Xenophilia: Flesh and Thorns

by warpd

Epilogue

The sun climbed over the horizon as it dragged the mountain’s long shadow across the forest bordered around it. Thick vegetation protected the mighty fortress from any massive force that sought to conquer the stronghold. The castle within the mountain was forged long ago by a powerful dragon to protect the greatest horde the world had known.

The keep remained vigilant for eons until the dragon passed on. The treasure lost and the mountain fell under a new owner time after time. Whatever possession the mortal had the mountain protected. Whatever mortal possessed the mountain fell to tragedy. No army could approach the fortress, but a dagger in the dark slipped in easily.

Luna patiently waited in the cool cover of darkness. She knew her sister forced the Changeling Queen to retreat back her stronghold. Luna couldn’t remember the last time the Queen was vulnerable like this. Such an opportunity was not about to be wasted.

“Princess, everything is ready.” A mixture of night and day guards stood ready for her to command. They were the best for espionage and rescue. Luna’s umbrianic spells concealed them well under the cover of shadow. Commander Nightstrike saluted her princess as her golden eyes gleamed. “We have two strike forces prepared. I will be leading one unless you deem otherwise.”

‘Times have truly changed.’ Luna observed the lone stallion that hung back. For Changeling missions it was necessary to have a unicorn that extinguished the magical changeling flames. He fulfilled that role for the second team, Luna did for her team. “Be swift, be silent. Kill carefully.”

“Remember, my guards, any prisoners are our first priority. Avoid detection and if you meet the Queen, do not engage her. She will tear you to shreds.” The shadows creeped over Luna as her form disappeared. “Leave her to me.”

Luna traveled swiftly, like the quiet, unseen breeze. She held point efficiently as her squad lingered behind her. Shadow within another shadow, Luna zipped up over an entrance and skillfully dispatched the first guard, only to find no guard to be neutralized. There wasn’t a changeling there to greet her.

Her practiced moves and centuries of trained warfare immediately jumped to the idea of a possible trap. Luna’s eyes pierced through the veil for the ambush. It never came. ‘What is this?’

Luna motioned for the rest of her team to follow. They descended down into the maw of the mountain tunnel. No host greeted them as the dim morning light failed to reach any farther. ‘Why do I not sense any creeping creature? Did the Queen really summon her entire hive to aid her?’

Weak emerald torches spotted the walls thoughtlessly as a sickly glow at the end of the tunnel grew brighter. The kingdom under the mountain imposed upon the team as they slinked out of the entry way. The tomb of a castle had a green aura about it that produced pale light barely enough to illuminate. ‘No matter who owns it, this place never changes.’

“Princess.” Luna’s eyes widened when one of her guards broke the rule of silence. She darted her angry stare towards the idiot mare. The guard didn’t flinch. “Princess, where are the changelings?”

Luna tilted her head, her horn glowed as her vision enhanced. Her telescopic vision inspected everything about the stronghold. She saw rats as they scurried away under the safety of darkness, moths fluttered around old lights, and the second strike squad climbed out of their designated tunnel cave.

“Princess, these hives are supposed to be swarming with them, even if she called out for her army.” The earth pony mare gulped as the stillness unnerved her. “Why would the monster call for her entire force for a lone human?”

“Tis’ not something we need to worry about. If this city is indeed dead we must beware of the stragglers that didn’t answer her call. They will be more vigilant with their companions' absence.” Luna did not release her shadow spell, she was not about to be careless.

They walked in silence as they entered the castle, their clops silenced by the stealth spell. A foul stench became thicker as a green haze fogged the corridors. The smell reminded Luna of dead love and prisoners kept in unholy conditions. Fresh scratches were etched on the walls from changelings that had scampered there earlier that day. This city was filled with life not even an hour ago.

Then, painted on the wall, was a fresh, green splatter. Something or somepony had slammed a changeling against the wall. The trail drained down the wall and dribbled across the floor. It appeared that it dragged itself away. On the wall a claw mark trailed alongside the mess. Like something decided to drag its sharp weapons into solid, rock wall as it walked.

“Princess, do you see the changeling?” One of the pegasus day guards spoke up in a hushed tone.

Luna peered farther down and found the answer in far worse condition. “It is nothing. Keep moving.” What also caught her attention was a set of strange tracks stained in changeling remains. ‘What kind of animal is that, and why would it tear a changeling apart in such a gruesome manner?’

They continued down eerie corridor as did the trail sliced into the wall. Black stains from magic spells plastered randomly in the hallway. “Found a changeling leg...”

A unicorn night guard shook her head. “I think we have an opportunist here. We need to find the prisoners before it does.”

Before Luna could respond somepony interrupted her. “H-hello? Please help.”

