Chapter 5: Bounded Shadow and Ice
A cold wind began to blow through the Everfree Forest, chilling the zebra to the bone. Even during the winter season, the cold simply didn’t do well for her in general. But her thoughts were elsewhere; she’s been dousing the entrance into the cave with some kind of potion for preventive measures. If the ponies inside were going to come dashing out in retreat the least she could do is offer a way to block the potential pursuers.
Then she heard it again: the neighing cry echoing across the sky. It wasn’t just momentary this time, it was very long… and it was getting louder. That’s when she saw them; the spectral equine forms descended from the dark clouds above and were quickly approaching Zecora. At the sight of them, she immediately jumped to the side to dodge them and they simply rushed by her into the tunnel, as if they didn’t even notice her.
Spirits of hatred and spite! What kind of monster could draw their delight?
And then she saw the magical trail that Twilight Sparkle summoned to track down the Alicorn Amulet slowly fade away. If things come to worst they’ll all have a difficult time getting out of the dark tunnel. A small red lizard crawled out of her bag as she started rummaging through it. She needed to find it; that one difficult-to-produce potion that could help in this situation.
Dread washed over the six ponies and the dragon. The towering monstrosity of black mass lingered above them, its gaunt arms seemed to be the only thing that supported it as it bent forward, the icy look bearing down on them as puffs of white smoke escaped its slightly opened maw.
Queen Chrysalis stood before it, tall and unshaken; so confident and sure of herself that nothing could possibly go wrong. Twilight thought for a moment she was asleep, she wished she was because at least then she knew the nightmare would eventually end. This… this was worse. She recognized that creature; that ice-cold vile face was one of several that had haunted her sleep for days. That nightmare had now made itself manifest.
She shook her head, pulling herself together. “You won’t succeed, Chrysalis. It doesn’t matter what evil from what dark corner of the world you’ve summoned; as long as my friends are by my side we’ll banish it from this world.”
The Changeling Queen smirked and uttered one word. “Try.”
That smug look on Chrysalis' face; the princess knew that by the end she would lose it. She raised her hooves, beckoning them to join her. “Everypony!”
And they did. Magical energy that radiated from everybody enveloped them, lifting them off the ground as the sense of dread around them was dispelled, the cavern illuminated by bright light. Queen Chrysalis shielded her eyes, unable to look into the blinding light, a familiar sense of fear slowly lighting up inside her. She could already hear Doubt whisper in her ear, ironically saying "do not doubt us". Then came a low growl; she looked to the side and saw the manifestation of Hatred lift one of its scrawny arms and slowly reached forward at the princess and her friends.
“Together!” Twilight opened her eyes and the light turned everything white.
OUR HATRED FOR YOUR KIND… IS ETERNAL.
Shielding her eyes, Chrysalis prepared for the worst, for the inevitable end… one that did not come. She still felt the same. The hate, its power coursing through her; it didn’t dissipate, yet the blinding light was still there. What in the world was happening?
“Too bright for you, is it, broodmother?” the slithery whisper next to her asked. “Here, let me assist.”
Doubt’s tail extended and entered Chrysalis’ mind, her sight darkening to the point when she couldn’t see anymore, forcing her to drop the cover over her eyes. She could finally see through the blinding light what was happening; she stood there for a moment in complete disbelief, yet the understanding finally washed over her and she began to cackle insanely.
The Queen of Changelings wasn’t the only one shocked, however, unlike the former, the moment didn’t pass for them. The power for friendship was rising, its energy flowing out, and yet… it didn’t move. A giant black claw clenched the bubble in its grip, preventing it from expanding; the darkness that was stopping the magic of friendship from growing could not be hurt by it at all.
“How… why isn’t it working?” Twilight Sparkle said in a calm tone, unable to comprehend the situation.
Chrysalis stopped laughing for a moment. “You still don’t get it, do you, Twilight Sparkle?! You cannot hurt it because compare to YOUR magic of friendship, ITS HATRED... IS STRONGER!”
A roar, accompanied by the cries of windigos sounded out as the giant black mass opened its maw, a spray of snow begun to blow from it until it eventually turned into a full burst of ice, being shot directly at the adversaries. The beam of ice and snow collided into the magical bubble generated by the outsiders, which the shadowy manifestation was pressing down on, cracks slowly appearing, and as the ponies and the dragon inside noticed that happening, the dreaded aura began to leak inside once again, slowly overwhelming them until it finally popped and exploded.
