A Glimmer of Truth: Book One

by NightmareTRXY32

Walk a Thousand Miles

They had been walking for a few days now. Even though they were only half way to the destination due to their combined Teleport spell they were still a ways out from the intended target area. Where they were going was once the Capitol of Unicorn kingdom. Celestia had tasked them with this mission to uncover more of Starswirl's early works that hadn't been transported to Canterlot when he was still alive. She also told the two of them that they had be traveling through both the remnants of the Pegasi Kingdom and the area known as the Shadowlands.

The more Celestia thought about it the more she realized she couldn't remember what her and Luna's mother had looked liked. Only that she had died when they were both born. If only she knew the truth of the matter. Even though she worried about Twilight, she knew that her and Starlight would be up to a task like this. She figured her former student would be ecstatic to learn more about her fillyhood idol. Twilight was always going on about how she studied every spell that Starswirl the Bearded had ever spellcrafted.

"Ohh, this is going to be so exciting," Celestia recalled her saying right before her and Starlight had left the castle. Celestia smiled while Twilight started clapping her hooves in excitement.

Upon getting permission from the Princess to embark on their journey, Starlight and Twilight had made sure to pack an ample supply worth of provisions. They were after all trekking into the heart of Equestria, into the very place from which their civilization had been birthed. There was no telling what kind of dangers they'd encounter along the way. The path they were on was known to be a natural raiding spot for bandits and outlaws. The kind of ponies that sought a rougher existence well outside the confines of Equestrian Law as the two of them knew it.

"How much farther do you suppose it is?", Starlight asked Twilight as they got off the path to take a break.

"The Princess did say it would be at least over a thousand mile hike to where we needed to go, and we are about half way there due to walking and the line of sight needed for our combined teleportation spell,", Twilight looked back to see the dead panned look forming on Starlight's face. That wasn't quite the information the unicorn was expecting to hear.

"Well, I suppose it could be worse,"Starlight began," then again i guess thinking of that phrase isnt very helpful either," she nervously smiled.

"No, but it doesn't mean that its such a bad thing to think like that sometimes,"Twilight spoke to her friend,"It just shows your being realistic. Speaking of which, lunch?", the alicorn said, smiling at Starlight as she levitated two daisy and daffodil sandwiches out of her saddle bags.

Of course how many times had Twilight said that and the situation only worsened to the point where she had to get either the princess or her friends involved. She had felt that for way too long. But in regards to the here and now, the future seemed bright and felt as if it could go on and on. She levitated a sandwich to Starlight as she recalled something from before her years as an alicorn. It was when Discord had been set loose and Fluttershy was tasked with reforming him. That was a chore in her mind, seeing that Discord had eaten her reformation spells like they were lettuce in a salad. But, in the end, Fluttershy succeeded in convincing the lord of Chaos that friendship was something that was important to him.

After they finished their lunch the two of them decided to continue on. They were another 500 miles away from their target location due to their teleportation skills, when Starlight happened to take notice of what looked like stone buildings. It was, in fact the entrance to one of the out bastions of the Unicorn Kingdom. As she pried open the door with Twilight's help, she noticed a dusty old tome propped up against what was revealed to be an ancient burial tomb. It was, in fact the tomb of King Neghodin, Princess Platinum's father, who looked as if he had fallen in battle. There were scars and bite marks, as well as tool marks, all over the desiccated remains of the fallen king.

Starlight sat for a moment to take a look at what the tome might uncover. Both her and Twilight rested next to the stone slab as the unicorn prepared to read from the tome. They could both tell the tome was older than they had first suspected. Contained within was the combined History of the Unicorn Race. Their trials and turmoils abroad and at home were transcribed and contained within this one book. Nothing like this existed in Twilight's Library back home. Starlight could tell Twilight was ecstatic to learn what was inside and to hopefully preserve it for the trip back home. Princess Celestia would be thrilled to learn that a volume this large had survived the ravages of time.

"What is it Starlight?", Twilight asked as a worried look came across Starlight Glimmer's face.

"Well, how much do you know about the Changeling Empire?", That was a rather odd question in Twilight's eyes, but she responded best she could.

"Well, from what Thorax told me, it's at least as old as the Three Tribes, why?", She curious herself to see what this had to do with their current mission. As much as they both considered it to be a fun adventure, they did have a task to complete.

"It says in here that the Unicorn race was at war with the Changeling Empire at one time. And that it was lead by a mysterious figure that bore the shape and manner of an Alicorn,", Starlight looked to see a look of confusion in Twilight's eyes. Was there a secret Alicorn that not even the Princesses were aware of? And if so, what happened to her. What she immortal or just another ascended alicorn like Twilight and Cadence were? All these questions were rampaging through her mind.

