had charged at Chrysalis with a 'plan' that consisted solely of 'swinging a sword'. Which was an amusing sight, but certainly not what a smart player would have done. The Source registered that development with a frown. This was unfortunate. "But then again... this battle was always meant to check if you are as fit as I thought." The Source mused through the mouth of the Guard masquerade. "You will either prevail over Chrysalis... or I will have to keep looking for a more suitable player." The calm tone belied the worries clouding the Source's mind, however. There was a reason for choosing a pony as unfit as Lyra. There wasn't much time left, and the choices grew more radical as the remaining time dwindled. No reason to panic just yet. She may just send that oversized bug packing home, the Source thought as it bit its lip. And should that happen... hmm. The forged iron armour creaked as the Source raised a hoof to rub its chin. Should that really happen, I'm pretty sure I could use this Guard officer to dye you into the colours I want. Yes... it could turn out perfect this time. You could be the solution I have been looking for so long. The Source moved its red-violet eyes to the figures below. Owing to the shapeshifting magic, there was no hood to hide the Source's face; the Guard helmet covered only so much. Had anypony looked, they could have seen the worry settling onto the game master's face. You insipid musician... don't you dare fail me! Chrysalis hopped to the side. It didn't seem as if she was fighting - she was so carefree that she was almost dancing, her dodge accented by a completely pointless turn to the side. Lyra gritted her teeth and cursed under her breath. She had been charging at the Queen just moments ago, but now she was galloping past the oversized bug. She tried to keep up with her opponent, but she couldn't turn as fast as Chrysalis was moving to the side. Not even her sword could keep up with the Queen, despite her pushing her magic to its limits. Wha-! She was angry at first; while greatly suppressed, the ingrained instincts of a stage performer were still working in her mind. She had just done a grand charge - only to miss her target completely. Keh! I must be looking ridiculous right now...! The danger inherent to the situation didn't occur to her. Not until she noticed Chrysalis out of the corner of her eye. The Queen was on her right - and she was completely defenceless. The sword was still ahead of her and Snowy was lagging behind - not as if the ghost could have tackled the bug Queen anyway. She's got a free shot at my side-! The panicking realization was on the spot, but came too late. Lyra's ribs crackled as a hoof crashed into them, and she was flying the next moment. The sky and the ground turned as she flipped mid-air, then began spinning as she rolled on the floor. Then the mad tumble ended; she skidded on the dusty soil and came to a full stop, bathed in the dust her landing had kicked up. Her recent experiences dictated that she stand right back up. Once on the floor, ponies were easily pinned down by changelings; and then it was game over. Lyra's body couldn't follow her desire to stand, however. Her limbs didn't move; there was no power in them. She was hurting all over. Lights danced in her vision and everything was blurry; she wasn't fully aware of the fact, but she was close to blacking out. She simply lay on the ground... watched as a stray, lazy gust moved her mane, scattered the dust underneath her nose. Ignoring the larger world around her, it was a tranquil sight. Well, this was a short fight. It was over so quickly. She had made a wrong move and had taken a hit. That kind of thing was to be expected, too; she was the one at a disadvantage. She was a mere musician, after all. Queen Chrysalis was- well, she was a monster of whole different rank. Laying in the dust and sipping air as deeply as her burning ribs allowed, Lyra was pretty sure the Queen had seen her fair share of fights already. Ahahah... you're kidding, right? Am I really supposed to stall this monster? How? "Master!" Lyra's lips curled to a wry smile. She couldn't move, but could tell that the windigo was already next to her. She could positively feel the crimson gaze measuring her up, trying to work out how badly she had been hurt. Oi, oi, oi... give me a break. Already back to the usual routine? You never give up, do you? The sheer presence of Snowy was enough to inspire Lyra. She winced in pain, but pushed herself up. She was shaking; just staying upright was challenging. "Is Master all right?" Snowy prodded the pony with a ghostly hoof. "We should really get out of here! This is getting really dangerous... had those monsters not stayed put, Master could be dead now!" Monsters... why does it sound funny, hearing that from your mouth? Lyra glimpsed at the windigo, then ran her gaze in a full circle. Snowy was only half-right. The circle of changelings wasn't just staying put - they had gone out of their way to not interfere. Whether fearing the strange pony or the wrath of their Queen, the bugs had stayed out of the fight completely. They had even had the courtesy to provide extra space; their