The Chimera

by Scarheart

Chimera 8: Chrysalis Unleashed!

Canterlot was abuzz with soldiers departing for the front lines. Every day the allies of Equestria were losing a bit more ground, but they were starting to establish themselves firmly in the mountains, using them to stymie the advancing forces of the Dragonking. Their positions were quickly negating the numerical superiority of their enemy. The Equestrians and their allies could do nothing upon the plains, but neither could their foes uproot them from their griffon-dug entrenchments within the very granite of the unyielding rocks.

Oblivion. The very word sent shivers down the Queen's spine when she first heard it from Celestia's lips. She had dug up her journal, the very one she had kept since Silent Wing had come under her care. Oblivion was not just a simple word, but for changelings, it was a promise made to them long ago by Flamespyre to give them a god. The past fifteen years had turned the prophecy she remembered as a filly into the ramblings of a mad dragon. Since she had felt his mind, his writings that had become almost a religion to changeling royals, the doctrine of what they were to strive to be had started to make a different sort of sense to her.

She had never dwelled upon it as the word itself had never been physically mentioned in any of the old texts she had in her personal library. No volume could claim to explain one word in the context to which Flamespyre intended, whatever that may be. Chrysalis suspected oblivion was his intention once he had all he desired and the world beneath his claw.

If anything, it made his whole goals even more confusing. Princess Celestia was inclined to agree with her. If the war was not pressing, both royal matriarchs would get together and go over the queen's scribblings and reference Celestia's own research she handed over to her royal librarian to seek. Canterlot had one of the largest collections of books and writings from around the known world with literally thousands of unread works awaiting study.

Still, the queen noticed a problem with Celestia; she was becoming more and more lethargic and indifferent to running her government. It was so slight, but Chrysalis noticed. She assigned a small group of Silent's changelings (she could not bring herself to trust Myzanum's warriors) the task of seeking out the pony doing this. It had to be a Battlesinger.

But who? Few beings in the world could outmatch a changeling in mimicry, even fewer could escape detection from a changeling. A dragonling, however was a different story. Even Silent would have noticed, perhaps more so since this was one of his siblings even if he was still ignorant of his connection. Now they dared to move against Princess Celestia. Such a dangerous risk! Unless there was an ulterior motive.

For an hour she had waited at the end of a hallway, gazing out a window at nothing, her focus a thousand miles away along with her thoughts. Streams of sunshine plastered her face, forcing her eyes half closed in the glare. She was not in her normal form. Instead, she wore the guise of a mare from Ponyville who had gone with a supply train to Grazeland. Her pale blonde mane was braided and flipped to one side, her coat a dark gray. It was an Earth pony guise mimicking the somepony of a guard she had noticed.

Chrysalis was hungry for love and was now actively hunting for it. Celestia was preoccupied with other things to keep tabs on her. One of Silent's changelings (that boy had chosen his warriors very well, she noted and from the minor noble houses and the commoners) was currently standing in for Chrysalis while she stalked her quarry. Oblivion and the war would have to wait until after feeding.

A white stallion Unicorn in steel armor rounded the corner. He paused, noticing the familiar mare in front of him, waiting and smiling. His love for her exploded on sight and Chrysalis nearly swooned. She could already feel her fangs applying that personal touch she preferred when feeding on love directly from the source.

"Hello dear," she purred enticingly, walking up to him with heavy lidded eyes. "I've been waiting for you." The eyes of the queen glowed green, capturing her victim and luring him into her web. It would make thinking so much clearer with that nagging need for love sated.

For now.

Out in the courtyard there was a great commotion. Just as she was about to feed, cries from an arriving messenger from the front crying out frantically interrupted her. "The Griffon Kingdom has fallen! Somepony find the princess! The Griffon Kingdom has fallen to the enemy!"

"Damn the luck," she muttered as she caressed the face of her intended dining experience. "This will have to be a quickie, my dear."

---

The rugged mountains bordering the Kingdoms of Equestria and Griffondia was the last line of defense between the enemy and Manehatten. There was on major pass where the mountains were low enough for flyers to pass through. However, the winds were treacherous and benefited the defenders better than at any other point of the war to this point. The tops of the mountains were constantly concealed through the endless clouds. The Endless Peaks were well named, with many of the jagged spires of massive stone breaching deep into the thin air where no winged beast dared to fly.