Out of the inky blackness a yellow mare earth pony with chrysanthemums for a cutie mark stumbled into Luna’s view. She could see the poor mare’s ribs and her coat was sticky with filth. “Where am I? I can’t see anything. Almond, are you there?”

Luna’s quick spell check told her that it was indeed a pony and not a changeling. “My little pony, please remain calm. I will aid you.”

“Princess? Princess!” The young mare brightened up as she hugged Luna. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

The princess took the time to return the hug despite how the pony smelled as her guards formed a perimeter around them. “Hush now, can you please tell me where the others are?”

The pony shook her head in Luna’s barrel as the tears trickled out. “No, I’m sorry. I woke up in a room not far from here.”

“You were brave to come this far. I will teleport you to safety.” Luna dipped her horn down to the mare’s head.

“If you find a pony named Almond, tell her you found me.”

Luna smiled. “Very well, what is thy name my young pony?”

The mare faded away as the teleport worked its magic. “Joy, princess.”

Luna’s horn stopped as she stood tall. She nodded to her guards as they pressed on. Room after empty room greeted them with only a stray rodent present.

“Princess do you copy?” The shadows called out to Luna.

She closed her eyes and took a calm breath. “Go ahead Shade Team.”

“We found the nest.” Luna’s eyes shot open as she gasped. “You want to see this.”

“You foals get out of there, their guardian will tear you to pieces.” Luna hissed sharply as the astronomical hair on her back bristled.

“It was dead when we arrived here.” The shadow spell ended. Luna blinked a few times before she shook her head.

“We are regrouping with Shade.” Luna remained calmed, but fact that the nest guardian was dead worried her. Each hive had a special guard for the nest, the deadliest changeling. The Queen always kept a special one with her hive. A beast modeled after a dragon with the same mentality drakes had for their horde, and just as powerful.

The dead castle revealed no surprises, though Luna felt that something lurked beyond sight. “Over here.”
Luna saw the point team of Shade Team wave them over. “What made you think it was a wise idea to approach a nest?”

“When we found the body like this ma’am.” The guard pointed towards the large draconian changeling corpse that was scorched with severe third degree burns. The stallion had flames that needed to be snuffed out. “There are extreme lacerations all over its body and something pierced him all the way through several times.”

Luna ignored the burning stench that hung in the air. She looked over to the room that it had failed to protect. “And the nest.”

“Burnt to ashes. Nothing survived.”

“Princess.” That stallion spoke up as he postponed his work. “The nest was destroyed by changeling flames.”

“A changeling did all this?” Luna spoke her thoughts out loud. “I have never known a changeling to go rogue.”

“What worries me is that the magic signature is the same as the one on the guardian. Princess, what changeling is powerful enough to kill the strongest nest guardian?”

Luna slowly trotted over to the body. “A single changeling is unlikely, but more than one revolting seems even more unlikely.” She closed her eyes as she tested the green magic flames.

She instantly recognized the poison. “T-this is the Queen’s!”

“The Queen did all this!?” Nightstrike flinched, but quickly recomposed herself. “Princess that makes no sense.”

“I am aware, commander, but I recognize her magic.” Luna looked down the desolate dark halls. She searched for any clues for such actions only to find none. “There is nothing left for us here. Find the prisoners, I do not want the Queen to turn her wrath on them.”

“I think I hear ponies down these stairs!” A night guard had taken her position by the nearby staircase and after a while heard voices.

Luna held out her wings to hold back the guards. They tilted their heads at her a little surprised at her hesitation. “Careful my ponies, I’ll go first.”

Luna took a slow step down the stairs as she strained her ears on any sounds of life. Whimpers of her little ponies could be heard. She picked up her pace and towards the bottom she practically leaped down. Luna found ponies in dismal chaos. All the cages left open with hay and filth spread all over the dungeon. Feeble ponies had herded themselves together and most had collapsed from sheer exhaustion. Several mares formed a line of defense for the others behind them even though they were no better off.

“Look, it’s Princess Luna!”

“No stop, she’s a changeling.”

“Peace my little ponies.” Luna spread her wings and allowed her mane to bellow. “I am your princess. We have come to rescue you from this forsaken place.”

The rest of the ponies slowly got on their hooves as the one of the mares hesitantly approached Luna. “Is it really you?”

Luna nealt down and folded her legs underneath herself. “Do not fear, it is I.”

The mare’s frown disappeared as tears formed in her eyes. She wailed as she enveloped Luna in a tight hug. Luna nuzzled her and allowed her subject reprieve. The other ponies followed her example shortly after.

“Now, I’m going to teleport all of you to safety. Please stay in a tight group.” Luna nodded to the day guard that was in charge of teleports on the other team. “Please aid me.”

The mare stepped forward as her horn glowed. “Of course Princess.”

