Knowledge Brings Change

by hydra30

5 Dispute it is

"Twilight."

Twilight, whose attention had been centered on her friends, jumped slightly at being addressed.

Though she was doing her best to hide it, the studious purple unicorn was internally shaking with anticipation and nervousness. She was, by no means, actually scared, but the last time she confronted the changelings, everything went wrong in every possible way. Her brother's wedding was ruined, she spent fifteen years studying deadly, otherworldly magic which her friends later joined her, and Hermaeus Mora, an entity of malice and empathy, was introduced to her home, and one does not go through all that without it leaving an impression.

She was aware that this wasn't the same as the first time, the changelings were weakening and dwindling in numbers rapidly, but they were by no means the brightest stars in the sky. And they were approaching their hive with the most influential and detrimental pony royalty in tow, only an idiot would not be aware that the possibility of an ambush was more than a possibility. The changelings didn't know that the mananite throne didn't affect the magic from Nirn either, so they would most likely under the delusion of having the home field advantage as well.

This was, by no means, actually making her consider turning back, she still felt intense pity for the changelings' plight; one that was by no means, actually their own fault. They hadn't asked to be abducted by that murderous demon Chrysalis to be converted into her subservient drones, but their were still so many possibilities that could lead this whole operation to disaster. For both parties.

Twilight shook her head violently to rid herself of these thoughts.

Now was not the time, plus, she had just been addressed by somepony who obviously wanted her attention. Said pony was Princess Celestia, who approached her on her left, while Cadance, Luna, and Shining Armour were on her right. Celestia had a look of regret in her eyes.

"I apologize, my student," she said, looking down at Twilight with her magenta eyes. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Twilight simply smiled up at her. "It's okay, your majesty. I need to focus."

"It's okay to be nervous, Twily," said Shining Armour, flashing his little sis a supportive smile. "This is kinda a delicate and serious situation."

She wanted to form a rebuttal, to say she was not afraid, but reined it in. She was an emissary of Hermaeus Mora, Daedric Prince of knowledge and truth. Lies are unbecoming of those who serve under such an entity as him.

So she only replied with a grateful nod, then turned her attention back to the princess. "Is there something I can help with, your majesty?"

Celestia had a look that was equal parts regret and nervousness.

"Twilight, the others and I had a discussion on the way here," started the sun princess, Cadance, Shining, and her sister nodding in confirmation. "We didn't want to bring it up until there was time, and seeing as, well..." She brought her attention to the looming black mass in the distance that was growing ever closer. "There is something we must ask you."

Twilight gave Princess Celestia her undivided attention, waiting patiently.

Celestia had to compose herself for a second. "You are certain the other Daedra can't invade Equestria, like Hermaeus Mora has?"

Twilight flashed them all a reassuring smile. After she had informed them of the changelings Twilight and her friends had spent a good bit of time regaling them about what she had learned in Apocrypha, including the other Daedra. After all, they needed to know Hermaeus Mora wasn't the only one, and he was by no means the most dangerous.

She had been expecting such a question to turn up eventually.

"You needn't worry, Princess Celestia," said Twilight, her smile supportive and comforting. "The other Daedra have no presence here in Equis."

"How can you be so certain, young Twilight?" Asked Luna, uncharacteristic unease in her voice. "Hermaeus Mora infiltrated our world, and if the others are just as powerful as him, they could pull it off to."

"Very few of the other Daedric Princes can match Hermaeus Mora in terms of raw power," explained Twilight, all four royal ponies hanging on her every word. "And even then, Hermaeus Mora succeeded in coming to Equestria with more than just power."

"How do you mean?" Asked Cadance worriedly.

"As you all already know, a powerful interdimensional barrier exists between Equis and Nirn," explained Twilight, the others nodding in understanding. "It took nearly all of Hermaeus Mora's strength to breach it, and even then, he was only able to do so long enough to slip one of his Black Books through."

"Yes, I remember that dreadful object," said Cadance, shivering at the memory of that sinister book and the sensation that passed through her when that black tendril touched her.

"To get it here, Hermaeus Mora utilized his intelligence, as well his strength, and in the beginning it only provided him extremely limited access," explained Twilight, looking up at the sky as she remembered all that Hermaeus explained how he came to be in Equestria. "It wasn't until Chrysalis destroyed that amulet containing a fraction of his essence that he was able to completely manifest here physically."

"And what is preventing the other Daedra from doing the same?" asked Luna with slight worry.

"As far as I know, the only way for a Daedric Prince to enter our world is the same way Hermaeus Mora did," explained Twilight, giving the lunar princess a calming smile. "That is to pierce the ether, slip a magic artifact related to them through, wait until someone they can influence comes into contact with said artifact, then have them carry an object containing their essence back to Equestria and release it."

