Long Live the Queen

by QueenChrysalisForever

Don't Know What You've Got until it's Gone.

Changeling Castle- Apatelodes

“Where is she?” I stepped up to the window near the music room on the third floor and watched as more and more diamond dogs and umbrum appeared around the castle. The sky grew darker as the sun set and the umbrum rose in force. Hope hadn’t shown her face again; however, I was sure she lurked in the shadows somewhere close by. Her army of dogs formed below us as they filled the area around the castle gates with their furry bodies. Howls echoed off the walls and sent chills down my spine. Now the only question was if our Queen would arrive on time.

“Come on, Apatelodes. I think it time you put on your armor as well,” Videre said and put a hoof to my shoulder. “Everyling is ready. No matter what the outcome, we will fight. We will protect our own.”

I sighed, but turned away from the window and looked at him. “I don’t know if I can do this, Videre. I’m not our Queen. Is it right for me to lead us into battle? She should by all rights and traditions be leading us in battle this day.”

My armored friend nodded. “She left you in charge, for she knew you could protect us in her stead.” He put a hoof under my chin and gave me a small grin. “You can do this. You must. We need you to be strong for us in her stead.Right now we need a leader, and we all trust you. I believe in you and know you will do us proud. I don’t know where she is, or if she will arrive, but I trust you will not disappoint.”

“Thanks, Videre, I-I believe you.”

“You better,” he said. “For it is true.” He turned away and flicked his ears forward then tapped a hoof on the ground.

“Everything okay?” I asked. I trotted up next to him and cringed when a loud howl filled the air.

“Y-yeah everything's fine!” he nodded. “Come on. Let’s go get your armor.”

“With you fighting by my side, I think we can get through this,” I grinned and led the way up to my room. There were few other lings I would feel as safe around or trust to do what was needed to get us through this. “Do you think she’ll make it?”

“Hopefully,” he nodded. “You did notify her that things were getting worse right?”

“Last night,” I said. “She was going to try to get the help of the princesses.”

“After what happened at the wedding, I doubt they would even consider helping us.”

“We need to have hope.” I cringed at my own words. Such a concept would never feel the same after one named after it had taken such a dark course. Even reading Hayfeather’s book I still had no clue why Hope had changed so drastically. Nor why she seemed to have such a vendetta against us. It couldn’t be all the amulet’s doing, there had to be something else.

“Hope in our Queen, sure,” my armored friend nodded. “But hope in the pony princesses? Pigs will fly before that becomes a reality.”

“Well with Discord− ”

“Not talking about Discord’s powers,” he sighed.

I chuckled ruefully. “Hope might be strong, but we are many. I don’t know nearly as much as I should of these shadow demons the umbrum, but I know those dogs can be pretty dull. With our numbers we can accomplish our Queen’s wishes.”

I paused and pulled on my armor. It was dark blue to match my carapace, and I had had it for long as I could remember. Sure it had seen its dents and scrapes after the failure of the Canterlot Wedding but had kept me alive to see this day. I took a deep breath, levitated my helmet upon my head, and adjusted my ears for the perfect fit. I strapped my sword to my side. It was an old fashioned Koltrean blade, long and thin with its edge razor sharp. I took a deep breath and nodded at Videre.

“You wear your sword well, commander,” he said and put a hoof to my own as we made our way back down to the main floor. He held onto my hoof for a moment longer before pulling away. Was he? No things weren’t like that…

“Thanks,” I said. My wings twitched nervously behind me. Had I remembered everything? Was the castle secure? With the size of Hope’s army it was going to be hard to hold our ground for long, but I was going to make sure we held it long enough for as many to escape as possible. Our children especially — be they ling or pony — had to escape for they were our future.

“Though I feel we must still be cautious,” Videre continued. “Our power is far weaker without our Queen. Even if she was here, even if we beat those dogs, can we stand up against Radiant Hope and the power she has attained?”

We passed armored soldiers posted every window as we walked. Even more held their ground on the lawn by the front gates. As we passed one window, I looked out to see them with their eyes glued to the army ahead of them. Ears twitched and armor was nervously adjusted. I had sent a platoon of fighters both ling and pony down to the nursery not long ago to help them escape and guard them as they did so.

The young, inexperienced, and those too old to fight buzzed around the second floor as they packed bags full of provisions and keepsakes. Much to their annoyance I had also sent the majority of our female changelings to the hatchery. I knew they wanted to fight next to those they cared for, but we couldn’t risk their lives in battle. Keeping our species alive had to be one of my main priorities along with protecting the royal line.

“Hurry to your places,” I growled softly to them. “We need you down in the hatchery or the front escape route yesterday!”

They nodded and grabbed one or two more things and hurried down the stairs. I sighed and rubbed my forehead. Why hadn’t I thought of evacuating sooner? It was too late for regrets now, all I could do was my best in getting them out alive.

“I don’t know my friend, all we can do is ready ourselves for whatever Hope has planned for us,” I said and adjusted Videre’s helmet as it was slightly askew.

“Thanks,” he nodded. “Well give her one Tartarus of a fight,”

Videre and I paused near the entryway as we reached the end of the stairs. Well, he paused while I more so paced back and forth. Colt, I needed to calm down. If I showed how nervous I was, it would make everyone else nervous.

“Apatelodes,” Videre said.

I paused in my pacing and turned to him. “Yes?”

“Before this all goes down, I need to tell you something.” He led us to the far end of the entryway when I nodded. “I’ve been meaning to tell you this for a long time,” he said as his wings buzzed behind him. “Everything kind of got complicated though when our Queen got sick and then was better and the Princess was born…”

“Well, we have some time now,” I said. “What is it you want to tell me?”

“Apatelodes,” he gulped. “We’ve known each other for many years, and you took me under your wing and taught me most of what I know. I wouldn’t be in my position if it were not for you.”

I nodded. “You reminded me of myself as a colt,” I said. “Our Queen honored me in choosing to oversee my training from a young age, and I wanted to pass the good will forward she showed me to the next generation.”

“You’re right, and you have done a commendable job with such. Even more with our well…” he coughed, looked over at those near us,saw they were out of hearing range, and then looked back to me. “Our more private lives,” he blushed.

Ah so that is what this was about. It had been some time since we really had time alone, only once since our Queen was renewed. It hadn’t even been a month since she arrived and already so much had happened. Of course with our positions we were already usually quite busy. “About that,” I said and lifted a hoof. “I’m sorry we haven’t had much time lately. Like you said, things have been… complicated.” So complicated I hadn’t even thought of him much with my mind occupied elsewhere. I knew he was guarding our home and that he was safe, which is all that had really mattered. Our Queen and Princess were my first priorities and the ones it would just kill me to see hurt if I could prevent it. Videre was a good friend and I enjoyed spending time with him, but what were we to do with things busy as they had been?

“Oh! I know, I know and it’s okay,” he grinned sheepishly. “Once we deal with Hope and things calm down again we can focus on us again.”

“Yes, we shall,” I nodded. It was getting late. Were we prepared too early? Would Hope even attack tonight? Was she just trying to agitate us?

“So you're probably wondering where I am going with all of this,” he said, drawing my attention back to him.

“It does seem an odd time to bring this all up,” I nodded.

He took in a deep breath and then let it out slowly. “Apatelodes, I lo−”

It was at that moment a loud boom filled the air and the ground shook. It was closely followed by another. “They are using catapults on the gates!” one young changeling yelled, buzzing down the stairs.

“It is time then,” I nodded to him. “Tell the others upstairs to be ready.”

“Yes sir!” he saluted and flew back up the stairs.

“Sorry Videre, you’ll have to tell me when this is all over, okay?” I sighed and put a hoof to his shoulder.

“Of course, of course,” he nodded as his ears wilted. “The hive comes first. Let’s take Hope down!”

“That’s the spirit!” I yelled and looked to those few stationed in the entryway. “Be ready!” They nodded, withdrawing their swords and holding them in their magic. “You ready?” I asked my armored friend.

“Yes, just… be careful out there okay?”

“I’ll do what I can,” I nodded. Another boulder hit the gates and shook the castle.

I drew my own sword and took a deep breath. We could do this. We can survive. Another boulder hit the front gates. With a loud crack and snap, they fell inward. The diamond dogs howled as they charged forward onto the castle grounds.

“Stand strong,” I yelled and drew my sword. The screams of those outside reached my ears as the enemy advanced. Some were the yelps and howls of the dogs and a few shrieks I assumed were from the umbrum, but most were the keening cries of my fellow changelings.

