//------------------------------// // Chapter 43; Just a Friendly Assult // Story: The Wander Through Lands Unknown // by Tomas Lutwig //------------------------------// The urge to laugh finally left, the feeling of lightness remaining, happiness to be free of the pain that had plagued me for an indeterminate amount of time. Breathing deeply I looked over my body again, something within me believing it to be fake, once again a false reality luring me into a feeling of safety and comfort. Reaching over I pinched the flesh on my arm, feeling new muscles flex, and watching as the peach color turned to a white in the light of the torches that filtered into my room through the open door. A smile came to my lips as I looked around, the urge to laugh once again coming to me. A groan behind me stifled the laughter before it could start however. Whirling around I watched as the pair of eyes connected to the dark latticework that was once the proud queen of the changelings fluttered open, their green coloration turned to a sickly gray. “W-wha?” she she managed to moan trying in vain to lift her head. Anger built up inside me as I reached for the magic within me, glancing up at a glint off the wall, the pair of shackles that had held me for an indeterminate time shined from their place on the wall. A sadistic smile formed on my lips as I loomed over Chrysalis. “I'd say it's your turn, your majesty” I said, catching the changeling's attention, her dull eyes drifting over to look at me. With a thought, the shackles were opened. And another Queen Chrysalis was lifted into position before the iron cuffs were shut leaving the weak changeling dangling from the wall, back hooves inches from the floor. A pleading look was leveled at me as I strung her up, one that sent waves of disappointment and disgust through me. “Let us see how long it takes for them to find you, if you'll survive being chained up alone” Releasing the magical hold I had on her, the changeling's head slumped. Turning towards the door, I remembered the six guards who lay slumped on either side of the door. Pondering on their punishment, I finally decided. 'The less changelings, the better.' Approaching one, I stuck my bare foot on the side of it's head, applying pressure. A moan sounded from the latticework of dark chitin as I slowly applied more, and more. The pained groans grew more frequent until I let up, finding myself unable to break the fragile looking bodies. 'Seems I'm still not back to normal...' I thought, reaching instead for the cool flame. A bright yellow enveloped my hand as I reached for what was left of the six changelings. The one I had made an attempt to crush seemed to be conscious, staring at me with pleading gray eyes. My eyes narrowed, even as something within me begged me to drop them. The thought was preposterous! After torturing me with a life I might have had, just to drain me of love... The pleading continued, they were disabled, unable to cause any more damage. Perhaps bring Celestia with her guard, they'll know what to do with them. Rubbing a hand down my face, I consented, cutting off the magic that was holding them allowing them to tumble to the ground. “Th-thank you” echoed from the room as I walked through the doorway. Turning I saw the conscious changeling's dull eyes looking at me in the torchlight. Urge returning, I simply slammed the door behind me before dropping the bar to lock it. A small voice praised me for doing the right thing, but I ignored it, walking down the cold corridor. Sundance looked out from their cover, the dense foliage keeping them hidden from the changeling patrols. Patrols which have strangely been including more of Queen Chrysalis' Captains, wearing their dark blue armor. Turning back to her princess, the alicorn looked better than during their journey through the forest. Noticing her Sergeant, Celestia smiled, her fatigue fading by the minute. Returning the gesture, Sundance turned to check for their reinforcements again. Through the forest a phoenix's call sounded catching the unicorn's attention. A few moments later it sounded again, to which she replied a similar call. “Can you stand? The others are almost here” she said turning to her princess. The alicorn nodded, rising to her hooves with little difficulty before brushing sticks and leaves out of her coat. “Let us go then my little pony, I believe my strength has returned enough.” “Good” Sundance looked through the small opening in their cover before motioning for the Princess. Darting between trees, the two made their way towards where the call had originated. After a moment it sounded, much closer this time. Rounding some trees, the two came upon a small clearing, seemingly at the edge of the changeling's patrol routes. “Sergeant, Princess Celestia, It's good to see you two again!” A gruff voice sounded from the trees. Turning the two saw a bronze colored unicorn stallion with a tightly trimmed silver mane step out of the shade followed by a familiar group of six mares and a gray pegasus mare wearing her guard uniform with her silver mane acting as the plume of her helmet. Sundance watching the six mares flock to their princess almost immediately, leaving her to her pair of guards. “Likewise Private Bronze, I might ask though why you decided to use calls when you had our position” she said nodding towards Private Swift Wind who saluted. Bronze Shield let out a cough rubbing the back of his head. “I admit I may of lost concentration” he said looking over at the pink ball of energy that was currently singing as she bounced around the small group of friends and their princess. Following his eyes Sundance watched the strangely hypnotic bouncing before chuckling. “Understandable knowing the stories they about that mare. Just don't let it happen again, am I understood?” The sound of the pink mare bouncing and singing was her only reply making her turn back