Chapter 16: The Beast enters the Belly
Chapter 16: The Beast enters the Belly
Edited by: Lazy Coyote
Silver Sword was pacing back and forth inside his tent as the storm raged on outside. Many a thought were plaguing the young captain mind, not to mention he was feeling quite impatient. The more they linger the more time they waste when it comes to locating these missing ponies and bringing them back to the empire. The fact that a snow storm was raging outside as well was not making him feel any better about his chances. Most of the sinkholes they have discovered so far had already been snowed and iced over. If it wasn’t for the clearing work of his fellow guards with the sinkhole they were currently camping near, then it was possible that this particular opening into the underworld would have been lost as well.
These weren’t the only problems bothering him at the moment though.
“Even the few scouts that I sent out to keep a lookout for anything haven’t return yet. If it wasn’t for this bloody snow storm then this whole ordeal would certainly be a lot more…” Silver sword tried to complain, before a sudden flash behind him quickly stopped him from finishing his sentence.
He let out yelp of surprise before swiftly turning himself around and drawing his sword on instinct.
His surprise quickly turned into shock however when he realized just who his blade was pointing at. He immediately dropped his sword before bowing.
“Your highness! I…I certainly didn't expect you to personally come here after I sent those reports!” He stuttered, before raising himself and looking quite nervous. “I…I apologize for having drawn my sword at your presence your highness. I promise it won’t ever happened again. I swear.” He added, before bowing once more in an apologetic manner.
Mateus on the other hand just waved his apology off as it was, before getting straight to the point. He came here to get some answers for himself, not for his guards to constantly bend over for him and sugar coat this chin with…well…sugar.
“Spare your apologies for a later date captain. I personally came here to lead this operation myself and finally get some answers.” The emperor announced, which made Silver perk up with surprise.
Though that surprise was swiftly dashed when he remembered the secondary purpose of his report.
“Oh, did his highness also brought the requested pony power and equipment as listed?” Silver question, feeling quite happy that things could finally get a move on for once. Especially after all of these recent setbacks.
The emperor shook his head. “No, there is no need for that.” He casually answered which made Silver confused.
“Really? But…but then how are we…”Silver tried to ask again before getting cut off by his highness yet again.
“Simple, I can do a much better job in busting a hole through something then any medieval equipment or pickaxes can. Just show me where this blockade of yours is and I will show you what I mean.” He again casually stated before exiting the tent.
Silver just sighed, but quickly followed the Emperor outside the tent where the storm was still raging. The roof of his tent already covered in several heavy looking layers of snow and ice. The reason why his tent hasn’t fully collapsed yet is thanks to its crystal made supports and beams.
Lightweight and very strong at the same time, especially when enchanted with extra strength.
Either way, once outside Silver wasted no time in leading the emperor towards the nearby hole, where a couple of guards were stationed around for aid and security reasons. All of which began quickly saluting or bowing towards the emperor as he casually passed by them before standing right at the edge of the hole.
More guards could be seen down there. Guards which were busy trying to keep the sinkhole clear from any more additional snow or debris via shovel, buckets and ropes to send them upwards.
“Well this is it your highness. This is one of the holes I wrote about on my report. All of them have a tunnel which are all suspiciously blocked off, seemingly just recently by a cave in or by some other means. I am positive that these sinkholes must have something to do with the recent disappearance of both the miners and crystal guards. We just need to get past the rubble to be sure and confirm this theory. Easier said than done, as I have also stated.” Silver explained, gesturing down towards the hole while reciting this towards his ruler.
The emperor on the other hand just hummed as he watched the guards go about their work. After a while he eventually perked back up on his original thought before stepping over the edge and gently levitating himself down. Much to the surprise of Silver and everyone who was watching.
Once at the bottom, the emperor started to make his way towards the aforementioned cave. Once more the guards bowing or saluting left and right as he passed them all by.
“Wait your highness!” Silver called out from above before he starting to quickly jump down from platform to platform to reach the bottom. Platforms which had only recently been placed against the sinkholes walls made of compressed snow or rolled down boulders.
Once at the bottom, he quickly galloped after his ruler, who was just casually strolling his way into the cave without a care in the world.
Stress can summon up wrinkles after all.
Once deep inside, both Silver and Mateus eventually came face to face with the cave in that Silver was talking about earlier. This one being a lot larger than the first he came across, due to the fact that this tunnel was a lot taller and wider.
“Well this is it.” Silver announced while gesturing at the wall of rubble in front of him.