Chioides ran past toward the main floor escape route. He and other armored changelings behind him guarded the elders who couldn’t fight as they hurried across. “Keep your eyes peeled and watch each other’s flanks,” I yelled to him. He nodded with his one ear flat against his helmet but took a deep breath and charged on. Oh why had I waited until the last moment to evacuate? Whatever happened to them now would be on my hooves.

Turning away, I nodded to Videre behind me. The battle might not have made its way to us yet, but he stood at ready, his own sword drawn and wings tucked against his form. We couldn’t let Hope take our home. No matter how bad the odds looked.

The acrid smell of smoke reached my nostrils as laughter echoed around us. Cries cut short as umbrum blasted their way through the windows and into the entryway. Their bodies seemed to hum with magic as they rubbed up against the walls and sent out sparks. The sparks caught against the walls and began to burn a lime green, the flames spreading rapidly as it ate up the walls.

“I-I..” Videre stuttered. “Our slime is catching fire!”

“Warn the others,” I said and lifted into the air. “How could I forget how flammable it was?” I groaned and facehoofed. I was a horrible leader!

“Don’t blame yourself. Just fight and do what you can,” Videre said and shot a blast of magic at an umbrum flying overhead.

He was right. It was already done. “Instruct everyone inside down here to head for the exit. We have enough problems without worrying about burning to death too.” I huffed.

“On it!” He raced off through the smoke quickly filling the room.

I flew up the stairs and stumbled into a diamond dog that had crawled through a window as I went. With a hiss, I swiped my sword at it, cutting through the meaty flesh of one of its hind legs.

It went down with a howl and rolled down the stairs. I probably hadn’t hurt it enough to kill it, but I needed to check on those upstairs. Already so many cries of pain filled the air. We hadn’t been ready, and now everyling was dying.

Changeling and pony civilians ran around frantic as I reached the next floor. “Calm down everyling!” I yelled. “Make your way to one of the escape routes: downstairs or in the hatchery.” Why were so many still up here? Ugh, everyone was more worried about their precious things than living. Thankfully some listened right away and raced down the stairs while I pushed others down with a hoof.

I coughed as the smoke continued to worsen. Thankfully, it poured out the windows around us as well. Not many diamond dogs had made it this far yet but umbrum filled the air and floors. I blasted one away from a small red pony mare as it tried to wrap itself around her neck. “Go, go,” I urged and nudged her toward the stairs.

“Taking my prey are you, little ling?” the umbrum hissed, showing off its misshapen teeth.

“You will not harm those under my protection,” I snarled. I lunged forward and sliced my sword right through it as if it were a ghost.

The umbrum laughed as I just stared at my sword in shock. “Your little stick isn’t going to hurt me.” It dived and swiped a hoof at me, hitting me hard in the side.

I cringed, jumped back away from it, and shook my head. Okay so physical attacks didn’t work it would seem . “Fine,” I growled and looked back up at it. “Good thing I have more than just this ‘little stick’ then.” I planted my hooves firmly on the ground, moved my sword into guard, gave a battle cry, and shot a blast of magic at it.

The ugly thing dodged, but my attack still grazed its side. It let out a hiss of pain and charged toward me.

I ducked and pivoted around to shoot another burst of magic at it. This time it hit it square between the eyes. Before it could do more than hiss in pain I shot a bolt of fire magic at it. “Let’s see how you like some flames,” I snorted.

It yowled in pain as the fireball hit it smack in the barrel, catching against whatever it had for skin and blistering as the flames ate at it. So, it couldn’t handle the flames produced by others. Good to know. With one last blast of fire to the back of its neck, it fell to the floor and writhed in pain as the flames consumed it.

I hurried forward, directing more changelings and ponies down to the hatchery as I went. One changeling came buzzing over to me covered in soot and blood as I led a group toward the stairs. “Sir! They’ve taken the front escape route!” I paused, looking a little closer to see the ling under all that muck was Chioides.

“What happened?” I yelled.

“W-we got a few out and past the castle gates,” he said and landed beside me. “But they were waiting for us. They knew! Somehow they knew! The diamond dogs charged and sliced through our ranks. Asbolis went down first as he saved his mother, but so many have fallen!”
I groaned and rubbed the frog of my hoof against my forehead. Everything was going to Tartarus. We had to regroup. Would sending them to the hatchery be safe? Had anyling down there gotten out? It was our only other option, so would have to do. “Okay, we still have the hatchery. We need to get all those down there to safety. Lead as many as you can that way instead. Get them to safety.”

“But Apatelodes−”

“I know! Many are going to die tonight Chioides. We can’t do anything about that.” It was just all my fault. Colt, where was Chrysalis? “Just help make sure as many as possible live.” It was hard hearing of my hatchmate’s death, but at least he had gone down saving another. That is what we were here to do.

“I’ll do my best,” my one eared comrade nodded, his said ear lowered. He took a deep breath, jumped back into the air and was soon gone.

Okay, so new plan. Had to get everyone to the hatchery. I cringed as a wall near me crumbled, falling inward as its supports were burned away. We didn’t have long before it would all burn away. How long had we been using our slime to fix things? How much of it was the main reason the castle still stood? I had no idea, but with how things were burning we didn’t have time to wonder.

I heard coughing behind me and turned to find Spot dragging saddlebags far too heavy for the young colt to carry himself. “What the hay do you have in there?” I asked him as he came closer.

“B-books,” he gasped and took another step forward. “I had to save as many as I could. Do you know how rare some of these are?”

“That doesn’t matter. Why aren’t you down in the hatchery with the others?” Yet another changeling more interested in things. What happened to our will to survive?

“Because I had to save them Appy!” he sniffed. He looked up at me with big tear filled eyes. Ugh, okay, okay we could work with this. I just had to get him to safety, if there was such a thing anymore. Had Hope joined the fray? Or was she letting her army do the dirty work for her?

“Fine, we’ll try to save them. Come with me.” I levitated the saddlebags full of books into the air, grunting at their weight. He sure had packed in a lot of them.

Spot beamed and followed behind me as we raced down the stairs. I could feel the little guy tremble behind me as we passed the carnage along the stairs. It couldn’t have been more than a few minutes since the gates fell but already bodies littered the floor, both foe and friend.

“Keep fighting, my friends,” I yelled and held my sword up to block a blow toward Spot. “Stay strong and don’t lose your will to fight!” I heard a few grunts of confirmation as another changeling came to fight the diamond dog before me and Spot and I made our escape.

We dodged around others fighting, slipping around and through the door leading down toward the hatchery. The smoke wasn’t as bad down there as we hurried our pace. I spotted Crambus near the entrance to the hatchery, fighting a slavering dark grey furred dog. Beside him on the floor were the bloodied bodies of Attacus and Astraptes. I dropped the books in a corner and pushed Spot into it as well. “Stay here until we clear the way,” I whispered and drew my sword once more to help my fellow council member.

Crambus let out a yelp as the beast tripped him and he went sprawling, his sword skittered out of hoof. I leapt in front and held my sword out barely blocking the dog’s claws from slashing through Crambus’s exposed barrel. It’s claws were already covered in the blood of the fallen, dripping onto my sword. “Not this time you fiend,” I growled, pushing forward and up.
It howled and took a step back, dark green eyes focused on me as its stubby tail flicked back and forth. “Get OUT of our hive!” I screamed and in a forward dash stabbed at it. It let out a yelp as my sword pierced through its left forepaw. With its right it swung at me and hit me hard in the chest, knocking me backward a few feet.

My sword still stuck in its paw it stepped forward. A rush of wings and a snarl to my right revealed Crambus as he recovered and darted forward, his own sword slashing through the dogs exposed throat. With a gurgling groan, it fell to our hooves and writhed around as its blood pooled. A moment later it grew still.

I stepped forward and pulled my sword out of its paw, wiping the blood off on its messy fur. “Is he the only one to get down here so far?”

Crambus nodded. “I think so. Just got down here myself. Where is everyling? I thought more than-than they were guarding.” He looked over at the still forms of our fellow changelings and shuddered.

I looked to the hatchery door at the end of the hall. It was weird to see noling alive besides Crambus, Spot and I down here. “Did others get away already?”

“Only one way to find out,” Crambus huffed and started toward the door.

“Come on Spot,” I said and grabbed the saddlebags again. We followed after Crambus and opened the door to find chaos inside. There were not yet any of those vile fiends of Hope’s, but all those in there were struggling to get to the exit in the back, the same Phengaris and I had used the night of Pachlio’s death.