"It does not sound all that improbable, Twilight," said Celestia nervously. "Especially for something as powerful as the Daedric Princes you described."

" As I explained before, Hermaeus Mora used his intelligence as well as his power," repeated Twilight. "He actually showed me the formula he used once, and the mathematics were beyond even me. The other Daedra are powerful, but did they strike you as the intellectual type?"

The four regal ponies looked to each other.

From what Twilight had told them, that was the last thing the other Daedra would be. They sounded like self centered, egotistical psychopaths that played with mortal lives like a child would toys. If any of them had any higher intelligence, like Twilight was describing that was needed, they didn't utilize it all that often.

"Is it truly beyond their comprehension?" asked Cadance, looking to Twilight for confirmation for the first time in her life.

"Like I keep saying, it takes a higher form of intellect to penetrate the ether the way Hermaeus Mora did," said Twilight, though with no trace of annoyance at being asked multiple times. "And all I can say is that the other Daedra don't even come close to fitting the bill."

Their fears were by no means eased completely, but somehow Twilight's words relieved some of them. They had learned that her word was worth listening to, so if she said something, it was the closest thing they could get to completely believable.

"We're sorry for pressuring you, Twilight, we had to be sure," said Celestia, inclining her head respectfully.

"I don't blame you," replied Twilight, her look supportive. "I felt the same way when I first learned of the other Daedra."

"It's still so incomprehensible," said Luna, wrinkling her brow in revulsion. "Disease, murder, treachery, thievery, destruction, these things are actions of only the most despicable of natures. To think, not only are there creatures that not only instigate them, but are as close to their physical embodiment as one can get."

"You were right, Twily," said Shining, looking to his sister with a grateful look. "Hermaeus Mora was one of the better choices to find Equestria, compared to his ilk."

"We should not let our guard down," said Twilight, conviction in her voice. "Hermaeus Mora may not be as malevolent as the other Daedra, but he is just as crafty. If doing harm to Equestria will benefit him in any way, he will not hesitate for even a second."

They had no reason to argue with her.

"Twilight, princesses!" They all looked on at Rainbow's voice, seeing her and the rest backpedaling to meet them. "I think we got a welcoming committee!"

Up ahead, about a yard or so away from the looming changeling fortress, a sizable group of changelings were approaching their location slowly, on foot.

---

Thorax and his small cluster of fellow changelings met the group of traveling Equestrians in the final stretch of their trek, the imposing changeling hive a dark blade protruding from the earth, close enough that the afternoon sun cast its shadow directly over the two groups standing opposite to each other.

"Why have you come here?" he asked, walking up a few meters to where she stood, ahead of the other changelings.

"Thorax," greeted Twilight, walking ahead of her group to stand further forward, she and Thorax only about twenty five feet from each other. "I'm glad you survived."

"It hasn't been easy."

"We know," said Princess Celestia, taking a step up to where she stood next to her pupil. "And that is why we are here. We may have a solution to the intense hunger that is causing you to decline."

Thorax's honeycombed eyes glistened with a thin layer of tears as he heard this, a great relief that aid had come, against all odds. "How?"

"We would like to tell all of the changelings at once," said Princess Luna, walking up next to her sister. "If you can bring the rest out here we can begin immediately."

They all grew uneasy when Thorax looked down and finally shed a tear.

"These are all of the changelings," he explained, gesturing behind him with his holed hoof to the small group of changelings only about three dozen strong behind him.

All the Equestrian visitors gasped in shock...

All except Spike, whose attention was off slightly to the right.

---

Spike heard a slight crackling noise as Twilight approached the lead changeling they knew as Thorax and expressed her relief to find him alive. He wasn't sure why he was drawn to it, it sounded no different than when a rock falls, but something in his gut told him something wasn't right. He slowly scoured the distant landscape, but found nothing but rocks and dust.

His unease didn't lessen.

'Something isn't right here.'

The little purple dragon delved into his own mind.

At one point in his life Spike had been an intelligent, but irrational individual. The only thing that used to occupy his mind was food, comic books, and more often than most other things, a certain attractive white unicorn. But after spending so much time in Apocrypha (a realm of pure knowledge and wisdom) he found his wit sharpened to the point of Rarity's best sewing needle.

And now his logic infused mind was telling him something sinister was approaching, even if he somehow wasn't able to see it.

'I have other ways of seeing now.'

Digging through the swirling well of knowledge in his mind, Spike picked out what he was looking for: 'LAAS YAH NIR'

His vision flashed red for a second then returned to normal.

