The Scourging

by Theblondeknight

Fall

The seething blackness of the Throne Room was broken by burning light as a slender form sleeked into the presence of his monarch. Flek felt her concentration weigh him down long before her green eyes opened. He took a bow mere steps before the chitin chair, looking into the ground. He could tell she was sitting up straight, and watching him with her mind's eye, looking down at him unimpressed.

"A report? I will hear you out now."

He nodded, "As you wish, your Majesty."

Now he stood again, and noted the guards who approached their liege, ready to do anything she bid them. Even kill him.

"A report from the Crystal Empire, to be exact," Flek said, pausing to clear his throat and maybe think of any last ditch way to soften the news, "Several agents have...ceased activities."

One green eye flicked halfway open, "What? Maybe I didn't hear you, say that again."

Flek cleared his throat again, swallowing the green bile rather than dare spit it out in the presence of the Queen, "Let me be clearer: several of our agents have ceased activities, and have gone missing. Our insiders have confirmed, they are not being kept in the Palace dungeons, nor have there been any secret prison transfers. We believe them dead."

Now the emerald orbs shone in the dark, casting green light down on the messenger, "That doesn't sound like Cadence, or Shining Armor. Or Celestia...."

Flek wiped his brow, recalling the last horrible screams of Gretch, who reported the arrival of the Solar Princess in the Crystal Empire after the rogue assassination attempt on Twilight Sparkle. That was a horrifying day to be in the hive, probably the worst he'd ever seen the Queen get. It was lucky for the renegades that they didn't live long enough to face her wrath. As for the rest of them...

"Does evidence suggest the possibility of another betrayal? Is Thorax mocking me from the dead?"

"No, we don't believe so. His rebellion was his and his alone. We have found no bodies, but samples of changeling blood being spilt in the wilderness around the Empire have been taken."

The green slits were lost back into the shadows, and the Queen put a hoof to her lips. The guards remained passive, but kept their gazes fixed right on Flek. The messenger looked down and fought the instinct to cough.

"Most unusual," The Queen said at last, "Anything else to report?"

Flek felt his cold blood running to his cheeks, giving them color. Now he coughed and cleared up the clogs in his throat. Licking his lips, he nodded, "The Crystallized Element. We believe the ponies know of it's existence..."

He gulped as the burning green slits opened again, and narrowed as he finished, "We-We have since lost the majority of our supply, BUT we are investigating their current locati-- OOHF!"

He felt the blast almost before he saw it, the malevolent green ray that shot from the crooked horn of Queen Chrysalis landed squarely in his chest; he rolled over many times on the way down, and ended up sprawled like a wounded rabbit under the gaze of a hunting mastiff. His bloody phlegm left a trail on the way, and he felt more than one of his ribs screaming in agony. He let out several deep, incendiary coughs.

"This I will NOT stand for," She said, passing him by on the way out, "the Element cannot fall into anyone else's possession," She paused near the exit, addressing her guards, "Leave him be. We must go. Now."

Flek picked himself up from the ground several minutes later, every breath he took shooting napalm into every corner of his body. He survived, somehow, but the last time the Queen had gone to foreign territory she came back defeated. In fact, she had never gone to Equestria and succeeded in doing what she intended to do.

He contemplated running away - after a lengthy stay in the bio pools of course - but even if she did come back with her tail between her legs, her fury wouldn't be directed at him. It could still fall on him, but, he could work around her presence, avoid the inner domains of the hive. Yes, it was much too dangerous alone outside, even if it was temporarily more dangerous in the hive for a time.

Sniveling, Flek wiped his mouth and limped out of the Throne Room, traveling slowly upwards towards the restorative ooze of the pools. Things would be better in a few days, yes, much better he told himself.

---

"For the Crystal Empire! CHARGE!!"

Shining Armor was first in the wave of defenders to stand against the new evil Luna had warned them of. Its nature and identity were unknown, but the Sisters were usually keen on watching over each other, of knowing when the other needed help. That was the impression he got from far away at least.

When Luna asked him and Cadence to rally to Celestia's side in a moment of danger, he rushed to find his weaponry and armor. It had been longer than he thought since he last garbed himself in the warrior's wear, but it came back to him like his favorite tune. Every step he took was in rhythm and on point, a true soldier's lullaby.