Phengaris and most of the younger females in the hive stood near the far corner, the hatchlings and few remaining eggs wrapped in their hooves while the hives young gathered around them. Other lings and ponies had pushed ahead of them and were all in a rush to get out.

“QUIET!” I yelled. Some of them stopped to look at me while others continued their panicked push for the door. “Have you all forgotten the reason I sent you down here? To protect the young! To escape BEFORE the fighting started!” Many of them hung their heads in shame.

“We’re sorry Apatelodes,” one bright green pony said. “When we smelled the smoke, we kind of panicked. Even worse when that dog killed−” she gasped and shuddered. “All that blood…”

I groaned and facehoofed. “Look, just calm down and let those in front go through okay? You’re just lucky Crambus was down here to protect you once they fell.”

They nodded and those near the back gave the others more room to file out the door. Not hearing any screaming I breathed a sigh of relief that we seemed safe on this side — for now. I led Spot over to the waiting females, one of whom took his heavy saddlebag of books and glared at him.

“Stay with the others this time, Spot,” I growled. He nodded and huddled up close to wait his turn to go out. My gaze turned to Crambus. Besides the blood from the diamond dog and a few scratches here and there, he looked well. “Can I trust you to watch over them for me? Get them all to safety?”

“Of course,” he nodded. “Find more to send down here and save. I’ll do what I can here.”

“Make sure the children and females get out as soon as possible, especially the Princess.” I looked to see Phengaris herself had our little Princess in her grip and held close to her bosom.

“Will do!” he saluted.

I took a deep breath and let it out, then hurried toward the door to continue on.

---

Canterlot Castle- Shiny Whistle

It was a few hours later I awoke. I rubbed a hoof through my mane, yawned, and looked to see Discord and Velvet in their beds next to mine fast asleep. What time is it? What woke me up? I stretched and rolled out of bed. The sky outside our window was nearly all the grey-blue of right before darkness falls. So I hadn’t been sleeping for too long.

Well, I was up now, I might as well go check on Chryssy and Flash. I trotted to the door and opened it quietly so as not to wake the others and trotted over to Chryssy’s room. I paused. The door was slightly ajar and rocking back and forth. “Flash?” I whispered as I stepped closer to the door and pushed it open.

The room was empty. Flash’s chair stood unoccupied by the bed where Chryssy no longer lay. A breeze whisked through the room from the balcony window which had been shattered, shards of glass littered the carpet before it. “Chryssy?” I said a little louder and stepped inside. A sharp gust of wind caught on some paper on the floor and flung it against my muzzle.

I pulled it away and looked down as it floated in my magic. My eyes ran over the nursery rhyme as my stomach fell. “Oh no,” I whispered as my eyes went wide. So Hope was going through with it then. Even worse, she had foalnapped Chryssy’s daughter!

“Shiny? What happened here?”

I turned to see Flash enter the room and look around at the damage. How could he not know? Where had he been? “What happened? You tell me, you were supposed to be watching her!” I yelled and stomped my hoof against the floor. I levitated the torn page to him and he grasped it in one wing as he read.

“So she’s gone back then,” he said softly. “I-I don’t know what to say Shiny. I couldn’t have been gone longer than fifteen minutes. Nothing was like this when I left.”

“”This is all your fault!” I growled. “N-now she is going to die too. All because you wouldn’t let Celestia send troops to help!”

“”Calm down, Shiny,” Flash said and held a hoof out to me. “Losing the Queen is serious, but we have to think about what we need to do next. Panicking won’t help.”

I stepped away from his hoof, careful not to step on the broken glass as I did so. “You had one job!” I groaned. Why wasn’t he upset about this? “I trusted you to watch her.”

“Yes, I know, and I’m sorry, Shiny. There’s nothing we can do now though. With this Citheronia in danger, nothing we do is going to get her to come back even if we could catch up with her.”

I scraped a hoof against the ground in frustration but knew he was right. Chryssy loved her daughter — obviously far more than she loved me. The care she gave to her fellow changeling was part of why I loved her. There was nothing I could do and it just made my heartache even worse. Perhaps I should just move on, return home with Velvet. Well, after Discord brought the girls back so we could say goodbye. He had insisted it was safer for them where he had them hid away.

How could I just return home though, not knowing what had happened? If she lived, or died, what happened to her changelings? What should we do? “Flash?” I said, turning back to the blue maned stallion.

“Yes, Shiny?”

“I-I don’t know what to do.” I sniffed.

“Well, why don’t we alert the Princesses? Celestia should be getting ready for bed now that the sun is down, while Princess Luna should be waking from her sleep. So now is the perfect time to catch all four of them.” He assured me. “I will see if I can get the civilians refugee status, so that we can protect them,” he said and rubbed a hoof through his mane. Well, at least it looked like he felt guilty for what he had done. For whatever small comfort that gave.

I nodded as my ears lowered. It was something at least. Wait, perhaps Discord…? “You alert the Princesses,” I said. “I’ll ask Discord if he can help.”

“That’s a good idea as well,” Flash nodded as he walked toward the door with the note tucked under one wing. “I’m sorry, Shiny. I’ll do what I can to bring her back.” He frowned and seemed lost in thought for a moment, but then turned around and trotted out the door.

I raced back to our bedroom. A shiver running down my spine at the thought she might die. With a pause shortly before the door, I took in a few deep breaths. Flash was right. I needed to calm down. I had to stop panicking at every single thing. Sure my parents had liked the three of us to be open with our feelings, but mine were far more transparent than either of my siblings. Chryssy thought I should learn to control myself. So I would do so. Somehow.

With one hoof I opened the door and stepped inside, my gaze turned to Discord’s bed. Like usual, he more floated above it than actually slept in it, which made it hard to reach him. I stood on my hind legs and poked him in the side.

“Who dares disturb my slumber?” he growled, eyes glowing yellow for a moment as his face seemed to morph into some kind of blue feline. I took a step back only for him to blink and smile down at me, his face returning to normal. “Ah, it is you Shiny,” he grinned and plopped down on his bed. “Let me guess, couldn’t sleep?”

“Something like that,” I nodded and looked behind me as Velvet stirred.

“”Do we need to get you more donuts?” Velvet asked and let out a yawn.

“NO!” I yelled and shook my head. “She’s gone.”

“Gone?” Discord asked. “Whatever do you mean, Shiny?”

“Chryssy, she’s gone,” I repeated. “I found a note in her room from Radiant Hope. She’s burning the hive, and foalnapping Citheronia.”

“What a pity. I do like that little bug,” Discord sighed. “You know it was bound to happen though, her leaving.”

“Yes, I do but- Discord, c-can you do anything for them? Can you stop Hope from doing what she has planned?” I moaned. A few tear drops fell to my cheeks and I wiped them away. Curse my stupid emotions!

Discord shook his head. “I’m sorry, Shiny, but I’m afraid not.”

“What?” I gasped.

“Isn’t she your friend though?” Velvet said and stood to wrap me in a hug. “Friends should help friends where they can.”

“She is my friend, yes,” Discord nodded. “But we made an agreement over a thousand years ago.”

“A-an agreement?”

“Yes, little Shiny,” he nodded. “She is a proud Queen, the majority of the time wanting to solve her own problems. As fellow villains – well ex-villain in my case — we made a vow that we would only come to each other’s aid if called.”

“Wha- but that is ridiculous!” I groaned and wiggled out of Velvet’s hug. “How the hay are you supposed to hear her call from so far away? Or she you?”

The draconequus chuckled. “Part of the agreement involved a little spell. You see, if one of us calls on the other, we will hear it. No matter if I am here or in my own dimension. It is a much higher level spell than most of you unicorns can do,” he snorted. “Only one as powerful as we can do it. Though I do have Kay-Kay on speed dial too.” He folded his arms and shook his head. “But does Celestia use it when in trouble? When I could solve her problems with a snap of my fingers? No! She just relies on her precious elements. ‘They can do anything’,” he huffed.

“Then you won’t help her?”

“No, sorry, Shiny. The moment she calls for me, I’ll be there in a flash, but not until then.”

Great, this was just great. The one creature I knew that could easily solve this refused to help! What were we going to do now? “So what, are we just to sit here doing nothing while she and her changelings die?”

“No, you could do other things,” he shrugged. “Perhaps write a new song? I hear you are good at that.” He snapped his fingers and before me appeared my whistle and some blank sheet music. Another snap and a quill and ink bottle appeared next to them.