lines had shifted to allow Lyra to land. "We need to-" Snowy began to repeat the warning, but shut up as Lyra waved a shaking hoof at her. "Is' arrite'." She mumbled. Mangled words left her mouth; the impact had slammed her nose into the ground, and she could barely talk. Being short on air didn't help matters either. "Gotta' keep 'em 'ere. For... uh..." She paused. She couldn't recall the name. Whatever. The name isn't so important anyway! "Am' shh... stayin'." She declared firmly. She turned her amber gaze down and scanned the ground; she was looking for something among the many scattered bodies. Ponies and changelings were laying around her - sprawled out and unmoving, resting side-by-side. There was something poignant about the image... but Lyra couldn't bring herself to think deeply about it. Something shiny caught her attention, and she yanked the sword back into her grip. I need to save you. So I will hold out for a little longer... for as long as I can. Then, finally, the name clicked into her mind. "Gotta' stay. For Bon." Snowy watched the amber-clad sword float closer, then turned her eyes to the ground and shook her head. "For Miss Bon, huh... doesn't that depend on the officer keeping his word? We're placing an awful lot of faith in a pony we've never met before, Master." Lyra closed her eyes and chuckled. True enough. "No point in rh... runnin' away alone." She grinned and spat some blood to her hooves. She was panting too rapidly to swallow, and the copper taste was getting on her nerves. "I wonder if Miss Bon would be thinking the same," Snowy sighed and turned around, facing Chrysalis along with her master. "Even so, I shall abide Master's wishes. A last stand it is, then." The shift in tone didn't escape Lyra's notice. She could hardly blame the windigo, though. Of course you would be disappointed. I'm returning you to the amulet... and to that viscount. I would be pretty disappointed myself, to be honest. She smirked to herself as she took an unsteady stance with the sword. You're also right about Bon... I guess she would hate me for leaving her alone. Lyra had no idea why, but Chrysalis was still standing in the same spot. It was quite likely a trap; but she couldn't afford to sit around and see what would happen. The Queen was much more agile than her, and more experienced too; there was no way she could survive if she were forced on the defensive. And that was without all the changelings factored in. No, she had to press the attack. Hopeless as it may have been, it was her best chance to drag the conflict. She threw herself forward, into a gallop. She almost fell back on her nose and was swaying wildly even afterwards. Her aching legs barely carried her... but she still picked up speed, barrelling at the figure of the Queen. Lyra had no doubts about the outcome. Bon... I know this isn't making anypony happier... but I couldn't look in a mirror if I didn't try to save you. I wouldn't want to live on my own. She yanked on her head and the blade snapped to her side, parallel to the ground and pointed straight at the Queen's nose. I'm pretty selfish, aren't I? Always wanting and wanting... "Hooo. Already lunging at me again? You really must want to be a hero, haha!" Chrysalis giggled at the incoming musician. "Well, have it your way! En garde, mon petit héros!" The pony below charged ahead, but the Queen of Changelings evaded the attack. It looked like an established pattern already; so predictable that Sloth simply snorted and began wondering just what she was doing on that rooftop. The battle underneath didn't promise much excitement. All the cards were on the table at this point. The rank-and-file changelings had completely given up, and were only around to watch the show. It was up to Chrysalis to duke it out with Nix and her pony master. From the perspective of Sloth, the whole scene was a baffling experience. She knew that Nix - or Snowy or whatever the windigo went by as of late - was the most suited for master-on-master battles. The effects of windigo's powers were debilitating; and carefully rationed, they didn't carry the risks of the more lethal servants. Amnesia was a tough bullet to bite, but still didn't compare to spontaneously ceasing to exist. Of course, given the nature of Nix, she had likely forgotten everything about that. Which was a shame, for she could have erased any semblance of Queen Chrysalis the moment they had come in sight of each other. Raising her eyebrows, Sloth had to admit: she wouldn't have objected to a Master who couldn't remember possessing her. That was the only downside of her servitude. Being a ghostly dragon had all sorts of perks otherwise! No longer did she need to worry about food. Neither about sleeping, which carried the added benefit of not needing a nest either. She didn't have to evade self-appointed heroes who disliked dragons nesting nearby. She didn't have to evade other dragons either. She didn't have to evade anyone, period. She didn't even need to care about anyone. The whole world was unaware of her, and she was free to just ignore everyone in turn. She had never dreamed of a more enjoyable life. She could have considered it heaven, were it