There was ringing in Twilight’s head as she slowly awoke, noticing that the light, which was generated earlier had slowly faded, returning to its previous dim state. She tried to get back on her hooves and instantly slipped, falling to the side. Looking about, she discovered that the land around her was frozen, with icy spikes sticking out.
“Is everypony okay?” she called out.
One after another separate voices sounded out, groggy from the experience they just endured, confirming to their friend that they were fine… then a shrieking cry came from one of them. Twilight turned in its direction; that was Rainbow Dash's voice!
“G-g-guys… I c-c-can’t feel anything…” she said in a stuttering voice.
The rainbow maned pegasus was curled up in a fetal position on the ground, shaking, her back along with her wings, was frozen solid. They all slowly tried to get back on their hooves so they wouldn’t slip on the frozen floor and walked over to her side.
Applejack scooped her up in an embrace. “Hey, hey, Dash, keep calm, we’re here for you!”
“Oh no!” Fluttershy panicked. “We need to help her before she gets frostbite!”
As the rest of the gang tried to comfort the injured one, Twilight turned to face Chrysalis, and the giant abomination she had summoned. The Changeling Queen just stood there, taking in every moment of satisfaction of watching her enemies reeling from the defeat they did not anticipate, but the princess’ focus was on her “benefactor”. This “manifestation of Hatred” as she called it, must have a weakness. Perhaps there’s a source that she can disconnect it from, maybe then they can still win. She closed her eyes and focused on her magic; if she can gaze at the creature through the magical sight, perhaps she can uncover something.
Queen Chrysalis still stood there and noticed the princess’s momentary behavior as her eyes lit up, pondering what she was attempting to do, but it didn't take long before she finally exited her trance. Then she noticed the expression of fear on her face, and then her movement; her hind legs made a single step backward. Was she attempting to flee? Was she actually scared of the current situation? A monstrous smile curled up in the knowledge.
“Girls, Spike,” she announced calmly as she could to them as her sight returned to normal, all of them paying close attention to her. “Listen carefully: Rarity, help put Rainbow Dash on Applejack’s back. And then no matter what happens… we all need to run.”
“Wait, what?!” the party planner asked in a surprising tone.
“RUN!!!” she cried out.
Rarity quickly scooped up the wounded blue pegasus and put her on the country pony, Spike jumped on Twilight’s back and they galloped towards the tunnel.
“Fools! None of you will leave this place!” Queen Chrysalis gloated.
The shadowy mass roared and reached forward, its massive gaunt arm moving in the direction of the only exit as the gang ran as fast as they could while trying not to slip. The claw crashed to the frozen ground, the earth heaving in massive chunks of dirt and ice, putting most of them off balance. Twilight landed flat on her face and Spike flew off her and crashed into Rarity, who tumbled into the dirt. She shook her head and from the corner of her eye noticed something shiny laying on the ground. The princess in the meantime looked back and sighed in relief, realizing that the giant claw missed her by little more than a few hooves, yet as she tried to get back up she felt something tug at her. The dark hand had its index fingers extended and a tendril shot out of it, getting hold of Twilight’s leg, pulling her back. She started to panic; this was another moment from her nightmare, but unlike in the dream, Rainbow Dash was in no position to help anyone.
“Leave her alone!” the dragon yelled, leaping over Twilight and breathing fire.
The tendril snapped as it got burned off, allowing the alicorn to get back up, scooping up Spike and dashing off into the tunnel, disappearing into the darkness.
Queen Chrysalis still grinned with the delight of seeing her enemies failing miserably until it began to dawn on her that the manifestation of Hatred wasn’t making any effort to stop them, it just stood there, motionless. “Well? What are you waiting for? Go after them!”
“No...” was the only word that came out of it, as it slowly slinked back into the magical pool and disappeared.
She stood there for a moment, trying to process before she finally exploded. “NO?! They’re in full retreat and you’re just letting them go?!”
Its harrowed voice rang out. “Your brood awakens… Use it.”
She gritted her teeth in frustration. Why would it just let her enemies go! But her attention was soon drawn to another matter. She noticed them; the changeling eggs began to shake, the soft organic tissue beginning to split as shells slowly cracked open, followed by high-pitched growling noises. The new generation of changelings begun to emerge from their pods, their distinct difference from older ones being very noticeable; they were already hatched full size, their bodies possessing the slightly darker color tone as that of the pool from which they spawned, and they were very aggressive. Seeing her first brood hatch after so many centuries filled the queen with a sense of great accomplishment. So what if her enemies managed to escape her; it was a temporary setback, one that she will soon rectify.
