Swift Light and the Chaos Conundrum

by Jest

A Vision of Destiny

“What do you mean?” Swift Light demanded.

The sphinx didn't respond, merely reaching forward and placing an ethereal claw against Swift Light’s forehead. The unicorn tried to stop her by firing a spell, but the beam of energy flew uselessly through the creature’s body. Scrambling back, Swift Light tried to evade the touch, but her opponent was simply too large, and had too long of a reach.

The second the claw connected, Swift Light felt her entire body become rigid, and an intense pressure begin to build within her skull. Her magic flickered, and died, the mare’s eyes going wide as she felt her body begin to rapidly change without her consent. While this happened, Viciz did her best to help, casting every banishment spell she knew, followed by several ones which should have protected her friend’s mind.

Yet the change began regardless, the sphinx being unaffected by every spell, and merely sinking her claw deeper into Swift Light’s head. Her saddle bags snapped suddenly, falling away as the unicorn’s body grew larger and larger, the intense pressure growing along with it. For every inch that Swift Light gained, the sphinx seemed to lose the same amount, the creature’s body shrinking rapidly.

Swift Light herself was helpless to resist this alteration, her every muscle locking up completely and leaving her with no way to fight against the strange intrusion. Her sword fell aside forgotten, as was the scarf she wore and what little armor she had put on before entering the temple. Within a minute she was taller then even Celestia, and soon after she would have towered over a small building.

Realizing that there was nothing she could do Viciz considered running, but something kept her rooted to the ground. She wasn't sure if it was loyalty, fear, or simply some effect of the sphinx, but the changeling found herself unable to move. And so she stared up as the ghostly creature poured her very essence into Swift Light’s body, vanishing from sight when the unicorn reached the sphinx’s starting height.

The rocky outcropping could just barely support Swift Light’s new weight, and Viciz found herself staring up at her friend who now towered over. The changes didn't stop at merely a heigh increase though, as strange otherworldly thoughts suddenly filled Swift Light’s mind. At the same time as the unicorn’s limbs suddenly began to relax, and her muscles began to respond to her commands.

Groaning in pain and confusion, Swift Light grasped her head in her hooves, squeezing her eyes shut and nearly crushing Viciz by accident. The changeling narrowly avoided being squashed beneath her friend’s titanic plot, having leapt out of the way at the last second. That seemed to be as far as she could go however, and Viciz found herself staring once more up at her friend.

Who grunted in pain, trying desperately to stop the strange new instincts from overwhelming her mind completely. She had to get out of here, to find someplace safe, and perhaps get someone to stop the changes before they reached completion. Yet she couldn't bring herself to move, as some primal desire overtook the mare completely, making her unable to even consider the act of leaving.

“This is my temple, I earned it,” Swift Light muttered under her breath, turning away suddenly. “No. This isn't mine to claim. I’m a royal guard. I-I-I.”

The pony tried to pull up all the memories she had of boot camp, home, and even Celestia herself. Swift Light tried to remind herself of why she was here, and what she had to do, but each and every thought felt hallow somehow. She was meant for more, the mare realized, she wasn't just supposed to guard someone who didn't need guarding.

“I am meant to lead,” Swift Light murmured.

Viciz gulped, watching closely as her friend changed, some unseen barrier having fallen and allowing her transformation to continue. It started small, with the pony’s tail becoming narrower, the flesh dock extending and the hair falling away until it was the tail of a sphinx. The next to follow was her hooves which became softer, and eventually growing, and turning into the pawed feet of a great cat.

Enormous claws extended suddenly, and Swift Light rose slowly from the ground, a cruel smile crossing her face. A gaze which settled on Viciz herself, the former guard turning towards the cowering changeling with cruelty in her eyes. Swift Light’s expression shifted for a moment, becoming strained until an enormous pair of wings burst from her back.

The enormous appendages had golden feathers and nearly reached the ceiling they were so massive. Leaning down, Swift Light’s eyes narrowed, her iris becoming slitted like that of a cat’s and losing the glint of kindness Viciz had seen within them. Under such an intense gaze, Viciz could do nothing, her entire body becoming rigid as panic coursed through her mind.

A pawed hand reached out and grabbed the changeling, wrapping completely around her and blocking out every last ray of light. The second she felt herself be clutched within the paws of her former ally, the changeling’s fight or flight instincts finally kicked in. She fired spells, kicked, and tried to stab with her horn, but nothing worked as the creature’s skin was like steel, and its resolve, absolute.