not for those pesky masters. And, of course, the one master which ruled them all... the Source. That troublesome hooded bastard who would come and visit her regularly, always with newer and newer requests. Every three hundred years, give or take. "Ehh, how troublesome. Could you just hurry up and make my master forget about me already?" She was grumbling only to her own self, of course. There was no point in screaming instructions. Nix wouldn't believe her anyway; the most she could achieve is tipping her own master off. She couldn't just sit still and fiddle with the roof-tiles either, though. Her trouble-free life was on the line, after all. "If this is all you can do, then you are the lousiest hero to have ever graced my presence!" Chrysalis snickered as the blade slashed the air in front of her face. The strike had barely missed her; but that was solely because she had barely pulled back. She was clearly testing out the limits of her foe. Lyra offered a growl as a retort and swiped the blade again. Despite what the plays and movies had made her believe, swords were not exempt from the rules of motion and momentum; stopping a swung sword was just as tiresome as swinging it in the first place. That, coincidentally, made rapid strikes really fatiguing. Lyra instinctively knew she had already overworked her magic. The burning sensation from her horn had spread to the fore of her skull, joining the numb throbbing that Snowy's magic had caused. The physical fatigue didn't help, either; a break would have done her wonders. Nothing much, just a minute or so. A little time so she could clear hear head, give her trembling legs a little rest. Only, there was no pause in a fight. "So unimaginative-!" Chrysalis grinned as she saw the blade closing in on her again. She reared her head back, repeating the same daring dodge as the last time- Her eyes went blank and she stopped mid-move. The sword, already in motion, had struck her the next moment. It was only a scratch; the very tip of the blade had barely managed to scrape the Queen's forehead. Still, Chrysalis yanked her head away as if she had been rammed by a boulder, a jagged scream underscoring her pain. Lyra jumped back hastily. The sword coasted along her; she had no use for the weapon, so she could let it run out of momentum naturally. Truth be told, she was so surprised about her success that she had no idea how to exploit it further. Strange! Did I get lucky or something? The Queen in front of her had collapsed to the ground, hooves clutched on her forehead. The wound was shallow, Lyra was sure of it; she had struck enough changelings to know the difference. Slamming a sharpened piece of metal into something produced resistance; she had to push the blade or else it became wedged in her foe. She hadn't felt anything this time, however. Whatever damage she had inflicted on the Queen was superficial at most. Even so, she had no idea just how she could damage such a superior opponent- Chrysalis went completely blank before I managed to hit... Snowy! "Did ya'...?" Lyra carefully glanced to her side. She kept her voice down; there was no need to alarm the wailing Queen. She was glad enough to get this much of a breather already. "I'm helping where I can!" Snowy winked back at her, the motioned at Chrysalis. "She's a little too good, however. There aren't many openings for me to exploit. I need to time my power right, or else I'm just wasting Master's memories." Lyra shook her head, sending droplets of sweat flying everywhere. Then she chuckled dryly, her rapid panting breaking her question into small fragments. "Yer'... hehe, yer'... yer' still worried 'bout... that?" She wasn't sure if she wanted to scold or praise the windigo. On one hoof, it was pretty heart-warming that Snowy would be so worried for her. On the other hoof, corpses didn't reminisce. It didn't matter how much she could remember when she was about to die anyway. From that perspective, Snowy's concerns were simply making the situation worse. "Of course I am!" Snowy turned to her master. She had also raised her voice; she was becoming agitated. "I can't just destroy what makes Master... well, Master! There is no point in fighting if Master is bound to lose either way!" Lyra wanted to reach out and pat the windigo on the head. She chose not to, in the end; both because she was too tired to lift a hoof, and because Snowy was ethereal anyway. Even so, she was touched beyond words. You're a pretty cool ice-demon. I wish... I wish you had gotten a better Master than me. The only nice thing about that regret was that it wasn't going to bother her for much longer. She breathed in and pulled the sword to her side. "Dun' worry 'bout me." She exhaled, squeezing the words out. "Jus' make sure this fight drags on." Snowy wrinkled her eyebrows. She didn't say anything, but she did snort loudly enough. "S'an order-" Lyra winked at the windigo. She wanted to sound reassuring - that it was all right, that it was for the best - but a howl interrupted her, giving her just enough warning to dodge the enraged Chrysalis. "LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO ME!" Chrysalis bellowed. She snapped her jaws