“You think I can write music at a time like this?” I growled.

“It might help you calm down, bro?” Velvet said and grabbed the items. He placed them on a desk in the corner of the room.

I sighed, my emotions were getting ahold of me again. It just felt wrong. Even if she didn’t care for me I wanted to help. “Fine,” I huffed and walked over to the desk, sitting down and lifting up the quill as I placed a blank sheet in front of me. I needed something to do to get this jagged feeling in my chest to go away. My gaze turned to the window and I watched as the first star appeared in the night sky. Please, stay safe. The princesses would likely be up here soon with Flash. Until then, I would work on some new song. In my current state of mind though, I had no idea what to write.

---

Changeling Castle – Apatelodes

The smoke filled the air as I pointed changelings and ponies toward the exit and fought my way through the horde of diamond dogs and umbrum now in the castle. All around me bricks fell from the wall. It was even worse in places fights took place as bodies slammed against the crumbling structure and were quickly buried underneath.

By some miracle, I had received only a few cuts, one or two of which were deep but most were superficial. Though I had plenty of bruises. If it wasn’t for Zeuxidia and the trinkets she made, I’d probably have worse. I’d never regretted wearing the one she had made for me with a spell to strengthen one’s chitin. I just hoped she had made it to safety. She hadn’t been down in the hatchery from what I had seen, but that didn’t mean she was dead.

I coughed against the acrid smoke. Around and above me, I heard the cackling laughter of the umbrum, who seemed dived down on those fighting and were taking them out one by one.. The clang of sword meeting claw filled the air. Howls of pain cut short from both dog and changeling filled my ears.

I watched in horror as the enemy kept coming. There might have been a lot of us, but by now we had been scattered across the castle in our fighting. We were losing, badly. I had to do something! As my wings buzzed behind me I leapt into the air, sword at the ready. “My fellow changelings!” I yelled. A few ears flicked my way as they continued to fight. “We must be strong for our Queen,” I continued.”These dumb dogs can’t beat us down if we stand together. As one we may be weak, but together we are mighty!”

I heard shouts of agreement from below and watched as a few moved closer to a comrade. “Yes, fight together,” I shouted. “We are changelings! We are strong! We’ll fight for the right to live.” I flew backward as an umbrum flew at me and shot a bolt of magic at it. “Back you fiend,” I growled.

“You will stop talking bad about us then,” it hissed. “You changelings won’t do that though will you?”

“Like Tartarus we will. This is our home and we will not give in!” I charged at it and tossed another bolt of magic. It floated upward out of the blast’s range.

“Is that all you have?” it purred. “I’ve seen worse from a pony.”

I snarled and bared my fangs at it. How dare the ugly thing call me worse than a pony! “You want more? Then take it!” I fired another bolt at it quickly followed by three more. Though it dodged, the last two hit it on the left forearm and cheek. As it howled in pain, before it could make a counterattack, I shot a fireball at it which hit directly between its eyes,

The flames crackled up its body as it fell to the ground and writhed in pain. As I hovered there and caught my breath, I looked to see many of those below watching me, even some of the enemy. “Attack!” I yelled and pointed a hoof toward the distracted mutts.

With a roar our army charged forward again with renewed vigor, cutting out diamond dogs left and right as they fought together. That’s better. I grinned and landed back on the ground. I heard few cries of my fellow changeling now, nor that of the few ponies I could see up against the diamond dogs. Three or four changelings, sometime with a unicorn amongst them, were gaining up on the umbrum and blasting them with bolts of magic from all sides. The umbrum let out piercing cries of pain as they fell to the ground.

An ash covered, dirty grey-green diamond dog stepped in front of me. Its fangs and claws were covered in blood. Stuck in one of its fangs was what looked like half of a changeling’s wing. I let out a snarl and charged at it. My sword sliced through one of the clawed fingers on its right paw and cut it off before it could blink.

It howled and sprang at me. It missed my ear by mere centimeters as I jumped back. The mutt charged forward again and sliced its remaining claws in a downward arc.

I ducked and dove under it, bringing my sword up to swipe along its belly. I didn’t get very deep as I slid out from underneath it, but at least the wound bled. “Take that you drooling mutt!” I yelled.

“I eat you, tender morsel,” it snarled, baring its own fangs as it held one paw to its bleeding belly and swiped the other toward my throat.

“Not likely,” I hissed and snapped at the paw. I buried my fangs deep into the pad of its paw and shook my head as I tore into it.

The brute howled and tried to pull its paw away, which only resulted in more damage. As its blood rolled onto my tongue, I released the paw, spitting out fur and the bitter blood. With its attention on its paw, I sliced through its stomach once more. This time I punctured it deeply. The blood spilled freely from the dog, and I jumped over it and looked for my next opponent.

A piercing scream filled the air behind me. I twisted around to see a huge, muddy-grey diamond dog, nearly twice the size of the one I was just fighting, with one of our hatchlings in his arms. The foal scrabbled in his grip, let out another scream, and then started to cry. With all the smoke, I couldn’t make out which one it was from the distance between us, but who it was didn’t matter.

I took a deep breath through my fangs and sprinted toward them, sword raised high. “Get your paws off our foal!” I screamed.

He paused to look at me as I drew near and simply laughed. “Our master wants foal, so we gives it to her.” He took a stronger grip on the foal and held it behind his back as I drew closer.

“Well she can’t have it,” I snapped. Why would Hope want one of our foals, our hatchlings, anyway? It’s not like they were anywhere near old enough to fight anytime soon. It was at that moment who I realized the hatchling must be. I took a step to the side and looked behind his back and my eyes grew wide in confirmation. He had our Princess!

“Give her to me, and I might let you live,” I hissed with my fangs bared.

He just shook his head. “She is our master’s now.”

Ugh, stupid dog! How was I supposed to get to her without harming her? If there was one changeling I knew I must save, it had to be her.

“Apatelodes!” I glanced over my shoulder to see Videre running toward me. His helmet was gone and he had claw marks down the right side of his face, but otherwise looked well. He stopped beside me with his gaze on the princess’s captor. “He has the Princess!”

“Good to see you still alive,” I nodded to him. “Yes he does. Let’s take him down!”

“Two tasty morsels against me?” the dog laughed. “I bring all back to master!”

“Like Tartarus you will!” Videre growled and stepped closer to me. “I’ll bite his forearm, and you grab the Princess when he drops her. If that sounds okay?” he whispered.

“Let’s do it,” I nodded.

Videre dived in at the furred mutt and clamped his jaws around its thick arm. The dog howled. The grip he had on the Princess failed as she slipped through his clawed paws.

Before she could hit the floor I snatched her up in my magic and brought her closer to me. She stared up at me with wide eyes, her entire body shivering as she let out little chirps of fear. “It’s okay. I got you,” I soothed.

At a yelp of pain, I turned back to see the dog had dislodged Videre from his arm and tossed him away. My armored friend stood back up and let out a hiss at the dog. He took a step forward only to wince in pain when he put weight on his right forehoof.

“Here,” I said and hurried over to him. I held out the Princess. “You’re injured Videre. Take Citheronia and get to the hatchery. I’ll take on this brute.”

“Y-you sure?” he asked as he took the little hatchling from me into his own magic. “I-I don’t want you to die.”

“Don’t worry, I can take him,” I grinned. “Just get her to safety.”

“Yes sir!” he nodded and with a slight limp hurried away. He didn’t get very far before a cackle filled the air.

It echoed around us as two umbrum flew into the castle from one of the large holes in the wall with Radiant Hope standing on their backs. “So, you hide inside, Apatelodes, rather than being on the front line?” she crooned with her gaze turned to me.

The fighting stopped completely around us as all eyes turned to the mare. “I’m not hiding,” I growled and took a step forward. “I would say you are the one who's been hiding.” She had traded her cape in for a simple set of armor, just enough to cover her back, chest, and barrel. An empty sheath was strapped to her side, a standard straight crystal imperial sword floating in the air beside her. The Alicorn Amulet glowed faintly against her neck. Not a spot of blood or gore was on her, and the only scars upon her form were long healed.

“Just because I control my army from the sidelines doesn’t mean I hid,” she hissed.

“Sure looks like it,” I snapped.

“I’ve just been preparing a little presentation for you and your fellow lings,” she crooned.

Ears perked up around me at her words, and I heard murmurs of confusion. “Presentation? What the hay do you mean?”

