Emerald Fires

by FolkloreBrony

Chapter 15-Dagger of the Mind

////
Chapter 15-Dagger of the Mind
////
The train whistled into the night as the engine rose through the mountains, snow falling in the dark around it. The night was dim and misty, a cold and empty void that swallowed everything within it. The engine sung its tune loud as it barreled through the mountain blizzard, it’s front light cutting through the emptiness. The waning of the frozen wind and the screeching of cold metal was the only thing to be heard in this isolation.

The train chugged its way up towards the summits, the jagged rocks and forest trees pointing upwards so far down below. It was truly quiet and alone, distant to the outside world. Here the storm had culminated into a strong force of premature winter, as was common in that part of the land. Many towering peaks rose high above them still, the rocks lost to the frost.

It was perfect as the shadowed forms moved hastily through the rocks and trees down below, hurrying to catch up to the train above. The darkness of the night-time storm concealed them as they moved further ahead, looking for the right place to make their move. Their goal was close, so close, and they would never stop, or rest, until they had them.
////
“Mmmm, that feels good.”

Rarity cooed as she laid on her belly relaxed in ecstasy, holding on her breath as the pair of hands ran down her back, her tail flicking in the air, “Ahh.”

Spike smiled, working his magic on the pair of hands materialized in front of him, rubbing out the knots in her back, “Wow, you’ve really got yourself tensed up, Rarity. It's a good thing Twilight taught me how to do this. Otherwise you’d be in trouble.”

“And I truly am thankful, Spike. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” she smiled, turning her gaze at him as he massaged her back, “Oh, could you get the shoulders? Ohh.”

“Sure” Spike complied, rubbing her shoulders in a circular motion.

“Spike?” Rarity said softly, closing her eyes as her head rested on the pillow, “Are you happy?”

“What do you mean? Of course I’m happy.” Spike answered, looking down at her, “I have you and Twilight, all my friends, Cadance is having her baby. Everything’s perfect, why wouldn’t I be happy?”

“I know but...” Rarity hesitated, being mindful to choose her words carefully, “Do you have any regrets? Isn’t there anything you miss?”

Spike paused, relaxing his hold on Rarity’s shoulders, “I...guess I haven’t really thought about it.” Spike gave a thoughtful hoo, going over it in his mind.

“I guess...maybe I might feel a little lost.” Spike shrugged, pressing the hands into her spine, “Like this magic. It's great and all, but it's not the same.”

Spike sighed, “And, well, I’m still different. I’m this new...thing. I’m not a pony or a dragon, I’m not anything.”

“Spike, that isn’t true.” Rarity rose up, looking at him giving him a hug, “You're a friend, a brother, a companion. You're loved by your friends, your family. Me.” she said as she batted her eyes at him.

Spike smiled, giving her a kiss, “Thank you.”

Rarity smiled, closing her eyes as he kissed her, humming in delight. She only broke from this bliss when the pillow hit her in the side of her face.

“Hey!” Rarity squeaked, grabbing another pillow and hitting him in the head. The two laughed and rolled, playfully fighting as the cold fell outside, the darkness closing in, soon to swallow the light.
////
The dial spun into the red, steam seeping out of the bulkhead as the conductor slammed his monkey wrench into the metal, “Come on! Come on, tamper down!”

The conductor tapped his hoof on the furnace, watching as the pressure on the dial spiked again as he let out a growl. The engine had been having this problem for weeks, and nopony had bothered to fix it. This was a universal problem with most of the technology being produced by the Empire at this time. The Empire had some difficulties adapting to the modern environment, their culture literally a 1,000 years out of date, so it wasn’t any surprise that their ability to compete with other manufacturing companies based in Equestria and other surrounding nations was somewhat lacking.

So it was up to the engineers to put out newer models on the product line at a much faster rate, and though they were meeting their quotas, there were obviously gonna be some problems. Bigger. Better. Faster. That was the motto of the game, but for the Imperial Railway, it was the broken, modest, and slow. Sure the Crystal Express was faster than any equestrian model for the moment, but it was also susceptible to breakdowns and delays, and it was rumored that the Equestrian long-distance travel company, Ironbell Expressways, was currently in the development of a newer, more powerful engine model that would surpass anything out at the time, revolutionizing the industry. It was only the constant upgrades to their engines that kept the Imperial company from tanking.