He was ready to defend his home and protect his loved ones...until he saw her.

He stopped short, and the troops behind him paused as well. The undead monsters did not scare him, nor did he fear the fight to come, but the last person he ever expected to see at the side of this mysterious dark lord was his own sister. She strode forward, leaving the pack of undead monstrosities behind her.

"Twilight!?"

"Shining Armor..."

Her voice was distant, reflecting nothing, and showing no emotion. It was more confused, alienated than anything else. Her complexion and form matched a body dug up from a grave. Who could have done that? And why? And how do did she get here, standing beside this new Dark Lord?

The men stopped with him, and Shining Armor removed his helmet, "Twily....I...."

He wiped tears from his eyes and she took small, tentative steps towards him.

"I know you..." She said.

"Yes! Yes, I'm, I'm your big brother...best friend forever. You remember me. I'll always be there for you. Twily, what happened to you?"

She stopped, puzzling over the question, looking down like a child guilty of stealing cookies. She shook her head, "I remember...distant memories, foggy and broken. Bad dreams. What happened to me?"

"You got hurt. Very badly," Shining Armor dropped his sword and approached his sister, raising a foreleg to hug her. She stood unmoving, eating his words as he spoke, "And you....by Celestia, Twilight you...died. I don't know how you've ended up here, but, that doesn't matter! Come with me. Let's get out of here quickly. I'll take you to Cadence."

The soldiers behind him watched in silence, most with tense and unsure frowns. Some moved away to aide the Princesses, but a few kept their eyes on their Prince.

"Cadence. I remember Cadence too."

"Good, then you know she's a friend."

"Friend?"

"Yeah, she and you go way back. Come with me, please Twilight, come with me."

He grasped her closely to his chest and embraced her. She was very cold to the touch, but he did not back away. If she was cold, he would give her warmth. She was still and quiet, and Shining Armor hugged her tighter. Slowly, she returned the gesture, and his spirit sobbed at how weak she felt, like if he wanted to, he could actually crush her into pieces.

"Come on, this is no place for you. Cadence will be so surprised, and....I mean, eventually Flurry Heart will be delighted to have her aunt back, and --" he felt a strange sensation in his chest, something warm was running down his armor. He backed away, and saw Twilight's horn glowing with magic, controlling his own blade, sticking out of his chest.

"You...Twily....you...."

"You were never the smarter of us, Shining. I never thought you'd actually let me stab you in the back though."

"Aren't you even...sorry!?" He fell to his front, looking back to see his men were engaging a new assault of the undead. This was some kind of nightmare come true. He felt the air tugging away from his lungs, the vision retreating from his eyes. He felt the pain all at once when she pulled the sword out of him. He stumbled to the snow, looking up at his little sister.

"What did he do....to you..."

"Undeath will take us all. Welcome to the Lich King's fold, big brother."

"I love you...I still...."

His eyelids were weighing him down, his insides felt emptier and emptier, and his mouth was going dry, even as he felt the blood leak out between his lips. His last thoughts went out in the distance, to his wife and child.

I'm sorry girls. I failed you. I love you. I love you so much. SO MUCH. I'm sorry Remember me please Remember me. I love you so much i'm sorry i messed up l love

In the distance, as the Lich King turned to watch her, she heard his voice in her head.

"Good. No mercy, no survivors. Even your closest friends and family must not be spared the cold embrace of death."

She took one last look at her big brother, the way he had so foolishly walked into his own end. She knew the rest of them would be harder to fool, but if her people so easily swayed with emotion, then the conquest of Equestria would be quick and efficient. She moved towards the bulk of the battle, letting her brother's life drip from his sword as she stalked the soldier whose back was turned, and whose spear was clashed against an undead's shield.

"For the Scourge," She said, raising the sword above her head.

---

Celestia charged with Luna, both of them conjuring blades of raw magic, underneath their combined war cry, Celestia reached out with a warning.

'Luna! He told me his sword reaps and consumes the souls of those who are killed. He brought Twilight back with it. We have to get the sword!'

'Understood! Let's go, sister!'