“These cave ins are pretty much present on every sinkhole and tunnel we have come across some far. All of them leading to a dead end such as this with no clear or easy way to unblock them. Which is why I personally requested for more pony power and equipment in the first place. To get one of them cleared quickly so that we can see what lies behind them.” Silver stated, before turning his head to the right towards the emperor.
The emperor on the other hand was just silent, gazing up and down along the wall of rocks and broken off boulders and humming to himself.
“Stand back. I am going to destroy the wall and give us passage into whatever it is that may lay beyond it. Be ready for it, and go out and inform your guards to equip themselves once the deed is done. I have a feeling that there is more down there then just your aforementioned missing ponies.” The emperor casually stated, which again forced the poor captain into a spiral of confusion before simply nodding to the emperor’s request.
“As you wish your highness. Please do be careful with whatever it is you are going to do. Summoning up an avalanche via an underground explosion is very much a possibility now thanks to the ever increasing level of snow above us. We might lose more than just what we already lost so far if that happens.” Silver eventually responded.
“I am very much aware of the risk here Captain, which is why I am planning to contain this explosion as much as I can to mitigate such possibilities. Just get out of here, or watch under your own peril. Either would be just fine with me.” Mateus responded before quickly focusing back at the wall of rubble and pointing the tip of his staff right at it.
A vortex of energy suddenly formed around the tip of his staff which immediately prompted the captain to stare on out of curiosity rather than heed the Emperors warnings. His curiosity promptly turned into surprise yet again when a swirling ball of pure magical energy swiftly formed on the very center of this vortex and began quickly growing bigger with each passing second.
Silver had certainly never seen such type of magic before, and it clearly showed with his expression and the overall status he was effected with. Once the swirling ball of energy was about the size of a ponies head the staff fired. Sending the fiery swirling ball of magic directly towards the wall before getting stopped and sticking right onto its surface, much to the captains continued sense of confusion.
His confusion swiftly turned into a yelp when the ball exploded into a massive fireball. Illuminating the entire cave with its brilliant flash and sending tiny chunks of debris pretty much everywhere. The entire cave shook for just a second, before everything quickly returned into a rather peaceful and serene state once more.
Once the dust settled, Silver was given a front row seat to the damage that this spell had caused to the cave itself. Only to be met with a scene of perfection when he saw that the only things damaged, or should he say “gone”, was the very wall which once was there.
Gone, unblocked, and finally revealing more of the tunnel beyond its form. Confirming Silvers theory but also giving him a sense of awe at the sheer precision of all of this.
He didn’t even felt much of a shockwave during the explosion.
“There, unclogged. Now I would say that is it high time for you to get your man and be ready for an expedition further into this cave. Oh, and also tell them to bring their weapons as well. I can easily sense more than just our souls in a certain parameters. These once further down being quite different to the once you all have. So again get ready.” Mateus instructed.
Silver just nodded before turning himself around and galloping out of the cave to relay the Emperor's request to everyone.
He wasn’t particularly sure what the Emperor meant by his mention of sensing souls, but he was obviously not going to question it after having both seen and heard what he was capable of.
Silver swiftly gathered up his fellow guards, before joining up to follow the emperor. Only for Silver to find him making his way into the darkness of the tunnel alone. Much to the dismay of him and the rest of his comrades.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
“What in the world was that?” A changeling stated once the tremors subsided.
Everybody, including Chipper were frantically looking around themselves after the sudden earthquake ended. Leaving the barracks in a state of both shock and confused.
“What the…what in the foremother’s name was that? An earthquake? A cave in or a landslide?” She openly wondered to herself as whispers started emitting from every changeling around her.
It was especially alarming knowing that this region of the world was known to be rather earthquake free, with the closest continental folds or volcanos being hundreds of Kilometers away from where they are. So basically, such tremors should be impossible as far as she knows. Even a large avalanche happening above shouldn’t be able to create such a ruckus, given just how far away they are from the actual surface.
Overall, this sudden vibration of the ground, walls and ceiling were very worrisome indeed.
“I say that someone should travel upwards and see what might have cause these sudden quakes. If they don’t hail from any natural origins then it must be artificial. Like from a giant creature or invading surface dwellers.” One changeling guard announced while looking at the assembly of other guards around him.
“You.” He pointed at Chipper. “Freshling, you take these tunnels over there and see what might be happening closer to the surface. Your job is to keep watch anyway. So uphold your duty and go up there.” He sternly ordered, pointing his hoof at an ice sealed tunnel to the far end of the barracks hallway.