The conductor sighed, sitting back on the bench wiping the sweat from his brow. He couldn’t wait to be back home with the wife, able to settle down for a few days and relax before he’d get called back. Truly it was a never-ending cycle. This was never what he expected to be doing in life. His talents were more akin to gardening, but food needed to be put on the table, and this was the highest paying job at the time.

Just one more night.

Thud

The conductor paused, looking up at the ceiling at the sound of an object hitting against the metal. “What the hell?” he thought, getting up and walking towards the side window, peering up at the engine top. The wind was blowing hard at the speed they were going, the snow whipping hard against his face. The storm was making it impossible to see what was going on, his eye barely able to keep themselves open. The sound continued, just loud enough to hear against the whistling cold, before it suddenly grew silent. The conductor listened, waiting for it to begin again, but to no avail. Nothing could be heard except for the hard wind blowing in his ears.

The conductor closed the window, shaking his head of the snow as he looked back up. “What in Equestria was that?” he wondered, as he moved to the furnace to throw in more fuel. God, it was cold. The Conductor turned his head, now seeing that the second window was wide open the frigid cold blowing in. When had he opened that? He walked over, grabbing hold of the frame to close it, the window jamming. He grunted, putting all of his strength into it as the cover came down with a clang! His hoof touching something sticky.

He pulled his arm back, a thick, sticky mucus connecting his hoof to the windowsill, “Ugh!” he exhaled, trying to wipe it off himself as he stepped back, standing in the middle of the engine room.

Click

He heard a chatter of something moving, moving above him. Hoof on metal. Then something wet fell onto his ear, as he reached up to feel it, the same sticky substance rolling down the tip of his hoof. Slowly he looked up, peering into the jet black cover of the ceiling, as a steady drip of saliva fell onto his forehead.

His scream was silenced by the pull of the whistle, echoing into the night.
////
Twilight stood outside on the caboose balcony, looking out into the cold night air lost to her own thoughts. The cold air blew through her hair and fogged up her glasses as she leaned on the metal, watching the mountain pass by. It was calm, quiet even, the silence only broken by the whistling of the train a short while ago. The mountain peaks rose above her as the train borrowed by, snow falling onto her winter coat.

“Beautiful night, isn’t it?”

Twilight turned, watching as Novis stepped out of the car to join her on the railing, covering himself with a cloak to keep out the cold. He let out a yawn, his wings giving a flutter as he looked forward, the cold air showing his breath.

“Heh, if you say so.” Twilight smiled, giving off a shrug.

Novis walked up next to her, leaning his hooves on the metal bar, “Its cold, but don’t let that take away from the beauty of this place.”

Twilight sighed, levitating her glasses off to wipe them down, “If you ask me the cold is a nuisance. Hurts the wing too.” Twilight said, her left wing still not fully recovered. Novis frowned.

"How's Nyx?" Twilight asked him, warranting his attention.

"She's fine. She misses you though, you two have spent such little time together as of late," he answered, feeling sympathetic. Twilight had been so busy trying to delegate the reconstruction of Ponyville that she had little time to spend with her family. Thus, every now and again Nyx would mop during her studies, saddened even though she understood the circumstances of her mother's absence. He expected her to have a reaction to this, but she only shrugged, watching the snow fall.

“Is something bothering you?” Novis asked, looking over to her, reading her body language, “There is something, isn’t there?”

"It's embarrassing." She whined, feeling rather uncomfortable.

Novis looked at her with an indifferent expression, nodding his head, "Mistakes tend to be, but you'll feel better."

Twilight sighed, “I may have screwed up a little.” she said passively, thinking it over, “I...I really like Flash. You know, one of my guards?”

"I believe like would not be the appropriate word," Novis said playfully, earning a glare from Twilight as her cheeks flushed crimson.

Novis raised an eyebrow, "Don't give me that look. I've seen the way you've eyed him in the halls of the castle when you think he's not looking."

Twilight groaned, embarrassment washing over her, "Yes well, I bumped into him tonight, and well..."

“Got a little too personal?” Novis finished her sentence.

“Yeah.” Twilight blushed, feeling a little ashamed, “I...may have hit on him a little. Okay, a LOT. I didn’t mean too, it just sorta happened.”

“And you thought that would be a good idea, considering you don't actually know him too well?” he asked, looking at her inquisitively.