“Changelings!” she loudly announced, the soldier’s attention directing at her. “Scour the tunnels and find our enemies! Hunt them down! DEVOUR!”
And with those words, the newly born swarm skittered into the tunnel, their sounds of aggression being heard loud and wide as they disappeared into blackness.
They ran as fast as they could. The situation earlier showed that they don’t stand a chance, especially with one of them down for the counting. They zig-zagged through the twisting corridors, following the magical trail Twilight had summoned some time ago to find this place; they thought this was the least of their worries. They were horribly wrong.
Suddenly, the trail just faded away and they all stopped dead in their tracks in complete darkness. The princess lit her horn, illuminating the surroundings, revealing numerous pathways.
“Twilight, you wouldn’t happen to remember from the top of your head which way leads out, do you?” Rarity asked.
She looked about, and it didn’t help at all; all the passageways looked the same.
“Well, we need to go somewhere!” Applejack urged, as the blue pegasus still lay on her back desperately clinging to her neck, shivering. “We’re not gonna get anywhere otherwise and Rainbow’s condition here ain’t gettin’ any better.”
There was a shushing sound and everybody’s attention turned to Pinkie Pie; she was the one doing it. “Does anypony else hear that?”
Their ears perked up. There was a small screeching sound echoing through the tunnel, the patter of hooves following it; one that started to grow louder by the second. Whatever was coming their way couldn’t be friendly. Twilight started to frantically look about and noticed a hole in the wall; she nodded to them and one after another they all squeezed in.
“Rarity,“ she commanded, “I need light!”
The unicorn protested. “But what about-?”
“Just do it!”
The white pony conjured a light source, while Twilight focused her magic on the hole and generated an illusion to cover it up while shielding the light source from exiting it. They all quieted down as they heard the noise becoming incredibly loud. The horrifying-looking beasts came by; dark green horned creatures resembling ponies with bug wings, their eyes glowing teal as they spread through, spreading throughout the passages. As the moment passed and their noise disappeared through other tunnels, the illusion was dropped and they all trot out of the hole.
“Those creatures…” Fluttershy questioned. “You don’t think they were… changelings, do you?”
“I’m afraid they were," the princess answered. "And they look far meaner than the original ones. If we don’t get out of here, we’re going to end up being their lunch.”
“Where are we supposed to go?” The shy pegasus was trembling. “We could be trapped in here forever and now those creatures are crawling everywhere. There's no chance we wouldn't get spotted.”
She couldn’t give her an answer; she was at a complete loss this time and panic begun to settle in.
“Hey, what’s that?” Pinkie pointed out as from one of the tunnels a bright light was fast approaching.
Twilight grimaced. “They’re coming back! Everypony back into the hole, now!”
They all huddled inside once more, Twilight erecting the illusion barrier. The bright light approached and entered the area where they were in, they didn’t see anything, however. The light source’s form wasn’t visible.
“Twilight,“ the party pony said, as her alicorn friend tried to shush her, “I don’t think changelings are making this.”
“How would you know that?” she whispered.
Then a melodic whistle echoed through the location, Pinkie remaining adamant to her statement. “Well for starters, they normally don’t whistle to a tune.”
She jumped out of the group and through the illusion that Twilight was generating. She yelped, trying to stop her from getting out but fell flat on her face as she tried to snatch her from going through and failing. The princess looked up and anticipated the worst. Instead, her breath was taken away at a marvel before her, and Pinkie concurred as her eyes were open wide and dilated. The illusion dropped, revealed the rest of the gang who also gazed upon the shape before them. A spectral being floated above them, a light blue glow radiating from it, the spirit’s form resembling a familiar face.
“Zecora?” Spike asked as he walked out of the hole. “Is that you?”
She smiled. “I hope I’ve arrived at the right moment? I confess I thought I’d be forced into atonement.”
“Zecora, we can’t find a way out! And changelings have swarmed the tunnels; they could come out of anywhere at any moment!” Twilight pleaded.
“Do not distress, Princess!” the apparition responded. “Follow my trail and you will safely prevail!”