He saw nothing. The land before him was devoid of anything but dust and rocks. He looked to his friends again, finding that each of them had a pulsating red aura over them.

His Thu'um had worked as it was meant to, but he saw no life anywhere but in the groups around him. But then the same cackling noise reached his ears, and when he followed the source, he saw Thorax gesturing behind him with his hoof, whatever he said made his friends gasp. But that was not what Spike was focusing on.

He was focusing on a sizable rock that sat a distance off to Thorax's right, the pulsating crimson silhouette of an equine shape overlapping it.

It didn't take Spike long to deduce what was going on, a changeling was disguised as a rock for some reason. His first thought (naturally) was that they had set a trap for them... until he noticed that the changeling in the form of a rock wasn't facing them. It was facing Thorax.

In the millisecond that all this was going through his mind, Spike realized what was happening.

"THORAX, LOOK OUT!" Shouted Spike, his outburst startling all present.

Unfortunately, it didn't startle them soon enough.

A changeling with a red frill flashed into existence where the rock had been. Thorax could only stare wide eyed as it slammed into him with enough force to send them barreling across the land, pony and changeling alike stunned still at the event that was transpiring. Thorax felt himself forced on his back as the other changeling buzzed his wings to increase his momentum, flashing his crooked fangs with a hiss.

Spike and his pony friends gasped in horror as the other changeling plunged his fangs into the side of Thorax's neck, green changeling blood gushing around his mouth as Thorax howled with pain.

---

Twilight and company could only watch as Thorax thrashed underneath the other changeling, his movement slowing as time dragged on. Of all the outcomes they considered, this was not one of them, they had no incline to believe a changeling would attack another changeling. Their horror mixed with revulsion as the red frilled changeling released his hold on Thorax, standing up and turning to them all, green blood dripping from his mouth as he stood over Thorax, whose only movement was his shallow breathing.

"YOU MONSTER!" screamed Shining Armour, aiming his horn.

"Shining no!" Snapped Twilight, moving to intervene but it was too late.

A pink aura flared around her brother's horn... which soon flashed into a puff of smoke and was drawn to the changeling hive in the distance.

Pharynx watched it go with a sadistic, blood soaked grin. His plan had worked.

"Do you see that, my fellow changelings?" he said, pointing to the wisp of magic being siphoned away. "Thorax was wrong, they are affected by our majesty's mighty throne. This is our chance, we can subjugate these miserable ponies to us once and for all."

"To what end Pharynx?" asked a random changeling, Twilight’s group watching with dread. "He may have been wrong about the throne, but what would conquering them now accomplish? We can't feed on love without our queen."

"You will do as I command," said Pharynx viciously, a nervous tick in his eye. "You all obeyed Thorax because the pony who destroyed our queen told you to. Well I have defeated him, I claim leadership of the hive. And I say we will capture these trespassing ponies like we should have a long time ago."

Pharynx hissed when they still didn't comply, but grinned when a thought occurred to him.

"Fine, you want a legitimate excuse, then how about this," he said, looking at Twilight’s group with a hungry stare. "If Thorax was right, and they can devise a way for us to feed ourselves, this is our chance to 'force' them to help us. With the princesses in our clutches, Equestria will do whatever we want."

"Don't listen to him," said Luna, a scowl on her muzzle. "We have come here to lend aid freely. There is no need for conflict."

Unfortunately, her pleas fell on deaf ears.

At Pharynx's last words the changelings all brought their attention to the small Equestrian group, their wings buzzing to lift them into the air. It was clear that this solution struck a chord with them, and their interest was piqued. Twilight and her friends looked to one another, nodding with sad frowns. It seems a peaceful solution was not going to be an option this time either. Slowly, they moved into an even line in front of Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armour.

"Please stay back," requested Twilight to the four ponies behind her. "We will handle this."

Normally they would argue, or join in the fight, but with their magic nullified all they could do was give a nod.

"Alright," said Twilight, looking forward with a steely look along with the others. "Ready girls?"

"Darn tootin' I am."

"Yes indeedy, time to show these meanies how hard a pony can party."

"Ha, I was born ready. Ready to show these bug wimps how awesome I am."

"Normally a lady doesn't stoop to violence, but never should you underestimate a proper lady, either."

Twilight nodded and turned to Fluttershy next to her. Her scowl was just as deep as the others, but a noticeable shaking was present in her hooves. She hated seeing her timid friend so distressed, maybe it would be best if she hung back with the princesses and her...

"I will not stay behind," said Fluttershy, looking at Twilight out of the corner of her eye. “I have sat idly by while you all faced danger for too long. If these meanies are gonna threaten everything I care about up to the end, then it's high time I stand up and join in the defense."