to her guard who was simply staring on, awestruck. It surprised Sundance to see Bronze Shield, one of her best guards, taken so by the hyperactive mare. Shaking her head, a hoof collided with the back of the stallion head only hard enough to get his attention. “Did you hear me Private? Or am I going to have to give you latrine duty for the week?” Seemingly shaken from his stupor, Bronze saluted “Yes M'am, it won't happen again!” A nod was sent his way before Sundance started to approach the other group, who had convinced the pink party pony from bouncing herself into oblivion. “Now that we're all together, it would be best to plan up a way to infiltrate the changeling's stronghold and retrieve our fellow guard.” The majority of the group nodded in agreement. “Good. I was thinking as changelings have superior numbers and they're rooted in their position, our air forces should hit in the front, hit-and-run tactics.” Sundance started drawing out the fort in the dirt with a nearby stick, a pair of wings representing the pegasi. “The earth ponies will do the same from the back, throwing large rocks, and anything else they can get ahold of, at them.” A large horseshoe represented the earth ponies on the small map. “Now hol-” voices sounded from the group, but Sundance was quick to silence them. “If you'd let me finish.” she said harshly, earning glares from a number of the elements of harmony. “The unicorns, and alicorns, will be infiltrating the fortress itself, invisible, to retrieve the Wanderer” A picture of a horn was added to the map. “Sergeant, would it not make more sense to have at least one of the alicorns out here, in case one of the other two groups could use assistance?” Swift Wing asked, making some of the ponies glance at her surprised. Sundance nodded, “A good point Swift, but the reasoning for that is as we have reason to believe that the changeling queen herself is in the fortress, and if we run into her without adequate firepower...” she trailed off, the implications understood by all. “Hey! Could we have the groups of pegasi and earth ponies attack from the left and right instead of straight on and from behind? We seem to be the ones in for the worst of it!” Rainbow Dash protested. “Mobility is a pegasi's best friend wouldn't you agree Rainbow Dash?” Sundance asked evenly. When the cyan pegasus nodded she returned the gesture, “So you're agreeing that it would be best to have the most mobile, and therefore most versatile, in the worst of it rather than the earth ponies who are stuck to the ground, and the unicorns who are likewise grounded though with the use of magic?” The rainbow maned pegasus' eyes narrowed, “I just asked if we could attack from different angles, not if we could trade pl-” “I understand that Miss Dash, but the reasoning for your distraction in the front of the fortress is to ensure that the group of unicorns can infiltrate it with as much ease as can be afforded. Do you think properly trained guards would simply leave their posts when they know there are others who are not watching one who can help?” Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to protest, but shut it, crossing her hooves over her chest and looked away. Nodding, Sundance turned to the rest of the group. “Any other questions?” “Now, Ah don' mean ta be rude Miss Sundance, but what are we supposed ta do when we run outta 'ammo'? There's little more than buckin' em in the face that we can do” AppleJack stepped forward and said. “Hmm, a valid point Miss AppleJack. Though out here there's little more than tree branches that you could use as weapons. Hopefully we'll be in and out before the need arises, but in the worst case scenario, you may have to resort to doing just that.” “Oh! I could go get one of my party cannons!” Pinkie Pie said with a grin. “A cannon? That could be incredibly useful, how fast can you ha-” Sundance started only to look up and see a small dust cloud in the shape of the pink mare. Wide eyed she looked at the Princess of Friendship for some kind of explanation, who only shrugged. “I suppose we'll have to wait for her return.” She said letting out a sigh, turning towards the orange earth pony “Miss AppleJack clubs can be extremely effective weapons, especially since the chitin of changelings tend to be too thick to cut through” “Alrighty! I got my party cannon!” The pink mare's voice sounded through the brush much to the surprise of the ponies in the clearing. Goosebumps formed across my body as I walked down the stone corridor. An attempt to warm myself was made when I took one of the strange green torches from it's place on the wall, only to find that it emitted no head. Frustration nearly had me throw the useless light source away, only for one of the dark iron doors to catch my eye. Curiosity found it's way into my mind as I wondered who else the changelings had captured and imprisoned within their fortress. Looking through the barred window, I quickly found that darkness shrouded the interior making it impossible to see. Looking down at the bar, I struggled with it for a moment before looking to a small lock that seemed to keep it in place. Feeling it with numb fingers, I let out an annoyed sigh, reaching for my magic. Pulling at the lock, the bar gave little but creaks as the wood groaned. Feeling the strain in my head I released the magical hold on the lock. 'Perhaps a lighter touch?' I thought, willing the magic inside the lock, feeling around the mechanism. After a few failed attempts, annoyance started growing only for a click to sound and the lock to fall away onto the stone. Lifting the bar with no little difficulty due to my sickly frame, I panted heavily as I swung the door open. Lighting the area with the green torch, I was shocked to find that half of the cell was missing. Instead the cell seemed to lead into a tunnel that was carved from the stone and dirt surrounding the dungeon. Turning back I looked down the corridor, a sense of unease flowing through me. 