Griffon refugees had been streaming through the wide pass for a week now. Their army did their best to stem the waves of changelings crashing against them time and time again. They were a desperate lot and a grim and determined army braced wearily for the next assault as they dug into their mountains and rocks and slopes in anticipation of the next attack. The changeling army they faced was regrouping, having overextended themselves over the past six days.

The hour before dawn found a certain monarch among those she would have once considered potential meals.

Queen Chrysalis was at the front lines now and in her changeling chain mail and banded black steel. Her mane was tied back in a topknot, her delicate crown having been exchanged for an open-faced helm studded with onyx stones where the crown would be. Her mane plumed out from the top of the helmet, knotted off at the base before spilling over her protected neck. Her single strand of hair always hanging between her eyes dangled there still, plastered against her skin through her sweat. The weight of the helm pressing kept it in place. She did not remove her helm, anticipating battle at any given moment. Upon it were the markings of her children's names in the ancient words of what had once been the language of an empire, long forgotten by all but a few. Atalanta upon the right face guard, Silent Wing etched upon the left. A pair of wickedly curved short swords were strapped to her shoulders, their jagged edges gleaming in the light of the torches.

Queen Chrysalis had come to do war upon her enemies.

Generals were assembled around them within the tent, a great table with several maps strewn across it. Pewter figurines depicting units and their positions were scattered where they were currently at on the battlefield. The front was stabilized for now, but for how long remained to be seen. None seemed too please to see their most hated enemy among them in place of their beloved princess. When she entered, there was a hush settling over the grizzled faces, reflecting in hardened eyes their contempt. Everypony beneath the tent and around the table knew exactly this creature's past with Canterlot. There were even a pair of griffons in impeccable dress uniforms watching her in her archaic battle gear, smirking.

The princess' letter was all that kept them from falling upon the dark queen. It rested on the corner of the table. More than one eye fell upon it. More than one throat tightened. More than one sigh hissed through clenched teeth.

Princess Celestia knew there would be no other pony better suited for the task of leading troops in battle, even if she had to be creative in convincing her generals. The Alicorn would have gone, but she understood her mind was not working right. Through a remarkable stroke of realization, she understood she might be more of a hindrance to her army than a help. She begged the queen to go and help any way she could. There was no one else to turn to.

Chrysalis accepted the task, but for her own reasons.

There could be no delay, so attempting to explain herself was out of the question. Having already received a report from her own changelings of the situation, she decided to get to the meat of the conversation. Her attention went towards the positioning of troops and reported movements, playing several scenarios over and over in her head. Chrysalis was looking at the map, her hoof tapping at a particular point of interest where she thought the enemy was vulnerable. "The right flank is over extended," she noted to the generals in the room. "We should hit them with heavy infantry with air support. We can buy time to fortify our positions. Their command and control is on that hill right before the pass opens up. We should push for it and disrupt their chain of command."

Flash Sentry, his jaw still recovering from being broken by Silent Wing peered at the map where the queen indicated. He was well enough to be at the front. Outside the distant thunder of artillery rumbled constantly as both sides dueled as if it was simply something to do.

"Impossible, your Majesty," he said through clenched teeth. The general still could not open his jaws fully. "We have too many forces dedicated to holding what we have." He held up a hoof when she began to protest angrily. "We can't spare soldiers for your idea. It's a good plan, we just don't have the ponies to execute it."

"Even if we did, why should we trust you? You're a changeling. We're fighting changelings."

She ignored that, contemplating a plan. "What if I were to personally lead the attack?" Chrysalis offered, her eyes blazing. "I will take a small force of changelings under my command and strike into the gap, driving a wedge while I push for their commander."

"But their commander is a powerful sorcerer and we have nopony who can match against her."