“I imagine you are all wondering where your ‘Queen’ is? Why she is not helping you here?” Many of those around me nodded, to which Hope smirked. “Well I could just tell you she isn’t coming to help, but I think showing you would be more… appropriate.” She lit up her horn, and a screen appeared beside her, surrounded by her red, corrupted magic.

Upon the screen was a luxurious, mostly pale blue bedroom, but the thing that made everyling around me gasp was what was upon the huge bed that took up most of the screen. Our Queen lay upon it, fast asleep, her chitin almost glowed with health. Beside the bed sat a pale orange pegasus pony with a two-toned blue mane. He smiled down at our Queen and with one wing tucked the bed’s blankets around her.

“What is this?” I growled and glared at Hope. “Some sorcery of yours?”

The mare chuckled and shook her head. “More a window into Canterlot Castle. As you all fight and die tonight, she sleeps peacefully with her next meal waiting next to her.” Her gaze trailed over the changelings in the crowd as many of them gasped. “While you all bleed, burn, and are torn apart, she is treated like one of their pathetic, pampered, pretty pony princesses. She went to the ponies to be accepted by them, and now she has been. Why would she come back to die for you? We both know the Queen is willing to let others die so she may live. How is this any different? Perhaps it is time all you changelings learned the truth.”

How dare she! Though, I had to admit it did seem partially true. Was this view she was giving us happening now? With my silence the others around me murmured uncertainly. “S-she does care!” I mumbled.

“If she cares so much then why isn’t she here?” Hope shouted and dispelled the image. “Why does she sleep on with the ponies if she cares about what happens to her subjects?”

Videre stepped back up next to me, his ears lowered. Citheronia nuzzled up against him and hid her face against his neck. His mouth opening and closing with no sound, my armored friend held the hatchling close and shook his head. “How? Why?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Hope chuckled, “She cares more for the ponies than you! She’s left you all to die so she may live with them and forever have a full belly.”

No, it couldn’t be. I had talked to her just last night! What had happened in the last twenty-four hours? Someling in the crowd started to cry, and with that the mood in the room shifted. It flooded over me as I felt their urge to fight dwindle. Some even tossed down their swords. Another wall fell somewhere in the castle and the sound echoed in the quiet around us.

“D-don’t listen to her everyling. This is all just some ploy. I’m sure of it.” I snorted.

“Awww, is the little ling being so foalishly loyal?” Hope chided. “Face the facts Apatelodes. She is NOT coming, and all of you are going to die.” She waved a hoof and her army charged forward once again, slicing through our battered defenses. “Enjoy burning,” the mare chirped and with a nod to the umbrum below her they flew off.

“Come back here!” I growled as she flew off and raised into the air myself. But it was too late though, she was already gone.

“What we going to do?” Videre asked as he took a step forward with our Princess in hoof.

“Stick with the plan,” I huffed. “Get Citheronia downstairs and to the hatchery. If any are still there, get them out and to safety. No matter what Hope says, I want to keep as many of us alive as possible.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll keep fighting. As long as I stand I will not abandon our Queen, our hive.”

“But she’s not− forget it,” he sighed and shook his head. “Stay safe, please.”

“I’ll do what I can,” I grunted.

Without another word, he limped away. Great, now I was getting my friends mad at me too. I turned as I heard shuffling pawsteps behind me to find the dog whom I had been fighting before. “Now it’s just you and me, you mongrel,” I growled, circling around him. His right forearm bled profusely from the bite Videre had given him, but otherwise he seemed unharmed.

“I eat you for midnight snack!” he laughed and charged.

I dodged, his claws slicing through my mane and cutting off a lock. “Hey, I happen to like my mane and don’t want it shorter,” I huffed and held my sword up in front of me.

“You need no mane in my belly,” he barked and swiped another claw at me.

I grunted as he hit my barrel, which was thankfully protected by my armor, and sent me sliding across the floor. Colt, that hurt! I gathered my hooves below me and lunged at him. My sword swiped back and forth at him as he dodged. “Get out of my hive!” I yelled, advancing with each swipe while he retreated a few steps.

The screams around me had resumed once again from my fellow changeling as the dogs and umbrum took them down. I was not going to be one of them. Even as the blood from the dogs injured arm splattered on my face I continued to fight. My Queen cared for us. Hope was lying about her. I was sure of it. She’d return. I would see her face again.

“That will be enough, Duke.” The dog — Duke I guess — paused in his attack and looked behind him. I breathed heavily in front of him and looked around. Our fight had brought us far from where we started. Somehow, we had made it halfway down the hallway that led to the hatchery. The dog was far less injured than I after our battle. His claws had grazed against my side, finding the crease in my armor. The wound wasn’t very deep, but it sure hurt.

The sound of hoofbeats came from behind the dog, and out stepped Radiant Hope. “Hello there, Apatelodes,” she grinned.

“Hope,” I growled and brought my sword back up into a guard position.

“Oh, think you are a good fighter, do you?” she purred. “I’m not leaving Apatelodes. Not until I get my prize.” She turned back to Duke. “Dukie dear, do go and get my prize back from that naughty changeling will you? Bring the changeling with you too.”

“Yes, master pointy pony,” he bowed and ran off.

Hope groaned and rubbed her forehead. “Silly mutts,” she sighed and then turned her attention back to me. “Now, where were we? Oh yes,” she swung her sword in front of her and entered the same guard position. “Let’s have a little fun while he grabs my prize.”

I let out a growl and attacked. If she thought she could have our Princess she was sorely wrong. With a long swipe under her guard I slashed at her exposed leg, only for her to take a step back and hit my sword away with her own.

With a yell her sword flew toward me as she lunged.

I parried the attack as she came at me again and again in quick succession. Perhaps one or two of my parries got through but with the speed she attacked I wasn’t sure. I let out a cry of pain as one of her swipes slashed across my cheek. The cut didn’t feel deep, but it stung like Tartarus, blood slowly dripping down. I glared at her and bared my fangs, then leapt back at her.

We continued, trading blows as we danced across the floor. She might be good, but I had nearly five hundred years of practice. Not that she didn’t have the same, who knows what she had been doing since the Crystal Empire first disappeared. Sure my skill wasn’t all with an enemy but I wasn’t going to let her beat me that easily. “You won’t… win in the end,” I gasped as I tossed a strong blow her way.

“Do you forget?” she snorted and blocked my blow, her sword shedding across mine before she moved her sword to the front guard position and blocked my next attack. “I grow stronger with every death, and there is plenty of that happening around us.”

I spared a quick glance away to see how right she was. Changeling, diamond dog, and even some umbrum lay scattered across the ground, all with various wounds that had ended their lives and bathed the floor in their blood. Though the umbrum’s blood looked more oily, where ours and that of the dogs were more similar, if different colors. Many of my fellow changelings still fought around me through the thickening smoke, but many more had fallen.

I let out a hiss and bared my fangs as I dodged another blow.

She smirked. “You puny changelings grow weaker because without your Queen you are nothing!”

The vile mare was right about that. My horn throbbed from so much use as I burned through the love energy I had stored It was already lower than I was comfortable with. I just hoped Videre had been able to take care of that diamond dog and was far away with the Princess by now. The longer I was able to fight, the more they had a chance of escaping.

“We won’t stop fighting you!” I dived at her while my sword twirled above me. She retreated a few steps but my sword still grazed her cheek as it passed by.

She paused and lifted a hoof to the cheek, then looked down at the blood on said hoof. “It looks like I have been going too easy on you.” Her eyes glowed red as she turned back to me, the intensity of the red light around her sword grew brighter as she breathed heavily. With a shake of her head she let out a dark chuckle. “Not going to happen again.”

With renewed speed she dived forward, her thrusts and parries whipped in front of me so fast I could hardly keep up, let alone try to get in an attack of my own. My grip on my sword faltered as my energy waned. In an instant she slipped around my guard and sliced her sword at me.

A piercing pain filled my skull as her sword sliced clean through my horn. I howled in pain and collapsed to the floor. My sword slid across the floor as my magic around it dissipated. A light clack to the side echoed in my ears as my severed horn fell to the stone floor beside me. I held a hoof to what was left of my horn and let out another scream of pain as I touched it. What little was left felt like a broken tooth with only tiny, jagged bits remaining. I tried to stand but collapsed once more in the throes of pain.

Spots danced in front of my eyes and the feeling of nausea swept over me. I let out a gasp as Hope wrapped her magic around me and lifted me into the air. The horrid mare brought me muzzle to muzzle with her as she grinned. “Does that hurt?” she sneered. “Good! That will teach you to mess with me. No creature calls me old and gets away with it.”