“Of course not!” Twilight said defensively, immediately shocked at her own tone, “I mean...no. Oh, I’m so confused. He didn’t take it too well, and I don’t blame him. I just...I just don’t know what happened. I just, I don’t want to lose what friendship we might have. Any relationship really.”

“Twilight...”

SCCCCCCRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECCCCCHHHH!!!!!!!

Novis and Twilight were both caught off their guard as the train hit its emergency brakes, sending them off their balance as screeching metal pierced their ears. Twilight stumbled backward, her back hitting the railing sending her over the side, screaming in alarm as her injured wing failed to open for her. Novis regained his bearings, shouting in surprise as he lunged forward, closing the distance between the two as he reached over the railing and grabbed Twilight, who held onto him for dear life, the deep dark abyss gaping just below her.

“Don’t you DARE drop me!” Twilight screamed, her heart racing rapidly as she panicked. The two were suspended in motion, Novis hissing as the cold metal burned into his chest. She swung in his grasp, staring down from the incredible height, then looked up at him pleading.

“Come on! Come on, don’t let go!” Novis grunted, slowly pulling her up back up to the balcony. Twilight struggled, grabbing for the railing and lifting herself up as they both fell back onto the balcony, panting heavily.

Twilight panted, heaving as her chest rose up and down, “What...what the hell was that!?”

Novis grunted as he picked himself back up, moving to the side of the train looking up to the cars in front. The train stood still upon the tracks, steam rolling up from the wheels as the snow fell all around. The lights in one of the cars flickered on and off, before falling silently into the darkness as well.

“The train stopped,” Novis said through the wind, looking back at her.

“What do you mean it stopped?” Twilight moved to the other railing looking over the side to stare at the track, still somewhat out of it from moments before, “Did somepony pull the emergency cord?”

“The what?” Novis called, half because he couldn’t hear her well and also out of curiosity.

“Emergency cord! It stops the train if something goes wrong!” Twilight called back, moving to the door, opening it up to get back inside the car. The lights were flickering on and off jolted by the sudden stop of the engine, bathing her in the deem ambient light.

Novis followed behind, looking up at the ceiling as he wiped down the snow from his coat. Baggage and suitcases were laying all over the inside of the car, open with their contents thrown all over the aisle.

“Oh, look at this mess!” Twilight groaned, tripping up a little on an open baggage case, “Oww, damn it!”

Novis looked at his surroundings as they walked down the aisle, mindful to take notice of everything out of place. The car was dark and intense in its shadows, messy and overturned. Twilight lit her horn as she stumped about, while Novis seemed to have a better time watching where he placed his hooves. Novis stopped to examine the floor, peering at a small dark splotch on the side of a cabinet. He touched it, the surface wet as he retracted his hoof, looking at the substance running down.

Blood.

Novis whipped the blood from his hoof as he followed Twilight to the next car, the door already open letting the cold in as they passed into the next car to find a more brightly lit cabin, less cluttered yet empty. Novis turned and looked down in the corner, where laying limp sat one of the guards. He quickly went over to him, checking his pulse.

“Is he alright?” Twilight asked, looking over his shoulder.

“Yes. He’s just unconscious.” Novis said, examining him. Blood was running from the guard’s snout, damping his fur as he breathed softly. The back of his head had a bump on it, hard to the touch, but it was probably not as nasty as it looked. Novis rose up and laid the guard in one of the cubicles, looking at the ground, studying the scene.

“What do you think happened?”

“Hold on,” Novis said, walking back into the other car, leaving Twilight behind as she rested the guard on one of the sofas. There was some banging and the crunching of glass from the other car as Novis rummaged around, coming out looking at the floor.

“Okay, so...he’s putting away luggage in the back car, leaning up, not well balanced. Then the train comes to a stop, and he falls hand hits his head, stumbles in here, and collapses.”

Twilight looked away, feeling a little uneasy, “I hope everypony else is alright.”

“Let’s hope.”
////
“Is everypony alright?”

Moans and grumbles echoed across the car as everyone picked themselves up from being thrown down. The ponies held in their stomachs trying not to throw up. Regaining their senses are the train came to a stop.

“Come on get up, you’ve taken a pretty bad fall,” Flash spoke, lifting up Nyx into the booth, pulling out a kit to clean the gash right above her eye.

