Equestrian Revelations

by DuskApproaches

Chapter 7: Escape

Peeking inside the front door, I estimated about 200 guards occupying the main hallway. I spotted a small hallway at the end of the royal court. If I can get there the rest will be easy. There is too much light for me to hide within the shadows. But all of the light appears to be coming from one place; the chandelier in the middle of the room. It is hanging by a thick but old chain suspending it from the ceiling. If I could find a way to break that chain, I would be able to cause both a distraction and enough darkness for me to sneak past.

I formed a short ice bow in my left hand and a frozen arrow in my right. Ice was always a good weapon when being spotted is not an option. Ice melts with time and heat. It also leaves no trace whatsoever in activity. I aimed my bow at the top of the chain. I had one chance: if I hit, I would get through; If I miss, I will alert all of the guards on duty. The odds were bad, but they were the only odds I had. I pulled my arrow back far enough to hit the target with ample power albeit not too far to maintain the direction.

Holding my breath, I let the arrow take its course.

I let out my breath as the giant metal chandelier came crashing down. Everything went better than expected. In the ensuing and chaotic commotion, I walked past the guards with silent footsteps.

“What the hell just happened?” asked one of the griffons soldiers.

“The chandelier just broke...maybe because of the rust,” another one said.

I walked down the hall with my head low and my steps soft. This was quite a big castle smaller than the Canterlot castle but still quite big. If only there was a way I could know which way to go. I turned left at the next corner and saw a sign. It had various names of rooms and arrows next to it. I saw ‘Interrogation Chambers’ and an arrow pointing right. I guess it wasn’t that difficult to find after all.

Scratch what I just said. It sure is difficult to find the interrogation chambers. I have been walking for at least half an hour. The arrow should have been specific because there were many more turns than the near coastal streets of Tianjin. That reminds me, I kind of miss Tianjin. I wonder how my family is doing there.

“HALT INTRUDER!”

Huh, I guess there were guards back here after all.

“I DON’T CARE HOW YOU GOT IN HERE BUT YOU WILL NOT GET PASS ME! I WILL D-“ And that’s when I decided that it’s too early in the morning for this. I grabbed his head and slammed it against the wall.

“BITCH!” I shouted quite irritated. “DO YOU THINK WE ARE EQUAL!?”

I walked past him still with no clues in knowing where the fuck I’m going. Who designed this place? it’s like you need a map just to get to the end of a hallway.

Finally, a door! Maybe now I can get somewhere.

I crouched down and took a look at the keyhole. This was one of those heavy duty locks with a mechanism so heavy it would be able to break a key if the key was inserted too quickly or slowly. This is going to take a long time to pick especially since the only solid object I had was the ice I was able to create.

I looked at my options: I could get enough water into the keyhole to lift the mechanism and then freeze the water. I could use the old fashioned way and just create some lockpicks and a screwdriver. But it was highly unlikely that ice was strong enough. Hmm, I could burn screws that attached the lock to the door. That could work. I put my left hand onto the handle to keep it from moving while I burned the screws with the other hand. I was surprised when the handle moved.

Looks like the door wasn’t even locked...that was a waste of time.

I stayed in my crouched position as I opened the door. This was the most vital part of my mission. Attracting any attention here would result in my death either by the claws of a griffon guard or by the hooves of the changeling. There were no candles in this room. However, my eyes adjusted to the dark quite quickly and the sun was starting to rise over the horizon. The room was filled with prison cells but all of them were empty. That’s strange...if she wasn’t in here where else could she be?

I heard an opening door at the end of the room. I rolled to my right and hid behind the walls of the prison cells. A griffon walked into the door at the end of the hallway. He walked across the room and into one of the prison cells and locked the cell door. Did he just lock himself in prison? That’s weird. I heard another door opening inside the prison cell. I took a few steps forward to peek into the cell. There was a door inside the cell. And the door to the cell is another security measure to ensure no one without permission opens that door. Quite brilliant architecture if you think about it.

The lock to the cell was quite easy to pick. There were only rods inside the lock and the springs were quite flexible. However, the keyhole was quite small. Regular lockpicks and bobby pins won’t be able to fit. Good thing I learnt how to create ice two months ago! Really does come in handy. After a few pushes and pulls the lock opened with a small creak. I carefully opened and closed the door behind me making sure not to make any sound.

The next door was slightly harder to open. This door required a device of a unique shape to be placed onto the knob and spun around a certain number of times. I have seen this lock only once on earth. I only opened it by killing the american soldier with the key. However, I could not form ice in my hand back then. I created a small rectangle with various strips of texture on one side. I also covered my fingertips with ice so my body heat does not melt any part of the replica key and ruin the form. I pressed the ice into the concave shape carved into the knob of the door.

I put my left hand onto the knob and started to give it a small tug while turning the key clockwise. I heard a small click and pulled the knob back as hard as I could. The fact that the knob was unlocked but the rod was still in the door contradicted and snapped the rod. I pulled the door back little by little making sure not to attract attention.

