Heart of Magic

by TheCrimsonDM

Chapter Twenty Six: Changing Tide

Heart of Magic

Chapter twenty Six: Changing Tide

Written by TheCrimsonDM

Amber stood there in the large open halls of the castle. The paintings on the wall were all artistic interpretations of the elements of harmony and there adventurers. One showed Twilight’s first visit to Ponyville, and how she met her friends. Another showed the group facing off against Discord. Another still showed not the scene of Twilight’s crowning, but rather the scene where she was turned into an alicorn while surrounded by her friends.

Staring at each of them Amber was able to see for the first time what was really there in those paintings.

Lies.

Twilight, her mentor, her friend, her third mother… the pony she had once trusted more than any other had changed. She had done something impossible. And that one action made this entire place, this castle, this town, feel wrong.

Everywhere she looked inside the castle she could see Twilight and her lies. A burning fury raged in Amber’s heart. She was so angry inside, so angry that it physically hurt. She was also confused. Lost, and stranded without any way of knowing how to feel or what to do.

She just wanted, she just wanted to burn something.

A flicker of light emitted from her horn as the thought of burning these lying paintings down filled her mind. It took all her strength to not do so, but she wanted to more than she could ever admit. She had to be strong, she had to be there for her family. Burning things down in a fit of rage was a weakness she could not afford.

She let out a sigh and closed her eyes tightly until the anger and hate calmed down at least a little.

Fluttershy’s voice came out like a calm in the storm. “I’m proud of you.”

Amber shot her a glare. “Why?”

“You could have burned those paintings down, nopony would even blame you at this point, but you didn’t.” Fluttershy joined her side and nodded. “I certainly wouldn’t.”

Amber leaned into her aunt and stifled a sob.

Fluttershy’s wing draped over Amber’s back and she pulled her in close. “You’re angry. You’re hurt. You’ve been betrayed. And most importantly you’re confused.”

Amber nodded. “Y-yeah.”

“And you’re in a unique position to be hurt in a way nopony else is by this. Twilight was like a mother to you and she finally revealed her true colors to you… to all of us.”

Amber half growled and half sobbed. “Why?”

Fluttershy shook her head slowly. “I couldn’t tell you why. And from personal experience, I know the why doesn’t really matter.”

Amber met Fluttershy’s eyes. “What do you mean?”

“What I mean is that out of everyone here, I understand the most what it’s like to be betrayed by the person closest to you. To be hurt, betrayed and confused as to how, or why they would ever do something so cruel and confusing. To realize at the very end that the person you saw, the person you knew was a lie the whole time. To be so angry you just want to break something, or somepony, to hurt and destroy and rage until you can’t hurt anymore.”

Amber felt her body trembling.

Fluttershy offered a small smile. “I also know how to get past those emotions and heal from the old wounds.”

Amber’s heart ached wit so much anger and pain that she couldn’t possibly see a way out of this, but if Fluttershy had any answers, any at all, she would take them. “H-how?”

“I practiced martial arts.” Fluttershy beamed. “I started learning when I was hurt. I practiced when I was angry and hurt. And I got stronger and better at them when I was angry and hurt. And I became the best in Equestria when I finally overcame those feelings of anger and pain.”

“So what, I just practice fighting until its better? I’m not a hero so why would I bother doing that?”

Fluttershy shook her head. “I can’t teach you magic, I can’t educate you in the history of Equestria, but what I can do is offer to give you what knowledge I do have. I can teach you to fight, to master your emotions and to work through the pain, the hate, and the anger while you’re at it.”

Amber shivered. “R-really?”

Fluttershy nodded. “Just don’t tell Rainbow Dash, she’ll be so jealous that I took you under my wing and not her.”

***

For a much longer moment than Twilight should have, she stood there at the edge of the forest frozen in terror. These truly were undead monsters. Changelings, twisted, grotesque, and oozing with the fell tar like slime. What was this? Was it some kind of plague? Why were these slime things appearing all over now?

One of the creatures took a shambling step forward, splatters of black tar hit the ground around it. It took another step, and another, the shamble quickly turning into an awkward trot. Something in Twilight’s mind finally started to work out the danger she was currently in. Her body seemed to move in slow motion as she turned around and began galloping in the opposite direction. She could hear the sounds of the other undead giving chase. She was now being hunted by a horde of these monstrosities.

Galloping ahead through the forest, Twilight did not get the luxury of dodging or carefully moving this time. Her legs were swatted at by bushes, her hooves kicked rocks. And she ran with the coordination of a blind cat. Which is to say if she could bump into it, she was going to.

The only good news was that despite the fact her enemies could fly and trot, they couldn’t quite keep up with a full fledged gallop. Meaning she could outrun them, possibly. She could try and make a wide run around them, and head back to the village if she needed to. Get Starlight to save her.