The zebra’s spirit skipped through the air and everybody followed in her direction. She zigged-zagged left and right, skipping like a carefree spirit, but the rest trusted her to know what she was doing; they’ve not encountered any changeling yet. Then Applejack slipped and fell forward, letting out a cough as she was weighted down with somebody, Rainbow Dash let out a loud yelp as her wings made a sudden movement in their frozen state, making it echo through the tunnels. They all froze in place, and Twilight and Rarity quickly went back to help them get back on their feet, hoping that nobody heard that. They were mistaken. Low roaring noises could be heard from far away, all around them, followed by a skittering sound.
“The locals are getting restless, everypony!” Pinkie Pie panicked. “RUN FOR IT!”
They dashed as fast as they could, screaming, Rarity and Twilight remaining at the back to give Applejack and Rainbow Dash support so they wouldn’t tumble again. They turned another corner and they finally saw a light at the end of the tunnel, spotting zebra’s apparition disappearing into the distant light; they quickened, their drive for survival reaching its peak as they could hear the sound of changelings right on their tails.
By the time they finally got out, Zecora was already waiting for them, her cheeks bloated and with one of her hooves raised and a small lizard sitting on it. As the last of the ponies got through the opening she stepped in the way, the zebra sprayed a fluid out of her mouth at the entrance and the lizard breathed out a puff of flame, igniting the fluid, which in turn set ablaze the concoction she had spilled all over the front of the entrance. The changeling swarm which had nearly reached the exit stopped dead in its tracks, unable to bypass the heat source, but their aggressive roars could still be heard beyond the firewall.
The gang just stood still in amazement for a moment.
“We’ve given them pause, but we must be gone!” Zecora urged them as she let her fire lizard companion climb back into the saddlebag pouch. “The fire will not deter them for long!”
They moved at a quick pace. There was no telling how long it will take before the swarm finally caught up to them and none of them were about to risk it. Of course, another urgent problem remained; one that has only grown dire.
“Dash, please tell me you’re still with us?” Applejack asked the patient on her back.
“Still…” the blue pegasus only whimpered as she still clung to her friend.
“We need someplace where we can stop so we can try and unfreeze her,” Spike said.
The zebra nodded. “In spite of my hovel’s destruction, the creatures would’ve searched as they’re under instruction.”
“Where else can we take shelter then?!” Fluttershy cried out in concern.
Twilight looked about, desperately looking for something, someplace… Then she noticed they’ve returned into the familiar part of the forest; in the distance to her right, she saw ruins of an old castle and a familiar crystal structure rising over them.
“There!” she commanded.
“Whoa!” Smolder gasped as she checked today’s newspaper. “A meteor fell on Dragon Lands!”
The five foreign students and one local from Twilight’s School of Friendship were spending their free time at the house that they created from the remains of Tree of Harmony, at the urge of remains of the spirit that once inhabited it. After three years, this place has become a regular afterschool hangout, but as always it remained a place for when something was troubling them. This time was especially serious, however. Their attendance at the School of Friendship was reaching the end of the fourth year and a cloud of uncertainty was hanging over all of them.
“Wait, a rock fell on dragon friend's home?” the yak questioned.
“That’s not just a rock, Yona,” the timid reformed changeling explained as she was reading a book. “It is a rock body from space, possibly even a star.”
“You know, you could always look for a shooting star and it’d be the same,” Gallus told Ocellus as he slouched on the railing.
“Are you kidding? This sounds way more exciting!” Silverstream flew by the griffin, carrying a plate with cups of tea. “Back in Seaquestria we couldn’t even see stars underwater, but I never thought they could fall from the sky!” she squealed. “I wish I could see it happen!”
“Well back in Yakyakistan clouds always in the sky; no creature sees stars, so no rocks can fall on heads,” the little yak boasted.
“Yeeeeaaaah, that’s not how it works,” Gallus added. “Star’s gonna fall even if it’s cloudy. The only difference is that if you have a clear sky you might actually see it coming and have time to dodge it if it’s gonna fall on you.”
“Wait… YOU MEAN YONA CAN GET CRUSHED BY ROCK AT ANY MOMENT?!” she cowered.
“Calm down, Yona, there’s no reason to be afraid.” Sandbar came to her side to comfort her. “Meteors are a very rare occurrence. You getting hit by it is close to zero.”
“That’s why it’s special when it does happen. And one landed practically in our backyard,” Smolder said as she grabbed one of the cups to take a sip.
