Stars in the Shadow of Night

by Melody Song

Discussions and Decisions

"This has gone too far!"

A gigantic fist slammed down on the table, reducing the wood to splinters. Maps and papers flew everywhere in the cave. The other two prominent creatures in the dimly lit cave stepped back.

"Precisely why we're having this discussion, Lord Torch." the only female replied smoothly, stepping into the light from a lantern levitating above them to reveal herself. Queen Chrysalis. "But we can't get anything done if you go into a blind rage."

"First my daughter goes missing and now this... what has this world come to?" Dragon Lord Torch muttered

Chrysalis sent a blast of magic to the wall near him to get his attention. The third creature in the room, Gruff, stepped closer.

"Now that I have both of you two's attention..." Chrysalis gestured for a changeling to come forward, and they shapeshifted, replacing the table. "Do try not to crush this one, Torch, the only thing that will splinter would be it's spine."

The dragon grunted in silent agreement, and Chrysalis continued.

"We all know why we're here, do we not?"

"I still don't understand it. Leaders at war should not be communing like this." Torch said

"But at the moment we face a larger enemy than each other." Chrysalis told him.

"The Resistance." all of them said as one, voices filled with hatred.

"No one knows who these 'Resistance' creatures are. Even my changelings have not been able to infiltrate them, due to some quite powerful anti-tracking wards. All we know is they have at least one of each species among their group, and are led by an alicorn colt." Chrysalis muttered

"My dragons have reported that in spite of differences, they attack as one, in perfect synchronization." Torch rumbled "Like fire dancers."

"We have to do something about this!" Gruff squawked. "The griffons in their team bring shame to us all!"

"And it's not like you've got much pride to spare, is it." Chrysalis sneered, chuckling to herself. Gruff growled and flexed his claws at her.

"Do you have any idea at all who these scoundrels are?" Torch demanded. "Any at all?"

"No, but it seems Celestia may know a thing or two." Chrysalis snarled the name. "Considering that of all our species, the only army that doesn't fight against their efforts when they come into a battle is the ponies. Clearly they've been made aware of the Resistance."

"Of course Celestia is the cause of this!" Gruff cried

"But when they enter battles, they show no prejudice for any species." Chrysalis spat, picking the maps off the floor and laying them on the table. "It's as if they don't want anyone to win."

"But one army must win, it's how a war operates!" Torch argued

"I wouldn't say that." an unfamiliar voice to them came from out of nowhere. The three leaders looked around.

"Who is there? Show yourself!" Chrysalis snarled.

"How are you hiding?" Torch bellowed

"Shadow cloaking. Well, some of us. Others have been here since before you arrived."

As he said this, eyes blinked open on the ceiling and walls of the cave. Two pairs of eyes had pupils, the other three did not. One pair had teal eyes, the other red, and were slit like a dragon's. The three pupil-less eyes were teal, dark blue, and purple. Chrysalis snarled at them.

"I know those eyes..." Chrysalis grabbed the lantern and tossed it up into the ceiling.

The lantern smashed and the fire within flashed momentarily, before some kind of electric blast hit it and caused it to go out. However, before they could do anything else, the shapes jumped down from the ceiling. They hit the floor still in the shadows, then carefully stalked forwards.

"Drone!" Chrysalis jabbed the table in the leg. "Protect your queen!"

"Or, they could freeze."

In a flash of magic, the table was surrounded by an electric forcefield, stopping the now untransformed changeling from interfering. Then, the creatures behind the eyes stepped into the light. Torch and Chrysalis both snarled upon seeing who some of them were.

"EMBER!"

"Pharynx, Thorax!"

Ember and Pharynx glared at them unflinchingly, while Thorax shrank back slightly. But they stayed where they were. The other creatures were Smolder, Torch's niece by marriage, a changeling Chrysalis didn't know by name, and a unicorn mare with a broken horn. She seemed to be creating the electric forcefield.

"We all figured it was about time we meet you face-to-face."

There was a flash from nearby, and two more ponies emerged, as well as three griffons. The one in the lead, a colt with a black mane with white flecks in it, a dark gray coat, and dark purple eyes. He had a star shaped white mark on his forehead, and wings with silver outer feathers. His cutie mark was of a shadow-like smudge with a star in the center.

"Glad to finally see you all." he greeted, wings opening slightly. "We're all reasonable creatures here, after all, you three arranged this meeting among yourselves despite being at war. We're just adding a couple more participants."

"You will leave, now!" Torch bellowed. "Except for you, Ember."

Ember rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Not happening. Either of those things."

"Listen, the Resistance wants peace, and-"

"You are the Resistance?! My own sons?!" Chrysalis snarled

"I don't think you realized that the more you pushed us the more we resisted." Pharynx remarked dryly, pulling out his crossbow and aiming it.

At Pharynx's action, Ember drew her sword and Smolder her spear. The griffons pulled out their weapons as well. Shadowstar flared his wings and flapped them to get the group to lower their weapons.

"No violence will be needed. We're just here to talk." Shadowstar said

"The time for talk is over!" Gruff slammed a claw down. "You're all disgraces to your kinds!"

"Or are you the disgraces?" Shadowstar retorted. "You don't seem to realize that you're the only ones who want this war. Why did it even start anyway? Because of your rash decisions. Had you slowed down and communicated, none of this would have started."

All three leaders glared. Chrysalis stepped forward.

"Well then, little prince, if you really think that you could be a better leader than us, prove it."

"W-What?" Shadowstar stepped back, and Chrysalis grinned.

"One last battle. Your Resistance is clearly no more than a spattering of rogues, so if you lose, then you must dissolve this fool's errand, and return to us. But if Fate has other ideas and you win... well, there's no chance of that happening anyway."

Shadowstar looked at the others. While some looked nervous, none of them were objecting, and many of them looked confident. He smiled at them, then turned back to the leaders.

"Your terms are accepted, Chrysalis."