A sudden heat struck down the changeling, who lay within Swift Light’s paw, clutching her squirming insides. Flames tried to cover her, but Viciz fought back, trying to push out the thoughts which told her that she was no longer a unicorn. They told her she wasn't a changeling either, and insisted that her place was at her former companion’s side, serving her for all time.

“N-no. I am my own pony, I won't give in, I won't…” her voice trailed off when she felt the flames begin to travel up her forelegs. “I am nobody’s servant, you hear me?”

Yet the words felt hallow even as they passed her lips, as Viciz could already sense something had been altered deep within her. It took a moment to figure out just what had been changed, but the second she discovered just what it was, her heart sank. Whatever part of her body the golden fire touched stopped responding to her will, the flames having already reached her torso.

A second later and everything below her neck felt strangely alien, as if she were connected to the body of someone else entirely. With one last cry of pain the changeling felt her entire being become forever altered, her mind shifting in an uncomfortable direction. She no longer worried for herself, or was bothered by her altered physique, nor the way that her now pawed feet planted themselves beneath her.

Once standing, Swift Light’s paws parted, and Viciz stepped out into the world, growing physically larger as she did so. Shaking her head, the former changeling bowed low before the other sphinx, idly noting that her own claws had just finished coming in. Viciz splayed her feathered wings wide, and tucked her furry tail between her legs, paying her mistress the respect she deserved.

“Soon I shall claim you in both mind and body, but not before we have subjugated these foolish ponies who dare to enter this- no, my temple,” Swift Light commanded.

Viciz rose on steady paws, looking up at the towering sphinx with wide eyes. “How best may I serve you, oh great one?”

“Take out their casters. I will handle the others, and try to keep them alive,” Swift Light commanded. “My new empire will need slaves.”

“Yes, my mistress,” Viciz replied, bowing briefly before leaping over the side of the cliff.

The sight of the much smaller sphinx’s backside stirred something within the former guard, though she quashed that feeling for now. There would be time for that later, right now she had some foolish interlopers to crush, and a temple to cleanse. Coiling her legs beneath her, Swift Light gathered her strength before leaping out over the side and extending her enormous claws.

She could hear screams coming from beneath her, and could tell they were of terror, not of pain, meaning her servant had yet to strike. A realization that made her grin excitedly, exposing her razor sharp, dagger length teeth for all to see. A second later and her full weight slammed against the first barrier, shattering it utterly and dropping the unicorn who had tried to maintain the spell.

A sweep from one of her massive paws knocked aside three of the workers before they could even pull out their weapons. The stallions were sent screaming into the water, their blades either being knocked from their hooves or were tossed aside. A second swipe knocked aside another two of their allies aside, leaving behind only a handful of enemies which could oppose her.

“I need a spiked shield stat, and grab the pikes!” shouted their leader, his horn glowing brightly.

Swift Light knew the tell tale look of a stun spell from a mile away and easily dodged out of the way when it was cast. “You cannot hope to defeat me. Lay down your arms and submit yourself to my mercy or you will face my wrath!” Swift Light shouted.

Their leader snorted. “No way monster, you won't-”

“I’m outta here man!” shouted his unicorn assistant a second before he threw himself off the platform and into the water.

“Well shit,” muttered the former guard.

“You could say that again,” hissed Viciz who stepped out of his shadow and pressed a claw against his neck. “Surrender to the mistress or die. The choice is yours.”

The remaining two interlopers looked from the giant sphinx, and the slightly smaller sphinx who now had their captain hostage before tossing their weapons to the ground.

“At least some of you value your life,” Swift Light remarked with a smirk.

The former guard grunted and dropped his sword. “Fine. You win this round but the boss will send someone else.”

“Which is why I will raise an army, rebuild my capital and create more lieutenants to watch over my budding empire,” Swift Light exclaimed, rising to her full terrible height. “Starting with a particular dusty little town and a particular pegasus whose knowledge will aid us greatly.”

Thoughts of the desert city rising from the sands filled the former unicorn’s mind, and for a moment she allowed herself to simply relish in the moment. She had made a powerful servant, gathered a small group of soldiers, and had retaken her temple from the interlopers. The road from here would be long, and filled with much trial, but Swift Light knew she could do it.

It was her destiny.

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