They all stared at her with open mouthed shock.

"Wow, Flutters," said Rainbow, nudging her fellow pegasus with a wing. "Quite bold. Are you sure though? What we are about to do to these guys will most likely not be kind."

"Depends on how you look at it, Dashie," replied Fluttershy, smiling to her oldest friend. "We are the only chance they have for survival, but they won't take it peacefully. That only leaves us with one option, tough love."

"Ha, hope they find it appetizing," said Rainbow with amusement.

"DESTROY THE BODYGUARDS FIRST!" shouted Pharynx, eyeing Twilight hungerly. "WITHOUT PROTECTION THEY WILL BE DEFENSELESS, THEY WILL DO WHATEVER WE WANT!"

"Spike," inquired Twilight to the baby dragon that was next to her. "I know you are just as skilled at magicka as us, but I think best you stay here with the princesses. You're so small you could..."

But when Twilight looked down, she saw the spot where Spike had been empty. Following his footprints in the dust she saw more being made by seemingly nothing as they headed off into the distance. She deduced he had cast an invisibility spell, and was intending to be sneaky. At his current movement...

...He would flank Thorax and Pharynx.

'Good boy, Spike,' thought Twilight proudly, 'I will have to raise your allowance.'

With a hiss, the changelings lunged forward, Twilight and her friends neighing in response, steam billowing from their noses as they charged.

Breaking up the swarm evenly, each of the girls would face at least five changelings apiece.

Comments

[Commander Darklight]

god dam these changelings fell out of the idiocy tree and hit every branch on the way down

[Eclipse_Nova]

I haven't started reading the chapter and I'm already giggling from the 'I pressed Shift key too early typo' of the title

[Alfaridwan Setiabudi]

More please

[Sarraceno]

Slaughterfest coming wooooooo!!!

Why i smell Spike has been learning about the Morag Tong or the Dark Brotherhood?, i can almost see him striking with a poisoned dagger

[Soluna Eclipse]

9669453
I wouldn't say that, they refused Pharynx at first. They are simply just desperate and have nothing left to lose... a rather nasty combination that is easily abused by those with darker intentions. Here's hoping that everyone realizes that and only punishes Pharynx for this transgression.

[link4]

9669453
exactly!! even before thorax was attacked, the ponies declared the desire to help, and had not been offered anything in return. how fricken stupid are these lings

[random reader]

I suppose this is the end of the changeling race.

[Sarraceno]

9669616
Despite of my previous comment, i hope not. I'm really curious on what has Hermaeus Mora in store for those sad remnants

[Venerable Ro]

9669453

Well yes, changelings have never been what anyone would call intelligent, they just do whatever the 'ling in charge tells them to.

For that matter, given that changelings are such lousy fighters I doubt that such a small number of them could bring down the group even if the mane six had been without magic.

[Greenhorn]

9669616
Or just do as they always say... destroy the head and the rest won't know what to do next.

[Jirodyne]

9669600
Except, as Luna pointed out, they literally have FOOD and WATER for the starving group of homeless beings for free and willing to give it to them right then and there. Pharynx is literally offering them NOTHING, in fact he is taking the FOOD and WATER away from the group, getting them killed, They SAW that the Ponies can do magic, and the Changelings should be so start they can't even fuel any magical spell. Remember they have been starving for YEARS. They shouldn't have ANY energy to Fly, use Magic, or even Shapeshift.

Going with Pharynx makes NO SENSE, not even the Stupid or Insane would do so. The ponies literally HAVE what they want and need, and are WILLING to give it to them right then and there for FREE. They should have instantly turned on Pharynx, killed him, then groveled in front of the ponies begging for their help.

God this entire comflict is so forced and stupid.

[Nevermore777]

9669453
Well, one, it was meantioned whatever Chrysalis did to them fucked most of them in the head. Even Throax said he had trouble thinking smartly.

[Too Sheep And Less White]

"Like I keep saying, it takes a higher form of intellect to penetrate the ether the way Hermaeus Mora did," said Twilight, though with no trace of annoyance at being asked multiple times. "And all I can say is that the other Daedra don't even come close to fitting the bill."

Yeah but a certain Et'Ada God of Magic/Architect of the cosmos (Magnus) does fit the bill. He is also akin to Daedra because he also abandoned the creation of Mundus and saw through Lorkhan's trickery. He was the one who created the diagrams and schematics needed to construct Mundus. So he is also REALLY intelligent. And since he is also the God of magic, he is probably very powerful and he didn't lose any of his power because he didn't partake in the creation of mundus. He only created the schematics and diagrams and just left to go to aetherius after he found out he was gonna have to sacrifice his power to create mundus.