I opened the gap big enough for my right eye to look inside. It was a little dark but I could see a figure restrained to the wall by several chains. I blinked several times to focus my vision. When I got a good look I noticed that the figure was in fact a changeling - Chao. Chao had many noticeable injuries all over her body and a few scars from lacerations that were left untreated. Her injuries were not too major and none were even close to being lethal. But if changeling anatomy was somewhat close to human anatomy than that would mean that all of the injuries hit all of the nerves. Her torturer must have really known what he was doing.

Her torturer...oh right, I just saw him walk in. I scanned what little part of the room the small opening in the door allowed me to see. He walked towards Chao closer and woke her up with a claw swipe to her face. A few drops of blood left the scratches as Chao weakly lifted up her head and opened her eyes before quickly closing them again.

“Wake up, Sunshine. I have a great day planned out for us,” the griffon said with a malicious grin on his face.

He went over to a small drawer and opened the first shelf, took out a short whip, and began to approach Chao. I had planned to wait a while longer for the griffon to leave, but I was not going to allow anything more to happen to Chao. I opened the door and slowly walked in carefully placing each foot’s heel first as to not make any sounds from my footsteps.

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I cannot remember how long I have been in here. Was it weeks, months, or years maybe? At first I counted the days hoping to be rescued. That day never came. Perhaps Chrysalis decided to leave me here for failing. The exact reason didn’t matter now. Starting from the first day when I was imprisoned… they hurt me. Every day, he would come in the morning and leave at night. Every day, he would come in and he would hurt me. He claimed he wanted information. He claimed he was ensuring the safety of the land and her people. At first I screamed. I would scream and I would cry.

I would beg.

But no matter what I did - all he ever did was smile at me. Not a warm or sympathetic smile but one of pure ecstasy and enjoyment.

Then I talked.

I told him everything he asked and then some. I told him of our Khanate, of our politics, of our military, and of our queen. He continued to come in the mornings.

Except, he stopped asking questions.

He would come in, torture me and then leave. He never intended to gain answers to those questions he asked. He never needed an answer. He just needed an excuse. But now, he doesn’t have one, but he doesn’t care about that anymore. I never thought it was possible when other changelings talked about it. I thought pain was not something anyone could ever get used to. I had proven myself wrong.

I woke up to sharp talons striking the left side of my face. I looked up at the griffon. ‘The physical form of evil,’ I called him. I never called him that out loud. I never called out to him at all. I didn’t believe today would be any different than all the other days. I heard him walk towards the drawer and remove an object from it. I wonder what he would be using today. I heard the footsteps approach me. I tightened my muscles hoping to dull the sharp pains that would soon come.

Instead, something unprecedented happened.

I heard a quick *whap* like the sound of two soft objects colliding. Then, a scream that lasted for only one second before hearing something fall to the floor. Had he dropped something on himself perhaps? Then I heard another footstep. This footstep was different, there were no clicking sounds of the claws touching the floor. Had a changeling finally come to rescue me? I froze as I felt something stroking my mane. I stiffened even more when I opened my eyes. In front of me was a strange creature. Certainly not a changeling. A changeling needed an example or template of what to change into before changing into it.

This creature; I have never seen or heard of before. He did not have fur like the ponies and griffons. But he possessed a long mane which was tied back behind his head except for some parts that he allowed to hang over the front of his face. He wore clothes...strange...why did he wear clothes? The clothes offered no protection from physical damage but perhaps the weather. What was the use of the clothes other than protection from the weather? The creature was so strange but yet so familiar. That’s when it hit me. I had been told of a new powerful being in Equestria before I had been sent to the Griffon kingdom and captured. This must be him. My eyes went wide in shock. He was loyal to Equestria which was loyal to the griffons. But he did take out my torturer. Why was he here, though? it doesn’t make any sense. I calmed down a little when he smiled at me - a real smile not like the smile of the griffon.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asked me while maintaining his smile. “Please say yes. Chrysalis would kill me if you weren’t.”

Chrysalis hadn’t abandoned me. I was so happy I almost began to cry.

“Anyways,” he continued. “I checked the griffon. Couldn’t find the keys to unlock the chain. Any idea where they might be?”

“I don’t know,” I said with what strength I had left. “I suspect they don’t even have it anymore.”

“What do you mean?” he asked with a serious face.

“I don’t think they ever intended for me to leave.”

“That’s alright.”

What did he mean by that?

“I don’t plan on allowing any of them to leave either,” he said with an ever growing smile.

His tone was constantly changing. It was friendly, comforting, and menacing. However, the same expression remained on his face. My thoughts were interrupted when he put both of his hands onto the chain and tightened his grip. The blood veins in his hands glowed blue as ice started spreading onto the chains. Then the blue-blooded veins turned red as the ice melted quickly and the chain snapped.

“Well, Sunshine,” he started. “Let’s get out of here so we’ll be home in time for breakfast. I have a great day planned out for us.”