“I know!” the hippogryph handed her yak and pony companions their cups. “That’s why we should totally check it out when we get on that field trip for the ending of- “
She stopped herself, realizing what she was about to say. The others were in the same state. The unpleasant thought circled through their minds, the doubt, of what the future will bring.
“I mean…” the dragon finally spoke after a prolonged awkward silence to break the tension. “I wanna go home and see the meteor too, but I don’t wanna leave this place behind.”
The yak stomped in frustration. “Yona think so too! Yona loves Yakyakistan, but Yona doesn’t want to leave friends!”
“I don’t want you to leave either, Yona…” Sandbar quickly corrected himself after realizing how he made it sound. “I-I mean all of you! I don’t want any of you to leave, but I know we can’t just stay at School of Friendship forever.”
“Well… maybe we can?” Everybody’s eyes turned to the reformed changeling saying that. “I mean, considering how successful this whole experience has been, after this, Thorax will likely send more changelings to attend Twilight’s school and… I know I may not have been at my best when I first got here, so I want to be there and help them adapt to the new environment.”
“Ocellus, are you actually saying you want to work AT the school?” Silverstream asked, and the changeling was unable to read whether the response was supposed to be positive or negative, but it didn’t take long before the answer made itself clear as the hippogryph rushed to her, grabbed, and started to shake her rapidly. “YOU’RE A GENIUS! I’ll do it too! I’ll show all the new hippogryphs and sea ponies what an amazing place this is, and best of all: I‘ll still get to see you every day!”
As she gushed over, the dragon took a sip, before adding to the conversation. “You know what? I want in on that action. I know one or two dragons who could use a bit of a fix-up on their attitude.”
It didn’t take long before the hippogryph’s arm got aground her and lifted her off the ground in excitement. “That’s three down!” Silverstream then turned to the yak. “Yona, you in?”
There was a moment of uncertainty in the air, as she paused to think for a moment. “Yona not sure Yona good as a teacher. Yona wants to show ponies, everycreature, all the awesome things Yakyakistan has to offer. But Yona wants to do something creative, but not sure yet what.”
A yellow hoof pressed against her. “We’ll be here for you to help, Yona.”
Sandbar immediately found himself in a crushing grip of his yak friend as she yelled. “Yona know!”
“Good enough!” the hippogryph boisterously announced. “Gallus, come join in on this!”
“Yeeeeeeaaaaaaah, I think not,” he said as he was still slouching against the house railing.
In a split second, a collective shout came from the other five. “WHAT?!” and one by one, voices started piling on one another. “Gallus, what are you talking about?! I thought you liked it here! What did we do wrong? You just ruined the perfect moment! Yona thought griffin was our friend!”
“IT’S NOTHING LIKE THAT!” he finally cried out to silence them all. “Truth is… I dunno what I’m supposed to do.” Gallus returned to his melancholy state. “All this time at the school I just wanted to live in the moment, but now… now that it’s all coming to an end I’ve absolutely no idea what I’m supposed to do with my life.”
“Pfff, is that all?” the dragon said. “And here I thought it was something serious.”
It didn’t take long before Silverstream pitched in. “Yeah! Like, finding what you’re meant to do in your life isn’t that hard.”
“Take it from a pony, Gallus. She’s right,” Sandbar pitched in.
The Gryphon groaned. “No offense, Sandbar, but griffins don’t exactly have the luxury of “looking for special talent until a mark pops up”; most are just self-absorbed and not caring about others or the outside world. Besides, what do we got to show for it? Scones and a group of lords that only deal with personal matters within the kingdom; and neither of those are appealing to me.”
“You could try and find a place a Twilight’s school too...” the changeling said.
“Ocellus, you may not have noticed, but I’m not exactly “teacher material” like you. Teaching others about friendship just isn’t something for me. All this time I only cared about spending it with you guys and the fact that I wasn’t back home. And I don’t want to go back to Gryphonstone. The only thing there is the reminder of how alone I felt before I met you all…”
The tension was so thick you could cut into it, as the group realized how heavily the issue put a friend of theirs in a state of depression. There was a stomping sound as the yak marched up to slouching Gallus and embraced him, without an attempt to squeeze him.
“Yona know griffin friend sad,” she said, “but Yona and friends will help as best we can.”
Silverstream flew over to them and joined it. “How did that old saying go again? “Birds of a feather flap together” or something? But basically, what she said.”
A flap of leathery wings followed, and another one buzzing. “What kind of friends would we be if we left you in a lurch now of all times?”
