16- Triumph Of The Will
Arc 3: New Swarm
The last two weeks in Infiltrator Sclerite’s class flew by faster than any of us wanted. I still had my lessons with Chrysalis, magic lessons with Officer Katydid, and flying lessons with Eucharis, outside of class.
Tarsus came a few times to the flying lessons, but he couldn’t make it for the most part. Eucharis was happy enough to spend the time with me. It was hard to fill all the silence when flying with him, so I didn’t. I used the time to relax, the only time I had mostly to myself during my entire life. I was getting good at flying, unlike magic. Once you get past the workout bit of flying, it’s pretty simple.
Magic lessons continued. I also started learning more and more combat spells. You have your basic fireballs, your ice lances, your acid cubes, and your electric dodecahedrons. Hey, Katydid found that joke funny. I swear he wasn’t laughing because I'm royalty and he’s a suckup.
Soon enough, our last day together arrived.
Infiltrator Sclerite went over expectations, behaviors, and procedures for how the expedition would go down for those attending. By now, the class was down to ten changelings that would go. Thorax and I continued to attend class because of our friends, but the rest of the drop-outs were long gone.
When the teacher wrapped up and wished all of us a good day, the inner circle sat close together in silence. Pharynx had stepped outside to talk with some changeling, I didn’t pay attention. I took the small miracle at face value.
I opened my mouth to say something…
...But nothing came to mind.
This had been going on for a bit now. If we didn’t get this through soon, Eucharis would fetch me before we could even say goodbye.
“Well.”
“Y-Yes,” Tarsus stuttered.
I cleared my throat. “I dislike goodbyes, so this is just a… see you later.”
Coxa also cleared his throat. “Yea. We’ll see each other again?”
“Of course we wi– oof!” Lacewing tackled me with a hug.
“I… I don’t wanna be alone again, Phasma.”
I awkwardly patted the young nymph’s back. “Hey hey now, I said we’ll see each other again, where did this come from?”
‘Come to think of it, I’ve never seen any changelings hug each other. Or kiss. Or show any physical affection outside of a hoofshake.’
“S-Sorry, it’s just… I looked forward to this class everyday, and I just felt so sad when you left. Before all of this, I had no ‘ling to… hangout with. To talk with. To laugh and tell jokes to. Now, thanks to you Phasma, I’ve got you five.”
“What? Why not?” Lacewing just held me tighter.
Tarsus mouthed the words ‘can’t fly’ to me, and I guessed the rest.
‘Holy shit, this is what Tarsus was talking about? Do changelings really care that much that a single issue like that would….? I guess when you all look alike, the slightest deviations paint a target on your back. I know humans pick on each other for the smallest bullshit, why not changelings?’
“I said we’ll see each other again, Lace. I promise we will, and I always keep my word.”
Coxa spoke up, “Aintcha like five months old? When have you even given your word?”
“It’s the thought that counts!”
Tarsus chuckled, “The way you carry yourself Phasma, I forget that you’re not even a year old!”
‘And how old is Lacewing? She’s a child, right? I don’t recall ever hearing her age. Or Coxa, for that matter. They can’t be more than fifteen, yet here they are, alone, trying to survive.’
The group fell back into silence.
‘The section of hive dedicated to raising plantlife is far out of the way for my daily routine, but if Lacewing is this alone, I’ll have to make time when they come back. Somehow..’
I sighed and whispered to Lacewing, “We’ll see each other again.”
‘Protect Thorax. Protect Lacewing. Keep in touch with Coxa, Tarsus, and Oestridae. All on top of lessons and whatever duties Chrysalis will inevitably heap onto me. So much to do, so many questions to answer as well.’
“This is not a goodbye.”
She let go and backed up a few steps. “We’re more than a family, right?”
‘So young, with no one to watch over her. Who’s to blame for this? Chrysalis? She didn’t create the broods, her predecessors did. Equestria?’
I nodded, “Yea. We’re more than brothers and sisters. We’re practically a secret society,” I said, trying to distract Lacewing. “And all societies need a cool name.”
“Like what?” Lacewing asked.
“The First Fang.”
“First Fang,” Lacewing whispered. “I like it.”
“I would’a gone with the Companions, but First Fang works too,” Coxa said.
Thorax sniffed, “Closer than family, yea? A-And don’t forget, Pharynx is an honorary member.”
Oestridae spoke up, “Never forget.”