Celestia dashed a bit faster, bringing her golden blade low, while Luna brought her onyx weapon over her head. The Lich King held Frostmourne ready, but made no move. The magic blades swung fast and true, and shattered against a green shell that cocooned around the Lich King at the last moment. He smirked again as the Sister began to fly away.

Rather than using his own sword, the Lich King raised an open hand, glowing purple and blue, and the Princess were caught and drawn before him, hovering over the snow, trying to resist the dark magic that was crushing their throats. The Dark Lord aligned Celestia in front of the runeblade, preparing to run her through.

"Princesses!"

One of the soldiers charged at the trio from behind, bearing two axes above his head. He fell to the ground as the Lich King turned, running the blade through his head instead, cutting his horn in two, and collapsing his skull. Celestia's eyes were closing, she couldn't breathe. Her ears were ringing with the sounds of clanging metal and wet screaming. She was going to die. At least, as penance, she would suffer in her final moments...

Luna, though, rallied and with a flash of her magic broke the spell on both sisters. Celestia fell face first into the snow, Luna dropped to her knees. Frostmourne drew closer as she picked herself up, gathering magic in her mind and in her rising hooves. With one swing of the runeblade, her magic shield was nearly cleaved in two.

But at the same time, Luna forced herself into the mind behind the dark helm, into the thoughts of the Lich King. She didn't have much time, his mental fortitude was immense. Flashes of a distant and grim past, and a tragic story filled her instantaneously. She saw one thing clearer than the rest: a valiant young man, a holy knight fighting for the salvation of his subjects, morphed into an avatar of doom: a fathomless hatred, a desire to see all life end, and a need to destroy everything that had ever been created by mortal hands.

And then, after the golden haired Prince became the Lich King, she saw herself come beside him, consumed by jealousy and anger, transforming into Nightmare Moon. Then her mind became fire.

Luna flew back beside her sister, who was just getting back to her feet. The Lich King gave a small pause, looking towards the horizon for a slight moment, only enough time for Celestia to apply a quick spell of comfort to Luna.

"No, not as different as you thought," He said, walking towards the sister, "only I embraced the power. You denied it, and it will cost you your life."

Celestia grabbed hold of her sister, teleporting them both back into the sky, away from the thirsting runeblade. The Lich King looked up at them, and held out his arms.

"Look around you," he taunted, "you have lost. In the end, every soldier you send to kill me, will end up serving me. Bow to your King."

Celestia looked to Luna, who was muttering with closed eyes, then back to the battlefield, distressed to see that he was right. The soldiers that had rallied behind Luna were falling to the undead slaves of the Lich King, and being turned into monsters themselves. If she had tears left, she would shed them.

"Arthas..."

She turned back to Luna, fading in and out of consciousness, whispering nonsense. Even with Luna, they would not win this fight. They gravely underestimated him. Retreat was the only way, and the Crystal Empire needed to be saved, if possible. She could only do one more thing now.

"You will never break Equestria! This isn't over!"

With that, the Princesses vanished, and last of the living were surrounded, and devoured in steel.

---

The silence of the grave had followed Twilight's funeral into the lives of all her friends, gathered in the lounge where they had spent so long beside her, recovering, unknowingly staying beside her on her deathbed. By now, only a few bandages remained to show physical scars, but the silence, that would scar them all for years.

Pinkie Pie was the only one to break the sound of silence, now and again bouncing a rubber ball on the floor, not bothering to pick up the jacks. Picking at scabs, watching the brightening sky, sitting with heads bowed against one another, anything but talking. What was the point? They all felt the same pain, they all knew the uneasy hollowing in their hearts, slowly burning away the joy, threatening the memories.

Other than the servants bringing them food and drink and changing bandaging, only Cadence and Shining Armor had bothered to visit them.

The next time the pink Alicorn came through the door, each of them was glad, but at the same time disappointed. They knew it wouldn't be Twilight to walk in, but they hadn't purged that expectation yet. Some showed it off more than others.

"Good morning everypony, I hope I'm not being overbearing," Cadence greeted, walking up to each one of them with a hug and a bright smile.

"Not at all dear, rather I hope we're not distracting you from your royal duties," Rarity replied, exchanging kisses on the cheek with the Princess.