Basically, their version of doors down here. Using walls of thick ice that they conjure up with their magic to make a quick and easy seal of something and can also be quickly thawed out if need be.
Chipper was somewhat reluctant at first but still nodded. She knew the consequences that could follow for disobeying a superiors orders, especially for a freshling like it. The worst-case scenario she knows off would be to banishment from the hive for being a “liable for their survival”.
The last thing these exiled changelings needed where those unable to lift their own weight for the rest of the hive in such a harsh and scares environment.
But besides those risks, it still didn’t stopped her for questioning the obvious. “A-alone? Wouldn’t it be better if…if somebody would…would come along with me…in case it might be…a monster?” She questioned, imagines of a massive snow worms entering her mind. They are by far the biggest predators roaming the northern tundra and mountains. Having both tough skin and sharing a high resistance to any form of magic, unless when its fire based.
And fire spells are something that changeling unfortunately lack.
The guard sighed. “Fine, in that case you there. “He pointed at another changeling guard who was about to remove his gear.” You will accompany this female here to the surface tunnels and check what might be the cause these tremors. We reportedly already have a prison break going on at the lower levels, so the last thing we all need right now are more problems. Otherwise the head captain is going to have our heads for not doing our jobs. Now get moving.” He ordered once more, making the aforementioned changeling groan before placing his helmet back on.
And not a moment to soon as another tremor suddenly rocked the entire facility.
“And bloody hurry too, this one actually felt a lot closer than the first. I would say that it is indeed something.” He added.
Chipper shakily nods before quickly grabbing her spear from her under her cot and following the better geared guard to the elevated platform where the frozen entrance was overlooking the hall.
The guard quickly worked his magic, thawing out the wall of Ice blocking them before passing through. Allowing them easy access into the maze like tunnel that were ahead of them, leading up towards the surface.
“Alright, let's just get this done so that I can finally enjoy my off hours and head to the mess hall for some food and rest.” The guard leading the expedition commented as he stepped forward.
“Off hours…but there is an actual prison break happening on the other end of the hive, and all you can think off is to just have some food and then rest?” Chipper stated, both shocked and confused in how laid back he seemed.
The changeling shrugged. “Why not, I am not part of the division which is responsible for keeping an eye on any possibly prisoners or cattle’s. If they screw up over there, well, then it is their problem. Not mine. Simple as that.” He stated as the two continued to climb up the slight incline of this tunnel. Trotting around Ice crystals and minding stalagmites along the floor.
The Duo where about to round a corner at the end of the incline, when all of the sudden their were meant with a rather unexpected sight. Outsider, a whole bunch of them. One of which was even dazzling in complete gold, not just its armor but its fur too.
Both groups stopped in their tracks, all of them staring at one another in complete surprise except for the golden one who looked fairly indifferent.
“Uhm…” Chipper simply responded as she was at a loss. Her brain drawing a total blank. Which cannot exactly be said with her comrade to her left. As he flights, and fight response quickly kicked in after a few seconds have passed.
Certainly not the smartest thing to do.
“Intruders, we have invading intruders!” He screamed before he quickly turned himself around in an attempt to flee.
The key world here is attempt, as he didn’t really managed to get far before being snared by an unseen force and dragged backwards towards the intruders he was planning to flee from. He was though eventually turned upright in mid air before coming face to face with a golden furred face and with deep purple eyes.
“What an interesting specimen. Equine in shape, but looking more like an anthropoid from the outside, judging by its chitin covered body and very obvious looking insect wings. Truly fascinating.” He commented, sporting the smoothest and most gentle sounding voice he had ever heard in his life. But also holding a level of both undenied authority and sheer knowledge behind it.
Clearly the voice of a leading monarch. The most convincing one he had heard so far.
One of the other outside stepped up. “Be careful your highness. These creatures have fangs. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination as to what these fangs are used for. Not to mention the horns on their heads as well.” The outside started, sporting both a purple mane and gray fur respectively.
The golden unicorn subtly shook his head. “Nonsense their captain. I have certainly dealt with being that had WAY longer and much sharper fangs then this. Plus, he won't be able to move anyway while being snared in my magic. He won’t be able to move a single muscle, besides breathing of course. Don’t want this fine specimen to die before I can carefully examine it of course. Here.” He stated before suddenly moving the paralyzed guard to one of the other outsiders behind him. “Take care of him will ya? Oh, and don’t worry about him making use of his horn. I have also cast a Silence curse on him. He won’t be able to channel a single spell while under the curse.” He requested before letting go.