“Ouch!” Nyx whined, recoiling from the sting of alcohol against exposed flesh. Other guards were there as well to assist the passengers, tending to any injury that may have been dealt, “What happened?”

“I don’t know. Somepony must have either pulled an emergency cord, or the engineer stopped the engine, your highness.” Flash said, putting a bandage on your wound.

Flash smiled before he rose up, looking around the car, calling out to another guard, “Iron!”

Iron Shield looked up from the other end of the car, pulling himself up to report to Flash, “Yes sir?”

Flash leaned in to whisper, as so the passengers wouldn’t hear, “Get the other men and search the train. I don’t like this, and I could be wrong, but I want these cars secure.”

“Right.” Iron nodded, returning to his duties, beginning to gather a search group of guards to investigate the other cars.

Flash sighed, looking down at the filly, “Nyx, I need you to stay with Miss Rarity and Spike for the time being. I’ll find your mother and return as soon as possible. Can you do that for me?”

Nyx nodded, lifting herself up, as Flash took to the door, stepping forth to duty.
////
Flash moved slowly through the cabin, moving carefully through the dark. The Car’s lights had gone out, leaving the inside in eerie shadow. The sound of the storm howled through the aisle, cold severing up his spine. The floor was a mess, covered in clothes, suitcases, and personal belongs that were spread around the cabin, making it hard to move. He moved carefully, unblinking and he raised his sword pulling back a set of curtains, only to reveal an empty cubicle. Flash stared for a moment, almost as if to smell the air, before he moved on to the next cubicle.

Flash did this again and again, slowly making his way to the back of the car, silent all the way. Calm, quiet, careful not to make a sound. His breath was slow and harsh, like a wolf stalking an unseen prey. He stepped closer to the back, muscles tense as he reached for the door before a hoof fell unto his shoulder.

“Augh!” Flash jumped, startled as Iron Shield looked at him, tilting his head, “Sweet Luna, you scared me!”

“Sorry.” Iron said, moving to his side, lighting his horn to look around, “You found anything?”

“No.” Flash answered, moving back into the car, looking away from him, “Are the others searching the other cars?”

“Yes, as you ordered. They’ll be a while searching for anything, longer if they actually find something.”

“Good.” Flash smiled, looking at him, his hoof on the hilt of his sword, “And you? Have you found anything of interest?”

“No, but its strange. Some of the train staff are missing, and the others...I don’t know, maybe its just me.” Iron said looking into one of the cabins. He brushed his hoof through his mane, straightening it out as he sighed.

“Perhaps.” Flash raised an eyebrow, looking at Iron, moving behind him as he looked out the window. A low whining sound danced in the wind, moving past the window for him to hear.

“Whatever. We’ll have the train in order soon and then we can get out of here.” Iron said, not paying attention as Flash moved behind him.

“No, you won’t,” Flash said, suddenly pulling his sword out slashing at Iron, the soldier barely able to reach in time as Flash left a deep gash into Iron Shield’s arm, howling in pain as he fell to the floor. Flash swung again, but this time Iron was ready, pulling out his sword to block his blow, putting all his strength into trying not to get his head cut off.

Flash’s eyes blazed with murderous intensity as he pushed against Iron’s sword, fueled with anticipation as he brought their blades close to the guard’s throat, slowly winning the struggle. Iron began to panic, frantically trying to force Flash off of him, to no avail.

Flash finally prevailed, Iron’s sword buckling under as it cracked and shattered, leaving him defenseless as Flash’s sword ran through the cabin floor. Flash smiled menacingly, pulling it out with a jerk and lifting it into the air for the final blow, unaware as a shadowy form moved silent up behind him.

The figure stood behind the stallion, silently pulling out a sword before thrusting it forward, piercing it into his back.

“AUUUUUGH!!!!!” Flash gurgled and screamed, the sword pushing out of his chest stained with crimson. He dropped his sword and reached up with his hooves trying to push out the blade, slowly choking and falling over limp onto the cold floor. Iron looked down at the limp form of Flash as a trickle of blood pooled out of its mouth, then looked up at the form as he lit his horn, illuminating the figure who stepped into the light.

It was Flash Sentry, wiping off his blade.

“Oh hell, what's going on?” falling back holding onto his wound, just as Novis and Twilight came into the car behind Flash.

