Chapter 10: The Questions Three
(The Primordial Hive, the Clockwork Pavilion)
The green floor of the Spire Nexus pulsed and wobbled, and then six bulges grew upwards in the shape of three Ponies, two Changelings, and one Dragon. The viscous goo that surrounded each of them like a bubble evaporated, leaving their coats as clean and dry as before. Then the five visitors flopped to the floor, with Protus glancing down at them with a knowing smirk.
The first thing Thorax felt was the cold draft of air on his exoskeleton, followed by the sensation of having been dunked in a pool of Changeling goo and then pulled back out. It wasn’t anything he hadn’t felt before.
After that, the first thing he heard was Rarity screeching about how disgusting it was. Despite himself, he couldn’t hold back a small laugh.
“Ah swear to sweet Celestia, if’n Ah get thrown halfway across the world one more time outta the blue...” Applejack muttered, picking herself off the ground and giving an involuntary shudder. “Eugh, Ah feel like Ah’ve been slobbered on by Winona an’ then swallowed by Cerberus.”
“Or Fluttershy’s pet bear...” Spike added, hugging himself and shivering.
Rarity gagged and puffed out her cheeks, looking rather green in the face.
Protus chuckled. “Oh, don’t be so dramatic, it’s not that bad. Besides, it’ll only feel like that after the first few trips. After that, you won’t even notice the effect.”
At the mention of several trips, Rarity promptly fainted into Spike’s arms, and Protus rolled his eyes.
Twilight was the only one who didn’t seem the least bit affected by the sensation, and was examining her hooves and wings with a thoughtful expression on her face. “That was...something, alright. Was that Changeling goo we were just in?”
Thorax nodded. “Not the stuff I’m used to, but more or less. It’s called a slipstream canal, a pool of Changeling goo that’s been enchanted with teleportation spells that forms a one-way escape tunnel back to the Hive in case of an emergency. A little like your Warp Gates, I suppose. I think it’s how Chrysalis got you and the other Princesses back to the Hive in a single night, when it would’ve taken weeks on hoof or one week by wing, and from the looks of it, these Changelings have figured out how to make it a point-to-point system, and two-way.”
“You use that stuff for a lot of things, don’t you?” Twilight remarked, looking behind them and seeing the triple helix again. This time the helix was surrounded by four black marble statues of Equine Changelings.
“If you’d like to know more, I’d suggest you--” Protus began.
“Ask the Emperor, or the scientists, or the bio-engineers, or the thaumaturgists, or the mages, or whoever it is who makes everything in this place run the way it does, I know,” Twilight sighed. “This is so not fair.”
Protus shrugged. “You certainly have me figured out, Your Highness.” He motioned with a hoof to the exit. “This way, please.”
“Spike, ya good there?” Applejack asked, looking down at the little Dragon as he hoisted Rarity’s forelegs over his shoulders and began to drag her along.
“Yeah, I’m good,” Spike grunted. He looked up at her as he passed her by. “Not. A. Word.”
Applejack raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
Protus led the visitors out of the Nexus and onto yet another platform, overlooking what they could only assume to be the Clockwork Pavilion. Unlike the previous level, this level had no lakes, nor mushrooms, nor even any Changeling pods hanging overhead. Instead, the beauty in the Clockwork Pavilion was made evident by the architectural marvel surrounding them.
Towers. Towers as far as the eye could see within the cavern, many of them topped with green crystals encased in webs of black resin. Mechanical bridges, massive gears, escalators, and corkscrew stairways connected each of the towers together in a winding maze of machinery and precisely-calibrated magic, making the entire cavern look like some enormous clockwork device instead of a Changeling Hive.
Yet, despite all the machinery and moving parts, barely a hint of metal scraping against metal could be heard. The Changelings that traversed the bridges weren’t even bothered by the sights and sounds around them, and a short-range scan from Thorax confirmed what he had suspected: the entire cavern was under a powerful but simple sound-proofing spell, with the source of which was linked directly to the Nexus itself, allowing for nigh limitless spell energy and longevity.
As for the Changelings themselves, they were nothing like any of the visitors expected. There were no plain clothes, nor gruff-looking engineers, nor even any workers at all. Instead, every Changeling they saw had regal, almost noble bearing, wearing only the finest clothing that money could buy. There were few Ants, Scorpions, or Scarabs about, but there were Mantises, Moths, and Hornets aplenty.
Twilight’s jaw dropped, and her wings fell limp to the ground as she beheld the sight, the inner gears of her mind ticking away even as she watched their larger brethren move three bridges into position to allow several Mantis Changelings in fine dresses and suits step across from one tower into another. Incoherent squeaks emerged from her mouth, and she raised a hoof to point, only to let it fall a moment later.
Thorax, Spike, and Applejack were likewise astonished as they stared at the mechanical city, feeling overwhelmed and suddenly very small. Rarity remained unconscious, even as Spike prodded her to wake her.
If Protus was proud before, now he was doubly so. He didn’t even say a word as he passed them by, but merely smiled and inhaled.
“How is...I don’t even...” Twilight sputtered.
“Aw heck, we’re very far away from home, ain’t we?” Applejack drawled, her eyes wide.
“This is unfortunately as far as I can take you,” Protus said, turning to them. “As much as I enjoy seeing this place, I don’t have the clearance necessary to take you any further. I’ve already sent for a Tribune or two over the Hivemind to take you the rest of the way to the Citadel.”
Twilight’s eyes flickered over to him, the towers momentarily forgotten. “That’s a shame. Will we be seeing you again?”
“Unless I’m promoted up a few ranks within the next few days, I doubt it,” Protus replied with a frown. “I’m just a gate guard after all, and the Clockwork Pavilion is the nobility’s sanctuary. There’s still a hierarchy to follow.”
Thorax bowed his head. “You’ve already been a huge help to us, Protus. Thank you.”
Protus bowed at the waist at the compliment, just as two large male Hornet Changelings flew towards the group, wearing scarlet red plate armor and wielding large halberds in their hooves. They stared at the visitors without saying a word, although one did raise an eyebrow at Rarity. Protus hailed them from below and waved them down, before turning back to the Ponies.
“It has been an honor, Your Majesty,” he said as the two Tribunes landed. “I wish you all the best of luck from here on, and, perhaps someday, we can indeed meet again.”
Twilight’s eyes sparkled as she smiled. “That would be lovely. Goodbye, Protus.”
Protus saluted with a hoof and retreated back into the Nexus, casting one last glance over his shoulder at the group before disappearing behind a corner.
Twilight, Thorax, Applejack, and Spike turned their attention to the two Tribunes now standing before them, sizing them up. Both were taller than Protus, although not by a lot, and both were stern-faced and carried an air of imperious authority about them, making Thorax flinch. His reaction was not unnoticed, and one of the Tribunes let out a huff.
Rarity, by this time, had finally recovered from her impromptu nap (thanks in part to Spike’s continuous prodding), and was now staring at the Tribunes in curiosity. Only one of them returned her glance, but quickly looked away again when his companion nudged him.
Twilight, not wanting to seem impolite or unfriendly, stepped forward with a smile and offered a hoof. “Hello! I’m Princess Twilight, and these are--”
“King Thorax, I presume?” one of the Tribunes asked in a gravelly voice, interrupting her.
Twilight closed her mouth and let her hoof drop back to the floor.
Thorax blinked and took a step forward. “Y-Yes, that’s me.”
“I am Tribune Lurk, this is Tribune Gunnar,” the Hornet said, pointing to himself and his companion. “We were sent to escort you and your...” He glanced at the Ponies and sneered. “...friends to the Citadel, as well as to be your guides, by order of the Emperor, long may he reign.”
“Long may he reign,” the second Tribune echoed, his voice higher and more lilting than Lurk’s.
Thorax nodded. “Very well, um, lead the way.”
“Stay close, and don’t stray from our path,” Lurk said, already launching up into the air. “Not everyone in the Clockwork Pavilion is as happy to see outsiders as the Emperor is.” Gunnar joined Lurk in the air, and both proceeded to fly away.
“Wait!” Twilight called after them. “Some of us don’t have wings!”
Lurk slowed down and muttered an obscenity under his breath, before both he and Gunnar turned around and flew back. Each of them held out a hoof to Applejack and Rarity. “Grab on,” said Gunnar to Rarity, who looked up at him with wide eyes.
“Is there no other way?” Rarity pleaded.
Gunnar rolled his eyes and sighed. “Ponies...” he muttered. “No, miss, there isn’t any other way to the Citadel.”
Applejack, who had already gone airborne thanks to Lurk, called down to Rarity, “It’s alright Rares, they’re gruff and no-nonsense, but they ain’t gonna hurt ya.”
Rarity gulped and nodded, taking Gunnar’s hoof with one of her own. “I hate flying...” she murmured, even as bad memories returned. “Too many falls and near misses.”
“I won’t let you fall, miss,” Gunnar replied. Despite his stern countenance, Rarity could hear the sincerity in his promise, and it put her at ease even as she was lifted off the ground with as much effort as lifting a pebble with magic.
Spike clambered onto Twilight’s back, and she spread her wings and launched into the air, taking her place next to Thorax and the Tribunes. Once she and Spike were in the air, Lurk and Gunnar once again flew off from the Nexus, leading them through the maze of bridges, towers, and machinery. Up and down they flew, left and right, sometimes even in spirals. Along the way they passed over several groups of Changeling nobles, all of them glancing up in mild interest at the newcomers. Some sent looks at both Thorax and Twilight in amazement and wonder, while others simply shrugged and returned to their conversations or their work.