'Better get out of here. I don't want to get locked up again...' I thought shivering, as much from the cold as from the memories. Backing away from the door I started back down the corridor only for the sounds of hooves to stop me. Voices carried off the stone walls, “I wonder what Queen Chrysalis is doing. Normally she's done by now with the prisoner” My heart sank as I turned and looked for somewhere to hide. The still open door seemed to be the only option, though it made my stomach churn. 'Maybe I can fight them?' I thought frantically, 'I managed to disable Queen Chrysalis and her guard...' The strange feeling of hunger had faded though, leaving me on my own. Uttering a quiet curse, I sprinted to the once locked cell throwing away the torch behind me. Shutting the door I pulled the bar down with my magic, hoping the changelings wouldn't check over something as simple as a removed torch. The pair continued talking, chitin covered hooves clipping and clopping the entire way. “Huh, weird one of the torches fell. Do you think-?” one of the changelings started only for the other to scoff in a feminine voice. “I doubt it, it's more likely that one of the Queen's guard's had knocked it down when they went by. I mean have you seen the prisoners? There's no way they could escape” I suppressed a sigh of relief, but looked to the tunnel on the far side of the room knowing I would need to find a better place to hide if the changelings decided to come looking for me. Unease bit into me again, but I choked it down and started down the dark tunnel. As my eyes grew used to the darkness, and I traveled deeper small amounts of light filtered into my vision from deeper in. Cries of surprise echoed down the tunnel making me jump before realizing it was the voices of the two changelings from earlier. 'They must've discovered their queen and brethren.” I thought, continuing down the tunnel, fear starting to bite into my mind. The light grew as I continued, before I managed into a large cavern. Green light seemed to be emitted from what looked like large cocoons that hung from the ceiling and walls. An urge to leave came over me, rather to fight the changelings outside than deal with the situation that stood before me, but something willed me to continue. Approaching one of the nearby cocoons, I tried to look inside only for a layer of slime and dust to distort what was inside. Wiping my hand across it's surface, I nearly fell back as I saw a young mare suspended inside. Rushing to another, a similar sight revealed itself, the young replaced by a middle age stallion. Looking around I realized where I had found myself. “Dear Lord...” I finally managed to say through the shock. 'Are these the ponies the changelings have abducted to replace?' Returning to the cocoon holding the young mare inside, I started trying to pull at the strange wrappings that made up the hardened gelatinous prison. After a few moments I fell back, hard rock scraping my nakedness sending waves of pain up to my head. Getting up, I looked around for something I could use. Carved cave walls and trapped ponies were the only thing I could find, much to my dismay. 'My things!' finally came to mind, 'The only issue is that I'll have to find them...' I thought turning back towards the way I had come. Steeling myself to save the ponies suffering the same fate I had been, I started back out of the cavern. 'Now the only question is how I'll deal with the changelings that are no doubt swarming around looking for me...' I thought. Running a hand over my face I let out an annoyed sigh. 'If only things didn't have to be so complicated.' Sundance and the rest of the ponies outside had just managed to get into position after putting the finishing touches on their plan, only for changelings to scatter every which direction. Armored guards had started pouring from the gate rushing into the forest while the ones that remained behind seemed to be on high alert. 'What in Celestia is going on?' she thought turning towards the two alicorns and single unicorn behind her. “Well ladies we have two options, go forward with the plan or retreat and form a new one” she whispered. The Princesses looked between each other nodding before Rarity looked up and nodded at them. “The plan would've caused this anyway, go forward” Twilight, the closest of the three whispered back. Returning the gesture, Sundance let loose a call, not dissimilar to the one mimicking the phoenix that Bronze shield had used earlier. Moments later thunder clapped through the sky and the sound of a cannon going off was heard, surprising the already alerted changelings. “Alright ladies, let's move” Sundance said quietly. Lighting rained from above on top of changelings while Rainbow Dash, one of the fastest pegasi in Equestria, rained blows on the few of the insect-like equines that managed to get through the lighting. While effective for the moment, the Sergeant knew they would have to work fast. The four galloped through the battlefield, avoiding raining bodies of unconscious, or otherwise injured changelings, rocks that while fired by the party cannon the shape had thrown them wide and missed their intended target, and lighting. 'An effective distraction' She thought as they neared the large doors of the fortress. A pair of the armored insects stood in their way guarding the entrance. Her horn ignited surrounding the pair with the violet aura of her magic before both accelerated at high speeds into each other, the impact denting their armor and knocking both unconscious. The fallen bodies were thrown thoughtlessly to the side out of their way, Sundance completely ignoring the viscous green liquid that had leaked from the two. The four entered into the dimly lit fortress, mostly empty of the changeling defenders. 'Now to find our way to the dungeon.'