Two of the invaders nodded, pulling out a set of robes from around their barrels and quickly getting to work. Bounding the poor changeling without hesitation.
Chipper on the other hand didn’t need to be bounded or paralyzed whatsoever, as her body did it for her thanks to her overall shock and fear this this situation. Her trainer has yet to fully prepare her on what to do in a situation like this. Normally she is trained to simply keep watch and quickly alert anyone if something like this actually takes place.
The reality is that she already knew that a chance to escape what pretty much void at this point. Judging by how quickly her fellow comrade got stopped before he could even get far.
So what are her chances in comparison to actually succeed where her better trained comrade failed.
Knowing this, she simply did the next best thing. She bend herself down, clapping her forehooves around her head while closing her eyes.
“I surrender, please don’t kill me. I am to young to die…and to unimportant as well. I am not even a fully fletched guard yet.” She stuttered, hoping that her submissive stance and plead for mercy is going to save her life this day and not end her up splattered all over wall like a squashed bug.
The golden unicorn raised an eyebrow at this but didn’t do anything else much to her surprise.
She dared to open her eyes. Looking up towards towards the unicorn with both fearful and slightly confused eyes.
“Tell me, are there more of you kind down here?” The unicorn calmly asked which was confusing chipper greatly. Though her fear still prevailed.
She just subconsciously nods, not really thinking much at the moment as she only wanted to keep herself save and alive by not angering the once who looked obviously a lot better armored and equipped then she is. Not to mention have the numerical advantage too.
These are stallions right, maybe if she presents herself to them, maybe they wouldn’t torture her to much or maybe even allow her too…
“Well then, in that case please lead me to the rest of your kin. I personally would like to talk to them about something. Something related to some missing kin of ours, and the possibility that they might be here. Generally, just a diplomatic talk, nothing more.” The unicorn calmly stated, not changing or switching his tone or expression. Which made it incredibly difficult to read his true intentions or thought.
Regardless, Chipper again simply nodded, before slowly getting up on all fours before looking over her shoulder. The hive itself was just down the incline which only took her and her companion to travel through around 10 minutes or so. Which obviously meant that the hive itself wasn’t that far off. Which also meant that her companions screams must have been surly heard by some of the other guards down below. Or so she hoped. If that was the case, then perhaps leading them down there would actually be perfect. This tunnel does lead directly into one of the many guard barracks around the hive. Filled with many guards. And form what she could count, these outsider where only numbering around 6 or 7, not including the golden unicorn.
So this might actually be the chance to follow her instincts, while at the same time doing her job. Leading the enemy into a trap and maybe even gaining a bit of recognition for it. Her foremothers know that she desperately needs that, not just to make her training a bit more easier, but to also give herself a bit of a confident boost. Something she has been severely lacking lately.
She eventually looked back. “Well…ye-yes of course I can…uhm…lead you to the rest of my…uhm…kin. It's…actually not that far from…where we are.” She stuttered while doing a pretty good job in acting all scared and hiding her true intention with it.
That is because she truly was feeling incredibly nervous. Especially when the now bound and fully gagged changeling guard on top of one of the outsiders was glaring at her and mumbling something into his cloth.
“Well then lead the way.” The unicorn casually answered.
She gulped and nodded, before taking the lead. Back around the corner and back down into the incline. Out walking and stepping over the same ice crystal and stalagmites as she did before.
“Its…it’s just down this incline. Its…it’s not that far.” She stated as she continued to lead the group further down the lightly steep tunnel and back into the main hall of the barracks.
All she can hope now is for the guards down there to be ready for the intruders. Which in turn would allow her to hopefully slip by in the ensuing action.
Another quirk she has is that she is not that good of a fighter either. Even more so now that she dropped her only weapon back at the top of the tunnel.
Chipper's spirit quickly rose again though when she finally spotted the exit at the end. She even went so far as to gallop her way down to it. A move that could have possibly had her in the same position as her partner, but thank the heavens it didn’t.
“Alright, here we are.” She announced after reaching the bottom first. She smiled to herself after she saw that a lot of her fellow guard had heard her partner's screams and had readied themselves with both armor, weapons and magic.
Some of them even buzzing in the air to have a much better shot at the invaders if a fight does break out.
“I knew it. I knew that this was some form of trap!” The purple haired shouted before quickly drawing his weapon from his scabbard. With his hooves none the less, something which ponies shouldn’t be able to do. At least from chippers knowledge. But then again, these equine hardly look like regular ponies to her in how shiny and...crystalline they look?