“Come on, get up,” Flash said, stepping over the body towards Iron, kneeling down to help pick him up. The two rose up, Novis bending over to inspect the body as Twilight looked on, turning her head to look out the window.

Novis looked at the body, pulling out a small knife from his side bag to dip it into its wound, raising it up to taste. The alicorn gave a thoughtful glare, before grabbing the corpse and breaking its back, causing it to suddenly change form, its orange coat replaced with charcoal black plating through the discharge of green magic.

“Aghh!” Iron hissed, recoiling as Flash cleaned his wound with rubbing alcohol, grabbing for the sewing kit.

Novis watched with further interest as the body transformed, becoming slender, hard, and black, the energy working up to the head, changing into the contorted, monstrous form of a changeling. Novis was fascinated, he had never seen one quite like this; its eyes were cold and glossy, staring up at him into oblivion. The horn was rough and jagged, and its jaws were lined with sharp, dagger-like spines that grew out from its shell.

Twilight held her breath, looking out at the empty cold bowing out in the elements. Something was watching, deep down she could feel it, but she couldn’t see anything. The world was too dark, lost in a cold, cold void.

“Where did you come from?” Iron asked, growling in pain, looking at him through gritted teeth.

“I went ahead, guess the bastard got in here after I came through.” Flash looked at the corpse, “A better question is, where the hell did that thing come from?”

“There’s a small hive located not far from here,” Twilight said matter-of-factly, still looking out the window, “We ran into them a few months ago, but they weren’t exactly intelligent. At least not enough to set up an operation like this. This isn’t a coincidence, but how could they have set something up this complicated...unless...”

Twilight fell silent as a small light rose from the blackened night, a cold green glow that began to grow brighter as her eye went wide.

“GET DOWN!!!” Twilight shouted, grabbing Flash pulling him to the ground while the other stallions got behind one of the cubicle doors as streaks of green energy shot through the side of the car, whipping passed over their heads like a wave of bullets. Wood splintered and exploded on impact from the projectiles, throwing debris in all directions.

“Flash, repeal them! Get us out of here!” Twilight shouted over the assault, covering her head from the shattered glass and chunks of wood.

Flash crawled along the floor, making his way towards one of the cabins inside the car where the car’s armory closest was set up towards the back of the car. Novis saw this and moved towards the window, firing magic blindly into the darkness, Twilight quickly coming over to back him up. Flash made it to the locker, grabbing the lock and hitting it with the butt of his sword a few times, breaking it off as he pushed his way into the cabin, grabbing two crossbows and as many arrow cartridges as he could carry.

Flash dodged back down, crawling his way back to the others as he handed Iron a crossbow and moved to the window, loading up the crossbow and firing into the night, darts flying back towards the enemy in the dark.

Plums of green swept above their heads as they fought, the alicorns using more powerful spells to try and trip up the enemy, but it was unclear if it was working. Whether it was or not soon became irrelevant has a sudden ceasefire from the other side made the mountainside fall silent, each of the ponies wondering if the changelings had retreated. However that was not the case, as a sudden, more powerful buildup of magic charged from the shadows, firing into the side of the cars, slamming into them forcing the metal to buckle, crushing inward sending the four back into the other side of the car, just before another blow sent them rolling, the car falling onto its side, moving dangerously close to the edge of the cliff.

Novis rose up, gritting his teeth as he built up the strength to climb up to get a view out the window, having to climb over the cubicles to reach to what was now the ceiling. Novis smashed the window, covering his head as the splintered glass fell down onto his head, raising his head out the window. The changelings were firing on the two cars ahead of them as well, breaking the connection to the cars and engine further ahead, laying on their sides as the lead car was fired upon, sending it over the ledge. And the changelings were about to fire upon their car as well.

“Hang onto something!” Novis shouted down, moving into a safer position, just as they were sent flying again, the car falling off into the abyss, suitcases hitting them as the fell. The car then suddenly stopped in midair, slamming them all down like rag-dolls onto the ceiling floor.

The cars were suspended in the air by rocky offshoots and organic hooks, impaling through the metal into the cabin. Sparks and dust fell around them as the ponies got to their feet, each of them drenched in sweat and hydraulic fluid. Coils of tubing and wires hung from the floor above the, sparking and swinging around.

Twilight immediately ran towards the other cars, fearing what had happened to the others, to Nyx. Novis got stumbled over himself to get after her, running ahead after her towards the next car. Novis reached the door, then stopped and turns to the others.