"The paperwork never goes away," Cadence said, "but you guys are planning to head back to Ponyville once you've fully recovered, right? Oh gosh, I didn't mean to sound impatient or anything, you're free to stay as long as you like!"

Applejack shrugged, "Ah, it'll be good to get back home. I figure if we stick around too long we'll just mope around all day anyways."

"It's not going to feel right though, leaving without Twilight..." Fluttershy said, leaning only partially of her own will into Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie, squeezing her pegasus friend harder and harder as she spoke, agreed, "It'll be a hard adjustment for sure, I mean I know we had the funeral and all but it wasn't much of a going away party. She would've expected better. Then again parties are supposed to be happy, but Twilight being gone just makes me sad! What? I'm not gonna cry, you're gonna cry! Who's crying!?"

Rainbow threw a tissue box at Pinkie, who finally let Fluttershy free to wipe her tears.

"Thanks for taking care of us, but yeah, we're heading home tomorrow," Rainbow affirmed.

"Well, then I'll make sure you're all invited to dinner tonight. We can't let your stay end like this. We're all very grateful for the work you did, and we hope to return the favor some day," Cadence said, taking a seat beside Rainbow and Applejack.

Starlight cleared her throat, "Actually, to that point, I've decided to stay and finish what Twilight started."

The looks around the room made her pause, but she pushed her voice up higher, "I know, what happened was terrible, and we need each other right now, but I feel the best way to honor Twilight is to do what she couldn't. You don't have to join me, I don't expect you to, but I'm not leaving until peace comes to the Crystal Empire."

"That's...very kind of you, and very brave. You are of course welcome to join us," Cadence said.

"Well said, Starlight," Rarity agreed, putting her hoof to her lip, "You know, I feel like I might have to stay too. Twilight's memory shan't fade on my watch. She wouldn't back down, neither will I!"

Applejack looked down, frowning, "I thought maybe it was just me, but..." Her smile appeared, "I'm glad y'all feel the same way. I didn't want to go, but I figured I ought to be there for ya. I'm staying if you'll stay."

"I suppose we can't leave now," Fluttershy added, not smiling but also not frowning since her arrival.

"We'd love to have you all. If anypony is capable of helping us bringing the changelings and Crystal Empire into harmony, it has to be you," Cadence smiled, "I'll make sure proper rooms are arranged and I'll let Princess Celestia know you're committed to helping us."

Rainbow felt her jaw quiver. Was it bitterness at not feeling the same way as her friends? Or was it regret that she didn't want to try? All she knew is that it was not a new layer of sorrow for Twilight's passing.

"Why?" She asked, drawing silent stares from the entire room.

"What do you mean Rainbow Dash?" Cadence asked.

"Why? Why do you care about those bugs so much? Just kick them out! They didn't just start a protest or break out in a riot or something...they KILLED a Princess! They killed our FRIEND! Why are you so ready to forgive them!?"

Starlight stood up, "If you have to ask about forgiveness....I don't know that you learned anything from Twilight."

Rainbow stood up herself, "The things you did could be changed. We fixed your mistakes. We made you part of this family. How dare you think that's at all the same as killing one of us!?"

"That's enough," Cadence interrupted, stepping between them, putting her hoof around Rainbow, "yes, forgiveness can be hard. It doesn't have to happen overnight. It doesn't even have to happen at all, but if you go around hating the changelings forever, then it won't be long until you end up wanting to kill one of them. And then more. And who knows how fall you far from there."

"I get where you're coming from Rainbow, but Cadence is right. You don't wanna be sittin' on thoughts like that," Applejack added.

"No offense to you Starlight," Rainbow said, breaking free from Cadence's hoof, "but you weren't there. You didn't hear her scream. You haven't had nightmares about it. Still, I thought you'd understand how unforgivable this is. Unlike your screw-ups, some things can't be taken back."

"You think I don't hate the changeling that killed Twilight!? Do you honestly think that!?" Starlight shouted, "I'm just sensible enough to know that the actions of one person don't affect the rest of their people," She finished a bit quieter.

"That's enough you two!" Cadence reiterated, "this is uncalled for. This is exactly the opposite of the friendship Twilight taught."

"You know what?" Rainbow pushed her way out of the room, "You guys can stay here as long as you like. I'm going home tonight."

"Rainbow Dash! Wait!"