A sound of traipsing hooves followed. “Whatever happens, Gallus, know that we got your back.”
There was a momentary reprieve from the dreary atmosphere. Reassurance from them is what he really needed.
“For what it’s worth guys… thanks,” he exhaled.
There was an eruption of a strange noise, accompanied by a sudden flash of light; it took the group of six students off guard and they faced it. A shape of light made itself manifest within the tree taking on the form of Princess Twilight Sparkle. But they knew better; this wasn’t the princess, but an entity they’ve known very well. One they’ve not seen in a very long time.
“Spirit of the Tree of Harmony? What’s she doing here after all these years?” Sandbar questioned.
“Students, I implore you: Beware,” the spirit warned them, “a great shadow that has recently been pacified has awakened again, and it’s approaching this place at this very moment. Whatever you do it must not come here. If you fail to contain this darkness, then not just myself, but everything will be lost. Please. I beg you. You must prevail!”
And with a flash of light, it disappeared. There was a momentary silence around; they were baffled by what just happened. The spirit of the tree had clearly tried to warn them about some encroaching danger, but it was incredibly vague and cryptic. What darkness was it trying to warn them about?
BANG!
A loud crashing sound came from behind their backs, where they were turned before the spirit of the tree grabbed their attention, and they turned their attention. The gates into the castle ruins have been swung wide open and eight figures charged in. They stopped, panting, showing signs of fatigue and exhaustion. Two of them were carrying the other two; the smaller figure jumped off, but the second one was still being carried; she looked injured. And it didn’t take long before the students recognized a somewhat taller purple alicorn.
“PRINCESS TWILIGHT?!” they called out in unison.
She was absolutely livid. After some time, the newborn changelings returned to their queen in the sinister cavern, having nothing to show for their efforts, since their quarry managed to slip away. But she knew exactly who was to be blamed for this mishap and she could do nothing but seethe with a stewing rage. In it, however, she seems to have forgotten where she was, and it didn’t take much longer before her radiant state drew out the key perpetrator, as its black mass rose from the magical pool below, solidifying as a familiar feature of teal eyes and a gaping maw materialized.
Its harrow voice spoke. “Your hatred radiates like a burning star, broodmother. Yet we wonder, why is it directed at us?”
The manifestation loomed before its Pillar of Hatred, awaiting diligently for her to respond. She offered the creature a hateful glare at the snap of its voice. Is it joking? Does it not realize what its inaction had just done? Is she literally going to have to spell it out?
“Why shouldn’t it?! You had the Princess of Friendship and her friends at your mercy, so you better have a good reason as to why you just let them go and had my brood having to chase them down. They failed and now they’re going to send out a nationwide panic on what’s happening here. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!” Chrysalis raged.
There was a moment of silence that lasted too long, making it awkward as it seemed that her words went unheard. But just before she could say anything else, the monstrous shadow raised its hand and it didn’t take too long before it got to her what it was about to do. She dodged to the side as the hand came crashing down where she previously stood. It was actually trying to hurt her! Why?! It reached for her again and this time Chrysalis had no choice but to defend herself.
“Changelings! Protect your queen!” she cried out.
The swarm stirred and jumped at the giant mass of darkness trying in vain to stop the abomination. As she flew, a familiar whispering vapor appeared at her side.
“You know that’s a really bad idea,” Doubt told her.
It soon became clear what it meant. As the changeling brood attacked the manifestation of Hatred, making physical contact with it, I didn’t even bother reacting to their actions; instead, tendrils began to sprout from its surface, trapping its attackers and drawing them into the depths of its darkened body.
“DOUBT, DO SOMETHING!” she pleaded to the shade as she watched her brood being consumed.
The weaselly vapor shrugged. “I wish I could offer a hand, broodmother. But I’d need a set of them myself first.”
How could this green-eyed string of darkness even for a moment consider this to be funny? The first hatchlings she’s had are being devoured and it treats it like it’s no big deal. A low growl followed, as Hatred finally set its sight on Queen of Changelings again. She flew as fast as she could around the cavern to try and avoid her benefactor, but she didn’t get far as it took a deep breath and its icy burst created an impassable wall into which she crashed. She regained her senses soon, but it was too late as the giant hand reached for her and she desperately tried to crawl into the corner of ice and rock and cowered, waiting for the inevitable end…
Nothing happened. She slowly opened one of her eyes and saw the tip of the giant claws lingering only inches away from her. Hate just stood there, unmoving. She took that chance and made a dash for it, then flew away from its location. Only after she made it past its side did she finally notice what was going on: Hate’s massive form was all the way on the side where she was before, but only a single string of dark substance from which its body was comprised was still connected to the magical pool beneath the tree, and it didn’t look like it could go further without severing their connection.