“You two, stay here and hold this position. Do NOT allow them to take us from behind. We’ll handle the ones that come up ahead. They’ll try and take the dining car first. God help them when they do.” He smiled, before running off after the princess.
////
Twilight and Novis rushed forward as they drew closer to the sound of fighting and struggle. They could see the dining car ahead, and somehow the lights were still powered inside the car.

Platinum was fighting in the middle of the car with an exact copy, swords banging together as they dueled it out. Spike kept Rarity tucked behind himself, protecting her as the changelings came, never able to draw near towards the now agitated kirin, plates harden and smoke puffing out from his mouth. Nyx was cornered in the corner, safe under her shield for the moment as Twilight and Novis were immediately pulled into the fight, Novis drawing his sword and Twilight lighting her horn.

Novis rushed forwards, stepping up on top of one of the booths and jumping over a changeling’s head kicking at as he fell back down, looking up at his opponents standing in front of him.

“Ba-Hot Yut Tuo!” The Changeling in command shouted barking an order, as one of the other changelings rushed Novis, quickly swinging its sword at him smacking his head back away from the creature with the hilt.

Novis slowly turned with a gash on his cheek, looking the bug with eyes lit with such anger and malice that the changeling hesitated, backing away with a strange sense of fear, before he was knocked several feet back by a sudden punch to the face by Novis’ hoof, throwing the changeling to the floor bleeding from the mouth unconscious. The three other changelings turned to look at him, just as he slammed his hoof into the commander’s face, wheeling around and lighting his horn, flash-banging the two soldiers giving him the opportunity to grab them both by their heads and slam them into the ground.

Twilight, on the other hand, shot at the changelings with her horn, paralyzing them. Nyx, she needed to get to Nyx. Spike meanwhile was holding his own, blowing fire at the creatures and snapping his jaws at them when one would venture too close, hellbent on keeping them from getting to his treasure.

Nyx looked up at the changeling as it clawed at her shield, gnawing at it like a hungry animal. She stared scared by its gaze, hating it. Novis saw her and her situation, trying to get to her, but he was too busy trying to fight off the ones who were trying to cut his head off.

“Nyx, get him. Now!” Novis yelled, just as the changeling in front of her brought down his sword. Nyx hesitated for only a moment, before releasing the shield and rolling out of the way, making the changeling fall flat onto the floor, reforming the shield around the changeling. Platinum immediately came to her aid, protecting her from behind as she kept the creature restrained.

A changeling charged Spike. Stronger than the others, it grabbed hold of him, the two wrestling against the other, clawing and biting in a frenzy. The changeling suddenly headbutted him, knocking him back as it pulled out a sword, ready to cut his soft underbelly, before Rarity came from behind, shattering a glass bottle against its head, knocking it out cold.

“Thanks,” Spike said, smiling.

Twilight conjured a spell, small purple balls the size of marbles firing at each of the changelings' heads, sticking onto them like glue. The changelings frantically tried to get them off, before they all exploded, forming bubbles around their heads cutting them off from the outside air. The changelings fell to their knees, choking and wheezing as the clawed for breath, falling over one by one unconscious.

Novis dell to one knee, catching his breath as he looked at Twilight, nodding at her as she lifted the spell, removing the bubbles from their heads. Getting back up, he walked towards Nyx, Platinum stepping away for him, looking down at her as she held the changeling in place, the changeling hissing at Novis’ scowl, “Let him go.”

Nyx complied, releasing the shield as the changeling rose up, only to be slammed back down by Novis’ hoof, pressing it against the creature’s neck, “Your comrades, how many are there?!”

“Meh-Ha Val Tou!” it cursed, spitting at him before getting punched in the face, Novis pushing harder against its throat, choking it, “You want to repeat that?”

“Ugh...it doesn’t...matter!” It choked out, looking up at him angrily, “You’re all...going to be our slaves! Gak!”

“Novis, let him go!” Twilight ordered, only for Novis to slightly relieve some pressure, “What are you talking about?”

“Hahahaha...” The changeling gave a weak chuckle, looking up at him with a hiss, “You’ve already lost.”

A loud, collective beeping began to ring around them as green lights blinked rapidly on each of the changelings, growing faster as the changeling smiled, “Long live the hoard.”

