The Last Changeling War

by Coyote de La Mancha

Chapter Eighteen: Nothing Ever Ends.

“Aunt Tia, she’s coming. It’s time to cut me out of the circle.”

Celestia frowned slightly, but only for a moment. They had, after all, known that this time would likely come.

Still, removing Cadence would make maintaining the balance of such immense power even more difficult. The plan called for Celestia and Twilight to power down down the rite completely, as soon as she was clear. It would just be safer for all concerned. But that also meant a time period of greater risk to Celestia's subjects. And for all that this was the best of their available options, Celestia had never been fully comfortable with the idea.

Still: comfort or no, it needed to be done.

Dividing her attention momentarily, the Princess of Day began easing Cadence out of the connection that all the ponies there shared. Slowly, carefully, Cadence began walking clockwise and outward through each ring, weaving her way delicately around and between the unicorns in each one. The swirling energies of each matrix gave way and closed around her in layers like some fantastic liquid, reluctant to let her go.

Spike looked up at her as she emerged from the outer circle, concerned.

“Are you sure I can’t help?” he asked.

Cadence looked towards the northern sky. “Positive,” she said.

“I don’t like it.”

She gave him a fond look.

“Oh, Spike,” she said. “My brave, dear friend. I know you don’t. And I do appreciate the offer. But the others still need you more. Even Aunt Celestia is vulnerable, so long as the ritual is running.”

Spike frowned but did not argue the point. Instead, he simply sighed, “She’s dangerous. There has to be another way.”

“I know she is,” Cadence said, looking back to the sky. “Remember, I was there, when all this started. But that’s also why I have to face her myself. I need to see this through, whatever happens next.”

Then, sadly, she looked down, adding, “Otherwise, it will never end.”

---

Chrysalis soared on stolen wings through the hateful autumn winds. Above the clouds, above her foes.

She had lost again. Her home, her throne, even her children.

But she had known that she would, she reminded herself. She was always going to lose them. Whatever she could gain, be it power, home, or family, would always be taken from her. Anything. Always.

But this time, it had been different. This time, she had been in control. She had made the choices, in the only way they could be made. The only way they could matter.

Rather than having what she'd loved taken from her, she had fed them to her enemies. Crammed them down their throats, choked them. Sacrifices to her bloody revenge.

Years. Years in the making.

Gone. Gone. All of it, gone.

Sacrifices. Sacrifices. SACRIFICES.

But not needlessly. No. Not for nothing.

Because she was there. The beginning and end of Chrysalis’ suffering. The one who had lured the Crimson Queen with her siren song of innocence and lies, and had led her to her shipwreck.

And the plan was still in operation. The plan had still worked, in its essence, despite everything. For Chrysalis could see that her other great enemies were there as well. A ready, captive audience to watch and wail as Chrysalis broke, tortured and killed her most detested adversary, she who had both slain and midwifed her into a hateful and hated world.

Violet eyes blazing, hissing through Twilight’s teeth, Chrysalis dove at full speed at the so-called Princess of Love.

---

Even watching the darkening sky, Cadence scarcely had time to see Chrysalis burst through the clouds before she was upon her, her speed rivaling that of Cloudsdale's fastest fliers.

She struck her alicorn foe like a meteor, blazing in emerald fire as her proximity to the ongoing ritual tore away her disguise at last. Cadence’s hastily conjured shield shattered before her like a stained glass window before a hurricane, the princess’ scream of pain barely audible over the thunderclap of their collision as one of her wings was caught beneath both of them, bones snapping in quick succession.

They tumbled together, Chrysalis punching, clawing, even biting as she snarled in fury. Cadence tried to defend herself, but her foe was too fast, too relentless, too filled with hate. And then, a second scream, as Chrysalis seized the alicorn’s horn in her fangs and savagely bit down, shattering it.

The area erupted in sapphire light as Cadence’s power surged out from the truncated stump of her horn, foaming, writhing, unfocused and wild. A tendril of the outpouring magic lashed out towards the unicorns of the outer ring, and suddenly Spike was there, blocking its power in mid-leap. A cry of pain erupted from him as Cadence’s power momentarily coiled around and through him, suspending him in its aura. Then it was over, and he fell to the ground, unmoving.