A little detail which Chipper managed to miss. Mostly because she was focused more in preserving her shell instead of worrying about unimportant details.
Either way, the rest of his fellow kin quickly follow. All of them drawing their blades in front of the horde despite their obvious disadvantage here. The changelings did the same, readying their spears and magic respectively.
Though curiously enough, their golden leader seemed rather unfazed or uninterested at this sudden dilemma. To say that Chipper would have been suspicious at this would have been the truth. But once more, she was more focused in preserving her chitin then really giving her intuitions any thought or mind at the moment. Despite the fact that the unicorn's calm expression was summoning up a certain memory inside her skull about a nymphhood friends of her past who was having similar expression to his whenever bullies where trying to...well...bully her and the rest of the younglings.
He usually had such expressions whenever he was either expecting or planning something which would get them out of sticky situation. But again, Chipper was more concerned in getting her jet black flank out of the way instead of exercising her thoughts and suspicions any further.
Chipper was about to sneak out of the way when one of the changeling guards in front of her started to speak.
“HA, foolish surface dwellers. I do not know what your business is down here. But if you thing that you all are going to escape this then you are marginally mistake...”The changeling was about to finish, when the golden Unicorn up on front suddenly pointed his staff at the horde without warning. Forcing everyone to brace themselves on instinct, especially when the tip was giving off a quick blink.
Though much to chippers confusion and pretty much everyone else, nothing initially happened afterwards. The room was momentarily filled with confusion before the same changeling from before began to snicker before changing to a glare.
“Alright enough of this. Everybody, go get me these...”
“Indeed. This certainly is enough for me as well.” The golden unicorn suddenly stated before a blue light suddenly appeared right under them.
Her eyes immediately went wide when she realized that the large group of guards were suddenly standing right on top a massive crest which appeared right beneath then. Shining and sparkling with arcane powers with the runes and cryptic writings within its line moving and swirling about, which Chipper has never seen or even heard of before.
What was even more alarming on Chipper's part, were the small sparks it was giving off. Something which a lot of changelings down below also noticed. Even the lead changeling himself who first looked down onto to his hooves before looking back up with a sudden sense of realization washing over him.
He didn’t even have the chance to utter a single word before the crest suddenly activated. Flashing Massive arcs of electricity all across the hall and pretty much hitting everyone standing on top or even hovering near it.
The room was soon filled with nothing but the flashes and the thundering sounds of electricity. Even managing to drown out the screams of the poor caught inside of it. The thundering arcs where even so strong, that you could even see the skeletal structure of any unfortunate changeling within its wrath. Turning this terrifying situation into a downright horrifying one.
Chipper was again paralyzed with both shock and fear. Right in front of her an entire regiment of guards was being pulverized with just one spell. A giant magical rune which this golden unicorn managed to cast without the use of his horn or any from of concentration or warning. Even his calm expression hasn’t changed.
Who is this golden unicorn?
Besides her, the group of outsiders behind their leader were also quite shocked. All of them simply gazing at the horrific light show in front of them. Watching as these changelings where being fried mercilessly.
Though as quickly as this started, it also ceased just as fast with the rune eventually fading away along with its magic. Several heavy thuds could be heard echoing throughout the hall as each and everybody, both already on the ground and in the air dropped down to the floor one by one before bathing the room in a haunting silence and a wretched stench of burned flesh and smoke. Once the last sparks had withered away the damage and death toll that this one attack has caused finally sinked in.
If Chipper wasn’t terrified before then she certainly was now. In fact, she was so heavily in shock at this that she couldn’t even feel her own fear. This huge death scene is pretty much accomplished something which she previously has never thought even was thing.
This shocked her to the point of feeling numb. She wasn’t particularly sure of this was either a good thing or a bad thing. Though one thing was sure.
“It's a good thing that I didn’t managed to slip by in time as I was hoping I could. Otherwise I would surely be one of the unlucky ones to be caught in that devastating trap. By the foremothers, thank you all for my tendency to hesitate sometimes.” She thought to herself as her lips where far too jittery to even from a single noise or sound.
Same goes for her body though, most notably her legs as they all felt wobbly.
Though to make herself feel a little bit better though, she wasn’t the only one who was dealing with the after shock of what just happened.
“By the gods above, a whole regiment of at least...50 of these creatures has just been decimated just like that. Dear gods above preserve us.” One of the guards behind him stated, before shaking his head.