Her magic grip tossed me back to the ground where I let out a moan. I tried to get up, but the moment I placed my hoof to the floor my head erupted in pain again and I collapsed. “This−this is not over,” I groaned.

“It’s all over!” I lowered my ears as she let out a cackle. “What is a changeling without his horn? Without his magic? Only a husk waiting to die!”

“We have other ways of feeding,” I growled. Sure they were more… unconventional, but a changeling could survive without their horn, though it was harder to do so.

As her sword returned to its sheath the mare let out a snort. “Perhaps, but do you have the strength to use them?”

“Oh no, Apatelodes!”

I looked up wearily and my heart dropped into my stomach at the sound of Videre’s voice. The same dog from before lumbered toward us, our Princess in one paw, Videre in the other. Neither of them looked injured, but from the sagging of my friend’s ears and shoulders he looked as exhausted as myself. His eyes widened as he looked at me and my injuries.

“Ah, you are finally back,” Hope grinned at Duke. She held out a hoof. “Give me my prize!”

He complied and handed over Citheronia to the smirking pastel purple mare. The little princess shivered in Hope’s grip and let out soft fearful chirps.

“Release her Hope, as well as my friend.”

“Not likely, little changeling,” she crooned and held the little filly close to her. With her gaze back on her dog she nodded to him. “Now, what shall I do with this little thief?” She poked her hoof at Videre. “After you tried to steal my prize from me, you must be punished.”

“She is not yours,” he spat. “Unhoof her, you fiend!”

Hope simply cackled at him. “Ah, such spirit! Much like your little friend over there,” her gaze fell back on me where I lay. “How best to punish you now? I want you both alive for at least long enough to give your precious Queen a message.”

“I eat him now, master pointy pony?” Duke asked and licked his drooling lips.

“No, you fool! I just said I want them alive!” She paused and rubbed her chin. “But there is something else you could do.” I shivered as a dark smile fell on her face. “For trying to run away, let’s take one of his wings as punishment.”

“Wings are crunchy,” the dog growled and nodded. With one paw wrapped around Videre’s throat, he used the other to pinch one of my friend’s wings between two claws and pulled.

I winced as Videre let out a howl of his own as the wing ripped free. The mutt tossed him toward me and eyed the wing like it was a piece of candy. He popped the wing into his mouth and shook his tail in delight as he crunched down.

Hope rolled her eyes at him but then stepped back over to us. “Please stay alive until your little Queen arrives, won’t you?” she crooned. “I have a message for her.”

“W-what is your message you devil pony?” Videre hissed and scooted over to me. He wrapped a hoof around me and hugged me close.

“Tell her I have her daughter. If she ever wants to see her alive again, then she is to come to the ancestral home of the diamond dogs. We’ll be waiting for her there.” With that, she turned away and kicked Videre in his side, which made him groan in pain. “If she is brave enough to take back her daughter, that is.”

No! I couldn’t let her take our Princess! I tried to rise but collapsed to the ground once more. Hope may have taken my horn, but injuries I had sustained from earlier fights were finally catching up to me.

Hope shot a bolt of red light into the air, where it burst into a firework like display. All grew still around us as the remaining dogs and umbrum in the area stopped in their fighting and turned to her. “Come, we are done here,” she grinned. As she hopped once more upon the backs of two umbrum when they flew down to her she held the squirming Princess close. “Remember, no dying until your precious Queen gets here!” she trilled then with a cackle they were off, the remaining umbrum and diamond dogs tossed their opponents to the ground and hurried after her.

Videre crawled over and wrapped a hoof around me as Hope flew off, the two of us watching helplessly. “I’m so sorry Apatelodes, I-I failed.”

“What happened?”

“We got down there to find the hatchery empty, so somelings got away. At least, I hope they did,” he sighed. “There were signs of struggle, but no dead bodies. Just as I was heading to the door, that big brute jumped me and bonked me on the head. I’m not sure if he knocked me out or just dazed me, but by the time I realized what had happened, he had us nearly back to you.” He shifted beside me and cringed. “I can’t believe he ate my wing.”

“Those mutts are such horrid creatures,” I nodded. I held a hoof to my head as a fresh wave of pain coursed through me. “You’re not the failure Videre. I am. I let Hope get away with our Princess. If only I was stronger, maybe then I could have saved her. Maybe I could have saved more of the hive. I am nowhere near the ling our Queen thinks of me.”

“You did your best,” he whispered and ran a hoof through my mane. “I am so proud of all you have done for the hive. We’ll survive just like we always have — somehow. Even with what Hope showed us, I-I” he sighed. “We’ll still survive. We can live without a Queen...”

“She’ll come. Don’t let Hope take such knowledge from you. Don’t stop believing in Chrysalis,” I sighed. As I lifted my head to look around us, I took in all the carnage Hope had caused. The dead of all our species, were everywhere. There were even a few ponies here and there. Besides Videre and me, the only life still in the place was a diamond dog or two scrabbling through the rubble and away from what was left of the castle.

Or so I thought. I heard someling as they trotted toward us. With the help of my armored friend I looked up to see maybe half a dozen changelings and a single pegasus pony as they trotted our way. One of the changelings — a young stallion of whom I couldn’t recall the name — burst into tears at seeing our condition.

“Don’t cry,” I soothed and smiled at him. “You survived, for that you have done well.”

“B-but what should we do now?” he sniffed and wiped at his eyes.

I let out a deep sigh and cringed when it shot another bolt of pain through me. “Continue to survive,” I said. “Hope might be gone, but she could return to finish what she started. So, fly and find the others who escaped. Stay together and never give up the fight. If all goes well, our Queen will find you and figure out what to do next.

“What of you two?” another asked, this one with only half of an ear left on his head. Chioides?

“When our Queen returns, she will need to know what happened. We will be here to tell her.”

“He’s right. Plus, we’d only slow you down,” Videre said and looked back at his remaining wing.

“Okay,” Chioides — yes, it had to be him — said. He gathered the others next to him. “Let’s go.”

“We’ll we see you again?” the young stallion asked.

Poor ling, he really shouldn’t have had to fight tonight. He was still so young, only a few years into adulthood. “Perhaps,” I said. “Stay safe and remember: as the world changes around us and tries to get us down, we change with it and survive. We adapt and live on.”

He nodded and trotted back over to the others. Videre and I watched as their heads drooped and tears dripped from each eye, even those of the pegasus. The seven of them spread their wings and took flight into the night sky. The shadows seemed to chase after them as the firelight reflected off of them. Soon, the only one I could still see was the pegasus with his yellow-green coat, then he was gone too.

I looked down at the castle floor and let out a soft moan. What would our Queen think of me now? She had left me in charge to protect the hive, and instead it had been destroyed. The crackle of still burning flames reached my ears as well the crumbling of a distant wall. There was no way we’d be able to return here. It would take a lot more than we had to return it to its former glory.

“Are we old foals, my friend?” I looked up at Videre and winced when a few sparks fell from my stub of a horn. “All these years, has what we done been worth it?”

“Well you might be old,” he laughed halfheartedly, “but are certainly no foal.” He lowered his ears and nuzzled against me. “You’ve made a difference, so yes it has been worth it.”

I smiled, leaning into his nuzzle. It was kind of nice. “Thanks,” I said softly.

We laid there for a time, gathering what strength we had to us. Neither of us was in any condition to move well. Not only were our injuries fierce, but I knew I had used up far too much love energy.

My ears perked up as I felt a familiar pull inside of me. Our Queen was near. “S-she’s coming back,” I groaned. I knew it! I knew Hope had been lying. Even if she was arriving far too late, she had still come.

Videre stirred from a half sleep and perked his ears up as well. “Yes, she’s close. S-she came back after all.” With a groan of pain, he stood up and let out a light hiss of pain. “C-can you stand?”

“Can you h-help me do so?” I asked. He nodded and wrapped his magic around me gently as he set me back on my hooves. With one hoof wrapped around him for balance, I was able to stand.

“Let’s meet her outside,” my armored friend suggested.

“I think I can make it that far,” I gasped as a ripple of pain shot through me again. Cuts from the fight against Hope and others I had been in tonight broke open and bled once more.

“Let’s hurry.” Videre nodded and step by step led the way through the destruction toward the main gates.

---

Somewhere Over Equestria - Queen Chrysalis

Night had fallen while I flew as high as I could to avoid being seen by those below. With the moon now about half in shadow, it didn’t put out too much light — just enough. I didn’t want to be delayed any longer than necessary.