"Queen Alzaera. I have met her once before. She is aggressive. She is old. She hides her weaknesses through bluffs. That being said, she is also cunning. But she is no warrior, my dear generals." Chrysalis cast her eyes over every pony at the table who bothered to listen to her. "The Diamond Kingdom is the most numerous of all the changelings. In order to break any changeling army, you must remove their leadership. You know this." She fell upon the two griffon commanders at the table, telling them, "You have used that tactic against my own children, have you not?"

One of the older generals glared at her. "As you were just told, we have nopony who can match against her magic."

Chrysalis stared at him, giving the poor fellow a moment to realize to whom he was addressing. The light dawned in his eyes as they widened briefly. "My apologies," he muttered, unable to bring himself to look at her while uttering those words.

"I will personally lead the attack with my bodyguards," she told them, not expecting them to accept such an outrageous offer. They were, after all a bunch of close-minded ponies who wouldn't know a gift if it slapped them in the face. "If I should fall, then you boys shouldn't have to worry about the likes of Queen Chrysalis ever again, will you?"

They shared a silent conference, looking for some form of objection to the idea. Disbelieving stares greeted each other as they came to a consensus. They understood they could not remain on the defensive and expect to win. Besides, for a queen to offer to lead an attack was the thing one only heard of in story books.

"Say when and where you want your artillery support," growled the commanding artillery officer. "We'll give you proper music to ride off into."

"I'm sure we can get you a brigade of heavies from the reserves," Flash Sentry offered. "I'll lead them myself."

Not missing a beat or allowing herself a moment to be grateful, she began pouring over the maps. A dozen heads leaned in with her. "Here's what I want to do," she began, strangely glad to be going to battle herself for the first time since...

Inside, she was laughing at herself hysterically, the circumstances too ironic.

The movement was quick, quiet as soldiers were moved up and into position. Chrysalis gave her orders to her subordinates, six lieutenants who were nothing more than cadets. They were young, looking up at her with unquestioning faces as they listened to their instructions. There were nods, eyes alight in anticipation of battle. A few were nervous. All hid their fears the queen could clearly sense. This might have been too much to ask of them. Every one of them were within a year of Silent Wing's age.

Chrysalis felt like the monster she had been portrayed as.

"Be sure to stick to your squads and don't get separated," she said, having removed her helmet so she could speak to them and allow her warriors to see her face. "You've trained half your lives for this, sworn an oath to me, to your people. I in turn will swear to you I shall fight with you with all of my being. Remember; do not engage Queen Alzaera. We get in there quickly, use the element of surprise, remove as much of their officers as possible, and get the buck out. Do I make myself clear?"

They did, voicing eagerly.

"Good. Be sure to pass that on to the others. There are too few of us to get tangled up in a pitched battle. Leave that to the ponies. They've got the heavies for hoof to hoof trench warfare. Do not engage the enemy until we get to their headquarters. Repeat that back to me," she commanded sternly, her harlequin eyes blazing to emphasize her point.

Word for word the changelings did so.

Satisfied, Queen Chrysalis nodded. "Very good. All right, my children. Let's show these ponies how to win a battle."

They saluted, to which she returned with a curt nod, her eyes casting over each young face before they departed to pass the orders on. Turning away from them, the Queen donned her helmet, her magic tugging her mane through the plume hole. She closed her eyes, wondering why all of those faces had suddenly become the visage of her adopted son.

Brushing the thought away, she heaved a nervous breath, allowing her a moment to think of Atalanta first and foremost. Silent Wing was safe, far from war and on an airship. His last letter sent by dragonflame was now pulled from beneath the folds of her padding between her coat and armor. She opened it, reading his handwriting and wondering if the colt was ever going to learn how to spell salutations correctly. The monarch smiled, brushed her lips against the letter and placed it back home over her heart.

A pair of armored griffons arrived. Air cavalry, by their markings. "Queen Chrysalis," started the one to her left. "My unit will be providing your air cover and will be responsible for covering your retreat. We can keep the skies clear for you long enough for you to complete your mission. I imagine we can give you fifteen minutes at most before we are overwhelmed by sheer numbers."

"And you are?" she ventured, her voice like cold steel. Queen Chrysalis realized she was alone. However, she was hardly defenseless.

"Captain Blacktalon, ma'am," he grunted, barely acknowledging her rank. "Rumor has it you had your flank handed to you by Princess Luna."