“Closer than family,” Tarsus summed up.
‘Family. What is family to a changeling? Does Chrysalis even consider me her son?’
When my attendance in the Infiltrator class came to an end, Chrysalis filled the gap in my schedule with exactly what I was expecting. In fact, I was hedging every last plan, scheme, and hope on her exact action. Well, other than breaking into the vault.
It was a week after I said my farewells to the First Fang. Chrysalis had kept me in her study at the conclusions of her lessons. Normally this was when Eucharis escorted me down the hive to the classroom.
As Chrysalis wrapped up, she began a speech that I’m certain she had been preparing for at least a week beforehand. Beforehoof. Whatever.
“Prince Phasma.”
“Queen Chrysalis.”
“Your studies are almost complete. You have done well to face the challenges I place before you.”
I knew what was coming next. She had said so once, some time ago. ‘I need a commander’ were her exact words but I never considered the idea that she actually would go through with it.
‘Is this really happening?’
“But now I am entrusting to you the greatest responsibility I can bestow upon any changeling. Long have I preached the end of Equestria. The infiltrator networks have wormed their way into Canterlot, the sun-touched capital of the presumptuous pony empire. It is finally time for you to begin the dream you have been working towards.
“Prince Phasma, you are a prodigy without equals amongst the hive, and as such, I am entrusting you with the command of the Changeling Swarm in its near-entirety. The Royal Guard shall keep to my beck and call, the rest of the Swarm shall be at your disposal.”
She stood up from her seat behind her desk.
“Eons past, the Changeling Swarm did battle against the Equestrian Royal Guard. It was on those ancient fields that we were repelled, shattered, sent to the wind. Ever since, changeling Queens and Kings have discarded the notion that we may be victorious in open combat, that the only way to supplant the Equestrians was through subterfuge alone.”
Chrysalis walked over to stand in front of me.
“But while we have spent the millennia sharpening our fangs, looking outward, the Equestrians have lapsed in their vigils. Too long have they basked in the sunlight of their incandescent princess, and they have suffered for it. Understaffing, poor equipment, tactics as ancient as our own, and complacency plague the E.U.P..
“The Swarm shall strike with a dual-pronged approach. A frontal attack to engage the Royal Guards, and a second, hidden approach that already subtly invaded the capital to cut off the head of the snake. I will defeat the alicorn Princess Celestia. You will defeat the alicorn Princess Cadence. With them out of the way, and Canterlot in our control, any response Equestria could muster would be ill-equipped to stop us.”
‘Wow, an actual military strategy? I’m pretty sure there’s some Sun Tzu in there! And here I was, just expecting her to go and say ‘just win’ and send me off.”
“But first,” Chrysalis continued, “we must discard the ancient tactics that constrain the Swarm. You shall reform the Swarm to best combat the Royal Guards, as well as begin combat training to take on your alicorn foe.”
When she didn’t continue, I took this as my cue to say something. I had predicted this, even prepared a speech for it, but I just never thought this day would ever come. I thought there would be delays, posturing, threats, or more lessons. Yet here we are.
“You’re… giving me control of the Swarm? You’re not giving me a test beforehand to prove that I’m up to it?”
Chrysalis smiled.
“Our subjects await in the throne room.”
‘What is going on here?’
Officer Katydid stood at attention with the rest of the Officer Corps, behind the Upper Court.
In total, only one hundred changelings were filed in rows, filling up the back two-thirds of the throne room. One hundred officers, in charge of the entire changeling Swarm, which numbered at least ten thousand of the entirety of the hive was levied. More, counting the changelings it would take to staff the logistics required to keep such an army working.
The hive could be staffed with only a skeleton crew, after all.
In front of the officers stood the Upper Court. Among its numbers were the changelings that frequented this room more than any other; Chamberlain Eucharis, Intelligencer Ocelli, and Commander Scorpion to name a few.
The entire court had been called to attention, with enchanted relays dedicated to broadcasting the assembly to the rest of the hive. Namely, there were a few, each placed in the largest rooms in the hive, which were filled from wall to wall, including on the walls themselves, with changelings.
The door to the royal wing opened, and the entire Officer Corps saluted as Queen Chrysalis entered, followed by Prince Phasma.