closed, but was biting on empty air; Lyra had already sprang away, to the side. Try as she might, the musician couldn't see what the Queen was so upset about. All she could see was a long scrape, about an inch above the Queen's eyebrows; but it was a pretty shallow wound, barely bleeding. Guess she doesn't consider it a game once she's also hurting, Lyra smirked. It was bad sports, but she was enjoying how she had managed to break the Queen's facade of smugness. To think I'd like causing pain...! Such weightless concerns no longer held her back, however. She pitched the sword and thrust it forward. Even so, this is so much less than what you'll be taking from me! Chrysalis realized the danger. She roared and used her own magic to parry. The Guard sword was coated in overlapping layers of green and amber, and the weapon began to wobble. It was still darting towards the Queen as it had built a considerable momentum already, but Lyra had difficulties keeping it on track. The Queen's magical aura was much stronger than hers, and she knew she wasn't going to land the hit unless a miracle happened. She was straining so badly that she could feel her skull splitting - but could tell that it was still not going to work out. "Snowy!" The windigo on her right didn't react to her order. Lyra hadn't expected to see much - Snowy's magic was more subtle than the flashy unicorn ones - but there was absolutely no change whatsoever. "SNOWY!" It was too late at that point. Chrysalis had managed to deflect the attack; just barely, though. The sword whizzed past her neck and scraped along her side, drawing a long, jagged line onto her skin. It didn't seem like a huge injury, but Chrysalis tumbled away again, hissing and snarling. The magic opposing hers broken, Lyra yanked hard on the blade. The sword flung backwards and landed next to her; she was free to recover it in peace. She didn't pass up the chance to give her servant an admonishing look in the process either. "I was trying!" Snowy winced and dimmed out. She sounded tired, as if she had just finished something that required effort on her part. "But no matter how many times I make her forget about the sword, she would just focus back onto it!" She was... using her powers already, Lyra realized. I didn't see the difference because she was glowing all the time! "You...!" Snapping her head back to the Queen, Lyra's first reaction was to gulp. Chrysalis didn't break into another fit this time. She was sneering like a ferocious animal; her insect-like wings were spread wide, her green eyes bristling with hate. That's a proper war face if ever I have seen one, Lyra made another dry gulp. She thought that Chrysalis had looked threatening before - but in truth, she hadn't seen nothing yet. "I barely had any effect on her!" Snowy narrowed her eyes and clenched her teeth. "Then dig deeper! Not just the blade! Make her forget about me, about the battle, about-" Lyra barked hastily, only stopping when a solid green beam zipped past her nose, cutting a few loose strands of her mane. Huh? She stepped to the side, but even she understood how the belated move didn't matter whatsoever. The beam had long dissipated by the time she could will her legs to move. Had that hit me... A shiver ran down her spine, and she brought the sword in front of her. She had never seen a magic like that, but she was fairly certain what the beam was for. "Do not worry - I am not aiming to kill." Chrysalis grinned. She was back to her composed self, but an extra layer of enmity tampered her image this time around. "It has been long since somepony faced me head-on. I look forward to learning about how you came to be this reckless... BY TASTING IT MYSELF!" The Queen lunged forward. She was moving fast, very fast; so fast that her legs couldn't keep up with the pace. The four limbs were dangling uselessly, only moving when Chrysalis had to raise them to avoid an obstacle. She's not walking at all! Lyra realized. She was already moving to counter the attack, but her movements felt sluggish in comparison. She's skimming, just barely over the ground! She's so fast because she's using her wings to fly! In hindsight, it seemed like such a simple trick. Such a low one, too. "You damn cheater-!" Lyra cried out. Chrysalis had circled around her and was almost right on top of her; so she turned back and flung the sword in the Queen's direction. She can't attack me if I make her dodge! That would have been a fairly reasonable attempt, were she not facing Chrysalis. The Queen of Changelings didn't feel like wasting any more time on the bothersome pony; her horn erupted with a green flash- The vivid green light made Lyra flinch. Her eyes watered and she couldn't see anything; she only noticed that the sword became a lot lighter all of a sudden. There was no time to waste on pondering, however. She flung the sword and slashed with it - but something was definitely off. It was way too easy to move the weapon. Through the tears and the afterimages, Lyra squinted at her trusty blade... and her heart missed a full beat. She was only holding onto the lower half of the weapon. The whole upper portion had gone missing, seared off by