Terrified, half-crazed with pain, Cadence kicked both of her hind legs into Chrysalis’ abdomen with all her strength. She heard the insectoid’s carapace give way with a crack! beneath her hooves and Chrysalis arced through the air, bounced, and then skidded, her hooves digging desperate furrows into the dirt and gravel as she slid, finally vanishing over the cliff’s edge.

Cadence forced herself to her hooves. A glance told her that the unicorns were still safe, the pattern of their combined light shifting as the ritual's dismantlement entered its final phase. And Spike looked alright, already trying to pull himself up from where he had fallen.

She gave a gasp of pain. Her wing hung painfully to her side, useless, and her horn continued to erupt small, helpless blue surges of energy as she staggered, fell, and rose again. Finally, her eyes narrowing in determination against the pain, Cadence forced herself forward as quickly as she could to where her self-avowed enemy had fallen, her uncertain stagger turning into an uneven run.

---

Chrysalis clung desperately to the jagged cliffside. Her breath came in uneven, rattling gasps, one eye closed, her face scored from Cadence’s uncontrolled power. She glanced fearfully downward to the rocks far below. Her rear hooves clawed frantically at the cliffside, trying to gain some purchase as the shriveled nubs of her wings buzzed uselessly on her back, the stone crumbling into shale beneath her.

A familiar, hated voice called from above her, “Quickly, cancel the spell! Her wings are burned!”

And then the same voice, in a more pleading tone, “Chrysalis!”

Her expression hardening, the dethroned queen looked up at the alicorn above her.

Cadence was kneeling at the cliff’s edge, wincing from pain, extending a hoof towards her.

“Take my hoof!”

“Why?” Chrysalis spat. “So you can throw me down yourself?”

“Cancel the spell!” Cadence cried. “She’ll fall!”

And then, back to the Changeling Queen, “No! I want to help you!”

“Liar!”

“I’m not!” Cadence cried desperately. “You were born from Mira’s body, and I was raised by her! Don’t you see? We could have been sisters! We still can! I want to be there for you, but I can’t if you don’t survive!”

The insectoid hesitated, staring at her in sheer disbelief.

“Cancel the spell!” Cadence cried again.

“The unicorns are shutting it down now,” Spike called, suddenly running to them. “They can’t just turn it off, the backlash could kill them!”

“I know, but they’ve got to hurry!”

“They’re going as fast as they can! Just try to hang on!”

“Please,” Cadence said, turning back to the Changeling below her. “Chrysalis, please, take my hoof. Let me help you!”

More of the cliffside crumbled as Chrysalis scrambled with her rear hooves. She glanced down with wide eyes, then up again at the alicorn above her.

“Please!” Cadence cried again.

Chrysalis swallowed, then reached up. Smiling in relief, Cadence extended her arm further, only to jerk it back instinctively when Chrysalis slashed at it with her jagged hoof, shrieking,

“DIE!”

But with that sudden, violent motion, the stones supporting the changeling’s weight finally gave way. Chrysalis fell in a rain of grey fragments, screaming. Whether from fear or hatred, no one could be sure.

Then, silence.

Cadence turned away from the cliffside, shuddering, her eyes squeezed shut. For a long time, nopony spoke, even as the light from the ritual finally ceased. Eventually, Cadence realized that Spike's arms were around her, and she managed to hug him back, even as other ponies – Celestia, Twilight, and others – joined in.

When? Her heart whispered, then as it had years before. When will the killing stop? When will the madness end?

But despite her heartache, she knew the answer to that. As much as it ever would, it had ended today.

Comments

[FanOfMostEverything]

To the last, she rejected anything and everything that would have meant accepting she was wrong. Now it's time to assess the damage... and round up those she left behind. Goodness knows there's more to do. I just hope Cadence's horn will grow back.

[BirdsBooksBrownies]

11777715
Aye, this version of Chrysalis would NEVER stop, NEVER accept she was wrong.