Why did I have to be so naive? Celestia had already refused to send help and yet I had still held out hope, for what cause? Just to lose my closest companion I had made here. “I’m so sorry, Chrys,” I whispered as I flew over a cloud. “P-please come back. I miss you. I NEED you.” I had been so selfish not letting her return to the hive even if there was little likelihood it would make a difference.

I shook my head and took in a deep breath. Why focus on those dark thoughts? No, I needed to be strong: for Chrys, Apatelodes, Citheronia, and the hive. The strength I had left might not be much but I would make it count!

A bat pony appeared on the horizon; the only thing I could make out about it was that it had a dark grey coat and wings almost the same shade as the sky behind it. I ducked down and hid among the clouds while hoping my own dark chitin wouldn’t give me away.

As it flew past, I breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed it hadn’t spotted me. I laid down on the cloud and caught my breath until it was out of sight, then continued my flight. For once, it seemed a good thing ponies shunned the night − if far less so than they had all those years ago. Could I have even made it out of Canterlot, if the sky had been full of pegasi or bat ponies?

Whatever, all that mattered is luck seemed to be on my side tonight. Only a few ponies were out and about. I’d never made this flight on my own before. Colt, I’d never even flew this fast and long before! Yet somehow I knew I was heading the right way. Was it some inner changeling instinct? It sure wasn’t by landmarks like I usually found my way.

I looked to the far horizon and my eyes widened and heart leapt into my throat. Great, billowing clouds of smoke rose in the cool night air. “NO!” I cried, and with a renewed breath, I pushed my wings to fly harder and faster. It had already begun, and even at this pace, I was still at least a few hours away. The wind whipped at me as I pushed on and dried my tears before they could even trickle down my face. Smoke slowly took up more and more of the sky I could see.

“Please, no,” I moaned and shook my head. I was such a failure. Our — my changelings were in danger, and I hadn’t been there to help them. For all I knew, everyling might already be dead. Would it have been better after all to go along with Hope? No, it might not have cost as many lives, but it still wouldn’t have been better. I thought of the girls back at the castle — if even they were still there. Were the three of us all that was left? Was our species virtually extinct because all of our males were dead? I didn’t know, but I tried to prepare myself for the worst as I continued my flight.

---

As I drew closer to the castle, my momentum slowed, and I paused above the trees. My eyes took in the damage Hope and her army had caused. Much of the castle had collapsed, especially near the front. Boulders taller than even me sat against the crushed front gates. Lime green flames burned in patches around the castle, while normal red-and-orange flames ate at the trees on the opposite side of the castle from me. Bodies littered the ground everywhere and the stench of burning flesh and chitin filled the air. I hugged my forehooves around me and shook my head. No, everyling was dead.

My ears swiveled forward as I heard hoofsteps. With a look down I saw two changelings limping out of the castle. I raced down to them and gasped in surprise to see one was Apatelodes, the other Videre.

When the two looked up at me as I approached, I couldn’t help letting out another gasp, this one of horror. Both were in bad shape, but my dear guard was the worst. His horn broken clean off, with just a few jagged edges left, let out a few sparks of light. Wounds covered his body, many of them superficial, but there were a few that bled deeply. I doubt if it wasn’t for Videre if he could even have made it outside to greet me.

“My Queen,” he whispered, his eyes closed as he rode out a wave of pain.

Videre let him go as I landed and I wrapped him in my forehooves. “O-Oh Apatelodes,” I sniffed and held him close. “What has she done to you?”

“She killed nearly the whole hive,” Videre grunted as he sat down on the other side of Apatelodes. He tossed a dark glare my way. “Why did you take so long to return to us? Why stay with those pony princesses?” he growled softy. “We could have used you! When Hope showed us what you were up to I−” he shook his head, the clawed marks grazing his face slowly dripped blood.

“I-I’m sorry,” I moaned. “I thought I could accomplish the unthinkable, but alas…”

“No, you t-tried my Queen,” Apatelodes groaned. “You w-wanted to give us a better life.” His ears lowered as he looked away. “It is I who have failed you. You left me in charge. You trusted me to keep us all alive. Now look,” he pointed a trembling hoof back at the castle. “Everything is destroyed. All we have worked on, gone up in flames.”

“Did noling else s-survive?”

Apatelodes shook his head. “No, a few s-small groups got away. Unless Hope went after them once they were out of sight.”

That was something at least. Perhaps if I could find them before Hope… I turned back to my loyal guard. “My daughter? Was she with them?”

He shook his head, and with that shake his face filled with despair, eyes closed as tears trickled down. “Hope took her. I-I did all I could to save her but she was just t-too powerful.”

His words stabbed at my heart and filled me with guilt. The note had been true, I’d not only lost my connection with Chrys, but lost her daughter as well. Our Princess and future were gone. Even if I found the survivors, where would we go? Nopony would take in a bunch of love sucking fiends like us. Without our castle, we were homeless and powerless.

Videre scowled at me. “You’ve failed us again. The wedding, that comet, now our home and loved ones.” he ran a hoof through Apatelodes mane and laid his head against the wounded ling.

Did Videre…? No, I’d never seen Apatelodes do that much with the guard. Had I missed it? Well I hadn’t exactly stayed at the castle too long after arrival, before galloping off on an adventure. Apatelodes let out a cough in my hooves, and I turned my attention back to him.

The poor ling shivered in my hooves as his ears wilted. “Please Videre, don’t fight,” he whispered. “C-continue to help our Queen for me, will you?”

“Don’t talk like that!” he snorted. “You’ll heal! I have your horn right here,” he said, and held up the severed specimen. “A little love and you’ll be good as new.”

Apatelodes shook his head. I felt a fresh wave of tears run down my cheeks as I realized the truth. “Please, don’t leave me,” I sobbed. I couldn’t lose him too!

My brave guard put a hoof up to my cheek. “Stay strong for me, Chrys. H-hope had something she wanted us to te-tell you.”

“Yes?” I asked and brought my own hoof up to his own.

“Your daughter is still alive, my dear Queen,” he said before he turned his head to cough into his hoof. When he pulled away little specks of blood covered it. “Hope awaits you at the ancestral home of the diamond dogs.”

Ancestral home of the diamond dogs? Where the hay was that? Oh I wish Chrys was here now. She would surely know! “W-where is that again?”

“Seriously?” Videre groaned. “What happened to your memory, my Queen? Did the ponies poison it?”

I cringed. Of course, he didn’t know. Not even Apatelodes would know what really happened. Now wasn’t the time to tell him though. I’d have to hold the burden of losing Chrys on my own. After all, it was all my fault.

“Videre,” Apatelodes groaned and patted the stallion’s hoof. “It is about half a day’s flight to the west, my Queen.”

“Thank you, Apatelodes,” I whispered and nuzzled against him. “What am I going to do without you? Who else can I trust to protect us?”

“Trust in yourself,” he said. “Discord helped you for a reason.” Another tremble rippled up his form. The chitin around his face grew paler and his eyes wet with tears. “My Queen, my dear Chrysalis.” He lifted a trembling hoof to my cheek. “I have one s-secret I must share with you be-before−”

“Yes, go on,” I nodded. I glanced over at Videre, who watched his commander with wide eyes.

“I n-never told you because you thought it impossible,” he began. “But I tell you it’s not. I love you. I love you for everything you have done for me, for our fellow changeling. I love you for all you continue to do to make sure we stay strong. If I had a second chance, I would want to be by your side keeping you safe forever. As more than your guard.”

Videre’s ears wilted at Apatelodes’s words and turned away, saying nothing. I just stared at my dying guard in shock. He loved me? Well, Chrys not me. What had I done to earn his love? “T-thank you,” I mumbled. I didn’t know what else to say.

He gave a slow nod. “J-just wanted you to know. I just wish I could have been a better guard.”

“You were the best guard a Queen could ask for,” I sniffed. He closed his eyes with a smile on his face and leaned against my arm. I didn’t want him to die, but he did deserve some parting words. “Go with peace, dear Apatelodes. You will never be forgotten.”

I bit my lip as I felt his heartbeat slow against me, the time between each breath lengthened, and before long he grew still. My teardrops fell to his dusty chitin as I held him close. A sharp cry fell from my lips as I sobbed, hugging his cooling form to me.