It was a dizzying experience for the Ponies, and Applejack wondered how anyone could even find their way in such a place. As if sensing her thoughts, Lurk smirked and swooped down under a particularly large, spinning gear, causing Applejack to clutch at his hoof harder and tense up. His smirk grew wider as he dipped below the gear and shot up the other end from underneath, carrying her up and over a large arching bridge between two towers.
“Whoa-ho-hoooo Nelly!” Applejack exclaimed as they passed over it, glaring up at Lurk. “Watch where you’re goin’, ya nearly sent me flyin’ into the...the...” The words died on her lips as she saw what lay before her. “Aw heck, that’s big.”
Gunnar and Rarity sided up next to them, followed shortly by Twilight, Spike, and Thorax, and all of them sent their gazes ahead of them. Now it was time for Thorax’s jaw to drop.
Just ahead of them was an enormous fortress, cut into the stone walls of the Spire. Ramparts as high as Twilight’s castle rose up to meet them, topped with battlements and rounded, domed watch towers. Changelings of all tribes patrolled the walls, some wearing the same scarlet plate armor as Lurk and Gunnar, others wearing different colors, and all of them heavily armed. Ballistae and cannons lay on horseshoe towers along the curtain walls, while barracks and other buildings stood within.
Looking down, the group could see that a large moat had been constructed around the Citadel walls, dry but steep. A long, wide bridge spanned the gap, its columns reaching down and disappearing in the darkness below. It led to an enormous gatehouse, protected by three portcullises and a doorway made from ornate iron and reinforced chitin.
Beyond the gate lay a second wall, taller and steeper than the first, and topped with the same defenses. Finally, past the second wall was a great half-dome of black marble and stone, built into the wall of the Spire itself. Seven larger, thicker towers spiralled up from its borders, each topped with the same green crystals the city had, only these had no webbing around them.
This wasn’t like the Crystal Palace, nor was it a mere castle like Canterlot. This was a fortress, meticulously engineered and designed to slay whoever approached it with hostility, or bring hope to those who needed it.
“How many more impressive things are we gonna see today?” Spike remarked.
“Just one: the Emperor himself,” Lurk replied, already moving towards the Citadel. “Don’t linger now, the Emperor has been kept waiting long enough.”
With that, the group once more recovered from their stupor and followed the Hornets into the fortress. Interestingly enough, they didn’t fly over the walls like Twilight had expected. Rather, they flew down to the gates and landed there, letting an inspection team approach them from behind the portcullises.
“Name, rank, service number,” one of the Hornet drones behind the gate mumbled, clearly disinterested in the whole affair. Thorax guessed that she had said it many, many times in her career, with no end in sight.
Gunnar stood at attention. “Gunnar, Tribune lieutenant, K59432871.”
“Lurk, Tribune major, J23727555,” Lurk recited soon after.
The gate guard nodded and looked up from her clipboard. “Good, and your orders?”
“We’re here to escort King Thorax of the Equine Tribe to His Majesty post-haste,” Lurk replied. “As well as his companions from Equestria: Princess Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rarity, and Spike, of the town of Ponyville.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. She hadn’t told either of them their names except for her own. Then again, information such as that was easy to come by, and they were in a Changeling Hive.
The Hornet drone leaned to the side and looked past Lurk, staring at Twilight and her friends even as she and Spike waved back at her. The drone hummed to herself and then looked back at Lurk, her eyes narrowed. Lurk returned her stare with a hardened gaze, and the drone nodded again. Raising a hoof, she waved to her companions, and soon the gate was raised.
“Welcome to the Citadel, Your Majesty, Your Highness,” the drone said to Thorax and Twilight as they passed her. “Do not leave our line of sight, and do not stray from the path the Tribunes will guide you on. To do so without express permission will go poorly for you.”
Just as Rarity passed under the gate after Applejack, the portcullis lowered once more, sealing the group inside. Twilight nodded and smiled at the drone. “We don’t intend to, ma’am, but thank you for the warning anyway. I hope the rest of your day goes well. Don’t worry, your shift won’t last forever.”
The drone let out a snort of mild amusement before she and her team returned to their posts. Still, just before Twilight turned away, she could’ve sworn that the drone glanced back with a curious gaze and the slightest hint of a grateful smile before she vanished behind a corner.
Twilight giggled to herself. These Changelings, for as stern and gruff as they looked, were still people like herself and her friends underneath it all. There was definitely hope for a great friendship between nations here.
(The Spire Citadel, hallway outside of the throne room)
“No.”
“Come on, just one story!”
“No.”
“Awww, be a friend?”
“No.”
“Oh, you’re mean.”
“Leave the Tribune alone, Spike,” Twilight chided, pulling the young drake back with a bit of magic.
“Thank you, Your Highness,” Lurk said with a sigh.
“He’s right though, you’re mean,” she added with a giggle. Lurk grinned, flashing his fangs at Spike.
Thorax sighed, and leaned deeper into his chair. After being led into the Citadel, they had been escorted to the hallway they were currently occupying just outside the throne room, and there they had been waiting. They had been like this for half an hour already, and still the Emperor hadn’t sent word for them to enter.
While Spike and Twilight entertained themselves with the Tribunes, Rarity had opened up her saddlebags and had started to knit...something. He had yet to figure out what it was, but judging by the length, it was probably some kind of scarf. Applejack, meanwhile, studied the architecture around her with a sweeping gaze. Just like the outside, it was an impressive sight, full of meticulous, hidden details and sturdy construction. She would occasionally trot over to one of the walls, pillars, and arches and knock her hooves against the stone before pressing her ear to it, listening to the vibrations it would make. Afterwards, she would nod in approval and walk away, before taking interest in another part of the hallway.
It was almost ironic, in a way. Throughout their entire trip through the Hive, they had been told they couldn’t linger or shouldn’t keep the Emperor waiting, and now they were the ones waiting to enter. The guards back at the Badlands had an expression for that: “hurry up and wait”.
Thorax chuckled at the thought, just as the enormous door near them creaked open and a third Tribune, a Moth, stepped out, clearing her throat. “His Royal Majesty, Emperor Tarsus of the Hornets, Servant of the Maker, Blessed of the Primordial, Defender of the Elders, and Ruler of Changelingkind, is ready to host King Thorax, Princess Twilight Sparkle, and their assorted company.”
Rarity paused in her knitting and quickly stuffed the scarf into her saddlebags, a large grin forming on her face as she looked herself over to make sure she was presentable. Applejack rolled her eyes and simply dusted off her stetson and took her place next to Twilight and Spike.
Thorax and Twilight nodded towards the Tribune, who quickly excused herself. Gunnar and Lurk bowed to Thorax and each swept a hoof towards the doors to the throne room, allowing them entry.
As the five visitors to the Spire entered the throne room, the doors closed behind them, blanketing them in darkness so thick that it made it impossible for them to even see two feet ahead of them. All five of them froze on the spot, unsure of how to continue, before seven cones of light flashed into existence, illuminating seven round recesses in the floor in a semicircle. The darkness around them, however, remained prevalent. In fact, it only seemed to increase in density.
And then they heard the sharp, raspy breathing all around them. Twilight felt a tightening in her chest, and she looked around in worry.
Without warning, a deep voice spoke from the shadows, echoing in both their ears and their minds. “A Queen falls in the east, rumors of Dragons and mysterious cities reach our borders, and the new King of the Badlands Hive is the first of his tribe to return to the Spire in over two millennia. Truly, times are changing quickly, and our futures are no longer as certain as they once were.” A hoof emerged from the darkness, followed by another, and soon a tall Hornet was standing in the middle recess, with three others on either side of him. An eighth circle lit up in the center of the semicircle. “Come into the light, King Thorax, and let us see he who claims to lead our lost brothers and sisters.”
Thorax looked down at Twilight, who nodded and nudged her head towards the Emperor. With a gulp, Thorax took a timid step forward, and then another, and continued until he was standing in the middle light, his colorful carapace glimmering like an array of stars for all to see.
The Emperor nodded once. “Well met, King Thorax. Know that on this day, you are the first Equine to bear witness to the Council of Seven in two thousand years. Behold!”
Before anyone could even blink, five figures emerged from the shadows, each stepping into one of the other recesses: a Moth King, a Scorpion King, a Mantis Queen, a Scarab Queen, and an Ant Queen. The seventh recess, at the far left end, remained empty. All of them bore stern countenances, and Thorax could sense none of their emotions. Their dark robes, each one a different color, seemed to shimmer in the light: gold for Tarsus, black for the Mantis, silver for the Ant, cyan for the Scarab, violet for the Moth, and dark green for the Scorpion.
Thorax, not missing a beat, bent his forelegs back and bowed to the Emperor in reverence, closing his eyes and not saying a word.
“Get up, King Thorax,” Tarsus commanded in a stern voice. “As I said before, a King bows to no one, not even to the Emperor. In this room, we are all equals.”
Feeling sheepish, Thorax stood back up and straightened his back. His eyes glanced to the left and right, seeing the expressions of the other Kings and Queens. None of them said a word, or even seemed to acknowledge his error. Instead, they seemed to be in deep contemplation.
“Allow me to introduce you to the rest of the Council. To my right, Queen Reaver of the Mantis Tribe, Queen Alexa of the Ant Tribe, and Queen Titania of the Scarab Tribe. To my left, King Cocoon of the Moth Tribe, and King Venom of the Scorpion Tribe. Together, we make up the Council of Seven.” Tarsus leaned forward. “And you, young King, have a lot to answer for before you may become our seventh member.”