Chipper's comrade though wasn’t doing that much better. Looking quite pale in his gag covered face which is a feat on its own given the jet black chitin which changeling have.
“Well then...”The golden unicorn started. "Would you then be kind to lead us towards your leader? I am very anxious in discussing something very important with them. Something in regards to the missing soldiers and workers I sent out to the mountain. I know that they are here. Call it...intuition if you will.” He stated, which in turn forced chipper to look at him with chattery teeth and wide eyes.
“Uhm...”She began. Her blue shining eyes darting everywhere and nowhere as she tried to think about the request she was offered. The keyword here was tried. As her mind was quite hindered with all the different thoughts, ideas, and emotions running through her center of self-conscious.
To say that her mind was a mess at the moment was an understatement. But a quick gaze at her comrade pretty much told her everything she needed to know right now.
The changeling on one of the outsiders back was nodding towards her. Agreeing to the unicorns request, despite the fact that he was just as mentally panicked as she was. But then again, he was a bit older and higher ranked, and therefore it would make some serious sense from her perspective that he might know more than she does. Though who of these two has the most confident in this situation is still up for debate. But again, someone has to make a smart decision here and the only one capable of doing that was her.
And for her, the smartest decision to do was to simply accept the golden unicorns offer and just lead him to the changeling nobles residing deep within the hearth of the hive.
It might be stupid to do so. But it was even more stupid in not allowing a changeling killing mad stallion his will. Even more so when she takes into consideration that this stallion managed to kill so many changelings in one go.
This unicorn must surely be a very powerful individual. It doesn’t take a genius to notice that, plus...now that she thinks about this even more...he does also radiate a certain level of authority and dominance. Something which intimidated Chipper even more, going along with her fear.
She quickly nods. “Y-yes...yes of course I…I can certainly do that...its...its just this way...down the hall and a...couple of ramps and stairs further down...where the noble quarters are.” Chipper stated, trying to be a quite and as subtle as possible to not provoke him.
The keyword again was subtle, as her stuttering was making it rather difficult to do so.
“Excellent. Please do show the way then. Also...”The emperor began with a pause.
"Make sure to send a mental note to any guards nearby we might cross. I know for a fact that your species is telepathic in nature. I know that because I have been probing your mind while you were busy thinking on your answer. Do not worry though. I haven’t bothered to look for anything else while doing so...not that it would interest me anyways.” He again casually stated. Causing chippers eyes to go wide once more at the fact that he had invaded her mind just now.
Again, something which shouldn’t be. As changeling minds are know to be the toughest to break through.
She again just nods...before quickly shaking her head instead after she remembered something. “I...I can’t do that. My...My hive link isn’t as strong as that of the noble changeling or the higher officers of the guard...I am just a simple changeling drone and more trained to simply received mental messages instead of sending them...I...I can easily do the first but not the latter.” She apologized, hoping that her natural disability isn’t going to get her killed right then and there.
The unicorn just shrugged. With his expression, if that was even a thing. “Well in that case no matter then. But I would still like for you to lead us to these noble so that I can have a much more civilized conversation with them. So again, if you please. You lead and we shall just follow.” The unicorn once again requested.
Again Chipper just nodded, before just doing exactly what has been asked of her. Leading the way down the elevation and giving her best effort in making a large bow around the pile of scorched bodies and not giving them her attention. Otherwise she might just either throw up or break down, and the smell of burning flesh and smoke wasn’t exactly making it easy.
“Shouldn’t we maybe send one of us back to the surface as request for possibly reinforcements?” Chipper managed to hear from one of the pony guards behind her as she tried her best to not look at the pile.
“No, I don’t think it is needed, now with the emperor being with us.” The purple maned stallion responded.
This caused Chipper to stop for just a second at the realization that this unicorn behind her was actually an Emperor. A monarch, a major leading figure of a nation, or perhaps judging by his title, an empire.
Though if it is an empire, then is certainly isn’t any nearby empire of nations which she is aware off. But then again, she is hardly aware of anything outside the hive as most knowledge about the outside world is shared mostly among the nobles or higher ups within the guard.
So with that she shouldn’t really dwell to much on these though and just simply focus on getting this outsider where they wanna go without them causing more death and chaos. Well more like their emperor.
Well at least this little mental side distraction has done its job in allowing poor little Chipper here to avoid any major physical and visual contact with the mass of dead changeling behind her. Though she could tell that her partner wasn’t doing as well as her as he was whimpering behind her.