some mysterious force; a force that had left the remnant of the blade smouldering, glowing green. A rather unnatural colour for hot metal, as Lyra thought about it. It was that magic beam again! There was no time to deliberate on the matter. Chrysalis was towering above her and she had to make do with what she had. She pushed the broken weapon towards the Queen - and was swatted away by an invisible force. Her first thought was that she had been hit by a hoof; but this power didn't simply push her away. It stayed with her, clung around her, held her in a vice. She only noticed when it became harder to breathe, her sides squeezed by the unseen force. She tried to move, to shake it off; but her legs were similarly locked in place. She could feel her muscles straining, but that was the only result she could achieve. Then she noticed the green shimmering layered over her vision. It's her magic! Lyra's eyes widened in shock. She hadn't expected something like ordinary unicorn magic to be used in such ways. The academic value of the discovery eluded her, however; the foreboding knowledge only added further urgency to her panicking, frantic attempts at breaking free. Her struggles were of little use. She was floating higher and higher, rising above the eye level of Chrysalis. The Queen of Changelings was playing around with her as if she were a doll; she was being made turn to one side and then to the other, slowly, meticulously. Lyra couldn't as much as squeak in protest. She couldn't move her mouth either. Maybe it was for the better - she would have been screaming and snivelling were she allowed to speak. She was already tearing up, fully aware of what was going to happen. She was being measured up before the meal. It was one of the more disturbing sensations she had ever had. The world bobbed to the left, to the right... and she had no control over it. She tried to keep her gaze on point, but the rotations were too wide; she only made her stomach turn even wilder. It wasn't before long that she became tired of the pre-meal inspection. Tears were flowing from her eyes; she was openly crying. She didn't care about holding up the invasion any more. Then she was yanked around again, and she saw the curious stare of Chrysalis during the turn. She gurgled; the closest she could come to screaming for her life. Not this way... "Let Master go!" Snowy hopped to Chrysalis' side. "AT ONCE!" Squinting at the windigo from the corner of her eye, Lyra's heart sunk even more. N-no! Get away from here! This thing, this Chrysalis... she's dangerous! Leave me alone already, damn it! "Oh, right... you have a servant." Chrysalis mused aloud. She rubbed her chin with a hoof; then, still holding Lyra in her grasp, she had the hapless musician turn and face her. "I suppose I was going to devour you, right? How interesting... I wonder why I had spent the last few minutes wondering what... ugh. You! What was I going to do with you? Oh well. I do have you in my grasp... so I guess I am going to just dev- ugh. Wait, who are you again?" Sniffling silently, Lyra tried to work Snowy back into her gaze. All in vain; she couldn't turn her eyes quite that far. She gave up after a few tries, and sighed with her eyes closed. It was really disheartening. She had hoped to pay that steadfast servant a final glance, to let her know of her appreciation. You never do know when to give up. "Waiiit a minute." Lyra cracked an eye open. She was still facing Chrysalis - but the Queen had undergone some transformation. The confusion was gone and she was clearly pondering on something, evident by the furrowed forehead and the focused glare. "I have been holding you for quite a long while already. Normally I would have stripped you of all your precious emotions long ago," Chrysalis thought out loud, giving Lyra a brief glimpse in the middle of the monologue. "But I still have not. Which makes me think..." The horn of Chrysalis grew even more intense, and Lyra cringed in anticipation. She could almost feel her soul being ripped from her mortal coil- -only none of that happened. It was Snowy crying out in pain instead, and Lyra gawked in utter horror. WHAT?! She found her strength returning, but it was still no good. She tried to turn around, to look at the windigo; but she was still locked, staring at that oversized changeling. Who was, at that point, laughing and greatly enjoying herself in general. "I knew it! That ghost was your servant!" Chrysalis cackled and licked her lips. "She was preventing me from devouring you, wasn't she? Well, too bad! Did you know that servants are immune to each other - but not to my own powers? Bwhahaha!" No- no, no, no, no! Lyra screamed internally. She was struggling about as madly as she could, but there was no escape. The thought that she would die to a changeling was already bad enough - but the thought that she would first be made to witness Snowy being murdered- Frothing from the mouth in exertion, Lyra felt her mind going at the prospect. The sounds of a screaming windigo wasn't helping her mental health one bit. "All I need to do is finish her first... and once she lacks the will to move, I can proceed onto you." Chrysalis