The Tome of the Unicorn King

"We can't be sure who's who, those damn things have infiltrated our ranks again. We developed a crude detection spell that seems to work for the moment. But we can't be sure whose a pony and who is a Changeling. They are getting bolder now. They no longer cloak themselves in the forms of our friends and loved ones. Now their outright laying siege to the Capital.

And to make it worse, there seems to be an Alicorn of unknown origin Leading them against us. The only two I know of are the Two fledgling Princesses in the South. They seem to think that we can just over come eons of mistrust at the hooves of the Earth Pony Nation, and the Enclave of the Pegasi. They stole that word from our books and history. The only true Enclave is that of the Unicorn Empire. Just like a wretched sky dweller to usurp our culture and steal from those that once tried to call them a friend.

They are as untrustworthy as the Changelings. I have sent word to the outer Bastions to send reinforcements, but there is no telling if they were intercepted by those, Bugs. I don't know how much longer the outer ramparts will hold. I'm sure that their just tormenting us now, I'm sure of it. I can hear something, coming towards the doors now.

Drums. Drums in the deep. The Castle garrison have told me they can feel the walls reverberating from the percussion. My scout that I had sent to check the lower quarter of the castle hasn't reported back as of yet. I have sent another to go and find him, with express due to hurry back and not take his time. My second scout returned and said she found the first scout dead, his body had been torn apart and eviscerated, claw and teeth marks all over the body.

The Changelings were once rumored to be carnivores at one point in their history, a feature that they supposedly evolved out of using. But obviously, that part is no longer true. I have now taken notice that our numbers in the castle keep dwindling. Like we're being picked off one by one if we travel anywhere in the castle alone. I have ordered that this be the last line of defense. Our numbers are now one hundred."

Starlight had to pause to catch her breath, Twilight could also see a rage building in her friend. One that she hadn't seen in quite awhile. She put a hoof to Starlight's shoulder to reassure her that she was ok, and to keep reading the tome once she was calmed down. In Glimmer's mind it was if the past had bonded with her at that moment. Like she could feel all the anguish and rage of her entire race flowing through her blood. She took a breath and continued reading.

"They have taken the halls and the outer corridors. Our numbers continued to drop, first from a hundred unicorn royal guards, to at least fifty. That's half of the original number we began with. They have cut off access to food and water, forcing us to take refuge in the mausoleum housing the remains of my father, the previous King, as well those of other nobles. We are running out of food, and the air is getting staler now. If only Starswirl and Clover were here. I'm sure they'd think of something to try and out wit those beasts.

I have taken it upon myself to confront the one responsible for this blatant aggression. I was finally able to look at the bitch responsible for this aggression, and to my surprise, she is an alicorn. But it looks as though something dreadful had transpired. Her lavender and near pink fur coat is mottled and falling off in patches. Her horn is almost jagged like the blade of those ceremonial daggers the Zebras are known to wield for tribal rituals.

When she looks at me, it's as if her gaze is as cold as the ice that caps the Crystal Mountains. Almost like an Ice Iris piercing my very soul. She bears a look of despair in those neon green eyes of hers. Her hooves are armored with portions or carapace, like an insect. But what's more is the armor around her neck. A faded crystal heart is emblazoned in the center of her gleaming obsidian chest armor. It's like the armor that Royalty of the Crystal Empire wears, but it looks as if it's bonding with her body in its current condition.

"What is the meaning of this assault,", I asked her. She just stared at me for the longest time before answering.

"My new subjects here need to feed, I'm sure in this we can come to an arrangement?,", She was mocking me, I knew she was. She continued," All living things must feed, that is the nature of things,", What was she getting at?

"I think you'll do nicely," She sneered, and I found myself being wrapped up in a mix of neon green magic, and royal blue. I screamed as I felt her bear her fangs down on my neck, the blood seeping out of the bite marks like a river trickling from the confines of a dam. I was slowly dying, i could feel my life force leaving my body before I had the chance to apply a healing spell. Her Magic was negating it. I realized she was using a canceling spell designed to specifically prevent a unicorn from using a healing spell for an event such as this.

"Go ahead and chow down my loyal subjects, "She had ordered those that were with her. I could hear the screams of the others. Calls for help, shouts of mercy, and the occasional scream from the surviving Guards as they were torn asunder and eaten alive. The stories i had been told as a foal were true after all. Not only did Changelings feed on emotions as we were lead to believe, but that they are also carnivorous. The Goddess help the others if they learn of this.

I pray to the goddess that this tome that i have secretly crafted survives the annals of time. These beasts must be dealt with harshly. There is no other recompense to be done.

As my life finally reaches its end, I looked up and asked one question of her.

"Who are... you,", She doesn't hesitate to answer as she knows I'm near death's door now.

"That's simple, You can call me Chrysalis as of this day."

Comments

[the book keeper]

I have really enjoyed your story so far I am intrigue to see where you take your story. I hope you can up date soon