All she can hope now that she would be able to lead them quickly towards their desired destination without any guards crossing them. As unlikely as that may be. But then again, there is reportedly a large prison break going on at the other side of the hive, which means that most of the guards attention would be focused over there instead in this section.
Or at least that was her hopes. To bad that her hopes where eventually squandered the moment she and her little group managed to leave the barracks floors proper and where trotting their way through one of the main corridors which would lead them directly into the more residential area of the hive. Where all of the simple changelings and drones where living.
On the first corner which Chipper had to take. She immediately found herself getting rammed by something or someone who was galloping around the corner at full speed. Knocking her off her hooves and sending her crashing into the closest wall to her left.
“Bloody hell. Watch out how you are trying to stand in my way next time. At least the other came at me with weapons drawn, instead of just presenting their whole body to stop me.” Someone complaint, before Chipper slowly but surely lost consciousness after her head made contact with the wall.
It was a good thing that she was actually wearing her helmet this time, otherwise she would have surly surrendered more from that impact instead of just getting herself knocked out thanks to both impact itself, and her overreaching levels of stress she was feeling until then.
Good, at least now it meant that she won't have to explain herself to any of her higher ups or nobles which would most likely question as to how so many changelings died from her branch while being basically the only survivor of them.
She can just claim that she was knocked out and presumed dead by the enemy.
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poor Chipper~
nice bug zapper
Chipper sounds like a cutie, and huzzah for another update so soon! I was expecting another 2-3 month for another update.
Awesome! An update to one of my top favorite stories to start the day.
I forsee the Emperor leaving an even greater number of fried bugs in his wake after meeting with the changeling nobles.
Oh, no one important, just the man who conquered Heaven and Hell at the same time!
Moar, good sir!
You keep using 'where' where you mean to use 'were'.
Still a great chapter now that I finished reading. Nice.
9051552
“You attempt to use grammar against your foe.”
“The Empereor gazes in your direction.”
“ •
FLARE
• “
The emperor seems so OP but ya make it work so well more I demand more! Also I don’t need no bug zapping thank ya very much.
9053251
Agreed on all counts must have more
9053586 why would ya be worried bout the bug zapper? Ya ain’t a changeling. :P
9054065
Doesn’t change the fact that HIS zapper will still kill me
I don't like this anymore. *looks at tags again* "they need a tag that says light dark and dark dark, or something cause now i'm sad and horrified at the emperors "diplomacy" ... I hope he dies
9054083 Lol
9054562
All Hail the King
9055165 Aye for I may be a chanegling but I am one of many surprises one being my hive is friendly with ponies!
9055186
But what about your Queen, does she fare the same???
9055221 She I don’t really know.
9056880
OK then
Do you want to hear the Word of the God Emperor of Mankind ?
Poor Chipper.
Great chapter but personal pet peeve, can you not double space each paragraph? Makes me think each paragraph is a new act of of the chapter
9056985 I’m fine
9057535
OK then
It's a Warhammer 40K thing
Then. You. Must. Burn. Zenos Flith
Edit: I want too see how long this can go on for
9057577 Ah never really got a chance to play 40k also I feel we are just clogging the comments with our nonsense.
9058258
What's wrong with that?
Also you are talking of hersay
9059641 can’t help I never really had the money to get any warhammer games an I know some authors hate it when their comments get flooded with idle nonsense that has nothing to do with their story.
9054202
Keep reading, it was never said they WERE dead, just assumed and we all know what Assuming does to people!
9064594
He slaughtered them, no remorse or effort into proper negotiations, just a .. " get out of my way or die" the changelings didn't even kill anyone, just grabbed and imprisoned ponies that trespassed in their territory, which is perfectly acceptable. What's next? " I promise i won't kill your family." *kills family horrifically*
That is evil.
...
And they are dead, it reads
So I am not assuming shit.. I read the damn thing in its entirety.
This scene felt like the author got lazy and decided to say fuck it, lets kill'em if they get in my way or disagree with me, that's so much easier to write.
Whatever, this chapter left a bad taste in my mouth. No offense Nava, this just didn't sit right with me.
9064614
But ARE they dead? he has used this spell Trap (or is it a Rune Ward?) before and it reduced what was in it to Ash and yet their are body's left behind now? It could just be a result of how large it was OR it could be that he reduced it's intensity to simply disable them.
Again we can only assume, so I say wait until it is confirmed that they ARE dead THEN decide what you want to do.