Despite Rarity's call, the pegasus never looked back, and strode out into the hall without another word.

Cadence sighed, "I was afraid this was going to happen. I hoped to keep your spirits high, but it looks Rainbow Dash has been hurt worse than I thought."

"I'll go talk to her," Applejack offered.

"No, I'll do it in a minute. I wouldn't be a very good Princess of Love to let her walk away like that."

Starlight was scratching at her elbow, "Well, when you see her, please tell her that I'm sorry."

"I will," Cadence promised, "but I also have to ask you to ease up a bit. On Rainbow and on yourself. I think we can all agree that her passing hurt us, but that doesn't make your life into a crusade. I agree with you, Starlight, but it's not a contest, or some kind of challenge. Understand?"

"I...yeah, I think so."

"I mean that you don't need to - and shouldn't - force your beliefs on others. Everypony has to choose what to believe for themselves, and if Rainbow chooses to hate the changelings because of this, then all we can do is be there for her and try to work it out of her without letting herself or anypony else get hurt."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Starlight admitted, "I can do that."

"Good, I'll go talk to her now. In the meantime, breakfast should be ready soon, and you've got free reign of the --" Cadence stopped, blinking and looking down at her chest. Her heart was aching. Tremendously.

"No...!" She could barely gasp the word when the aching set in and her nightmares became reality. Shining Armor was dying.

Rarity put a hoof on her shoulder, "Princess? You like a bit like Opal when she has a fur ball in her throat? Darling, are you alright?"

Cadence ran for the hallway, thinking first of Flurry Heart, then of her Princess-hood,"The Crystal Empire is in danger! RUN!"

She bolted out the doors, leaving the servants and infirm confused, and without any solid idea of what was happening. Scared and concerned looks were traded around the room, and Applejack ran after Cadence, calling to the Princess of Love, but her ears turned away.

"What do you think happened?" Fluttershy asked, trying not to shake too hard.

"She looked kind of sick," Starlight said, peering out the hall after AJ, who was gone.

"I wonder if perhaps Shining Armor was in trouble?" Rarity suggested, "The only other time I saw her like that was during the debacle at her wedding..."

Pinkie Pie slammed the photo book she'd been browsing shut, Fluttershy jumping into the air as a result, "Something's seriously wrong. Let's go after her."

"Yeah, alright, come on!" Starlight led the rest out of the infirmary.

They made it all the way to the royal chambers, some faster than others, before the guards blocked the way. Despite the protests of Applejack, Rarity, and Starlight, they weren't budging.

"No one will see the Princess until we have new orders."

"We're trying to help her!" Starlight shouted, "Cadence! Tell them to let us through! Cadence!"

The protests were cut short as an alarm blared through the entire city, red flashes burning the sky and shining all around them, vibrating through every crystal. The long, high pitched crying caused immediate panic, in and out of the palace. Ponies and changelings alike scurried home to grab their essentials, or forgoing that, ran to make it out of the city limits before any others. The guards looked to each other, and brought their weapons to bare.

"What's going on now!?" Rarity asked, looking over her shoulder as the servants and guests in the palace tripped over each other and bolted through closed doors to get away.

"Everything's going mad!" Fluttershy whimpered from the floor, hiding her face in her mane and hooves.

One guard knocked on Cadence's door, moving inside without an answer, while the other moved closer to the ponies, keeping his spear between him and them. Applejack tried to take a step towards the door, and was shoved into the wall, the fiery eyes of the guard keeping her in place.

"That is the natural warning system of the Empire - it has rung only three times in history, the last time being the rise of King Sombra. Whatever is happening, you are advised to flee. Regardless of the situation, nopony is seeing the Princess right now."

"But-"

Applejack was cut off by the guards again, "GO! The Empire....is lost!"

---

Shining Armor awoke in a soft bed. It was not his bed, but it was close. He never expected death to feel so soothing. Then he heard the cry of a filly. His eyes felt heavy, and he could hardly sit up, but he did so. His gaze was drawn down, to a large red and white patch over his chest. It all came back to him in an instant.

Twilight. She fooled him, she left him to die and join the army of the dead. His chest did not hurt, come to think of it, he could barely feel anything, expect the sorrow in his heart, the regret that his little sister ended up in such a foul place.