"Captain," Chrysalis said darkly. "How about you follow your orders, do what you're paid to do and leave me and my changelings to do our jobs? Last I checked, neither one of us have a kingdom now, so I really don't think either one of us is in a position to spew misplaced bravado at the other." Her horn began to glow, crackling with her power. "If there is nothing else, might I suggest you get to your position?"

The black griffon scowled beneath his helmet, his yellow eyes flashing his annoyance. "Pray you succeed, Chrysalis. I doubt you have much at stake in this battle," he snarled, jabbing a talon at her.

"Sir!" his subordinate whispered harshly in his ear. "We do not have time for this."

"Bah! She is a changeling. Her kind care for nothing other than taking what was never theirs to begin with." He spat at the queen's hooves. "Parasites, the lot of you!"

Chrysalis flared her nostrils, widening her eyes as she stared back, her hooves clattering on the stones beneath her, tail swishing in anger. Baring her fangs, her wings became abuzz, lifting off her hooves. Glaring with rising hatred at Captain Blacktalon, she considered obliterating him right then and there, but stopped herself short as her horn sparked wild green energy.

"Ware your words, captain," she hissed in a dreadful voice. "A mere word and you are a bloody paste upon the ground. It is fortunate things in this world are far more important to me at this moment than hearing your dying screams rise to the heavens and to whatever ancestors you honor the most."

With that, she presented her plot to him and headed for her soldiers, manifesting for herself a magical scythe to wield in combat. It flickered green and black, crackling with tendrils of bright green energy, drifting at her right shoulder. She glanced up at the morning skies, the first rays of light beginning to glimmer on the horizon. Chrysalis could already make out the rolling hills before her, the multitude of campfires still glittering for as far as she could see. She noted her goal and the lines her changelings would have to overcome.

The ponies promised help. The griffons would provide air cover. The meeting had led her to believe there might be a chance of betrayal. She snorted at the idea. If there was to be a dagger in the back, it would not happen until she had at least fulfilled her part of her plan. Escape would be feasible, but there was one thing she felt she wanted to be made perfectly clear to the changelings who would follow her.

Upon landing, the stood at attention, solid sapphire eyes fixated upon her. Each face was its own little world of self doubt and bravado. She could smell the fear off each one, some more so than others. A scant few felt no fear. All would obey as she felt their love for her. All would do anything for her. The queen would be with them this day. It was the common soldier's dream.

"Bring them in," Queen Chrysalis commanded as she settled to the ground, cocking her magically summoned weapon over her shoulder nonchalantly. Her lieutenants turned and quietly ordered the formations in until they formed a half circle in front of Chrysalis. "You are all still children in my eyes," she said gently, with a smile each one seemingly felt was for him. "You followed your prince in hopes of fighting along side him. I hope I am not a disappointing substitute."

They laughed as she smiled at them. Good. This put them at ease.

"I will be proud to lead you warriors into battle," she went on, drawing herself nearer to them until those in the front were close enough to almost be nose to chest with Chrysalis. "I am honored to have Emerald Sons stand with me on this day. Look upon each other, my children. You know with whom you fight. You know what it is you are fighting for. You have each other this moment, this day. You are brothers in arms, training for this very moment."

Her hoof selected one of the colts, lifting his chin up so she could gaze into his eyes. "Your name, child. What is it?" Chrysalis asked.

"Nibblewing, ma'am," he blurted proudly.

"I will fight for you," she promised. The queen released him, casting her gaze over the lot of them. "I will fight for all of you. If you are at my side, I will guard your flank. We fight to buy my son - your prince - time to complete a mission he had no choice but to accept. We cannot fail, my children. Failure is not an option."

She exhaled slowly, remembering Feidole.

"That is all. Back to your positions. Be ready to move."

They would perhaps have the easiest job this morning. Stay behind her and guard her flanks. As the Queen waited for the moment, she began to prepare the spell she would need. It would take a while to prepare as it required bracing herself mentally for the release. She knew what she wanted to do. She rose in the air upon gossamer wings humming in the morning light.

