// BREACH FOUND >>> SEVERING CONNECTION //
The trip back to the Hive was never easy for any changeling of the great swarm. Between the constant equestrian patrols (Their number having only increased dramatically in the days following their attack), many collapsed tunnels from their initial invasion, and the general fact they needed to remain hidden lest they be destroyed. But what angered the Venator most of all was the outcome of their excursion. On paper, it had been a huge success and should be celebrated as a great victory. Redfang had even said as much with the spirit basically ordering the Venator to see it as one as well as acting like a royal nymph was not becoming of a Venator.
He did after that, but the fact that his mission to kill the Demon didn‘t succeed still hampered his overall mood, and the trip back home was only exacerbating his mental state. How was he meant to explain this to the Queen in a way that wouldn‘t cause her to leave him flightless? He had already lost his horn to the Demon, he would prefer not to lose his wings to his own Queen now for his failure.
He and his troops had just reached the edge of the badlands and he could see the toxic fields that landmarked their home. The Venator gave a fanged smile. Even after all these years, and even after knowing what the fate awaiting him there, he could only smile at the land he swore to defend. Where any other creature to witness such an event, a changeling giving a proud smile towards a field of lethal sulfur, they may believe them to be insane.
But that was the beauty of being born a changeling when worst comes to worst and the world is out to get you. Your mind will always be at ease knowing that should the enemy step on your soil, the very ground itself is there to protect you. For the Empress decreed it so a long time ago.
‘No matter how many Venators I live to see, that look is constant among all.’ Interjected Redfang, knocking the Venator out of his thoughts and prompting him to continue forwards into the fields.
‘What can I say? It is a beautiful sight for any changeling.’
‘But you do know it's purely there for defensive purposes right?’
‘Of course, I just don’t care. Underneath is the cradle of the Empress's Swarm. Surely that's worth some appreciation, right?’
Redfang said nothing in response leaving Mobius to organize the trip through the fields by himself. It was going to be a time-consuming process as those who had been forced into hibernation due to lack of energy or extreme injury required extra care in transporting. Especially those that survived an encounter with the Demon, and those were extremely few and far between.
Only the hardiest of praetorians and lucky of the warriors were able to live through its onslaught. And even then, the prognosis was not good. Chitin would be seared due to contact with their shield. Bones turned to dust at a single kick. Limbs, horns, and wings were removed, not at the joint, but through bone itself in frighteningly clean cuts.
Mobius could only stare as he watched such a victim pass before him. A warrior class ling and only a basic swordling at that. Their exoskeleton was basically nonexistent, its chitin plates held together by only the thinnest of natural healing membranes. Were that membrane to tear, the lings internal organs would surely follow suit. Mobius had been told a single buck by the Demon had done this to them. The ling had been thrown through several windows before impacting a stone wall where, luckily, a contingent of drones had been moving past.
Mobius found his own hoof moving unconsciously to his side where Six had bucked him with arguably more than enough force to tear a ling in two. Mobius didn’t dare let his mind dwell on the fact that were he still a regular officer and not the Venator he would surely be dining at the Empress's table right now. But luckily, even with the Demon's participation, casualties and deaths had been minimal, perhaps even negligible. Though the ponies fought tooth and nail they just simply didn't have the numbers to really make a dent in their lines allowing actual deaths on the changeling side to be minimal. The Demon having done the vast majority of actual lethal damage to his changelings but the Swarm is many.
Changeling blood was still spilled on foreign soil, however, and that was sure to agitate his Queen. Just like it had the first time not so long ago. But the Venator pushed that thought to the back of his mind for right now. That would be a problem for his future self, right now he had to help transport the wounded and get an accurate count of just how many had been lost.
The anger he felt when he reached those injured by the Hiveless worsened his mood dramatically. They had failed to capture them and it angered him to no end. The order he had sent to their Canterlot infiltrators was received but he had yet to get a confirmation on a report of success or failure. The last message he was able to receive was from one of their spies in SMILE that simply said ‘Standby, I think I might have something’.
Usually, the protocol was to assume the agent's discovery and plan accordingly after such a long period without a check-in. So that would be exactly what Mobius would do once he could contact the ling in charge of the outer Hives defenses. That Hiveless now knew secrets that could prove disastrous to the Hive and the Queen herself. The biggest one is the location of the Hive itself as that information is scrubbed from the minds of all exiles from the Swarm to maintain secrecy!