“The testing can now commence,” said King Cocoon.
“The trial has begun,” add Queen Reaver.
“Testing?” Thorax asked, looking at the other Kings and Queens in confusion. “T-Trial?”
“Your trial, young one,” Tarsus supplied, leaning back once more. “King Thorax, for the crimes of treason against your Hive, of wilful rebellion against your rightful Queen, of giving confidential information to outsiders, and bringing said outsiders into the Hive, the Council of Seven has brought you here before us to explain your actions and to answer for the crimes of your predecessor and her ilk. How do you plead?”
Thorax’s mind reeled, and he nearly stumbled back. “P-Plead?” he whispered. “Not guilty, of course! I would never betray my Hive!”
“But you did, young ‘King’,” King Venom spat, a snarl forming on his face. “Did you not willingly disobey your Queen’s orders? Did she not banish you from the Hive? Did you not give up your Hive’s secrets to the Ponies of Equestria in exchange for sanctuary and reprieve?”
“No, no that’s not what happened!” Thorax cried out. “I...I was banished, yes, but I didn’t betray my Hive! All I wanted was some friends, and the Ponies--”
“Ah yes, friends,” Queen Titania rumbled, crossing two large claws over her chest. “You spoke very highly of them with your words at the gate. Even more than that of your own kind.”
Tarsus raised a hoof and pointed it at Thorax. “Now you see, young King, that your decisions have consequences, as did Chrysalis’s decisions, disgraced though she was. She has much to answer for, but until we have caught her, as leader of your Hive, you must take her place.” He lowered his hoof. “The punishment of rebellion and treason, if agreed upon via complete consensus, is death.”
Thorax trembled like a leaf in the light, feeling more alone than he had ever felt before. Not even when he stood alone in that farmhouse in the Crystal Empire with the weight of that crystal monster’s thoughts bearing down upon his mind. His mind screamed at him to answer them, to deny the accusations, to do anything but shake like some scared filly, but the words failed on his lips, and his gaze fell to the floor. It was true. All of it, as much as he hated to admit it to himself, was true.
As if sensing his distress (not that it was hard to do), Tarsus relaxed his posture slightly and said, “We are not without mercy, young King. If we were, you wouldn’t be standing here right now. This is why you have been granted a trial, where you will undergo extensive testing to see just how ‘changed’ you truly are, and if the Equines are indeed ready to once more be among us. Chrysalis’s spawn have been cursed and defiled by her crimes, but it is our hope, fleeting at best, that you may yet be the cure they need, and the key to our race’s future.”
“These coming days will not be easy for you, King Thorax,” said Queen Alexa, her voice shrill yet oddly soothing. “But rest assured, we will be fair in our assessments, and will endeavor to ensure that your Hive will not suffer, no matter what the outcome is.”
“Th-thank you...” Thorax whispered.
Tarsus nodded. “Take heart, young King, and do not despair. Today, you shall rest. Tomorrow, you will begin your journey to prove yourself.” He looked up past Thorax into the darkness beyond. “And now onto other matters...Princess Twilight Sparkle of Ponyville, Ladies Rarity and Applejack, and young Dragon Spike, please step forward.”
At first there was silence, and then the subtle clopping of hooves against stone could be heard as the three Ponies and Dragon stepped up to Thorax’s side. Spike put a claw on Thorax’s side while Twilight draped a wing over him. Rarity looked rather put-off by the whole affair, while Applejack hid her emotions almost as well as the Kings and Queens around her.
“We must admit, we did not expect this turn of events when the Emperor sent for King Thorax,” Reaver began. “Outsiders in the Primordial Hive...not since the Elder Days have we seen such a thing.”
“Yes indeed,” Tarsus agreed, gazing down at Twilight. “Thorax spoke quite highly of all of you, and would not be parted with you. I must confess, it has me curious that such a friendship could even exist. Changelings and Ponies have not had many good encounters with one another, thanks to Chrysalis and her meddling.”
“Thorax is different, Your Majesty,” Twilight replied, gazing back at Tarsus with a determined look. “When other Changelings wanted power and all the love in the world, Thorax only wanted to know what it was like to have a friend, to have someone else who cared about him.”
“Yeah, he even went out of his way to not upset anypony he came across,” Spike added with a smirk. “Heh, he was almost scared of little ol’ me when he first met me.” Thorax let out a huff but bumped a hoof with Spike’s outstretched fist anyway.
Venom nodded. “So you say. But what of you? Why did you come here?”
“Aw shucks, we were invited to come by Thorax, is all,” Applejack replied, taking off her stetson and bowing her head. “That was enough for us. We’re his friends, an’ friends stick together through thick an’ thin.”
Venom huffed. “Yet another mistake by King Thorax. Outsiders are frowned upon here, and you being here is not only a massive security breach, but also a dangerous precedent for our future.”
“So we’ve heard,” Twilight conceded. “But rest assured, on my honor as a Princess of Equestria, and my word as a friend, that Equestria does not mean any of you harm. We come in peace.”
“We’ve heard that before...” Titania whispered, meeting Twilight’s gaze. “Thorax was foolish in bringing you here.” Thorax wilted at her look.
“Leave him alone!” Spike growled.
“Yes, the poor dear has had enough of your berating and insults!” Rarity concurred, stamping a hoof on the floor. “How could he have known your laws when he didn’t even know you existed until a few days ago?”
Reaver barked out a laugh. “Not know? How could he not know about the Emperor, or the Primordial Hive? It is ingrained into every tribe’s genetic code. It’s instinctive.”
“I, too, find it hard to believe that the Equines have forgotten us,” Venom scoffed, and he crossed his claws over his chest.
Cocoon, meanwhile, cocked his head to the side and looked curiously at Thorax. “Is this true, young King?”
Thorax lifted his eyes to the Moth King. “Y-yes, it is. Chrysalis never told any of us about any of you. We thought we were the only ones of our race in existence, and she never corrected that belief. It wasn’t until those messengers arrived that we learned there were more of us.”
A sharp intake of breath brought everyone’s attention to Tarsus, who had an ashen look on his face. Thorax’s antlers started to itch once more, and he felt slight pressure on his mind. Recognizing that it was the Emperor, Thorax lowered his mind’s barriers and let Tarsus inside. Tarsus closed his eyes and sighed, using his connection to the Hivemind to search Thorax’s mind for any falsehoods. When he could find none, he frowned. “You...you’re not lying, aren’t you?” he whispered. At Thorax’s slow nod, Tarsus’s eyes opened, wide with horror. “She...that witch! It wasn’t enough that she had to defile the Equine Tribe itself with her treason, she delved into your minds and altered them all at birth. I can find no trace of any genetic memory of the Primordial Hive, save for the most bare-bones of instincts!”
Alexa held up a hoof to her chest, looking disturbed by this revelation. “She tried to erase us...”
Twilight looked around the Council, noting the various expressions of outrage and horror on the Kings and Queens. Only Titania seemed to take it in stride, but even then, Twilight could see a hint of anger hidden deep within her eyes. She looked back to Tarsus and raised a hoof. “Does this mean Thorax is off the hook?”
“Maker forbid!” Venom spat, still upset over Tarsus’s announcement. “This just makes Chrysalis’s crimes even more alarming, and the tests even more urgent. We need to know the extent of the damage to the Equine Tribe, and we must determine if they can still attain their True Potentials, or else they will never regain their rightful place among us.”
Thorax’s ears perked up, and he glanced at Venom. “True Potentials?” he wondered aloud.
“Enough,” Tarsus spoke, bringing everyone to silence. “This is troubling news, and the Council must discuss our next course of action in private. What’s done is done, and right now, there are more pressing matters to attend to.” He pointed at Twilight and her friends with a wing. “Princess Twilight, as much as you being here presents a difficult situation for us, we also cannot ignore the opportunities you bring. As such, as Emperor, I am granting you and your friends political immunity and sanctuary while you remain within the Citadel. You are free to roam wherever you wish throughout the Citadel while supervised by my Tribunes, barring sensitive locations or places of secrecy. Our finest accommodations will be provided, as well as our finest food and drink. If you seek cultural knowledge, our library is open for you, as are the sorcerers and artificers. Use them as you see fit.”
Twilight’s eyes lit up at the mention of the library, and she bowed her head out of respect. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Tarsus waved a hoof towards them. “You’re welcome. Now, please leave us. The Council will speak amongst ourselves for a while. Tribunes Lurk and Gunnar will escort you to your rooms.”
Having been dismissed, the visitors bowed once more and excused themselves from the Council, following Lurk and Gunnar out of the throne room and into the hallway beyond. As the doors closed behind them, Venom dropped his stern and imperious mask and sent a worried glance towards his Emperor. “This...this changes things, Tarsus,” he warned.
“It changes nothing,” Titania argued. “It’s just as you said, it only makes Chrysalis’s crimes even worse.”
“But the fact that we can so easily be modified and mutated...” Alexa murmured. “And Thorax’s appearance...if he’s been saved from Chrysalis’s corruption, why then does he not look like us? Has he reached his True Potential?”
“None in the Primordial Hive have, Alexa,” Tarsus answered, looking weary. “And if he has never asked himself the Questions Three, it is not possible for him to do so either. We have been asking ourselves since they were spoken to us, and only the Mother of All has ever answered them.” He sighed, and closed his eyes. “I do not know why he looks the way he does, but I have a feeling we shall find out soon enough. For now, let’s focus on what must be done in the coming days.”
(The Spire Citadel, guest quarters)
Cozy, warm, and spacious.