The Queen wore a green-metal crown, inlaid with a hooffull of precious rubies, sapphires, and a single large diamond. The crown matched her armor, a full set of grieves, sabatons, a peytral, and a barrel plate that covered everything above her legs and behind her head. Her Elytra were covered up by moveable metal coverings, part of the barrel plate. All made of the same, bright green metal. It's source was beyond Officer Katydid's paygrade. Not that he got paid.
'The gems must be from the recent infiltrator operations within Canterlot,' Katydid thought to himself.
Prince Phasma looked almost naked in comparison. Katydid realized that for most changelings, this was their first time seeing the young prince. He had the honor of teaching the Queen’s own son for many weeks now.
As the Queen took her place on the throne with the Prince standing up and next to it. The changelings in attendance returned to parade rest as Queen Chrysalis addressed the hive.
“My changelings. For too long we have suffered in the dark, while the rest of the world moves on without us. For too long, we have endured starvation rations, strict curfews, and the stifling Masquerade Protocol. You have gathered here today to demand an end to this injustice. It is our right to stand dominant over our prey.
“The end of Equestria shall be delivered to you by none other than my most loyal changeling, Prince Phasmatodea, Heir of The Fourth Hive Dynasty. He has trained his entire life for this duty, and he will not fail!”
Prince Phasma moved to stand in front of the Queen, then knelt in front of her. Queen Chrysalis stood from her throne as a green metal peytral was brought forth from the side. Inset was a line of nine blue sapphires, growing larger in scale the closer they were to the center.
Queen Chrysalis placed the peytral onto Prince Phasma using her magic.
“I name you High Marshall Prince Phasmatodea. Rise,” Queen Chrysalis ordered both out loud and through the Weave.
The Prince did as he was commanded.
“I entrust the command of the Swarm to you, Prince Phasma.”
The Officer Corps had been made aware of this transition for a while now. The Changeling Royal Guard would remain under the authority of Commander Scorpion, and by extent Queen Chrysalis herself, while the rest of the Swarm fell to Prince Phasma. Still, control of at least two thirds of the Swarm was nothing to scoff at.
High Marshal Prince Phasma turned around and stepped forward.
The setting sun filtered in through the open windows on the right side of the throne room. Long shadows were casted by the massive banner-tapestries that hung from the rafters of the room, but Officer Katydid thought that Prince Phasma seemed to glow in the setting sunlight.
“We,” Phasma’s voice echoed through the room, “are changelings. For generations we have dedicated all that we have to survival of the hive. This ends today, for now we shall dedicate every last drop of blood, sweat, and mana to restoring order to the world. We are predators. Unrivaled in prowess. Unmatched in strength. Our sufferings are an unnatural anomaly that I will right.
“In our centuries of hiding, we have not been idle. We have honed our skills. We have perfected the art of infiltration. We have learned to fight for our right to rule. We stand united in our thousands. One Hive. One Queen. One dream.
“The dawn of a new era shall be upon the world; for we shall take our rightful place at its peak! The sun has set upon Equestria, the Hive shall rule eternal!” The High Marshal saluted, all changelings present except Queen Chrysalis returned the salute.
The Chamberlain took a step forward.
“All hail High Marshal Prince Phasmatodea! All hail Queen Chrysalis! All hail the Hive Eternal!”
The Queen smiled and Phasma stood rigid, but Katydid knew Phasma better than almost anyone else present. When he looked at the Prince, he didn’t see the determined changeling he knew that would step up to the challenges he faced.
Right now, Prince Phasma looked lost.
As I stood there, the crowd stomped in sync with the hail.
‘Marshal of almost the entire army. Up till this point, I really didn’t think Chrysalis would ever trust me enough to give me this much power. But aside from ominous warnings, what has Chrysalis really done to me?’
I stepped back next to the throne. Queen Chrysalis was giving another speech, but I was only partly listening.
‘I’ve never been punished for failure, despite her posturing. For the few steps I’ve made outside of her influence, she has lectured me but again, never punished. Her military strategy is actually sound, it’s pretty much what I would have come up with. We really have a shot at defeating Equestria.’
I stomped and saluted when the crowd did as well.
‘Sure, she has used my… dependency... on love to her own gain, but she is really only using it to deliver bad news as well as motivate me. And if I were to go through with a coup, the risks would be death.’
‘There are no other princes or princesses. Whatever they did, they’re dead now. Yet here I am, pursuing a policy of seizing power despite the risks, despite what Chrysalis is doing to persuade me otherwise. I have little to gain, and so much to lose.’