If the ponies now knew where the Hive was located…Mobius didn’t dare dwell upon that thought any longer and simply resigned to preparing for the worst whilst hoping for the best. VOPS would take care of the problem once he informed them of it. At least Mobius could be sure about that much.
Finally at the back of the convoy came the POWs or to be more accurate, their spoils. Captured and subdued ponies that acted as their portable meals and food stores, each equine captured in a blissful slumber inside their cocoons. And among them lay the trophy of their attack.
A Zebra brandishing the colors of the Dusk and Dawn, a member of the most secretive and elite branch of the equestrian military that until recently was thought to be a myth by the former Kommandant. From what Mobius could gather they were named ‘Raidat’ and they were one of the very few Zebra living on the Equestrian Continent.
The Venator had been told it took a whole contingent of warriors and a single nearby praetorian to finally subdue the pony, and even then the injuries the praetorian sustained were more akin to that of a manticore attack than of a simple Zebra. But that meant little, the pony had been captured and Mobius was sure that little brain contained all the information they would need to bring the ponies to their knees.
The fact that his cocooned form would also pose as a nice booster to changeling morale was just the icing on top. The Queen will surely be pleased with this development if anything. The same would go for the VOPS agents assigned to interrogations.
With the last of their convoy passing the Venator and into the sulfur fields Mobius followed close behind, volunteering to be the last changeling in and to check whether they were followed or not. They of course weren't but it never hurt to check in the Venator's mind. He had learned that lesson during the retreat from the Firaxis hive during the unification wars where his unit was followed into the secret evacuation tunnels. The fighting that followed after was…brutal, to put it lightly. Mobius remembers not one square hoof of him not being covered in either dirt, blood, or sweat once the dust had settled.
The Venator shuddered slightly at the intrusive memory before finishing his sweep. Once he was certain their stealth remained intact he followed his troops into the fields and down into the Hive he had just been reminded of. Its entrance shimmered as its magical camouflage rippled in tandem with their intrusions.
Entering the outer hive Mobius signaled to the messenger drones the status of his mission. The drones, as efficient as ever, communicated the information to all relevant changelings from interrogation drones at VOPS headquarters to the personal messenger drones of the Queens. But the only relevant one here is the messenger of Chrysalis herself.
It wouldn’t take long for the messages to be received and responses sent so Mobius got to work on his preemptive defensive preparations of the Firaxis hive. This hive was, after all, the main source of their protective fields above ground. Even from where he was standing just in its airlock-type cavern that served as its secondary entrance he could feel and hear the arcane and biological machines built by the Empress millennia ago pumping their poison onto the surface above.
If Mobius were to close his eyes and reach out with his reddish aura he would see a veritable spider web of crimson leylines filling the walls of every room and leading up to the surface. It resembled that of a circulatory system he had glossed over in certain medical textbooks he had studied.
It was always a great question among the scholars of the Firaxis hive whether the Hive itself was alive in some fashion. That the very hive they resided in was a member of the Empresses brood and still lives to this day with the singular purpose of keeping the lands outside uninhabitable for all but her subjects. But that was just speculation and fanatical priests' interpretation of scripture.
The Theory had long since been discredited and rejected by many of the swarm's most established scholars. It still, however, remained as an urban legend and children's story among those of Firaxis. Mobius was indifferent however when it came to this theory or myth. Alive or not, he would protect it all the same, which meant warning the local garrison commander about what might come should VOPS fail…or they had less time than expected.
Luckily for the Venator, he did not need to rely solely on messenger drones to convey his orders as once the inner gate opened into the Hive itself the Commander he was looking for was already waiting there for him, a familiar face by his side.
“Well looky here who finally decided to show up. And would you look at that, it's not in a black cocoon!” Began his old friend Curxe with his usual trademark fanged grin. The changeling commander next to him remained unreadable, the only visible reaction being the slight glance with his compound eyes towards the agent by his side.
“I fail to see how that's positive. Venators are meant to perish for the Empress. Returning alive is against that convention.”
“Oh shut it you spoilsport. You know as well as any that his condemnation was not his fault.”