“Now do you understand its predicament?” The weaselly whisper slithered by her side.
She turned her head, regarding Doubt with a bit of a confused expression, while the mass of shadow slowly slinked back into the pool and as it did, it slightly inflated and with a single huff, exhumed all the changelings it has just absorbed out of the body, sending them flying all over the cavern.
Its harrow voice finally spoke again. “Our essence has been liberated and returned to the source, however, we are permanently bound to the vessel of Turmoil’s remains; should we leave its presence, our form would dissipate.”
The broodmother landed on the ground, seeing the members of her swarm reeling from the experience, but no worse for wear, they were all well.
“In other words, Hate can’t leave this place,” Doubt chipped in.
Chrysalis looked at it. “But… you’re just like it, aren't you? So why aren’t you bound to this place as well?”
The weaselly shade simply shook its head. “Too long an explanation that doesn’t matter in the grand scheme. The point is: your guests would've gotten away, one way or another.”
“But… but we have to do something!” she said in a desperate tone. “If those ponies bring the whole world to bear like the last time, then we’re all doomed! Isn’t there a way to “unbound you”?!”
The manifestation came face to face with her, its harrow voice speaking. "There is only one way.”
Queen Chrysalis regarded the manifestation of Hatred, her ears perked to hear what it had to say.
“The remaining three fragmented essences must be gathered and returned to the source. Only then will Turmoil awaken, and finally bring about… the Hour.”
“The Hour?” she asked, confused.
“The Hour when the final twilight falls on the world. Its final end," the weaselly vapor explained. "So, considering the circumstances on who its last ruler will be, you could even call it... The Hour of Twilight.”
Doubt laughed. Chrysalis did not; had the situation not been as dire, she might have actually cracked a smile at the irony, but this really wasn't the right time.
“Well, what are we waiting for? " she urged. "If you know the locations of those essences, tell me so the swarm and I can set out to bring them ba- “
“It’s not that easy, broodmother,” Doubt protested.
The harrow voice continued. “By bringing our essence here and embracing hatred, you have been reborn and empowered to be our agent, our Pillar of Hatred. But were you to try and handle more than just the weight of hate, the consequences would end up being… fatal. Only another Pillar can recover the next essences.”
Chrysalis stood there, perplexed. All this power and she wouldn’t be able to put it to good use.
“But… how are we supposed to find and gather these other pillars then?” she questioned.
Weaselly vapor coiled aground her. “This is where you come in, broodmother. Now that your brood had grown strong enough, it’s time to put it to use. It falls upon your shoulders now; not to just make sure that this place, your new hive, is protected, but also… to gather the means with which to bring forth the other Pillars.”
“Then what needs to be done…?” the Queen of Changelings asked.
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Wonder how the Royal Sisters will react to the fact the magic of friendship got countered pretty much?
In fact I wonder if the Mane 6 and Spike were aware about the spirit of harmony taking the form of Twilight like that?
10749981
You'll see Tia Sunbeam's reaction yet.
10754452
Tia Sunbeam?
10754468
You'll get it eventually. Just hang on to that name. =)
10754483
I am guessing its related to Celestia there.
What about Luna's case?
10754486
That too.
10754561
Ok then.
What are your thoughts on Twilight's Kingdom?
10754577
Was ok.
10754598
The fight between Twilight and Tirek was sure good.
Though didn't like how Luna got screwed for the sake of Twilight "chosen one" Sparkle. Specifically due to that dumb plan Celestia came up with. Said plan is just full of holes there.
Best student sixer in the house!!!
I still say she should just work for Rarity as a gem digger. Rarity has got to be able to afford to pay her employees well by now, considering there will always be a need for gems, and she's already lost her number one digger.
And who knows? Maybe Rarity would feel like doing some custom orders as a special secret bonus for a very useful employee?
I figured as much to be honest.
I imagine he's never been chained up or imprisoned or some such thing.
Okay, that is pretty funny, I'll give him that one.
11274396
Well, I'm pretty sure being unable to interact with the physical world is a sort of prison... unless you're Discord...