Something in her brain twitched and Twilight felt it more than saw it. She moved to the side and a glob of black tar shot out past her landing on a tree ahead of her. She glanced back to see several of the undead changelings had a fell black aura around there horn. They could shoot at her!

Twilight focused and teleported ahead another twenty feet gaining more distance between them and keeping as many trees between her and her assaulters. They shot at the trees sending splatters of the goo everywhere. She didn’t know what that stuff would do but she refused to be touched by it.

A few more teleport spells and Twilight was far ahead of them. She could still hear them behind her but she didn’t keep still for a moment. Her breath was already running ragged. The combination of magic and running was too much on her. She was surprisingly out of shape.

Twilight continued to push forward, through the pain and the exhaustion until the trees began to thin out. She had just enough time to skid to a halt as she exited the treeline. Her body slid in the dirt and only stopped about four inches away from the cliff edge. The cliff went down several hundred feet. Maybe if she was careful she could try and use her telekinesis to float down there… except that she was facing a group of flying enemies.

Twilight turned and faced the treeline. If she could run back along the cliff edge she could try and escape. She started back towards the forest edge but stopped short.

Dozens of pairs of glowing eyes appeared in the woods. Followed by the undead changelings stepping out of the forest. She was surrounded by a half circle of them. With Celestia knows how many of them in the forest between her and her escape.

Floating in the air was a smaller changeling. A young mare or stallion once upon a time, now a slime covered gorebeast missing one of its forelegs. The small one reminded Twilight of Cozy Glow. Where was she? Had she ran away? Was she taken out by them?

Cozy wouldn’t abandon her. Twilight knew that much. That only left one option. Cozy must have been…

The fear in Twilight’s soul was replaced by a burning fury. Instinct kicked in and with a simple spell Twilight summoned forth her sword. The sword that could cut through magic itself, its dark purple blade shining in the light. She had vowed to never use the blade again after Celestia’s betrayal, but now in her current state that old promise was meaningless and hollow.

Besides, if she was going to die here….

Twilight braced herself, striking a combat stance and readying herself for the first changeling dumb enough to charge her. “You might kill me this day, but for what you did to Cozy Glow, to my friend, I will kill all of you in return!”

Twilight snarled, and the first wave of the enemies charged.

***

Trixie and Celestia followed Applebloom through the darkness of the tunnel system. It seemed like the tunnel went down at a slope for ages. At long last they came to a simple metal door against a brick wall. Applebloom braced a hoof on the handle before glancing back at them. “You ready to see what my life’s work has aspired too? What we have done to safeguard the country from all who would seek its destruction?”

Trixie nodded.

With that Applebloom pushed open the door and stepped through. At first Trixie was blinded by the intense light, but pushed forward. She stepped out of the stone floored hallway and into a massive room lined with concrete floors, walls and ceiling. This room must have been nearly a mile long and Trixie could hardly even see the end of it. There were dozens, if not hundreds of suits of armor, all faintly glowing with magical life. Racks, upon racks of weaponry she didn’t recognize, all of which emanated a magical feeling. Large vehicles painted in bright gold and armed with the largest cannons she’d ever seen. There was more than enough equipment here for an entire army if need be.

Beyond all this Trixie saw at the end of the hall a lone blue door. Upon it she saw a surprising sight. Painted into the metal was Trixie’s cutie mark. Trixie had to ask, “What’s in that room?”

Applebloom bit her lower lip. “Ah’ll be honest. Ah’m not too sure. Ah just know that Twilight was making some kind of weapon, something she said could defeat the coming darkness. As if all my weapons couldn’t do that fer us.”

Trixie nodded. “I need to see it.”

Applebloom shrugged. “Fine, suit yerselves, Ah’ll show ya what she made.”

***

Twilight’s heart was pounding in her ears, her breath was quick paced, and her muscles were tense. Still some part of her, some deep, dark part she’d never admit was there was excited. Sure she was going to die here, but she was going to get to take out as many of these undead changelings as she could first. It wouldn’t be much, but maybe this was the kind of death she deserved.

A rich female voice spoke from above her. “You really are pathetic, here take your new plaything and let your betters handle this.”

Twilight looked up just in time to see a large shape heading straight for her. Something heavy and warm collided with her head knocking her to the ground. She glared around her only to see Cozy staring at her, her eyes wide, and her mouth slightly open. Above her Twilight saw a huge black shape in the air. It landed just in front of her and Twilight gasped as she realized it was.

In front of her stood Queen Chrysalis, in her telekinetic aura was a spear pointed at the horde of undead changelings. She faced them with a determined look upon her scratched and scarred face. Chrysalis glanced back at her for but a brief moment and scoffed, “And I thought the princess of ‘friendship’ could handle such a trivial thing such as a Changeling horde.” She faced ahead again. “Don’t think for a moment I am doing this to save you, I’m just here to put the souls of my children to rest. “… you just so happened to be in the way.”