If Twilight had to pick three words that described their quarters they had been assigned, it would be those. The rooms were not opulent and lavish like the ones in Canterlot, nor were they intricately and meticulously designed like the ones in the Crystal Palace, but they held their own charms and benefits that set them apart from the rest.
A fireplace, already stocked with a pile of wood, coals, and tinder, lay flush against one of the walls, a set of orante couches and luscious cushions resting near it, with a coffee table between them. The walls were decorated with paintings both abstract and classic, and glass doors with scarlet red drapes at the back of the room led out onto a balcony overlooking the Citadel and the city beyond. Several short bookshelves lined the walls in-between the paintings, topped with potted plants and candles. Finally, on the left wall, three doors led to separate bedrooms, more than enough for all five of them.
Rarity hummed a cheery tune and sat down on one of the couches, patting the cushion next to her. “Well, I’ll say this about these Changelings, they know how to make a lady feel welcome.”
“Certainly better than anything we have back at the Hive,” Thorax agreed, looking up at one of the paintings showing a Scarab Changeling exploring a forest alongside her Mantis friend.
Applejack sat down in front of the fireplace and picked up a poker and a nearby box of matches. “Ah’ll get a fire started, y’all, if’n ya don’t mind,” she said.
“Go right ahead,” Twilight replied, sitting down next to Rarity. “Well, I must say, today’s been...interesting.”
“To say the least,” Thorax sighed, taking a seat on a reading chair.
“Hey,” Spike asked, walking over to him. “You okay, Thor?”
Thorax shrugged. “I dunno...I guess? I’m not really sure how I feel about all this.”
“Ah’ll tell ya what Ah think,” Applejack said, lighting a match and throwing it into the fireplace. “Them Council ‘lings are an ornery bunch, rippin’ into ya like that.”
Twilight shook her head. “I don’t think they are. They seemed more concerned and cautious to me, and...whether we like it or not, they made some good points.”
“Like what?” Applejack asked, blowing on the flame a few times until the fire grew.
“Well, I technically did betray the Hive, if you go by the lawful definition of the word ‘betray’,” Thorax replied with a frown. “And I did disobey my Queen at the time. It goes against Changeling nature to disobey the leader of the Hive, as it’s not the natural order of things.”
“Natural order,” Rarity snorted. “My flank! That Chrysalis deserved everything she got. You shouldn’t feel bad about what happened.”
“I don’t,” Thorax said, looking at her. “And if I had the choice, I’d do it again if it meant that the Hive would be safer and happier than it was back then. But therein is the second point they have: my decisions have consequences, and it’s time I took responsibility for them.”
Twilight nodded. “And we’ll be by your side every step of the way, Thorax. You’re never alone.” Spike and Rarity smiled in agreement.
Thorax smiled back and dipped his head towards them. “Thanks, everyone.”
Applejack stood up. “Well, enough of that, what did y’all think of the Hive?”
“I thought it was cool!” Spike exclaimed, giving a thumbs-up. “Never thought I’d ever see a city made up of gears and machinery.”
“Ah was more interested in that first level with all the farms, mahself,” said Applejack.
Rarity’s eye slit up in remembrance. “The fashion these Changelings have...it’s been on my mind since we got here!”
“Naturally,” Twilight snarked with a smirk. “Personally, I thought the entire tour was perfect. I’d love to see the other levels, but what we did see had my mind spinning. Still does, in fact. I want to find that library as soon as I can.”
“It was humbling,” Thorax whispered, leaning back into his chair. “To think that we’re not the only Changelings out there, that our race has an empire, that there’s so much we don’t even know about ourselves.” He frowned again and looked down. “Chrysalis hid so much from us. I wonder what else she did to modify us so that we’d forget? What part of ourselves are we still missing? Where would we be had she not done what she did?”
“Thorax,” Twilight spoke, getting out of her seat and trotting up to him. “I can’t say what things would’ve been like, or speculate on what-ifs, but I can promise you this: we’ll figure this out. Chrysalis will face justice for her crimes, whatever they are, and she will answer for what she did to you and the rest of the Equine Tribe.”
“I know, I know, it’s just frustrating...” he replied, rubbing his head.
As silence crept upon them, Spike looked between Twilight and Thorax and snapped his fingers, getting their attention. “Hey, I’ve got an idea that’ll clear everyone’s heads,” he said. “Let’s go exploring. There’s gotta be some cool nooks and crannies to find around here.”
“Ah ain’t no Rainbow Dash, but that sounds like a plan to me,” Applejack grinned. “Ah’ve been meanin’ to see what kinda food these Changelings make anyway.”
Thorax chuckled as he stood up from his chair. “That’ll be a sight to see.”
The farm mare raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“Oh, nothing.”
“Rarity, you coming?” Twilight asked as Thorax, Spike, and Applejack headed for the door.
“Oh, no, you all go on ahead,” Rarity replied, leaning back in the couch and summoning her knitting supplies. “Somepony needs to mind the fire, after all, and I need to process what we’ve learned so far. Enjoy yourselves!”
Twilight nodded and joined the others at the door, closing it behind her. Lurk and Gunnar stood guard on either side of the door, and both stood at attention when Thorax and Twilight appeared next to them.
“Your Majesty, Your Highness, is there something you need?” Lurk asked.
“We were thinking of exploring the Citadel,” Twilight replied.
“Where to?” Gunnar inquired, relaxing at Thorax’s silent behest.
“Oh, anywhere, we’re just taking a look around,” Thorax answered, giving them both a small smile.
“Well, not me, ‘least not yet,” Applejack added. “Ah wanna go to the kitchen to fix a snack or two.”
Lurk nodded. “Very well. Gunnar, escort Miss Applejack to the galley, I’ll take care of things here.”
Gunnar nodded, and led Applejack down the hallway and to the left. Lurk turned to the others. “Is Miss Rarity not joining you?”
Spike shook his head. “She’s staying behind.”
“Hmm, in that case I won’t be able to take you, since I have to watch over her. However...” Lurk closed his eyes and was silent for a moment. Then he nodded and reopened them, peering at Twilight. “I just sent a message over the Hivemind. Two more Tribunes are on their way. They’ll escort you through the Citadel.”
“Thank you, Lurk,” Twilight said, smiling brightly at him.
Lurk bowed his head to her. “Just doing my duty, Your Highness.”
Moments later, two Scarab Tribunes, one male and one female, entered the corridor, their armored claws clicking against the floor. Unlike the other Tribunes they had seen thus far, these two wore heavy, polished, cyan plate armor over their glossy black bodies, and they had no weapons at their sides. It seemed logical, given the massive horns and powerful pincers they both had on their heads.
Both Tribunes bowed their large heads towards Thorax and Twilight (although Twilight could tell they weren’t happy to see her or Spike), and then saluted Lurk. “Tribunes Crinkle and Torque, awaiting orders, sir,” the female reported.
Lurk saluted back. “King Thorax, Princess Twilight, and her assistant Spike want to explore the Citadel. Please take them wherever they want, provided it’s within the boundaries outlined by the Emperor. Give them any information they require, within reason.”
The female, Crinkle, scowled at Twilight. “As you wish, sir.”
Twilight met her frown with a beaming smile.
(The Spire Citadel, inner courtyards)
The two Tribunes led their charges down several corridors and out into the pristine inner courtyards of the Citadel, where a plethora of Changeling guards and staff roamed. Most of the guards and Tribunes remained professional and polite, regarding the two royals with a bow of their heads or a salute before moving on, while the Citadel staff looked on at them with awe (and some with wariness).
Thorax didn’t really pay them as much heed as he did before. Now that he was among them, they reminded him so much of his own Hive, giving him a sense of familiarity. At least, as familiar as it could be, being the only Equine amid many other tribes. Still, the sheer amount of love saturating the air around him, and the chittering and chattering of Changeling voices made him feel more at ease.
Of course, the voices of the Changelings failed to drown out Twilight’s, nor her incessant thirst for knowledge. Thorax smiled and leaned in closer, intending to listen in as Twilight gazed up at Torque, the male Scarab Tribune, with eagerness in her eyes.
“You know, I’ve never really had the chance to talk to a Scarab Changeling before. What color is your shapeshifting flame? Can you transform into larger objects than the others, and, conversely, are you still able to transform into smaller objects, or is there a problem in regards to bodily density?”
Torque let out a rumbling growl. “Are you calling me fat?”
“What?” Twilight choked, spreading her wings out in dismay. “Oh, nononono, not at all! I’m sorry, I’m just trying to figure out if different Changeling tribes have limits compared to others.”
“No differences in mimicking,” Torque muttered, moving his large bulk ahead of the Alicorn. “Only base form.”
“Yes, some of the tribes have wings, others don’t, like the Scorpions,” Twilight remarked. “Your race is incredible! We Ponies have a lot of sub-species of our own, like the Thestrals, Crystal Ponies, or the extinct Thracians and Flutterponies, but those are minor genetic differences, such as fangs or butterfly wings. Not even we have this much genetic and racial diversity!”
“And this is why she needs to get to that library of yours ASAP,” Spike said from atop her back with an impish grin.
“Oh, go burn a letter, or something,” Twilight retorted, sticking her tongue out at him.
“He’s right though, we could just go to the library if you’re just after knowledge,” Crinkle said, speaking for the first time since they had left Lurk at the guest chambers.
“I mean, I wouldn’t mind,” Twilight admittedly sheepishly. “Do you mind if you show us the way?”