Also I must point out that what he did wasn't Necessarily "Evil" as you have to remember that they were TAKING his subjects as little more then Cattle to be fed on until they were useless. What they did could have been considered an act of War and he did what he had too to protect not only his subjects down the line, but also himself and the troops he is leading. He just neutralized (permanently or not) a good amount (50 I think they said?) of combat/raiding capable troops that would have otherwise kept preying on his subjects had Diplomacy failed in the end.
9064890
Except they were not preying on his subjects, they took them because they went in their territory. Who the hell is going to look a gift horse in the mouth? And They Are Dead, The Author Said So Explicitly... I even quoted it the first time he wrote they are dead.
Edit: And it was evil. he literally pulled up to their front door and shot them all dead for the sole reason that they inconvenienced him. He did not consider the hearts and minds at all.
also broke his word to the changeling he has leading him. Said he was going to have a talk with them, and then bam! Kills 50 right off the bat... That is evil.
9065014
Well I did add the "Dark" tag for a reason. Not every main character needs to be a an angle or saint. You need to remember that we are following a final fantasy villain. And these guys can get pretty genocidal or apocalyptic if they want too. Granted i am planning in making him "less evil" I guess as the story goes on. But his wrath would be mostly aimed at other nations if they cross him and threaten his new peoples and realm. Staying a just ruler to his own subject.
I would believe that most readers here have come to watch him flex his muscles and be the "dominant force" like he was made out to be in the games. Calm, collective and coldly precise in his actions.
Even allot famous and revert historical figures did some EVIL things in order to achieve their goals. Or rather, their action lead to either chaos or war because of it.
9065203
Exactly, right now he is in Military/leader mode. These Changelings have taken members of his military hostage and that alone puts his subjects and city in danger if they can get information out of them, this is NOT just a rescue mission any more. It's a Military Operation and preemptive strike against what he thinks is a hostile force.
He was threatened with Capture/death which made those 50 Changelings Hostile Enemy Forces and thus voided any promises he made prior to meeting the other changeling. He also asked said changeling if He (was it a He or a she, I can't remember now) to warn others away from attacking them while they made their way to the Changeling leaders and THAT alone shows he is willing to spare them so long as they stay out of his way.
To use a Quote "Good guy's do bad things" in this case, while he is not a PURE good guy, he is also not Evil. Leaders be they Military or Civilian have to make choices and some times those Choices result in deaths, in this case they really killed themselves due to stupidity more then anything.
Edit: and we all know you can't cure stupidity!
9065203
That is true... never played the ff games btw..
Unless you mean to say that changeling in your world are human-shaped, the word you're thinking is arthropoid, which isn't a word. Insectoid would be the proper word to use.
9067893
Funny, I used the proper word in the next chapter.
Not sure if I understood this sentence right, but I always prefer it a bit if the changeling version in a story is more meant that they work a bit similar to ponies with their behavior and aren't that concentrated on sex, well even if it sounded as if she was taking a liking to the emperor?
You could say I just like it if they are more than just that.
I'm starting to see some similarities with some authors when it comes to using the site's uses; there's an option to put all the paragraphs together, removing the extra spacing... unless you're alright with that then okay
I'd say the Emperor is keen on diplomacy...and frying 50 Changeling all at once is to make a point. Probably. Intimidates the rest, and if he wipes out three quarters of the changelings in the hive negotiating with the rest will be a lot easier. Don't want your entire hive to go extinct, right? That, and if he's reading Chipper's mind he probably already knows exactly where all the kidnapped Crystal ponies are. So killing off a lot of changelings will be beneficial to him too, since when all the other ponies find out what's happened to their friends and family, they can't really be baying for blood. He just killed off a lot of changelings already
On that note...this chapter was edited, but it sorely needs another go at it. There are multiple occasions of punctuation problems, grammar, and lines that kind of go nowhere that need to be tightened up. Plus the actual chapter name you have for the site is 'Best' while in the text it says 'Beast'...
Oh boy, this thing is in a sorry shape. You even messed up your own lore about the icelings. -which is what you should call them if you going to make them be so radically different. It gets confusing when you use Changeling as it makes me think of the normal ones we seen old Changeling Queenie have-
You stated that they have a more ice like color scheme. Aka icy blue I believe and yet you put down
Not to mention spelling errors or using the wrong words but I'm not an experienced Editor so I'd be unable to point them all out correctly.
9123700
Well their highlights are blue. Not their chitin, like the green you see on most changelings. On them they are blue. And I generally just forgot to call them Icelings at some point.