Chrysalis had finished her speech and the changelings were marching out of the throne room in two neat columns.
‘Then there’s the Equestrians. Sure, all this talk about destroying their empire is ominous, but we’re literally on the brink of starvation here. The status quo must change, or our species will go extinct. Who wouldn’t be considering all options?’
‘And who even are the ponies? I’ve never met one. Never even seen one. If you have to choose between two people, which one must suffer, who wouldn't choose to protect their kin?’
Chrysalis retired to the royal wing, and I absentmindedly followed her. I entered my room and sat on the bed, staring at the wall across from me.
‘Chrysalis. She makes me paranoid as hell, but gives little reason to actually be paranoid. Maybe she’s just shit at parenting but trying her best. I think.’
I sighed and put my head in my hooves.
‘Am I really prepared to risk everything? And for what? How much danger am I really in if I obey? Second in command of an empire is a lofty title, and it will come with all the rewards I could want.’
‘I’ve been constantly moving, plotting, scheming, and fearing the worst since my hatching. Evil Queens, Dark Goddesses, separation from my only friends. All these sound terrible, but are they really?’
‘Chrysalis isn’t evil, she’s pursuing what she believes to be an end to the suffering of her people. Nightmare Moon… is probably evil. But she doesn’t know who I am, where I am, or what I am. The First Fang is separated, but given time we can easily reconnect.’
‘So why am I only seeing the worst possible outcome? Is it because I want control, that I will see what I want to see to rationalize a seizing of power?’
I pressed a hoof to my chest. I felt my quick heartbeat despite the thick chitin. I remembered the warm pool that I laid in as the world grew dark. I remembered my heart stopping.
‘I remember my own death. The fear of never seeing my family again. The fear of finding out the great unknown. The fear of what happens after death. Am I really ready to die again?’
‘I’m afraid. Afraid of failure. Afraid of dying. So why am I trying to get myself killed?’
I curled up on my bed. I didn’t hear my door open.
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Yes let us trust the entire hives army to a less than a year old prince. big brain..
As the quickly, I thought will still physical training and various duels, fights with other chajlingami, practice magic, he has knowledge but no experience, as he should show force royu to his feared and respected, and most importantly defeat alicorn love
. But the Chapter is very interesting 
10540032
One that has shown exceptional growth and potential despite his age with the tutelage of not only the current ruler but also the greatest generals and mages of the day. Also nepotism
10540032
Chrysalis is keeping the best trained and best equipped portion for herself, and this was always the plan. There is no one with experience when it comes to managing the army, so giving it to the prodigy seems like a good enough idea.
The commanders don't have battle experience, and Chrysalis explicitly said that all the old tactics have to go anyways.
And yea, nepotism.
10540065
This sounds like a part of isekai's synopsis, plot description XD
A human xxxx is living his mundane life, but after dying , he awakens to a fresh start in a fantasy realm... reborn into the body of a royal insect horse! ..........
One that has shown exceptional growth and potential despite his age with the tutelage of not only the current ruler but also the greatest generals and mages of the day.
XD
Why I'm getting a feeling, telling me to ship them?
Ship them?
Sounds like she is your age mentally and legal for you.... I guess ¯\_(• ͜ •)_/¯
It occurs to me here... See, Chrysalis taking lots of time out of her schedule to train Phazzy makes sense, because queen mama bug horse wants prince bug horse to know things she’s maybe not taught anyling else, and because he’s prince bug horse.
Picking a competent but average rank officer as a practice buddy doesn’t disrupt hive operations.
But with queen mama bug horse spending so much time on training the princeling, having the Chamberlain, who would normally be super busy picking up the slack and dealing with things that didn’t need mama bug horse’s specific attention, also spend significant chunks of time time as a flying tutor? When anyling competent at flight could do the same? Like say, Officer Katydid?
Daddy bug horse detect?
That chapter title is... ominous to say the least.
10540152
Well yes, its the title of a famous German propaganda film.
10540065
Ah. Yes. That makes much more sense now.
The only thing that troubles me is there's no Plan.
Subverse the ponies, go to war with ponies, or make peace with ponies. He's got a literal tyrant for mom and he's been put in charge of an entire country. He's got a group of loyal supporters or "Friends", but they can be used against him.
Now would be the gathering information part. Why would Love not be collected as well? Is it a problem with the fuel source? The supply line? Is some ling taking off the top they shouldn't have? How does the Hive feel about him or the Queen?