“Actually Twilight,” Thorax spoke up, looking around. “I kinda just want to take a walk, clear my head, that sort of thing. Do you mind if I catch up later?”
“Of course not, take all the time you need,” Twilight replied with a nod.
Thorax turned around and began walking along the northern edge of the courtyard, with Crinkle reluctantly following close behind, leaving Twilight, Spike, and Torque alone in the crowd. Torque cleared his throat and pointed to the western side. “That way leads to the library,” he rumbled.
“Then by all means, please take us there,” Twilight cheered, fluttering into place next to him. “And along the way, I’d love to it if you can tell me what duties Scarabs have in the Primodrial Hive?”
Torque groaned and hung his head. Crinkle, kill me.
Later.
(The Spire Citadel, gardens)
In stark contrast to the courtyard, the gardens that Thorax found himself wandering into were far less noisy, and also far less occupied. Only a few Changlings buzzed about, most of them Hornets. In yet another contrast, these Changelings paid him little heed, as all of them were preoccupied with either exploring the gardens, tending to the plants, or, in the case of a small group that had caught Thorax’s attention, sitting down near a tall, unfamiliar statue and looking up at it with longing in their eyes.
Curiosity overtook him, and he soon joined the drones at the statue in viewing the statue. It was old, far older than anything he had seen in the Primordial Hive thus far, and expertly crafted from a single giant piece of white marble. It depicted a strange, female-proportioned creature standing tall and graceful on two cloven hooves, leading to a robed torso with arms and two five-fingered hands. The head bore some similarities to a goat with its short, curved horns; large ears; and furry hair, and yet the face itself was not unlike that of the Ponies, with large, expressive eyes and a bright smile. It stood with its arms outstretched, palms open to the sky in a humble offering.
And yet, despite its smile and well-maintained look, Thorax felt oddly sad looking at it. It was alone in the garden, with nothing like it throughout the Citadel. For some reason though, these Changelings held it in such high regard and reverence, almost as much as they did the Emperor. He looked up again at the statue and frowned, stepping towards it. Crinkle watched him curiously, not saying a word.
Finally, Thorax was close enough, and he reached out with a hesitant hoof and touched the statue at its base, letting it slide across. Words appeared in ghostly runic lettering under his hoof, and he pulled away, letting them shine before him.
“Chun ár gcéad chairde, na Fauns: caillte go deo, grá go deo. Mairfidh a n-oidhreacht ionainn go léir, agus muid ag cur Ceisteanna a Trí orainn féin,” he whispered, reading the words.
“’To our first friends, the Fauns: forever lost, forever loved. Their legacy will live on in all of us, as we ask ourselves the Questions Three’,” Crinkle translated, slowly stepping towards him. Her voice was oddly gentle and quiet, a sharp change from her previous tone.
“It’s a memorial,” Thorax said quietly, looking up once more at the statue’s face.
“The only one remaining,” the Tribune replied, bowing her head towards the statue. “It’s all we have left of the Fauns, aside from scattered texts and ancient transcripts.”
“The Fauns?”
“You don’t know?” Crinkle asked, incredulity creeping into her voice. “How could you not know about the Fauns and their part in our history?”
Thorax looked down guiltily. “It’s...complicated.”
Crinkle sighed and nodded, knowing not to press the issue. “The Fauns were an ancient race, probably the oldest the world, if I had to guess,” she said. “They’re all gone now, and the world is a darker place without them.”
Thorax didn’t have to be a Changeling to feel the emotion and sorrow that flowed with every word Crinkle spoke. Even as she spoke, it was as if the gardens lost some of their luster and light, and the statue exchanged its purity for a dull facade. Even the smile it bore was now false, hiding the pain of history behind its upward curl. The Changelings around its base shrank back and remained silent, their eyes closed even as tears slipped down their cheeks.
Seeing this, he turned to face Crinkle once more and made his decision. If Chrysalis was the one who erased his tribe’s history, then he would be the one to reclaim it. “Tell me about the Fauns, and these ‘Questions Three’.”
(The Spire Citadel, the Artificer Archives)
The library wasn’t big like the Canterlot Archives, nor was it as perfectly organized and alphabetized like the one in the Castle of Friendship (a fact that, while perfectly understandable, gave Twilight no small amount of consternation). Nevertheless, it still sent the studious Alicorn into joyous paralysis when she first laid eyes upon it, and it took several hard tugs from Torque and some coaxing from Spike before she was finally able to move on her own again.
Once she was inside the library proper, she went to work. Books, scrolls, manuscripts, and papers of all kinds suddenly flew off the shelves, startling nearby librarians and drones, and hovered near her. She grasped several of them within an embrace of her forehooves and let out a happy, somewhat maniacal giggle, and before Spike knew it, she was gone again faster than Rainbow Dash in a Wonderbolt derby or Pinkie Pie on a sugar high.
This, of course, had the unintended side-effect of giving Torque a migraine and the librarians a conniption from all the ruckus, but Twilight was no fool. She’d reorganize everything again later.
Spike sighed and waddled off to find a small, quieter corner to read, free from rampaging Alicorn scholars and angry librarians. Torque, meanwhile, continued to stand at the entrance, unsure of what to do upon seeing Twilight go wild. He eventually decided to sit down and wait it out, letting her blow off some much needed steam.
Much to the relief of the librarians, Twilight eventually calmed down, and after returning the books and scrolls she didn’t quite need anymore (with an embarrassed blush), she settled down in a neat little pile of history and thaumaturgy books on a balcony overlooking the Citadel and the Clockwork Pavilion. It was, she thought, the ideal spot for her studies. From here she could see almost the entire cavern and city, and if she thought it was impressive from within, it was by far more impressive from without.
It wasn’t entirely mechanical, though. There were several patches of vegetation and more natural construction further out away from the Citadel, no doubt for the less wealthy citizens on this level. There were also several large, bulbous structures hanging from the cave’s ceiling that, upon closer inspection, looked very much like bee hives.
Twilight blinked, and then let out a laugh. Of course they were hives. Why wouldn’t they be hives?
“I thought I’d find you here.”
Jumping slightly, Twilight turned her head and saw Emperor Tarsus hovering a few feet off the ground, looking down at her with a knowing smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eye. Before she could react, he landed on the floor and stepped towards her. “I think we should talk.”
(The Spire Citadel, gardens)
All of the drones sitting at the base of the statue looked to Thorax in surprise, and then to Crinkle in expectation. Crinkle nodded and settled down on ground, indicating for Thorax to do the same. As he did, a few larvae crawled over from their parents and sided up to him, gazing at him with bulbous, curious eyes. Smiling, he pulled a couple of them closer and let them crawl up on his back, making him look more like a hatchery caretaker than a King. Nevertheless, this was a novel and very welcome idea for the larvae, and they nestled between his large antlers with giddy smiles adorning their faces.
Once everyone had settled down and gotten comfortable, Crinkle began.
“Many thousands of years ago, long before the Ponies came to Equestria and before Celestia and Luna were born, there were the Elders, great races that roamed Equus. One of these Elder Races was the Fauns. The Fauns were wise in the ways of science, healing, and philosophy, preferring to study and understand the world around them rather than quarrel with their neighbors over land. They had no weapons save for one: their minds. They were brilliant, far more so than any other race, yet they used their knowledge and wisdom only for the betterment of themselves and that of their peers. They were loved by all.
“And then there was us, the Changelings. Back then we were still a fledgling race, and had only just taken our first few steps into the larger world. Nevertheless, we knew who we were, or thought we did. We could mimic the shapes of others and sense their emotions. But most of all, we knew the taste of love, and we knew it made us strong. And yet, despite this, we had no love for ourselves, and our bodies were wracked with sickness and holes. Even in birth, our hearts were already empty.”
Crinkle smiled and closed her eyes, as if recalling the stories from her own childhood. “And that’s how the Fauns found us. We were the first new race the Fauns had ever seen since the dawn of the world, and that to them was a miracle. They showed us to the other Elder Races, proclaiming us to be the future of Equus. But the other Elder Races saw only seven quarreling tribes and radical minds, and because of that, we were ignored by them all.
“But the Fauns persisted. They made contact with us, and instead of hiding their intentions and emotions, they gave them to us freely. At first we were afraid of these new creatures, but the Fauns showed us friendship and trust. We told them of who we were, and they showed us the world. They taught us their language, the same one that is written on the statue to this day, and we taught them ours. We told them of our belief in the Maker, the First Changeling, and they taught us to question those beliefs, not to discourage us from having them, but to help us understand them and ourselves better.
“Years passed, and our friendship with the Fauns grew. Through them, we became a race worthy to be recognized by the other Elders, and all was well.”
Thorax smiled. The story was reminding him of his own Hive and the Ponies, and how Spike, Twilight, and their friends introduced him to friendship. His smile faltered, however, when he saw the frowns appearing on all the other drones’ faces. Before he could speak up though, Crinkle continued.
“But despite all the good they had done for us, one thing hadn’t changed: our need to feed. Love was scarce, and although the Fauns were more than willing to let us siphon off of them, we knew they couldn’t keep it up forever, and so did they. We presented this problem to them, and they pondered it for many days before bringing us before them once more. They told us that they had no answers that we already didn’t have within ourselves. Confused, we asked them what they had meant, and they replied with questions of their own --- three of them.”
“The...Questions Three?” Thorax guessed.
Crinkle nodded. “That’s right: ‘Who are you?’, ‘What are you?’, and ‘What do you want?’. Many Changelings from all tribes answered the questions as best as they could, only for the Fauns to turn them away and ask the questions again. For years, no one could answer the Questions Three, and because of it and the Fauns’ stubbornness, there was a short time where our friendship with them was strained.