They tilted their heads down far enough to point their horns towards the ground. Runes appeared around the tired herd as a magic ring formed. An earth pony stallion gulped as the magic spell hummed. “This doesn’t look like a teleportation spell I’ve ever seen.”

“It’s also a filter spell.” Nightstrike answered. She stood rather close to the group.

“Filter for what?”

“Well...” The spell flashed as it was completed. The prisoners disappeared in a blink, they left behind the mare that first hugged Luna. Nightstrike slammed into the pony, dragged her across the floor, and then pinned her up against the wall. “For any changelings that might have any funny ideas.”

The changeling mare squeaked as she tried her best to ward off the pressure. “Now this is interesting, you are the first living changeling we have meet in this entire hive, and all the places to find you it is cowering in the very lot you kidnapped.”

The guards closed in close. A changeling was very hard to subdue thanks to its ability to turn into a multitude of species, they do not surrender.

That day, however, was a special day. “Please help me.” The mare wheezed out.

“Help you? Help you!?” Nightstrike dug her hind hoof into the changeling’s belly. “We just sent off a little over a dozen abused ponies due to your hoofwork. You have a lot of gall, bug.”

Nightstrike felt Luna’s wing brush over her back. She looked up and Luna gave her a stern nod. The changeling felt the pressure released as a larger shadow loomed over her.

Luna looked down at the pitiful creature. “Are there more prisoners?”

“No, that was all of them. Well except for one that is in a room upstairs, but nothing was going to happen to her.” The changeling knelt down and hugged the ground as much as she could. Her ears were folded against her skull as her hair stood on end. “Please help me.”

Luna squinted her eyes as her truth spell detected no lies. “Help you from what exactly?”

It was faint for a moment, but laughter was soon heard by all from the darkness. “So that’s where you’ve been hiding.”

The mare’s pupils shrank and she started to chirp rapidly. “No, no! My Queen please it’s me! Don’t you recognize me?”

Green flames sprouted around the room as the laughter crackled. The changeling looked up to Luna. “Please, help me!”

The flames disappeared then reappeared as a ring around the changeling mare. It jumped out and tried to make a run for it. Something caught it by its left hind-leg. “No!”

The changeling pawed at the ground as it struggled. Whatever held it started to drag it under into nothing. Luna and her guards backed up as the desperate creature hissed, clicked, and clawed for anything. The green flames started to burn it.

The stallion stepped forward and grabbed the changeling's appendage. His horn glowed as he tried to put out the flames. “Don’t worry I got you!”

“What are you doing idiot!?” Nightstrike hissed at him. “This is a changeling, it’s not even technically a living creature.”

“I don’t care!” The stallion pulled along with the changeling. The fire stung his muzzle. “I can’t stand idly by while somepony needs help.”

Suddenly the changeling fell on top of him. The ring of emerald fire disappeared as did whatever tried to pull it in. They toppled over on their sides with burn marks peppered over the changeling’s body. Nightstrike dragged the stallion away from the changeling as fast as she could.

They breathed heavily for a few moments before the changeling got back up. “T-thank you.”

“Do you even mean that?” One of the guards spoke up.

It gave a small smile and slightly tilted her head. “Of course I do.”

In a blink of an eye there was a hand around it’s throat.

It was gone.

“Where did the changeling go!?” The guards jumped into position around their princess. Luna glared at the spot where the changeling vanished. She witnessed an arm rise from the ground and pull the creature down into darkness. It didn’t take more than a second.

“I’m going to go find her, I will send you all out of this place.”

Nightstrike let go of the stallion and trotted up to Luna. “It that wise, Princess? Shouldn’t we come with you?”
Luna allowed a smile to breach her muzzle. “I’ll be fine. This is something I need to do alone. I’m afraid she is beyond you.”

‘Can I do it alone? This thing was the monster under my bed when I was a filly.’

“Even still we are sworn to protect you with what strength we do possess.” Luna observed her soldiers’ strong demeanors. She could not see a hint of hesitation.

Luna closed her eyes and smiled. “Thank you all.” Then, with a flick of her horn, they all vanished. “However, I fear my actions may be grave.”

The moon princess released her magic aura and allowed all her power to seep out of her. Any semblance of light vanished as Luna’s coat turned black. A figure of the moon shone briefly in her eyes before the eyes glowed pure white. The mane and tail seemed to grow as the stars filled the room. It was like a heavenly body was created in the small space.

“I’m coming for you.”

She moved like a storm. Lightning bolts occasionally sparked off her as she quickly strode from room to room. Luna’s resolved hardened as she recalled the tragedies that the Queen had wrought since time memorial. Whatever madness struck the monster was not about to stay Luna’s hooves or horn. Then she heard the sound of a deranged giggle.

“Saleté.”

Crunch.

“Dégoûtant.”