As soon as she heard the first round of roaring cannon fire, she watched where the impacts landed, her eyes catching them quite well despite the low light. They were brimming with her power, shimmering jades of harlequin doom funneling into her crooked horn. Snarling with unbridled rage, she unleashed her magic in a wide swath of green destruction, a cone at the gap where she knew the enemy was weakest. Great gouts of earth was flung carelessly into the air, shearing through trench lines and throwing bodies and parts high into the air. Cries of pain and agony went up. She swept her scythe in a broad horizontal sweep, causing a second eruption of her magic to smooth her path. She smiled. The artillery split from the point, walking a parallel course to the trenches beneath the arching rounds in two different direction.

She drew both her swords with her magic and brandished them over her head even as her scythe pointed forward with ominous intent. "Come, my children!" she cried.

Eighty changelings led by a queen rolled forward, even as a thousand Earth ponies and Unicorns emerged from hiding and surged forward. They had not expected Queen Chrysalis to add her own personal touch, her own anger, and her own point to make to every damn pony and griffon in the general vicinity. No, she was no Princess Celestia nor Princess Luna.

She had not always been a mother. The monarchy had once been but a distant thought for her in her younger years. Before the throne became her occupation, Chrysalis the princess had once been a general of her own army, having earned her own reputation as a fighter. It was on the battlefield she had honed her magical talents, not some safe place behind thick walls in a musty room with a bored teacher. No, Chrysalis had been blooded in battle long before her mother passed the throne down to her only child. Aside from international intrigue and court politics, her true love had been the honor of battle. It had once sang in her blood, taught her to use her mind before her brawn.

The banshee wail issuing from her lips as she brandished her twin swords before her, urging her changelings to follow her lead. Her blades flared with the aura of her magic like poisonous air. They did so, feeding off her thirst for battle. Here, the old Chrysalis emerged, older than the mangle of matriarch representing her kingdom, far more instinctive than her motherly instincts. Here was the changeling thriving on instinct, living in the moment and simply letting go of everything weighing her down.

They drove down a corridor planned earlier at the meeting. The group hovered just above the earth, following the contours of the land and ignoring the pale changelings trying to pick themselves up from the smoking craters and the very wide and deep score the queen's magic had left in the ground. The battlefield seemed to tremble before her might, rumbling ahead of her, at the hill that was her goal. Chrysalis smiled eagerly.

A pale form rose to challenge her, but fell away in two pieces with a casual swipe of her weapon. The wind rushed past her as she picked up speed, glancing upward for a moment to see multiple dark forms, the thick and powerful lion bodies upon eagle wings, the first rays of the morning shining dully off razor sharp beaks. It seemed odd their armor would be the last to be touched by Celestia. The sun gleamed before them, the eastern sky.

Close now! More pale changelings were rising up to meet Chrysalis, but they were cut down by marauding talons of vengeful griffon soldiers. The ground infantry picked up the pieces, attempting to hold the escape route. They only needed to hold for a short time. Already Diamond changelings were bursting from nowhere and engaging. Small skirmishes merged together, becoming retaliatory probes before exploding into the first wave of a half-hearted counter attack. The surprise had been complete.

Queen Alzaera's personal guard rose up, large brutes in heavy armor and bearing halberds. Two dozen rose to meet the Emerald Queen Chrysalis. More were rising up now as it was now up to the changeling fighters behind Chrysalis to pick them up. They charged in without hesitation, screaming the moment before impact. Chrysalis swept a guard aside with contempt, obliterating his head from his neck with a blast of her magic. Her swords cleaved another into pieces while her summoned scythe ripped the legs off yet another defender. She was unstoppable, her warriors only slightly less so. Their training was telling as their tactics made their enemies appear slow and useless.

The earth trembled.

He quarry emerged from her tent, outraged, thin black remnants of mane hanging from a tattered and ancient frame. The pale Queen of the Diamond Changelings Alzaera stared up through ruby harlequin eyes with hatred, her horn glowing with her own magic as the younger queen bore down upon her with the full glow of Celestia's glory glinting off her armor.

"You!" she shrieked at Chrysalis in an ancient disjointed voice, flashing her fangs and taking flight. "You are supposed to be dead!"