“Then, one day, a young Equine female named Aphris came forward and presented herself before the Fauns and, with great conviction in her voice and courage in her eyes, answered the Questions Three. To this day, nobody knows what she had said, but it didn’t matter. She had walked into the Fauns’ city a drone, and walked out a Queen, whole and unblemished.”
Thorax’s jaw dropped. “A Queen? She transformed into a Queen?”
“Yes, she did. You see, the Questions Three were in themselves the answer to our own problem with hunger. By answering the Questions Three, Aphris had unlocked her True Potential, as the Fauns called it. It transformed her, purified her, and made her more powerful than any other Changeling before her. But most of all, things became clearer to her, and she understood more about her existence. All Changelings began to flock to her and unify under her banner, and she became the first Empress.
“At first, she tried to teach others how to answer the Questions Three for themselves, but none could ever do it. Instead, through her teachings, they discovered something even more incredible: the innate ability to share love amongst themselves. This was the answer they had been seeking, and just as the Fauns said, they had it inside them all this time. No longer did we have to rely on others for our sources of love, for we could generate it ourselves.”
Thorax’s eyes widened. Despite what Protus had told him earlier today, he still couldn’t believe it. These Changelings had discovered how to create love for themselves long before he had, and judging by what Crinkle was saying, so too had the Equine tribe. His tribe.
A tribe that until recently had been just as corrupt, hopeless, starving, and broken as the Changelings of old.
The weight of Chrysalis’s crimes bore down on him at that moment, and his shoulders sagged. Just what had Chrysalis done to them, and more importantly, why? Why ruin everything?
“W-What happened after that?” he asked, fully enthralled by the story.
Crinkle’s smile wavered, and then grew into a frown. “Many, many happy years...followed by some not-so-great ones,” she replied, her voice grave. “For years we prospered, and though we were young, the Fauns treated us as their equals, and so too did the other Elders. More races began to appear, and the Elders knew that something profound and miraculous was happening. The Younger Races were being born: Ponies, Dragons, Zebras, Moose, Reindeer, Hippogriffs, Griffons, Kirins, Abyssinians, and more. But there was one among them that stood out from the rest: the Satyrs.”
Whether it was the name, or just in the way Crinkle had said it, it made Thorax shiver. Or maybe it was something else? A memory long forgotten, perhaps?
“They were much like the Fauns, at least in appearance. We Changelings were the first to meet them, and Empress Aphris greeted them as the Fauns had greeted us: hooves opened wide in friendship and trust. We offered them gifts and what little wisdom and knowledge we had accumulated in our relatively short history. We showed them tricks with magic, and even revealed how we could mimic their forms in order to prove that we were not so different as we might seem at first. We did all this and more in hopes of finding our first real friends in the world besides the Fauns.”
Here Crinkle paused, and was silent for several moments. Thorax waited patiently for her to speak again, but it soon became apparent that Crinkle really didn’t want to continue with the story. From the pained, pleading looks they were giving him, the other Changelings didn’t want him to ask for more either.
But the story was unfinished, and he needed to know. For all Equines, he had to know.
“What happened, Crinkle?” Thorax asked quietly, deliberately.
She looked up at him, understanding in her eyes, but also a hint of betrayal. It was as if his words drove a knife into her, and his tone was the twisting. “They...the Satyrs...they slaughtered us. We trusted them, and they slaughtered us. They rampaged across our lands, burning our cities and stealing our crops, and nearly drove us all to extinction. They did all this and more because they wanted to. Because they could. Because we were weak and they were strong.”
Thorax’s heart sank with every word, and he then understood why none of the others wanted to continue. Several of them had already got up and walked away, including the larvae, preferring not to hear the darker side of the tale. Thorax couldn’t blame them.
“In desperation, Empress Aphris rallied the last remaining Changelings of all seven tribes in their last city, at the very edge of the known world, for a final stand against the Satyrs. The Satyrs surrounded the city, and were about to lay siege to it, when something happened that neither side expected. The Fauns appeared. All of them, from the oldest to the youngest, from ancient grandfathers to the lowliest babes. Every last one of their cities had been emptied, and their citizens now surrounded the last Changeling city, facing our sworn enemy with linked arms and peaceful smiles. The world’s oldest race now stood in defense of one of the world’s youngest.
“Aphris pleaded with the Fauns to leave, for she knew that they would never lift even a finger against another living being. She told the king of the Fauns that her people weren’t worth it, that this battle didn’t concern them. The king only looked back at her with sad eyes, and told her that the time of the Fauns was over, and that the future of Equus was at hoof...and the Changelings would lead the others into that future. They had been training us to be their replacements as teachers of the Younger Races, because none of the other Elder Races had it in their minds to learn, or in their eyes to see, or in their hearts to feel. That day, we were no longer a Younger Race, but were now an Elder Race --- the last one. And so the Fauns came, because no matter what, we had to be protected at all costs.”
Crinkle lowered her head to the ground, resting it over two of her claws. “The Fauns were killed, down to the last child. No more would they teach others the tenets of friendship. No longer would their songs of gratefulness and love fill the air. The world would never see the like of them again. In sorrow, Aphris and her people fled across the ocean, leaving their city and their old lives behind forever. They crossed over water, arid sands, lush jungles, and more ocean, before finally settling here, at the very edge of the Equestrian mainland, though it wouldn’t be called that for many thousands of years. The Satyrs didn’t follow.
“In her grief, Empress Aphris couldn’t be consoled. She encased herself in a special cocoon of her own making, a marvel of magic, science, and prayer. Her last act before leaving us was creating the Council of Seven, the ruling body over the seven Changeling Tribes that would govern us for years to come. In her cocoon, Aphris changed once more. She transformed one last time from a Changeling to a Hive, and she grew to the size of a great mountain over many generations, providing a safe haven for all Changelings to live. She is Empress Aphris no longer. Now, she is the Primordial Hive, the Mother of All. Our guiding light and voice.”
For the second time since the story started, Thorax’s jaw dropped. The voice he had speaking to in the Nexus wasn’t just the Hive itself, it was Aphris.
“So that’s why she said that they all knew her name...” he murmured. For a brief moment, he felt a warm tingling under his antlers, and he could swear her heard a lilting giggle echo in his mind before falling away once more.
“She spoke to you?” Crinkle asked.
Thorax nodded. “In the Nexus, before I came here. She...she asked me who I was.”
“Truly?” Crinkled hummed. “She hasn’t asked anyone any of the Questions Three in a long time. Interesting...”
Eager to continue, Thorax gestured with a hoof towards the Tribune. “Please, go on.”
Crinkle nodded once. “Right, well, after Aphris left, the Changelings at the time had no one to turn to, and for a time, there was chaos. For the first time in our lives, we were lost and hopeless, and didn’t know what to do. Then the Council of Seven managed to organize and set us straight, and we began to rebuild. It was slow at first, and we were cautious and desperate in our work, but soon the Primordial Hive began to take shape. We built our homes, planted our crops, and began to explore this new land. But throughout it all, we never forgot what had happened. Our hearts ached from grief, and burned for vengeance. We began to train, to sharpen our minds, and to learn how to infiltrate.”
Crinkle snorted, and she raised her head once more, looking like a proud Tribune once again. “After many years, when we had grown confident in our own abilities, we sent a force of Changelings back to our old lands. We found the Satyrs, still occupying the Fauns’ old homes and ours, and ruining generations of history. It incensed us, and that’s when we struck. The Fauns may not have liked it, and for that we prayed to the Maker for forgiveness, but we revered the Fauns too much to let injustice stand. For years we fought the Satyrs, and they had no means of detecting us, and they knew it. They fled to their home across the sea, and we followed them. We hunted them down until none were left, and wiped them off the face of the planet. And then...then we wept at what we had become. Love was in our hearts, but now so was hatred, and from that day on, we swore to never let something like this happen ever again.
“And so it’s been for the past ten thousand years. We have remained in the Primordial Hive, living in peace as we once did, teaching our children and their children’s children what the Fauns taught us so long ago: friendship, harmony, and peace. But we also teach caution and patience. In that time, many of the Younger Races had now taken custody of the planet. The Ponies ruled Equestria and used magic to move the sun and moon, the Dragons and the Griffons quarreled and fought over land and useless trinkets, the Hippogriffs fled far to the south past a great desert that was once a jungle, the Kirins and Abyssinians settled south of the Dragons and stayed out of the affairs of the rest of the world, and the Diamond Dogs arose from the ground to pillage and plunder.
“As for the other Elder Races, they left for parts unknown and were forgotten by all. Whether they still live in some remote corner of the world, or have long since become one with the earth, we don’t know. Legend became myth, and myth became fiction, and we Changelings passed on into legend, myth and fiction just like the Fauns before us. And so it has been for millennia, until Chrysalis invaded the Pony capital of Canterlot.”
Crinkle let out a long, tired sigh and stood up. “And that is the end of the tale of the Fauns, Your Majesty.”
Thorax didn’t say a word. Instead, trembling, he looked up to the statue above him and closed his eyes, letting a single tear escape and slide down his cheek.
(The Spire Citadel, the Artificer Archives)
Once the shock from seeing the Emperor directly in front of her wore off, Twilight did the only thing her brain could think of in that moment: she bowed, sending her inadvertently sliding off her pile of books and flopping unceremoniously to the floor. At the very moment she stopped moving, all she wanted to do was crawl under a table and die from shame.