There was another cry, and as he listened and stirred, he realized he was surrounded by sniffling, crying, hushed whispers in shaky voices. And he was moving. He put one hoof on the floor and it gave out immediately. A servant saw him, and rushed to get him back in place.

As she helped him rest back against the pillow, he realized he was in the private royal car of the Crystal Train. Purple and blue tones lulled him back into a more restful state, but he resisted the urge to close his eyes again. He began to smell the perfume that was sprayed everywhere Cadence went outside the palace.

"Sir, do you need anything for the pain? Can I get you some water?"

"What's going on?" He asked, realizing as he said it how hoarse and tired his voice sounded.

Cadence. His mind wandered briefly to his wife, to the days when they were younger. When she confessed many things to him, including her love. Love, the most potent weapon of all, but only ever used as a last resort. As a soldier he respected that idea, as a husband he lived it. No doubt about it, if he had married any other mare, he would be dead right now. Cadence's magic wasn't as flashy as that of her aunts, but it was no less potent.

The servant mumbled a bit, then looked down at the ground, voice catching, "The Crystal Empire has been lost. An army of monsters overran the city. The whispers of the refugees say the conqueror was a...Lich King."

"Where's my wife? Where is my daughter?"

"Flurry Heart is asleep," the servant said, rolling away a pink curtain beside him to reveal the infant stirring in her bundle, "She has been very troubled by these events. She only just settled down ten minutes ago."

"And Cadence? Where is she?" He asked, a bit gentler.

"Princess Cadence returned the Empire once she knew you were stable and were put on the train with Flurry Heart. She told me that she loves you dearly, and that she would do everything in her power to find you both again."

Shining Armor bit his tongue so hard he drew blood, tasting it, trying to bring out the pain so that he knew he was dreaming some horrible dream. His sister died a martyr - and was brought back into some kind of morbid half existence - and if the same thing happened to Cadence...

Shining Armor considered for the first time in his life if he would want to kill himself. If that happened, and if Cadence turned...

He chose not to entertain those thoughts. For now, he did the only thing that came to his mind: fight the enemy in whatever capacity he could. Stuck in bed and wounded, that came down to information.

"What do we know about this Lich King? Who is he? Where did he come from?"

The servant opened the small cabinet on the side of the car, pulling out empty glasses.

"I'm sorry, your majesty, I don't know anything but his name. Some of the folks who made it on the train spoke of a tall, dark figure with a glowing sword. They say he came into the city and made it his own, reshaping the Empire as he destroyed. They say his powers are darker and more fierce than King Sombra's. They say he walked and death followed him. That is all they say."

"What about Princess Celestia? And Princess Luna? I saw them briefly in the battle, what happened to them?"

The servant dropped the glass of water she was carrying, shattering it on the ground, "I-I...I didn't know they were there! They didn't come back to the Empire! Not as far as I know!"

He looked to his daughter, intoning silently the words he was deathly afraid he soon may have to speak, "Flurry Heart, the Last Alicorn Princess."

He began to cry, unable to help the wave of sorrow and guilt that struck him while thinking that. The servant cleaned the water on the rug and picked up the glass shards, turning her back to him. He failed, and it might have cost Equestria more than it had ever been forced to pay before. His weakness put the balance of the future in a very shaky place. The only thing that kept him from screaming was his daughter. She was all he had left at the moment, and he would throw himself at this Lich King a million times to save her.

Anything to save her.

"Where's this train headed?" He asked, sniffing up the rest of his cry.

"This one goes to Vanhoover, the other trains all left the station, going their usual routes to their respective cities and towns."

"Then we'll start preparing the instant we get there. If there's one thing I'm sure of, the Lich King won't stay in the Crystal Empire. The rest of Equestria has to know of the danger. They have to run while they can."

---

Queen Chrysalis emerged from the underground tunnels expecting to find the darkest corners of King Sombra's dwelling, but instead she found the cold air of a snowy afternoon. The retinue of guards behind her fanned out in a circle, walking through snow where once stone had lain. Instead of the dark, a bleak and empty sky watched them crawl out from their hole.

"What in the name of....."