Each of the changelings exploded, releasing a heavy green gas that filled the entire car, engulfing everyone. Each of them felt dizzy, their world spinning, wobbling around them as they all fell, coughing trying to catch their breath. Each one began to pass out, succumbing to the gas’s effect. Novis looked up, eyes watery as a figure appeared in the car, walking towards him with a seductive stride, standing before him. The figure looked down, giving a cruel, feminine laugh before slapping him in the face, knocking him to the side.

“Too easy.” the figure said confidently, the gas beginning to clear, revealing Chrysalis as she paraded herself among the fallen ponies, giving a low cackle, “Line them up!”

Three of her guards moved forwards, grabbing the ponies and laying them side by side, getting them in place. Things were going perfect. She smiled, looking over her shoulder as more of her soldiers walked in, dragging Iron and Flash with them.

“Augh! Get your hooves off me!” Flash growled before he got the air knocked out of his lungs as one of the soldiers punched him in the gut, making him wheeze.

“Now now, is that any way to treat our friends?” Chrysalis smiled, bending over to look at Flash, “Hm-hmm, aren’t you the handsome one?”

“What do you want, bug? You here to kill us? Is that it? Assassination?” Flash spat, looking her in the eyes, struggling against their hold on him.

“Oh heavens no, why would I want to do that?” she grinned with confidence, brushing her hoof against his face, making his skin crawl, “I’ve got special plans for you and your Royalty.” She smiled, lighting her horn, firing a beam into his skull that knocked him out.

“Put him with the others.” She ordered, the guards throwing him to the ground, “Bring the device!”

Two changelings emerged from the other car, carrying a small black orb that crackled with magic, laying it down on a specially made pedestal in front of the unconscious ponies. Chrysalis moved behind the orb, gazing at the group as she lit her horn, opening up the orb as its magic shot out of it, swirling around their heads and bodies. Chrysalis smiled. This would be her greatest feat yet, her body tense with anticipation. She would have her puppets take over her enemy’s kingdom from the inside out, bring them to their knees. This was perfect. She would have her revenge, and it was all thanks to these pathetic ponies. And the part, she had not one, not two, but three, THREE alicorns that would soon be under HER power! She couldn’t have even dreamed of such a fantastic opportunity.

The device was ready, and with the lighting of her horn, the magic around the ponies glowed lime green, entering their ears, infecting them with her magic. She could feel the power, such raw power! It was beyond anything she had ever felt, so tasty, the love, the brute strength, the wealth of knowledge.

Yet there was something else, a source of power buried deep within one of them, something ferocious. She had to know what that was, as she began to dig deeper into the collective psyche before she felt something latch on. No, it was pulling her. She started to struggle a little, fighting back as it grew stronger, grabbing hold of her, pulling her into the unknown. Chrysalis screamed, hissing angrily as she was pulled out from her control, sucked in into an unknown world.
////
Chrysalis groaned as she slammed down hard onto the stone floor, catching her bearings as she wobbled back to her feet. Everything was dark...wait, why was it dark? Where was she again? The train, the alicorns, her soldiers, where were they? Something had happened, gone wrong somehow, and she was gonna find out what.

Chrysalis started to move around to take in her surroundings, listening to the sounds that were made around her. The slow steady drip of water could be heard in the darkness, and by the formation of rocks at her hooves, it was safe to assume that she was in some kind of cave. There was a distant echo in the dark, coming to her as if to whisper, pulling her forward. This was such an inconvenience, she thought, moving deeper into the cave, postponing her plans for conquest.

A faint light glowed in the dark before her, pale green and sickly. As she drew closer, the stone walls of the cave became more smoothed, carved out and made for travel. Residue slid down from the ceiling to the ground, oozing down the damp rock, and there was a hot, sour stench in the air. This place seemed...familiar. Yes, this place was definitely familiar, but why? As she drew on, it became more clear by the step. The walls became more hollow, holes and openings coming and going all around her, leading to different corridors and passageways. This was a changeling hive, or at least an outpost of similar fashion. Why was she back at the hive, and what was that god awful smell?

Chrysalis suddenly felt cold, an unwelcome and unfamiliar sensation to her. The cave suddenly didn’t feel right, like she didn’t belong, as if she were a deer falling into the den of a predator. Something was wrong, something was dead wrong, and she didn’t like it. She started to move faster, moving along the passageway, wanting to leave. But it was as if the cave had no end, on and on and on it went. She felt...afraid. She didn’t understand it, she had never been afraid before, at least not in a long time. But it was more than that, something more than fear.