“Not my place to argue with the Queen.”
Curxe stared at the commander with a frown before mumbling under his breath. “It should be when it's idiotic.”
“You say anything Agent?”
“No. Nothing.”
“Oooookay?” Interjected Mobius for the first time grabbing the attention of the two lings. “Whatever it is your squabbling about it has to wait. Commander, I must speak with you.”
“Can it be done here?”
“It's highly sensitive…and I don’t think you’ll like it if I’m being honest.”
The changeling officer bit his lip in thought. “Fine, follow me. You too Curxe, since I doubt VOPS would like to be left in the dark about this if my hunch is right. Which it usually is.” The ling waved his hoof in a gesture to follow as he turned around and made his way towards a nearby outcropping surrounded by the frosted green glass that made up a majority of all high-end changeling glass works. The palace at the center of the Swarm itself where the Overqueen reigned was made almost entirely of that emerald material. A Symbol of the status and power this changeling held over the Firaxis Hive as its military leader… and local Administrator.
“Why in the name of the Empress did I have to be correct.” Began the commander after a long moment of silence, his face forlorn and already looking like death touched him. The three of them were now in the commander's office. It was a large and ornate room, more becoming of that of a royal than a Commander. After they had entered and the official pleasantries were over Mobius told the bad news. That the ponies could very well have a Hiveless on their side that knew the location of the Hive itself.
That at any moment Firaxis could be attacked and become a war zone between themselves and the ponies with the infamous ‘Demon’ at their head. Somelings say that the only thing faster than light is rumors, and by now Mobius didn’t doubt that even the most unimportant of digger drones knew about the Demon. About the Pony that had crowned their newest Venator and singlehoofedly killed more changelings than any creature alive.
For the Commander, who until this point had mostly had to deal with the occasional tunneling Tatzelwurm, this was the worst possible outcome. The normally calm and composed high-class changeling was beginning to sweat. His hearts began to beat faster and his breathing became erratic and panicked. He began muttering to himself as Mobius changed his gaze to meet that of Curxe.
His old friend was much, much calmer compared to the spiraling Administrator. He looked to be in a more reserved contemplation at the news. His mind going through the problem logically rather than emotionally.
“This does pose a major security risk for the Hive no…the entire Swarm. Tartarus perhaps even the Empress herself! We cannot allow this information to become public, it would cause chaos among the Populus if they knew the Hive was exposed. Our sulfur fields are more of a deterrent than an actual defense, against a full offensive by the ponies it will do little more than slow them down…”
“We need to prepare the Hives, wake up what lings we can, and make plans for our defense. I have already informed the queen via messenger drones so she has most likely already begun following our current train of thought.”
‘You are correct Venator’ Came a voice from everywhere and nowhere as the three occupants felt the tendrils of their Queen’s aura intersect their own. Its power almost overwhelmed all but the Venator as his companions found themselves on their knees. ‘Even if I should have you hanged for this failure!’ Yelled the Queen with a blast of power forcing the Venator to his knees as well.
“I-I did what I could to contain the damage, my Queen.”
‘Silence!’ Another blast of pressure forced the Venator to the ground. ‘If you weren't the only changeling save for myself and those useless Under-queens with any modicum of a chance against that Demon I would have your head paraded around the palace as a traitor! Be thankful you are still useful to the Swarm.’
“Y-yes my Queen.”
‘Now, because of your failure, the ponies have tightened their security even further now, preventing even our gatherers from getting anything meaningful. I even had to guise the setting up defenses around the Hive as a military exercise in order to not incite a panic for your insolence! As such I have sent your ‘Ribbons’ to gather as many ponies as possible from the nearby towns. You better hope those lings are as good as you or the only love for you to feed on will be at the Empresses table!’
“I understand my Queen.”
‘Good, now return to the Halls immediately. If we wish to withstand your mistake I will need you here.’
“May I ask why my Queen?” Mobius asked, strained as he returned to his hooves, his companions doing the same.
‘No. You have one hour.’ And like that the three of them felt the Queen's tendrils recede into the void and away from the Hive. Curxe was the first to speak up with a shake of his head and a roll of his neck.
“Hate it when she does that. Aural pressure kills the neck.”