In his little corner of the library, Spike had already fallen to his back laughing uproariously, which only caused the librarians to shush him, only for their jaws to drop when they saw what had happened.
To his credit, Emperor Tarsus looked about as embarrassed as Twilight, and quickly shooed the speechless librarians away as he helped Twilight to her hooves. He also glared at Spike, who immediately shut himself up and returned to reading his book in silence (with a little snicker now and again).
“I wish you hadn’t done that,” Tarsus muttered.
“So do I, Your Majesty,” Twilight agreed, her face beet red as she stared at her once perfect and proud pile of books.
He raised a hoof. “Ah-ah-ah, none of that. Here, I’m not the Emperor, and you’re not a Princess. Here, we’re both scholars of science and philosophy, seeking to glean knowledge from each other.”
Twilight nodded, and gingerly sat back down, although not on her book pile perch. This time she chose a much more conservative and natural spot: a chair on the balcony. “Is that why you came to see me, Emp...Tarsus? You want knowledge?”
“We all do, Twilight Sparkle. Knowledge isn’t only power, it’s the key to unlocking the potential within us all,” Tarsus replied sitting down opposite of her and looking out over the city. “Breathtaking, is it not?”
Twilight smiled. “Beats the heck out of any view from Ponyville, that’s for sure, although that’s more from familiarity than from dislike. This place...it’s unlike anything in Equestria.”
“I can certainly imagine that,” Tarsus said, tipping a hoof towards her. “I hear that Ponies prefer wide-open spaces for which to stretch their legs and dance under the sun, and that there are few cities quite like this one.”
The Alicorn shrugged. “I suppose that’s true, but we do have them. We’re all different, after all.”
“Indeed we are. So many variables, so many differences, so many thoughts and dreams...” he said with a wistful look.
Both of them fell into silence, staring out over the city and listening to the sounds of its people. She cast a sideways glance his way, watching as a small smile slowly spread out across his face. She smiled in return, and remarked, “You love your subjects, don’t you?”
Tarsus nodded slowly. “Yes, although I don’t call them subjects. Every Changeling is precious to me, and as their ruler, it is my honor to be the one they trust with their care.”
“Then why do you treat Thorax harshly?” she asked, turning to face him fully. “He’s done nothing to provoke you, and certainly nothing to deserve anger from any of the Council of Seven, save for maybe being a bit clumsy at the gate, but that’s just inexperience. If every Changeling is precious to you, and if you truly want all Equines to return to their rightful place alongside the rest of their race, then why are you doing this to him?”
Tarsus didn’t reply at first. He leaned back in his chair away from the balcony railing, his smile faltering just slightly but the wry look in his eyes never leaving. “Well-played first strike, Twilight Sparkle.”
“My brother used to be Captain of the Guard for Celestia,” Twilight replied. “He taught me a thing or two, as did Celestia.”
“He taught you well, then,” Tarsus admitted. “Allow me to riposte: before becoming members of the Council of Seven, we all had to undergo tests to determine if we were meant to rule. Becoming a Queen or King means very little if you can’t lead. Thorax may look like a King, he may act like a King, but if he does not lead like a King, then he is no King. He is merely a taller drone with big antlers on his head.”
“So you can become a King or Queen, but still not lead the Hive?” Twilight asked.
“That is correct. However, given Thorax’s...unique circumstances upon ascension into his role, we had decided that a revised set of tests was in order. You see, when I looked into his mind and discovered Chrysalis’s modifications to the Equines, I learned something more: she made it so that no other King or Queen could be born within the Hive. Either she ruled, or no one ruled.”
“But...but a Hive can’t function without a King or Queen!” Twilight gasped. “If something were to happen to her...”
“Then the Hive would fall with her,” Tarsus finished, his tone grave. “It was selfish and cruel, and also miraculous that it didn’t happen.”
“But then how did Thorax--?”
“How did he become a King anyway?” Tarsus shrugged. “I do not know, and I wonder if we’ll ever know. Maybe she got sloppy, or maybe it was a slight mutation within Thorax’s genes that caused the royalty gene to return. All I know is that Thorax is now the Badlands Hive’s last hope, and we cannot let him fail.”
“Then why are you setting him up to do so?” Twilight challenged, leaning forward. “You still haven’t answered my question from before: why are you treating him with such harshness, if he’s the last hope for the Equines, as you say?”
“Because justice demands it,” Tarsus replied evenly. “Chrysalis wronged so many of our kind, and performed heinous acts that will never be forgotten within our history. She will be caught and punished for those crimes, but until she does, somebody must take her place. Our people will not be satisfied with simple forgiveness. They need to know if they can trust the Equines again. But because of circumstances beyond our control, the Equines only have one shot at regaining that trust, so the Council has decided to forgo the charges of treason against him in order to give him a fighting chance.”
Twilight’s shoulders sagged. “That’s...that’s still harsh. You’re still using him as a scapegoat.”
“I know,” Tarsus sighed. “Look, I do not hold anything against Thorax. In fact, I think he could make a fine ruler if given the chance, and I meant every word I said at the gate. But what we are doing is necessary in order for the Equines to have a chance at redemption. Words and bright colors won’t change the minds of most Changelings within the Spire. They need to see proof that Thorax and the Equines have turned over a new leaf, or proof that they will never learn. This trial will give them the proof that they need, one way or another.”
“But they have changed!” Twilight insisted. “I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”
“So you say, and I believe you, but precious few others will. The words of an outsider can be flowery and silver-tongued, but poisonous if believed too readily, and dangerous if not treated with caution. We learned that long ago with our enemies, when we almost paid the ultimate price of the death of our entire race.”
Twilight didn’t know what he was talking about, and she had a feeling that for once she didn’t want to know. Nevertheless, his words seemed to drive a knife through her, and she lowered her head, not meeting his serene gaze. “Is there any way for Thorax to win?” she whispered. “I need to know.”
Tarsus lifted up her head with a hoof, gazing into her eyes with a gentle look. “You care for him a great deal, do you?”
“Every single one of my friends means the world to me,” Twilight answered, looking back at him. “I wouldn’t be the Pony I am today without them.”
“No, no you wouldn’t, and neither would he, I’d imagine. I sense no deception within you, only a deep-rooted love for your friends that is as beautiful as the soul who contains it,” Tarsus remarked, letting his hoof fall to his side. “Yes, Twilight Sparkle, there is a way for Thorax to win back the trust of the Changelings here, as well as elevate his tribe back to their rightful place.”
“How?”
“By answering the Questions Three.”
Twilight tilted her head to the side. “The...Questions Three?”
Tarsus nodded. “Three questions a race known as the Fauns asked us long ago. They are long gone, but their spirits live on within each of us, as do their teachings. The questions are simple, but profound, and they only have one answer, each specific for every Changeling: ‘Who are you?’, ‘What are you?’, and ‘What do you want?’.”
“How does one answer them?” Twilight asked.
Tarsus didn’t reply, and his eyes gazed idly over the city once more before returning to her. “You know, you impress me, Twilight Sparkle.”
The statement caught her off guard, and she raised an eyebrow. “Come again?”
“You, your friends, you all impress me,” Tarsus repeated with a smile. “We Changelings of the Spire may not be active within the politics and plights of the world, but we aren’t blind. Discord, Chrysalis’s invasions, Tirek, the Crystal Empire...even Starlight Glimmer, and now these Dragons far to the east. You and your friends have saved the world so many times, and have the strangest of adventures almost on a weekly basis. So I say again, you impress me.”
Confused, Twilight could only shrug. “Well, it was a group effort for all of them. Like I said, I wouldn’t be the Pony I am without my friends. I’m happy to have them.”
“Then what is it that troubles you about them?”
“W-what do you mean? I’m not troubled.”
“I told you that I sensed no deception within you, Twilight Sparkle, but now I do. I am a Changeling; I don’t just sense love, I sense all emotions. The love for your friends may outshine it, but deep down, there is a worming doubt within your soul, a single blemish on what is otherwise perfection. So again I ask, what troubles you about your friends?”
Twilight couldn’t protest or refute him. Of course he could read her about as well as she could read any book. With a sigh, she replied, “You know of my friends and our adventures together. Were you ever told that I was once a Unicorn?”
He nodded. “Yes, I’ve heard this. Your adventures started roughly six years ago, and in the third you ascended to an Alicorn.”
“And you know of how long-lived Celestia and Luna are, correct?”
“I believe I know where this is going.”
Twilight nodded, a frown beginning to form on her face. “After I ascended, I pulled Celestia to the side and asked her one thing: if I will be ageless like her and Luna. I will never forget the sorrow in her eyes when she told me yes.”
Tarsus joined her in frowning. “You have my sympathies.”
“I don’t want sympathy, I want help,” said Twilight. “From what I understand, Chrysalis is much older than she looks. Maybe even centuries older, if not millennia. If Changelings can live that long, then perhaps there is a secret or some spell you have that can help me. I...I don’t want to outlive them. I don’t want to be the one to...bury them...”
Tarsus sent her a pitying look. “I’m sorry, but there is nothing we can provide.”
“How can you say that?” Twilight cried. “You haven’t even looked!”
“I don’t need to look,” Tarsus replied. “I don’t even have to send a request over the Hivemind to know the answer. Chrysalis may be the eldest Changeling in existence, but she is not ageless. No one is, save for those blessed by ascension into Alicornhood, and possibly those who answer the Questions Three. I don’t know what Chrysalis did to achieve such long life, but I know for a fact that whatever it was, it was unholy and dark. You do not want to know such methods, not even if it meant saving your friends from their natural ends. It would only lead you down a dark path from which there is no escape.”