The wind picked up, blowing snow and lashing against their exoskeletons. Chrysalis stopped upon stepping on something that crunched beneath her, lifting her leg to reveal a bloody spine, covered in bits of torn flesh. As one the changelings stopped, circling together and watching the horizon.

"It tastes so bitter...."

"The sorrow, the anguish here is immense."

"And the hatred," Chrysalis said, unsure if she should admire the state of this malice, or be imposed by its master, "The hatred most of all. Something is absolutely wrong. Back into the tunnels!"

The first guard to reach the hole was halfway through when the rest heard a choked cry. He stopped moving, then twitched and spasmed before going limp. From over his body climbed out two of their cousins, lifeless, pure white eyes, gazing at the monarch they once bowed before.

The air shifted, in general and around the Queen, who marched towards the tunnel, "What do you think you're doing!? Out of the way! Now!"

They said nothing, but moved towards her, fangs bared. She growled and destroyed them both with a single blast of magic.

"Into the tunnel! We're leaving!" She commanded again, taking the first steps herself.

But as they neared, more of their undead brethren came out of the tunnel, and Chrysalis felt her eyes twinging.

"That's right," A booming voice echoed through the frozen expanse, "your tunnels are mine now. And soon, so shall your hive serve me."

Chrysalis flew up, wings beating fast enough to create a buzz that broke up the echoes of his voice, "I serve none! I am the Queen of the Changelings! Challenge me at your own peril! You think because you have infested my tunnels that I am beaten!?" She stopped to laugh, warming the magic at the tip of her horn, lighting the mists around her green, "I will dig again. I will smite all who get in my way!"

The guards moved closer together as even more of the undead changelings rose from the tunnels, and from the swirling mists of snow walked ponies, ponies unlike any that had been seen before. Stallions with broken limbs, mares with missing jaws, fillies who walked with heads hung low from broken necks. Their frozen blood stained their coats, clung to open wounds that would never heal. Their paces were slow, challenged, but undaunted by all measures of distance.

In seconds they went from outnumbering the undead to being trapped prey, caught without an escape in a land unfamiliar to them. Chrysalis led the charge, firing the burning, sparking green power from her horn, flying low to personally destroy the walking corpses. Her guards followed suite, knocking down wave after wave, to no avail.

Soon, they started to tire, and weaken, and fall. And as they fell, and the links to the hive were lost, Chrysalis felt another presence take hold of them, raising them into undeath, standing them back up and setting them against her. With bubbling anger she called for the retreat.

They fled into the mist, blasting away or charging through those who stood against them. Soon they began to recognize the remains of the Crystal Empire: a collapsed building buried in snow here, a merchant cart resting on its side there, bits and pieces of a road laying in a scattered mess over there. They passed more fragments of the recently devastated Empire, battle new waves of undead as they came, all of them pondering what could possibly have destroyed it so fiercely that its very infrastructure could collapse like this.

The biggest shock of all was seeing the Crystal Palace - a monument to the ancient civilization that once lived here, and a fortress Chrysalis had once been a resident of, in a long forgotten past - terraformed into a spire, raising towards the heavens, but shadowed under the darkest clouds.

And at its foot stood a figure clad in dark armor, the skulls and bones and spikes of an enormous kill count decorating him.

Chrysalis stopped, half her guards moving between her and the figure, the other half watching their flanks as the undead slowly followed. The Queen took a few steps toward the dark figure.

"Who are you?"

"Your master."

Chrysalis fired a blast on instinct, but the figure seemed to have no trouble dispelling it. The guards between the monarch and her adversary took formation, ready to swarm. The figure stepped into one of the spirals of light, raising a sword that shimmered blue.

"Bow before me," He commanded.

"You insolent..." Chrysalis flew above her legions, forming a battle ax of green magic, "I will not be treated like a subject! Ever! Again!!"

She arched upwards, twisting the ax to strike not straight down, but to cut diagonally and tear him in two. Just to hurt him more she also vented magic around her in a shield and lit it up, sparking and crackling, ready to blow at the slightest physical or magical contact. The guards below watched in amazement, and readied themselves to rally against the enemy if he should live past the initial blow.

"Feeble."