Terror.

Something felt ALIVE about this place, and she had to get out. Her heart was racing, pounding in her chest threatening to pop out of her body. She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t think. The smell, that horrible smell, it was getting stronger, more suffocating. Her world was closing in on her, getting tighter, harder to stand, harder to go on. She felt like she would faint...but she pressed on.

Chrysalis suddenly fell, tripping on a stone to slide across the floor, landing on her jaw as she tasted blood. She slowly shook it off, righting herself up to continue her flight. And then she felt wetness, a small drip on the tip of her nose. She opened her eyes looking to the bridge of her nose as something red slid down, falling to the stone floor. Another drop fell again, then another, and another, staining her. Slowly, she reached up and touched it, lowering it to her mouth, tasting a strong, copper texture.

She rose her head slowly, raising to look up at the ceiling where, staring back at her, was the bloody corpse of a changeling.

Chrysalis gasped, falling onto her back as the body fell to the ground, splattering small drips of blood on her. The body was torn to pieces, ripped apart as if it had been mauled by an animal. Its limbs hanging by threads, its neck half chewed, red and pulping with ragged flesh. Its eyes stared up at her, glazed and still tighten, those haunting orbs screaming in terror. She reached out, trying not to run away, before suddenly a second body fell onto it, bloodied and beaten, forcing her onto her hooves as she ran, ran for her life.

The Queen had never felt so terrified, so scared. She didn’t know where she was going and she didn’t care, she just needed to get out. That was all she wanted right now, to flew, to escape.

She ran as hard as she could, but the smell only got stronger. No matter where she ran, it got stronger. She was surrounded, surrounded by it, everywhere. And then she found it. She stood staring, looking in horror at what she saw.

Chrysalis had stumbled upon a large, dark throne standing twenty to thirty feet high, a crest decorating its top like a crown of jagged thorns. It was her throne, her hive. And on her thrown, piled in an oozing stinking mass, the bodies of changelings crudely placed together in some sick organic sculpture. Her subjects, her children. They were all dead, twisted, broken, torn apart. Hundreds of them, embracing each other, as if trying to claw their way to the top of the pile, flesh fused among flesh. The smell, it burned her nostrils, making her want to vomit with its repulsive rotten stench.

Chrysalis was frozen, unable to move, as suddenly the hyping pile burst into flames, lighting up like napalm. The corpses popped and sizzled, skulls and bones consumed in flames as a form arose among the fire, eyes burning bright and fierce as they stared down upon her.

“Who has come to my prison, my purgatory?” The being asked, staring down at her with a devilish grin as she looked back in unmoving horror. Its voice was dark and cruel, choking her with its imposing presence as it stepped forward, haunting like a jackal.

“Yes, you will be my freedom.” it said as it gave a low, haunting laugh, reaching out a hand consumed in shadow, reaching for her.

But suddenly a light shined within the darkness, pulling at her as waves of color tore at the darkness, peeling away at it as the form was beating back, and Chrysalis pulled away.

“NO!!!” It screamed, fighting against the light, forcing itself to grab hold of her leg for only a moment, before its hand disappeared, and it was consumed by the light, dying away as she was pulled away from this place, never to return.

And then she was gone.
////

Author's Note:

Feels so GOOD to be on college break. also, just hit 100,000 WORDS!!!

Comments

[Marina]

Congrats on 100,000 words! And I love the new cover! Gonna read the new chapter now!

[FolkloreBrony]

8268013
AWESOME! Can't wait to hear what you think!

[Marina]

8268025 oh, and you may know me as Intermarium from G+

[Marina]

Oh my God, wow, amazing chapter. I love the interesting and cute character dynamics and the action a day tension in the second half. There was always a feeling that something was going to happen and you built it up perfectly. Not a moment was wasted, which I always love to see in a great story. And that ending with Chrysalis...
Wow, you made me stand up, I felt so tense! So intriguing, so gripping. Well done. 9.5/10 chapter, it could've had more, that's my ONLY problem with it.
Please carry on! I can't wait!

[FolkloreBrony]

8268057
Thanks ^^ strange things are afoot!