So much loss, so much pain! With every hour that passed Hope chipped away at those I cared for and took them from me. I nuzzled against my courageous guard and shuddered at the pain that coursed through me. It was worse than the physical pain that had shot through me when I took back control. No, I felt as if my very soul was breaking.

I don’t know how long I sat there like that, cradling his still form in my hooves and sobbing into his chitin, but I looked up as Videre let out a sigh.

“Foalishly loyal to the end,” he growled.

I looked up at him, still sitting close to us. “Do you have a problem with being loyal to your Queen?”

“With what you did, yes,” he said and glared at me.

“Why you,” I snarled and raised a hoof at him. How dare he question us! We’d done what we could for the hive. We’d brought everyone together for strength in numbers. We made sure as many as possible knew how to fight. We’d gone halfway across Equestria for one changeling stallion! Yet he questioned what we had done?

My eyes lit up with green flames as I felt the same glow wrap around my horn. I bared my fangs and let out a snarl as I started to bring my hoof down to squish the little cretin.

At hearing his sharp intake of breath and a hoof of his own lifted to protect himself, I noticed for the first time his wing. The blood around the hole had long ago dried, but it was easy to tell it had been ripped out of his spine. I took a few deep breathes and lowered my hoof, the fire around my horn and eyes slipped away.

Killing him wouldn’t help anything. So many had already died today, and I really didn’t want to add another to that list. “Find the others,” I hissed. “Make sure they are gathered in a group. Keep out of sight where you can, especially with those too young to transform. NOW!”

He jumped to his hooves and shook in fright. “W-where should we go?” he gulped.

“Head toward Canterlot for now,” I huffed. “Once I get done with Hope, we shall see where to go.”

He nodded, “y-yes, my Queen!” The stallion paused and looked at Apatelodes still grasped in my other hoof. As he slowly closed and opened his eyes, he darted forward and placed a kiss on the royal guard’s forehead and then galloped away from me.

I collapsed back to the ground. As he hurried away, he stumbled a little from what looked like a limp, but soon he was out of sight. “What am I to do now, Chrys?” I asked and held a hoof to my forehead when she didn’t answer. “Right, I’m all alone now,” I whispered. “Nice going, you foal.”

The flames crackled around me and the crumbling of a wall falling reached my ears. With my rapid flight here, I had used up much of my energy. Did I have enough to reach this ancestral home to the west? Would I even be able to find it? It did sound familiar, perhaps mentioned in the comics?

I looked down to Apatelodes still cradled in my hooves. He deserved a proper burial, all of those fallen did. But there was no way I had the strength for the task. “I can’t leave you for the scavengers to get,” I sighed. “Wait, didn’t Chrys say something about changeling… funerals?” I thought back to that first night here when I had paced back and forth as Chrys drilled into me so many rules and traditions and faces.

Somewhere late in the night, we had talked about death, yes. “That’s right,” I nodded. “Chrys said we cremate the dead. Thanks, Chrys,” I sighed. With my hooves tight around Apatelodes, I flew around the patches of flames. The heat was almost unbearable but I had to do this, I just had to. I found a particularly hotter flame than the rest and landed as near I dared to it.

“I’m afraid I suck at old changelish. Chrys never got far in teaching me it,” I said as I stared into the flames. “You’ll forgive me if I do the ritual in modern speech, won’t you?” I looked down at Apatelodes and got no reply. “Right, I know you would rather just have it done than me worry about breaking tradition with that.” I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Apatelodes, my dear friend. Your end was far too soon. I wish you could have stayed to help me a little longer. With you and Chrys gone, the only one who knows the truth is Discord,” I let out a halfhearted chuckle. “But that doesn’t matter. I’ll find others I can trust with the truth, someday, maybe. I regret I wasn’t here to save you, and all your fellow changelings who perished this night. At least now, I suppose you shall return to those others who have passed on before you. Lead them well wherever you go for me?” I wiped a tear from my eye and continued.

“Be at peace, my brave one, and lead thy fellow changelings whom I won’t be able to give a proper sending off to the light. I think that is what Chrys called it?” I rubbed a hoof against my muzzle. I really wasn’t cut out for this kind of thing! There was so much Chrys had not had time to explain to me, and now it would be impossible to learn.

“If you can hear me, wherever you are Apatelodes, give those of us still living the strength to go on. Please don’t let your death have been in vain.” I took a deep breath and wiped the tears from my eyes. “Was there anything else I was supposed to say, Chrys?” I rubbed a hoof against my chin. “Right, right, right, just a little more.”

I lifted into the sky and held Apatelodes body out in my hooves. “I bid you farewell, Apatelodes. With all said and done, I offer your empty vessel to the flames.” I dropped him into the flames and flew a foot back as the flames rose for a moment, then returned to their old height. Through the green and blue flames, I could see the fire catch onto his chitin and engulf him in its embrace.

I hovered there quietly and sat vigil as the flames licked over him and burned his dead body. The heat washed over me as I watched over my friend. As the last bits of flesh and bone broke apart in the flames, I rose back into the sky. My tongue was dry as sandpaper, and my chitin didn’t feel much better. Yet I had done what I could for my ever loyal guard.

I flew away from the castle and paused on the outcropping I had once relaxed upon. From here, I could still see the castle as it continued to crumble. We were homeless now. I had been a queen less than a month and already everything was destroyed. What were we going to do now? Sure I had sent Videre to lead everyling to Canterlot, but that was mostly because I had no idea where else for us to go. Would it be in vain to hope Celestia would pity us and give us a place to stay?

I looked to the west where this ancestral home of the diamond dogs was rumored to be. Radiant Hope would be waiting there for me. Would she really just give me back Citheronia? I doubted it. Did she have some trap planned for me? Most likely. Did it matter in the end? Was I still going to go? Yes, it is what Chrys would have wanted. “I’ll get her back Chrys,” I vowed. “Hope will not keep her dirty hooves on our precious little Princess!” With that, I jumped back into the sky. My entire body ached, I was so thirsty, and my strength ebbed with each moment as well. None of that mattered right now though if I could do this one thing for Chrys.

Author's Note:

Here we are, the chapter I've been waiting to write for so long. *sniffs* Now you all know why my clop fics can't be canon, and the insanity I've been waiting to share with you. I can finally show you all that other art I got from PonySunrise too!

Hope, watching the castle burn.
Anyway, read, comment, critique and thirst for more. See you all again soon when we follow our broken Queen into the heart of the Diamond Dogs lair!
Please put any spoilers behind their respective tags. Think of those who will read in the future and don't ruin their first read. Thank you and enjoy!

Comments

[zoruatrainer66]

This chapter was terribly sad, but awfully great.

[QueenChrysalisForever]

8548185
Thanks! With how important this chapter is, Knowledge and I worked very hard to make sure it was as well done as possible. (Also part of the reason it was late. Along with life getting in the way, heh. ) I'm glad all our hard work made this sad chapter awfully great for you.

[Nailah]

No!!!!! Not appy, he was my favorite. He will be forever missed. I'm all caught up now. I can see your writing has improved from where this started. Now, like the others now it's simply a waiting game fir our Queen to bring us the next chapter.

[DDDDDDDDD23]

So flash is buffoon who may cause the destruction of equestria.

[DDDDDDDDD23]

The human does not make a good queen.
The way she keeps going to celestia for everything means that she would make the changelings subserviant to ponies.

[QueenChrysalisForever]

8936895
Heh, well kiiind of sticking with the fans headcanon for him. Kind of. He's just trying to be a good guard, even if that hits him in the face at times.

8936900
True. She has a lot of growing up to do, and realizing she needs to make decisions for her subjects rather than ask Celestia about such things. Is good to have advice from other experienced rulers, but in the end one must decide for themselves.

I thank thee for commenting and reading! Hope you've been enjoying and are excited for this new chapter coming soon! My editor and I have both been pretty busy this last week so didn't get too much editing time in, but hopefully will be able to finish edits soon.

[zoruatrainer66]

Is this story dead?

[QueenChrysalisForever]

9665623
Not entirely. I have been working on the next chapters, just my editor has been super busy with work and school so he hasn't had as much time to actually edit. x.x Only twp scenes of the next chapter really need any more editing, so all I can say is I will do my best to get them out soon! (I want to at least get the next chapter out before Bronycon in August, if nothing more.) I'm sorry it is taking so super super long.

[zoruatrainer66]

9668178
It's cool, it would suck if such a good story was dead.

[QueenChrysalisForever]

9669131
Awwww I'm glad you think it so cool. It makes me want to get it out all the sooner when I know people are still reading and well, waiting.