Chrysalis allowed herself a moment to drink in this shriveled form rising in front of her. This was indeed an old queen. Pathetic. Weak. Controlled by another. She could see Flamespyre's touch fully engulfing her counterpart's eyes. A quick probe into her mind with her magic confirmed what she already knew.

"I remember you not being so weak as to fight a war for a coward who hides behind others," taunted Chrysalis as she playfully swept her scythe from her right shoulder to her left. "Your wisdom was once something my mother lauded when I was still a princess."

"You abandoned the Master," spat Alzaera. She wore no armor, her naked form only protected by her natural carapace. "You disobeyed he who created us all and gave us purpose. It will be a pleasure to kill you in his name."

The Emerald Queen laughed, charging forward. "Come then! Let us see how you fare, old nag!"

It was ridiculously easy. Queen Alzaera tried to put up a defense, but her shield was shattered upon a single blow of the younger changeling's power. Falling back rapidly, the pale changeling monarch screamed at Chryalis incoherently, spittle flying from her mouth as she cursed ancient words with multiple meanings. Her concentration was shattered and what magic she tried to throw at the raging Chrysalis was swept aside.

She already knew then Alzaera was a dying monarch. The sizzling magic in the air told her of a fading life force, a waning power with little time remaining. This enraged Chrysalis all the more as she had wanted a worthy opponent.

"Is that all there is to you?" she screamed, crushing the pale queen's defenses and grabbing her by the neck with her hungering green magic. "Is this all I could expect of the only changeling I thought would ever rival my power? A dying slave of a monster who doesn't give a damn about your life?" Chrysalis hesitated, seeing the naked fear in the ruby eyes of the terrified queen. "You're not even worth the effort," she spat.

The earth rumbled again.

Chrysalis sensed it. Another magic belonging to something familiar to her by now. It was like Draccaria's but different.

"Battlesinger," she hissed, dropping Queen Alzaera's form. The old queen fluttered to the ground, gasping, her wings barely able to keep her from dropping like a rock.

The third rumbled ended in a shattering of the ground beneath her, a great claw emerging in a dark, shadowed form and gently taking up and ancient Queen of Diamonds. The beast was indeed a dragon, opposite in coloration to Scarheart, with black scales tipped blood red. Green orbs blazed from within armored sockets of bone ridges. The snout was broader, almost puglike in appearance as the heavy form continued to emerge from the shadow.

"Queen Chrysalis of the Emerald Kingdom, I am Blood Assault Battlesinger, eldest of the Dragonking Flamespyre's children and I challenge you to single combat," cried out a voice that shook the mountains.

All fighting came to an abrupt halt as warriors from both sides stopped and gaped at the monster.

Chrysalis backed away slowly, giving herself some distance between herself and the massive thing emerging from the hill. It just kept coming up, up, up. Bloody wings spread wide, blocking the sun's light from the mountain pass.

Queen Alzaera was cupped gently in the giant's claws, beneath his gaze, looking very tiny and very vulnerable. He finally emerged from the shadow. "Pull your changelings back and I shall pull mine. There is no need for wasted lives when two warriors such as ourselves can decide the day's fighting. What say you?" His smooth armored head turned to one side, regarding Chrysalis carefully, taking measure of the Emerald Queen. "I wish to test myself against the one who claims to be the greatest changeling sorceress in all the world."

Chrysalis weighed her options. Could she take him? His power seemed to be more physical than magical. How fast was he? Just because he was huge did not necessarily mean he was slow. There was something amiss here. She could not quite put a hoof on it.

"I accept," she said simply. "I am so sick of your family. You take my daughter, try to make me kill my son. You turn my world upside down, manipulate my mind, take my kingdom out from under my nose." Her scythe exploded with her magic, her rage, her hatred. It shone like an emerald sun, echoing the power roaring in her eyes. The Queen's voice was calm, even and in complete control. "You'll be a fine start to the reckoning owed."

"A simple captain defeated you," rumbled the dragon. "Your bluff is very good. I am not convinced. Come." He took to the skies, erupting like a storm as his wings ripped the air apart. Griffons and pale changelings scattered like flies. He released Queen Alzaera to her Royal Guard, the gasping queen staring still at Chrysalis in disbelief and fear.