I'm hoping that he'll try for the Peaceful and Capitalist option and try to make some deals, even without the Equestrian government's knowledge. Happy ponies are Happy changeling after all.
I almost wondered if this was a dream sequence of some kind by Nightmare Moon, manipulating Phasma to discover the truth about him from the shadows.
Granting the five month old prodigy command of an army seems... rushed. I wonder if things are more desperate for the hive than Chrysalis lets on to anyone else... either that, or she's letting her megalomania get the better of her.
No plan survives first contact with the enemy, and I things spirallying out of control very fast for the changelings here, particularly Phasma and Chrysalis.
10540254
¨I'm hoping that he'll try for the Peaceful and Capitalist option and try to make some deals, even without the Equestrian government's knowledge. Happy ponies are Happy changeling after all.¨
Sure, because making shady deals with dark market ponies under the nose of Equestria, hoping it never reaches their ear, can't lead to anything bad now can it?
Prey have no reasons to negotiate with a predator when they can exterminate them instead. So going peaceful with the government is also very risky.
I also wonder what the changelings even have to offer in exchange for love, trade needs something to start off after all.
From changeling perspective war is indeed a very logical path. They have nothing to give in exchange for peace, their very nature makes them untrustworthy, and a peaceful approach would give away their existence and the chance of a surprise attack.
If they take out the immortal rulers, they can simply erase themselves from history over time and rule equestria from the shadows forever without fearing any real backlash. Giving them endless food and rescources.
changling Queens and Kings
Little typo here. Rather sudden if you ask me, definitely made Phas lose his footing.
10541389
I spell changeling wrong as often as I spell it correct. Point in case, when checking for the mistake after reading your comment, I found it four times. Three in the chapter, and one in the short description of the story
10541535
:/ My phone apparently cut off half my message, but yeah, haha.
Goddamn you're a fucking moron KK. Not even understanding that identity movements not only do not represent the identity they claim to be as a whole, but thinking that gay people in general are just one big monolith.
I can immediately tell you're well within the Progressive echo chamber with a huge stick up your ass thinking you're morally superior to everyone else because you wave the correct flags and say the politically correct words. You don't even understand you're a small fringe minority compared to the rest of the population.
The biggest thing that makes people hate YOU and LGBT's in general that you people are so incredibly hostile to anyone that calls out your bullshit, you act more like hyper offended Orthodox religious nutjobs than actual Liberals.
I think Chrysalis rushes everything because her Hive is on the brink of collapse. Otherwise i dont see why she and her imortal to time son would need to invade right now
I think Chrysalis just puts out a show. In name her Son is second in command but hes to young for that. Probably a stress test. Still pretty extream.
Lmfao dude you are a genius
How fitting that the First Fang will be the front line?
Never mess with an Electric Dodecahedron!
They can ruin your day faster than saying "Pair of Nat 1's"!
Damn, now im thinking of Rat Company from Practical Guide to Evil.
As opposed to LED princesses.
Should be “dual-pronged”, or just ‘bilateral’
I feel so bad for Phasmatodea
Celestia is Temporary, but Changelings are Eternal.
Emphasis on the "secret" part, hopefully.
This chapter's ending was surprisingly serious. I beleive he has cause to be paranoid, because Chrysalis is probably setting him up for something.
Come on Phasma, go all the way. Break out the red and black scorpion tail, get an orange goatee and Start the Brotherhood
10860273
Nod without Tiberium? Can that even work?
After re-reading this chapter kooks very different...
Nice
Prediction: Queen Chrysalis is placing an inexperienced person in charge of 2/3 of a military force that are all combat ineffective while reserving the best forces for yourself seems like setting up a scape-goat for when the mission fails.
10791005
No! ...Dis.
There is littel reason to remove her Prince & Princesses, they could inspire with their former actions. Leave the good, remove the bad...
Phasmatodea's logic seem to work of what we know of Chrysalis. Chrysalis sure don't put herself in the best light..
But has it been six months since Phasmatodea spoke with NMM?
One group's time table is about to run right smack head-on into another group's timetable... and Phasma is still too short to reach the break pedal or the steering wheel to divert this collision, yet he's the only one aware of this impending impact in either group!
Most loyal, that was neglected to be reinforced besides bribing.
Trained his entire life, not even half a year long...
What a horrible speech once taken apart.
The Brotherhood of Nod?
The only retreat director possible is towards their food source...