“You can say that again.” Spoke Mobius doing the same as his armor pulsed in unison with his movements.
‘Me Three, and I’m not even corporeal’ The armor around Mobius's neck vibrated at Redfangs comment
‘And here I thought our aura would be able to withstand hers.’
‘I’m a piece of armor, Venator, not a miracle worker.’
“You…*Ahem* You should get going, Venator.” The Commander began having regained his composure. “ I will prepare should the worst occur.”
“Yeah, you better. Queen was pissed off enough as is, imagine what she’ll do to you if the ponies breakthrough.” Curxe said with a chuckle, and the Commander gulped audibly.
“N-Noted.”
Curxe looked back towards his old friend who looked no worse for wear thanks to his writhing armor. “Want me to join you? Seems like you could use the company before…whatever it is the Queen wants of you.” Mobius smiled at the notion.
“Yeah, some friendly company would be nice after the day I’ve had.”
“Curxe, no. Now is not the time to get a drink?” Began Mobius towards his friend as he walked through the tunnel connecting the Firaxis sub-hive with that of the main one where the Queens and the majority of changeling society resided. It was dark and damp and not a single fellow changeling was in sight. Their destination appears as a bright green light at the end of the tunnel.
“Are you sure? We have time for a glass.”
“Yes, a glass. Which will turn into two, then three, and before you know it we are both out of commission and the Queen will have both of our heads.”
“Is that really such a bad way to go?” Curxe continued as he brought a makeshift cigarette out from under his trademark officers cap and offered one to his friend.
“What? Drunk out of our minds?” Asked Mobius as he took the offered commodity and lit it with the green fire of changeling polymorphism.
“Yes.” Answered Curxe quite nonchalantly as he took a long drag from his cig. Mobius did the same as he let his friends' words bounce around in his mind. Maybe one drink couldn’t hurt?
“…on second thought, screw it. ONE drink, you bust out a second glass and I’m smashing it on your carapace.” Curxe grinned.
“Then follow me,” The now cheery VOPS Agent began gesturing with his holed hoof, “I know a nice little out-of-the-way spot where I can get you that drink and back in time for the Queen to execute you!”
“She is NOT going to execute me.”
“Right…she *needs* you for something sooooo important it will help defend the Hive.”
“Have you forgotten what I’m wearing?” As if one cue his living armor flowed all across his body to illustrate his point.
Curxe stopped in his tracks and took one last drag from his cigarette before stomping it under his hoof. “ You're my best friend, you know that Mobius?” The changeling looked back towards the smoking Venator.
“I don’t see what that has to do with-“
“Look,” Interrupted Curxe “The moment you of all lings were singled out and condemned as a Venator my hearts dropped. Because out of all the officers that could have been condemned, you should not have been one of them.”
“I don’t understand what you mean. I deserve this, hundreds died under my command and it was because of my arrogance. I don’t *want* to die but I will if I must. The Empress chose me for a reason.”
“Empress chose you for a reason, my flank! Chrysalis, the Queen who has not only revealed our race to the world but also authorized an attack that put the biggest targets on the Swarms' backs since ‘She who shall not be named’ betrayed the old Queens, chose you! Not the Empress.”
“Cur-“
“No, shut up you blind fool! Even as the Venator your duty lies to the Empress herself, not the Queen! You are not her disposable lapdog!” Curxe was breathing heavily as he took a moment to compose himself. The changeling closed his eyes and began to speak in a much calmer and more reserved tone.
“I know you're not going to be executed Mobius but I just… I don’t want to lose my friend. Not to a Queen that has led our race on the path of ruin.” His face was downturned and his eyes were still squeezed shut.
Several seconds of silence passed before Curxe felt a hoof rest upon his shoulder.
“Don’t you worry my friend I’ve known the Queen far longer than you have. She may be a bit… on edge right now-”
“On edge?! She condemned you to death through service!”
“A Mercy. You are not an officer, you have never had a thousand warriors ready to follow you to Tartarus and back on a whim. A thousand lings who trust you implicitly with their life… I remember every name I have ever lost under my command and those from Las Pegasus burn the brightest. Because I could have stopped that massacre and for that, I deserved the noose. The Queen, as unstable as she might be after the initial invasion attempt, cannot and won’t kill me now. Six, that Demon, is far too large a threat.”