Chrysalis followed him, her face impassive, mouth slightly agape as she ran her tongue over her fangs. It was her only indication of eagerness for the coming battle. Normally, she preferred subtle methods to victory like outsmarting her opponents and turning them against themselves. However she was still a huntress at heart.

Blood Assault was just a big lizard to be brought down. He was ancient, far older than the Queen. He was powerful. The scars on his body told a tale of extensive combat experience. The dragon was eager to fight, but already Chrysalis thought she had found his weakness. He was overconfident. He was proud. He oozed arrogance. He was...strange, something still did not quite seem right.

He could not sense magic. Otherwise he would have been paying attention to her reserves after the last blast she had unleashed to clear the path. Blood Assault had witnessed it and assumed Chrysalis had used most of her magic then and while assaulting the Diamond Queen. Since waking from her coma, Chrysalis had discovered a very deep well to her power.

"Interesting," she said to herself. "Interesting indeed." In time she would discover what was nagging her about this dragon, should she live long enough.

"You may attack first," said the dragon politely, hiding his contempt behind his smile. Spreading his claws wide, be beckoned at her to come at him.

"Such a gentledragon." Chrysalis' crooked horn blazed anew, crackling with green lightning streaming to and from her conjured weapon. Searing magic erupted in a series of rapid bursts as she darted hard to her left, cloaking herself in darkness through black smoke broiling from her scythe. She raised it high while she cast aside her swords. They would be useless against his scales.

Blood Assault ducked, easily avoiding the blasts as they passed harmlessly overhead. Distracted by the smoke, he used his nostrils to sniff out his foe. He inhaled deeply and unleashed a torrent of hellfire into the smoke, intending to flush the Queen from hiding. The smoke fell away from the blast.

No scream of pain greeted his ears. There was no changeling corpse reduced to ash. Snorting in annoyance, the massive head turned this way and that, his green eyes searching for his quarry. The spines along his back bristled, shimmering dark gold as the sun reflected off the dark scales. Muscles flexed and extended, blood pumping, the dragon listened with his ears for her heartbeat. He did not need to sense magic to listen to the movement within another living creature.

There! His snout lifted up, dropping down as he saw the small lithe form appear above him, weapon arched back and ready to sweep down. Chrysalis zipped downward, her eyes wide with deadly intent as she screeched maniacally, her scythe sweeping down. Every ounce of speed she could coax out of her wings pushed her towards her enemy.

A thin red line appeared across Blood Assault's muzzle as he could not fall away fast enough. Hissing more out of surprise than out of pain, he spat a jet of flame at the changeling and her accursed weapon. She darted away, her wings droning as if bored with the whole thing. The expression on her face did not share the sentiment. Chrysalis was far from finished with the dragon.

Chrysalis the Huntress had come to play.

"Impressive," roared the dragon. "Most impressive indeed! You may yet prove to be entertaining for me." Blood Assault went after her, snarling and spitting, claws flexing in anticipation of the kill. She was small, but very strong.

She said nothing, merely watching him, studying his moves, seeing where else she could strike at the dragon. Her harlequin eyes narrowed, her horn again glowing as she began to cast another spell. Words were not needed to be spoken, but her thoughts had to be clear and in order. There was a proper sequence in releasing certain spells, especially attacking magic. The huntress found what she was looking for, knowing now what she needed to do.

The huntress doubled back on herself, going straight for the dragon, her mane and tail streaming wildly behind her. She reared back again her weapon, shafts of sunlight passing through its dark magic. Her magic. She shifted the shape from the scythe into a lance, raising it high over her head as she drew nearer to the black and red dragon. Blood Assault saw what she was attempting to do and twisted his head away. A weak blast from the broken horn distracted his attention for a split second.

Chrysalis teleported the lance the minute his eye rolled at her in annoyance. It entered through his left eye and exploded.