The Lich King took the ax blow with his forearm, the explosive magic aura hardly leaving a warm tickle on him. Only when she was left without weapon or shield, and in mid flight right toward him, did she realize her mistake. The perplexed, terrified look on her face was one of the few things that could bring the Lich King humor.

The guards below bolted into the sky to save their Queen, crying out, firing insignificant blasts of magic at him, all in vain. Frostmourne ran right through the bottom of her throat, suspending her in air, taking away her ability to do anything more than choke on the steel and her own blood.

"I said, bow before me."

He left her hanging for a moment, watching her green eyes flicker, glaring, the only part of her that could still fight back. Then, slowly, he pulled his arm up, sliding her off the blade as painfully as possible. She landed on her back, hardly twitching anymore. The guards were upon him, but the Lich King batted them away with ease. Their glorious last stand lasted all but seconds.

---

At the top of New Icecrown Citadel, the Lich King stood over his foothold in his new world. The whispers of the damned called to him, telling him of countless souls to the south that needed purging. Yes, his eyes looked south, towards the Princesses who fled from him, and the allies they would recruit. The Scourge was a shambles of what it was in Azeroth, but it only took time and effort to right that wrong.

His Generals approached, two at this time, but soon to be joined by others. They bowed to him, enemies in life united under the sovereign rule of death.

"We await your command," Chrysalis intoned from the left, her voice shaken, frail, another scar from the moment of her demise, audible only because of his power rushing inside her.

The Lich King did not turn to address them, but held Frostmourne out towards the lands of summer, "Our assault on the living will be in two folds. I will command the first legion, heading south, towards the heart of this nation. You will march before me, Deathlord, weakening defenses where necessary, working from the shadows to destroy our enemies."

"Of course," Twilight replied.

The Lich King turned to Chrysalis, "Archlich, you shall remain here. Cultivate our ranks by any means. Use your newfound Element to our advantage. Those left behind are yours to do with as you please. The yak peoples are not far from here, consider them tools for your task as well."

"Yes, master," Chrysalis bowed deeper as the Lich King tossed a leather satchel to the ground, a green glow burning behind the fabric.

"No doubt you will encounter heroes of this wold, mortals who think to rise to the occasion and stop the advancing darkness. Eliminate them with prejudice. Make them suffer. There are many open positions in our midst."

Once more they intoned together, "Yes, my King."

"All life must end. Make it so."

Author's Note:

Hmm. The longer this goes on, the more I think I might have to change this from Teen to Mature. What do you guys think? Are you comfortable with the descriptions of battle and death as they are, or do you want me to crank it up?

And so the next chapter has come and gone. I honestly have less planned for the upcoming parts than I did everything so far, but I'm more excited about it. There's lots of room to explore and grow from here.

Also, I couldn't do it. I tried so hard. But when my fingers moved to type "Twilight Sparkle" after the quotes for the Lich King.....I couldn't do it. So, yeah, she's just "Deathlord" now.

Until next time, hope you enjoyed, and I look forward to having you read the upcoming chapters.

Comments

[cosmic flash]

So can the elements use the rainbow power without Twilight? if so, I think Twilight will be freed like the DK in WOW.

[Dark Feather]

Runing trough my head as I read:

[Theblondeknight]

9133206
It fits the chapter fairly well, but the scary thing is, I think, there is some degree of truth in this song for the real world. How many headlines do we see every week about someone going crazy and murdering multiple innocents? Crazy.

Thanks for sharing regardless.

[Dark Feather]

9133332
Yea, it was most likely what they where going for.
Disturbd has many songs whit real comentary on the world.

[hiphop4eva]

9133148
- If I remember correctly, the reason Sylvanas and the Forsaken broke free of The Lich King's will in the first place was because Illidan used The Eye of Sargeras to decimate Northrend, damaging The Lich King, and indirectly causing The Lich King to call for Arthas in the first place. So the ponies could theoretically somehow damage The Lich King seriously enough to break his will with a portion of his minions, causing Twilight, Chrysalis and a portion of The Scourge to break free and make the equestrian version of The Forsaken.

[cosmic flash]

9136068

9136068
Well I was referring to the starting area for the DK where you fight some paladins on holy ground with the ashbringer, and that forces Arthas to lose control.

[hiphop4eva]

9136361
- I didn't play WoW so can't make a comment on that.