“You don’t say… I heard what happened to your horn by the way,” Curxe raised his eyes to gaze at the false armored horn where his friend's real one used to reside.” Sorry.”
“Look, Curxe, my friend, trust me.”
“…Fine, you owe me two drinks now thou-“
‘Venator!’ A sudden psychic scream threw the pair to the ground in panting heaps. Mobius’s armor vibrated as if struck like a church bell. ‘Get to the halls now!’ The order was desperate, its tone full of urgency and…fear.
“M-my Queen, is something wro-“ Mobius couldn’t finish his sentence as he heard his answer coming from the way he had just come from. Down the tunnel where the Firaxis Hive lay.
Screams.
Not yells or battlecries of brave and courageous changelings. These were the screams warriors would make when faced with what could only be described as a Demon. The clashes of metal he could hear were marred by the overbearing cacophony of blades rending flesh. He had only heard that sound twice before, but it would never leave him. He knew exactly what blades caused that awful sound.
It appears the Demon has arrived ahead of schedule.
Jumping up to his hooves, armor practically lashing out and exploding in barely contained red glowing love energy Mobius was about to make a mad dash towards the sounds of death in a desperate attempt to stop the Demon. But he couldn‘t as the Queen repeated his directive.
'Get here now! Your Queen demands it!'
Cursing to the Empress he looked down towards the wide-eyed Curxe.
“Get back to Headquarters and initiate Directive Rot! I don’t care what anyling might say. If we don’t stop that Demon at Firaxis the entire swarm will be at risk!”
Curxe jumped to his hooves as well at the mention of that infamous order, his eyes uncharacteristically wide with fear. “Mobius, do you even have the authority to order that?!”
Mobius growled with his fangs bared, his aura becoming more akin to that of a red giant, “I DO NOT CARE! Get it done or we will all die!”
Curxe, and several faraway warriors just beginning to make their way into the tunnels to investigate the screams, fell to their knees under the aural pressure.
Mobius didn’t have time to care as he turned and ran as fast as himself and Redfang could provide towards his Queen. Whatever it is she needs him for it better be damned important or by the time he would return to combat the Demon in pony form it may be too late.
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Breach! Seal it! We are venting Changeling plot!
Love the arts of your chapters and the Authors note are a classic by now
And so Six brings destruction to their doorstep, knocking with corpses.
Chrysalis is not best Mother,Bugwaifu or something positiv. She is simply a Lunatic at worst or a Scapegoat for a Mindparasite at best...
Death does not stalk silently among the Changelings today.
Rather, it's busting through a wall like the Koolaid man!
And so the end begins... Six is loose in the Changeling Hive. And is now VERY upset.
Heck yeah this is where the fun begins!!!
Dear Changeling Hive:
Sow the Wind, reap the whirlwind
With hate, The Spartans
Knock knock bug-queen, dues must be paid.
Six is going on a carnage and I love it.
Six there, I honestly expected Luna to drop a few meteorites on the hive.
Fantastic entrance from Six and her spartans. Rip and tear until its done, leave no combatant alive.
A little typo I noticed.
On this section, you've got Redfang and Mobius' dialogue colors swapped.
I'm looking forward to the carnage that will follow.
Very curious how his friend is casually mentioning insurrection. He's not wrong, but his words might be fatal from the doubt they planted.
Directive Rot you say? That's not ominous at all...
I'm making a guess that one or more of the other queens have turned after hearing the revelation that the hive is exposed, assuming they got the news as quickly as Chrysalis
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media.discordapp.net/attachments/730723327689228319/938555300313706557/image0.jpg
Oops died the ponies just spark a changeling Civil war?
HERES JOHNY!
i have heard a badass line from a source of media (heroes of the storm), which six might actually say if in the right situation if you wish to use it Connor (albeit modified)
"you might be a king/ queen, or maybe a street sweeper. but sooner or later, you ALL dance with the reaper"
kind of banking on 6 being oni's grim reaper.
11310146
black text is hard to readin darkmode.
I love symbol code fonts: Star Wars' Aurebesh, Bionicle's Matoran writing system, Dinotopia's footprint alphabet, and whatever the hell that is at the top...