explained the outline of her meal. She also demonstrated an acute understanding of her meal's feelings, for she turned Lyra around, giving the pony a good view of the thrashing Snowy. The windigo didn't seem aware of what was happening to her - though even if she had, she couldn't have done anything about it. Whatever power was keeping a servant going, she was running low on it; her movements had grown sluggish and slow, her outlines so faded she was barely more than a trick of light. Lyra froze up at the sight. She didn't just quit struggling - she completely seized up. She understood what she was seeing, but she was unable to actually comprehend it. Snowy, who had always followed her just to do her bidding, who had obeyed all her whims without fail, who was supposed to be freed by her... was being destroyed because she wanted to play the hero for one last time. There was no way that could have been happening. This... this wasn't supposed to turn out this way. She couldn't look away; she could only close her eyes. She had expected herself to cry, just like she had moments ago; but she had no more tears to shed. She was feeling empty. Empty and upset. All you did was serve me... you never meant harm. So why... why you, of everypony! "You really should look." Chrysalis chuckled from behind. "You were her master, were you not? She was your responsibility. Well, not for long any more... but I would really prefer that you get worked up over her demise. It would make you taste so much richer. A rather rare flavour, as you may guess!" Lyra squeezed her eyes. Her whole body flexed; that was too much. Snowy wasn't just her responsibility. They were friends. Good friends, too. Recent friends maybe, but good ones nevertheless. And Lyra didn't have that many friends. To have one of them murdered by something so shamelessly evil... Struggling against the magic that held her in place, Lyra wished she could give up everything just to break free of her predicament. That moment, she would have sold her soul to the devil had the red-skinned old coot appeared in front of her. She couldn't break free just by sheer force of will, of course. She was struggling so mightily that she could feel her limbs running cold; even her heartbeat faded into the background noise. "Oooh, something is happening." Chrysalis giggled and shook her distraught captive. "Look! The ghost is disappearing! Does that not make you feel anguished, master... oh sorry, ex-master!" Fearing what she may see, Lyra only opened her eyes to a thin slit. She couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, though. Everything was as she could recall it. The bodies on the floor, the changelings surrounding her, the buildings of Ponyville, the podium- It took Lyra a moment to realize that it wasn't about what she could see. The issue was with what had gone missing. She couldn't see Snowy anywhere. She would have gasped, were she able to open her mouth. Instead her face twisted into a terrified grimace; one that mimicked the icy slab her heart had become. The very blood was freezing in her veins. She didn't feel alarmed by the sensation though. Not at all. It was quite all right, feeling like that. What else was she supposed to feel, when she had just witnessed something irredeemable happen? "I'm truly sorry, Master..." Lyra had no idea where the voice came from, but there was no mistaking it; she had heard the windigo apologizing. "Hoo, and poof she goes. Was that all? That was barely anything! How strange, I thought she would have been more appetizing." Chrysalis sighed with utmost dejection. "Oh well, what more could I expect out of a good-for-nothing, useless ghost, huh?" Enough! Her efforts bearing fruit just after it no longer mattered, Lyra felt the magic holding her fail. She was struggling, and she could move; though all she could do was twist her head. That was all right, though. Turning to that murderous Queen was the most important thing she could do. "Shhh... shh... shht... shut up!" Chrysalis gave a surprised look. Her mouth fell and was left hanging; the normally boastful Queen now held silent. There must had been a reason to that, but Lyra didn't care. She closed her eyes and waved her head back and forth. She was struggling, she obviously was; she couldn't possibly come to terms with what she had seen. "Snowy... what have I done... what have I... oh my, what have I... ugh!" She lifted her hooves and held them to her head. No matter how firmly she pressed them however, the thoughts inside didn't want to calm. All Lyra knew was that she had lost somepony important to her; and that left her feeling cold. Incredibly cold. "How did you break- a ghost-?! Wha... what happened to you?" It took Lyra a few seconds to realize whose voice had disturbed her. Then she popped her eyes open and looked at the source, too; she found herself staring at the contemptuous Queen. The one who had taken something important from her. She had no idea how, but she had broken completely free of her magical confines. She was a prisoner in one moment; but was barrelling at the dumbstruck Chrysalis in the next. There was only one thought on her mind. She was getting her revenge.