Blood Assault screamed as the earth received his blood from the hole in his head where his eye had been. He shrieked, tossing his head back and forth in agony as a claw clutched at the dreadful wound. Chrysalis again began building up her magic, darting past him and towards the sun. The huntress had only wounded the beast. Wounded prey tended to be more dangerous when they felt their lives were threatened.

She really did not give a damn.

Wheeling around, she watched as the dragon sought her out, still clutching his bleeding wound with a claw, not aware she was behind him. Another lance formed, then a second one. Setting herself squarely, she hurled one past her right shoulder with the toss of her head, ears flat as she grit her fangs in the effort behind the throw. It sailed straight and true, straight for the middle of the dragon's back. It pierced his thick hide, entered into a lung, and exploded like the first. More blood erupted from this new wound. Blood Assault flinched, too shocked at the pain to cry out for a moment. He spun around, whirling until his one remaining eye spied her out.

"I'll kill you!" he shrieked, sucking wind as his wings beat upon the air ragged now.

The huntress readied the second lance, listening not to his words, but instead listening to the magic within her. It sang in her ears like she had never heard it before, unleashing a power she knew she had never had before. The ferocity of her own magic stunned her, making her wonder if her own love had unlocked it. Such a thought did not come to the huntress at that time as the kill neared.

"Will you now?" she asked, the lance rotating by her head, spinning, the conjured form turning over and over slowly.

Chrysalis again called forth her magic, readying her killing blow. The dragon was breathing hard, no doubt troubled by his own blood filling a lung. Then there were the internal injuries unseen. As much as she wanted to see Blood Assault suffer, she was eager to simply end the fight. She hurled her third lance, heaving it as though it were a physical object, screaming in rage from all she, her kingdom, and her children had suffered. The magical object expanded, grew even as the huntress threw a holding spell on the massive form. It would not hold, but it would slow the dragon enough for the inevitable strike.

The lance did so, in the center mass of the chest.

Chrysalis stayed the execution. Blood Assault had expected the end, but instead stared at the changeling queen with sudden rage. "You mock me!" he screeched, coughing up blood. "I am defeated! Finish me, you witch."

Hurriedly the Queen hurled more binding magic around the dragon, holding him in place. She wanted to see something, sensing this whole victory might be far more hallow. Defeating the dragon had simply been too easy. Instead, she glanced down at the ground.

Queen Alzaera was staring up at her, her horn glowing with magic.

Chrysalis understood, withdrawing her magic from Blood Assault. She began to cast another spell, furious with herself for not catching it before. Then, she teleported, reappearing behind the old queen. The lance shifted, altered form until it was a dagger pointed at the base of the ancient queen's skull. The two guards with her suddenly fell to the ground, their insides literally on fire as Chrysalis ignited their intestines with a fire spell. They writhed on the ground in agony. Their screams were ignored.

"Clever illusion spell," she whispered into the white queen's ear. It flickered nervously as Alzaera released her magic. Blood Assault wavered, disappeared.

"How did you know?" asked the old queen with genuine curiosity.

Chrysalis laughed. "You can't even come close to the strength and magic of a dragonling, old one. It was obvious when my magic penetrated his so easily. It was obvious when you could not tell my own power had increased. Thus you were not sure and decided to test me with this illusion. Clever, clever old girl!"

Alzaera sighed, slumping her shoulders in defeat. "What will you do now?"

"What do you think?" Chrysalis snarled, suddenly very angry. "Do you have any idea the emotions you toyed with?"

"I felt them," the white queen admitted, shaking. "Such things a queen should not feel. It makes you weak."

"Funny you should say that," laughed the Emerald Queen mirthlessly.

She rammed the dagger home, past the hilt until the magic was fully in the old queen's head. The wide-eyed pale changeling stiffened, not believing what was happening.

"By such things a queen should not feel," replied Chrysalis with a shrug.

She unleashed the magic. Alzaera did not even have time to scream one last time.

Comments

[kyubbiman]

Chrysalis is bad ass very good fight scene

[Razzy]

Welp, you pissed Chryssie off. You shouldn't have done that.

[Always Breakfast]

"You're not even worth the effort," she spat.

This is as dumb a thing to say when you're a hero as it was when you were a villain. Unless you want a knife in your back, they're always worth the effort.