Crunch, crunch.

“Haine. Haine, haine. Je vous détester!”

Crunch!

Luna looked around as the insane laughter surrounded her. The Queen gibbered on much to Luna’s unease. Out of the corner of her eye, Luna saw a shape limp out of the darkness.

‘There she is.’

The Changeling Queen slogged away from the remains of the changeling that was in the dungeon. Luna did not recognize the form she was in. ‘She looks like Bellerophon Michaelides.”

The Queen was sickly pale and covered in green changeling blood. Her mane looked like it was torn haphazardly out of the skull. Wings appeared to be freshly healed as though her previous pair was ripped out not moments ago. She held a dull iron paring knife in her hand that appeared that it was used to perform a task beyond it’s normal capacity.

Luna winced as the Queen shrill laughter hit an uncomfortable octave. ‘This is what I didn’t have in mind, but regardless...’

“Face me monster! You have much to answer for.” Luna bellowed as she rose up to her full height.

The Queen paused. She tilted her head like she wasn’t sure if heard anything. Luna tensed up as her opponent slowly turned to face her. The paring knife was dropped as the monster’s eyes bored into Luna. Misery painted over the Queen’s face.

“Amie.”

“Who?”

“Amie! Non de non!” She fell to her knees as a shriek of despair parted her lips. “Ils vous avez utilisés pour faire mon corps. Je suis tellement désolé, Amie. Pas assez qu'ils vous tuer, mais ont utilisé les restes pour vous tirer le long comme une marionnette avec des cordes cassées. Pourquoi ne pourrais pas avoir décédé, juste pour emmerder ceux de salaud de fées? Tout ce que j'ai maintenant, c'est des morceaux d'un passé épineuses cassé et la chair névrotique de mon ami mort qui me tient.”

Aimee fell over into a fetal position as tears flowed uninterrupted. Luna hesitantly trotted over, she beheld the downfall of one of history’s greatest monsters and had no idea what to do. The insane wretched creature rocked herself as she murmured on.

***

“I can’t believe you were able to bring her here.” Celestia told her sister. They were both in a private room with only themselves.

“We did agree that the best case scenario was that I captured her.” Luna answered.

“After all you told me, I find it hard to believe.” Celestia sat on her haunches and chewed her bottom lip. “This doesn’t make sense. Why would she just fall apart like that? When I last saw her she was at the height of her power, and she terrified me. She even had that body when she attacked. Now we have her in one room over and she’s tearing her wings out of her back.”

Luna looked past the magic veil that allowed them to see her, but not the other way around. “Why is she so fixated with that old iron paring knife? She keeps mutilating herself, or trying to anyway.”

The watched a few moments before Celestia spoke up. “We’ll treat her.”

“I’ll be honest sister I don’t think we can. So many old wounds make it hard for me to sympathize.” Luna admitted with a sad sigh.

“It wouldn’t matter anyway. This looks like a case that only Cadance can heal.” Celestia shuttered as she watched Aimee stick the knife through her hand. “I have no idea how long it will take.”

Inside a warm white room a pitiful woman picked at the wound on her chest. The one thing that Lero had left her and it did not heal. Aimée looked over her body as she watched the self-inflicted wounds from the same knife heal quickly.

“Il n'est pas humain.”

“Non, je ne suis pas.”

Comments

[junkers1337]

It's times like this when I wish I had took French and not German in High School. So ist das Leben.

[KMCA]

2942705 I took french in highschool and I didn't get most of it

[conantheimp]

I really wanna know what that French says...

[AnormalUnicornPony]

2947929
The gist(?):
"They used it to make you my body. I'm so sorry, Amie. It's not enough that they kill you, but they used the leftovers to pull you along like a puppet with broken strings. Why could I not have died just so I could spite those bastard fairies? All I have now is broken pieces of a thorny past and the neurotic flesh of my dead friend. "

"It is not human."
"No, I'm not."

I am not an expert in French by any means but it sounds as though there are two people speaking from her. I corrected for that as best I could above but as I said I am not an expert.

She is probably using the paring knife since she believes she is most likely a fae.

[Ehunkel]

I read this tonight, and I have to say, your French is horrible :D

If I have some time in the next days, I'll provide the correct sentences. Oh and before anyone ask, I'm a native French, so I know what I'm doing :). Tell you wshat, I'll even provide the translations in English if you ask nicely!

[Trave]

That was a fantastic story.

That was a creepy ending. Kind of want to feel bad, but screw it blow it up!
Luna = Badass commando

Great job!

[RedMage0661]

Looks like the author may have used google translate or something like it. The french parts have grammar that are full of mistakes. When using another language, I would suggest asking someone who is fluent in it to proofread before submitting.

[carrs88]

Will there be a sequel in this story arc? You know redemption for Aimee?