With every passing word Twilight’s heart grew heavier, and the knife returned, only this time it was twisting. Each word Tarsus spoke was spoken with such serenity that it almost reminded her of Celestia’s own speech to her on the subject, but only this time it felt different. It felt...final. Definitive. Unambiguous.
Sensing her distress, Tarsus lowered his head and spoke in a melancholy tone, “I wish I could offer you more, Twilight Sparkle, but all I can offer is my apologies and a prayer.”
Twilight nodded in silent understanding. While she still craved answers to ease her mind, there was nothing else either of them could say on the subject. Thus, in an effort to distract herself from her gloomier thoughts, she chose his words to lead her into a new topic. “You’re religious?”
Tarsus almost looked relieved to answer her. “Yes, as are most Changelings in the Primordial Hive. I know some Ponies are too, but are also more skeptical about it. If you’re uncomfortable with me praying, I can--”
“No no, it’s nothing like that,” Twilight hurriedly interjected, waving a hoof. “I’m grateful for whatever you can do, I’m just curious. I don’t know if the Changelings in the Badlands even have something they believe in, so learning about another part of your culture would be fascinating.”
As well as an excellent distraction, Tarsus mused inwardly. “Very well then. We Changelings believe in the Maker, the First Changeling, a God of great power and grace who wrote the world into existence on a book called the ‘Spiral of Fate’. It contains within it all history, past, present, and future.”
“A Changeling wrote the world into existence?” Twilight echoed.
Tarsus chuckled. “That’s the beauty of it. Because he is a Changeling, he could be any God or Goddess you want him to be. He could the Abyssinian’s Bastet, the Ponies’ Faust, or even the Griffons’ Galahad the Chivalrous. But no matter how you see it or who you see, he will always be the Maker of all. He created the universe and world we live in, all the plants we see around us, all the living creatures we live among, and all those who may yet dwell within the stars themselves, if the Dragon city to the east is any indication. The teachings on the Spiral of Fate are absolute: that all creatures are created equal, and that unity above all else means peace.” He chuckled once more. “The Fauns were especially pleased to learn that, although it did confuse them at the time, since back then we were not a unified species. They set the record straight, and even gave us the opportunity to expand upon our beliefs.”
Twilight’s mind reeled, her sorrows from before temporarily forgotten. Hundreds of questions were formed, discarded, reformed, refined, and expanded within her mind in the microseconds it took to think of them, and her eyes twinkled at the prospect of knowledge. But before any questions could be asked, she blurted out, “You’re right, it does sound a lot like Faust.”
“Truly?” Tarsus mused. “In what way?” In truth, he already knew, but had decided to humor her.
“Well, the creation legend, for one,” Twilight spoke, launching into her patented lecture mode. “As the story goes, Faust, the First Alicorn, wrote the world into existence as a story for her children within Elysium. From her words she wrote down the Prophecies of Harmony, and spoke into being the Six Virtues of Friendship --- Honesty, Loyalty, Laughter, Kindness, and Generosity, with the sixth being Friendship itself --- and the Six Eternal Flames, many of which Ponies follow to this day. However, unlike your Maker, Faust eventually passed on beyond knowledge and into myth as Ponies began to discover more about the world around them. Nowadays, Ponies are more interested in the concept of Harmony rather than Faust, since it’s easier and in most cases even preferable to believe in something righteous and good than to have faith in a goddess no one can see or hear.”
Tarsus raised an eyebrow and smiled. “And they’d be right, of course. Even we Changelings sometimes question whether what we believe is right or true, and that is only natural. The Fauns taught us not to follow something blindly, but to question everything, not to tear down, but to understand.” He leaned forward, an eager twinkle in his eye to match her own. “But consider this: faith isn’t just believing in something that cannot be seen, but rather choosing to do so despite all logic contradicting it. A leap of faith is always a choice, and not something that can be scientifically explained, and you can have faith in more things than just belief in a higher power. Just because one has faith does not make them anti-science or anti-knowledge.”
Twilight nodded exuberantly, her ears perking up in excitement. “That’s what I think too!”
“And what do you believe, Twilight Sparkle?”
Twilight opened her mouth to answer, only to pause and close it again. She put a hoof to her chin and chose her words carefully before continuing, “I...believe that Harmony and friendship are the ways forward not just for Ponies, but for the world. I don’t believe that Faust truly left, not really. Whether you believe she existed in a spiritual or physical form, it doesn’t matter, because a little piece of her exists within everyone, whether they be Pony, Yak, Changeling, Diamond Dog, Dragon, or whatever species. She manifests herself when people of all kinds come together in friendship, not as a goddess, but as the beauty of Harmony itself.”
“So you believe in Faust, then?”
“Well, yes...and no. I believe in Faust, just not Faust ‘the goddess’. I believe that Faust is the personification of Harmony, and that all living creatures were created, just not by some goddess we dreamed up when we knew little of the world around us, but by forces within the universe harmonizing and breathing life into the planet. Unheard words spoken by forces far beyond the scope of our imagination, all culminating into a story known as history, past, present, and future: the Prophecies of Harmony. Faust is that Harmony, so far beyond the concept of a goddess that it’s not even funny. We can never conceptualize her or put her into words, because she’s so far beyond us. She is us. She is everything. She is Harmony.”
“A beautiful notion, to be sure, but I wonder if anyone else shares that same belief,” Tarsus commented.
Twilight shrugged. “I don’t know, and I...don’t care, I guess. To be honest, I’ve never really told anyone else about this, except Celestia, and even she doesn’t have all the answers, even though she’s the oldest Alicorn in existence. In the end, it’s just a theory of mine, something to hopefully try to explain and rationalize the thoughts in my head on the subject. It’s not very logical or scientific, but then again, neither are the feelings of the heart. Friendship and Harmony don’t care whether you believe in a goddess or not.”
“I see now why Princess Celestia chose you to become the Princess of Friendship,” said Tarsus. “You have an insightful mind, although fanciful.”
Twilight nodded. “All I know is that friendship is a beautiful thing, and that even if no one else wants to believe as I do, I still want to share what I’ve learned. I want to live in a world where every creature under the sun and moon can walk together hand in hoof. I want to see a world where everyone treats each other as equals and family, and not with prejudice or hatred. I want to see a world where there is no more conflict and no more evil. And then...then I want to see the stars, and discover new worlds. It may take a hundred thousand years, but I want to see a world where everyone can know how it feels to have friends like mine.”
“Is that what you truly want? In all your life, you’ve never wanted anything more?”
Twilight looked up at him and answered, “Yes.”
Tarsus’s smile widened and he stood up from his chair, clapping his hooves together. “Twilight Sparkle, I’m no expert, but I do believe you’ve just answered one of the Questions Three.”
Twilight looked up at him quizzically. “I...did?”
“Yes. You just spoke, with conviction I might add, about what you want most in life. I doubt answering the Questions Three will affect you the way it does Changelings, but if an outsider can answer even one of them, then there is hope for all of us, and there is certainly hope for Thorax to beat his trial.” He bowed at the waist to her. “And as for your little problem, perhaps true immortality is not measured in how long one’s lifespan is, but how long their legacy lasts within Harmony and history. Judging by what you have just told me, I have no doubt that you will never outlive your friends. Their bodies may pass, but their spirits and their friendship with you will last until the end of time itself, as long as you keep that feeling close to your heart and never, ever let it go.” Turning around, he re-entered the library, leaving her alone on the balcony.
Twilight sat back in her chair, pondering his words in silent contemplation even as he walked away. As Tarsus passed under the threshold, Spike, who had been listening in to their conversation in silence for a while, set aside his book and walked onto the balcony, where he met Twilight in a very tight, loving hug.
As she held him within her hooves and wings, she let loose a stream of tears, but the smile on her face spoke volumes, and Spike was happy.
Tarsus watched her from the library entrance with a knowing smile on his face, and glanced down at the sleeping Torque with a mischievous glint in his eye. Leaning down, he flicked at one of Torque’s antennae, and Torque kicked one of his hind legs backward, mumbling in his sleep. His Emperor let out a chuckle and looked back at Twilight, feeling confident that he had made the right choice to allow her and her friends entry into the Hive.
She was a dreamer alright, full of ambitions and aspirations both fanciful and optimistic. Perhaps a little too ambitious, but he couldn’t help but feel happy for her and wish her the best of luck in her life’s quest. He just wished she wouldn’t make it an obsession.
“May you grow into the leader she is training you to be,” he whispered. “And may you someday bring peace to this troubled world, even in these even more troubling times.”
With that, he left the library, leaving the sleeping Torque and flabbergasted librarians behind.
Hello everyone!
I am so, so, soooooo sorry for the long wait for this chapter. To be honest, this one was very difficult to write, and I had to rewrite several portions to get it all right. On top of that, I was also on holiday over December, and have recently rekindled my love for Minecraft. Turns out I can run shaders with very little FPS drops. Who knew? 
The main problem I faced with this chapter is the sheer amount of lore, history, and world-building I had to push out of the gate. While I admit it’s a little bit much on the “telling” side, I didn’t really have a whole lot of choice, and I promise, this is the last chapter in this story where this happens. From here on out, the plot will be speeding up, and the world-building and lore will be kept to a minimum.
I also want to apologize if the last portion of this chapter got a bit...preachy. Rest assured, I do not intend to make the rest of the story like that at all, but, again, I had to get it out in the open. It’s a very important part of my version of Twilight Sparkle: Princess, nerd, adorable goof, and insightful thinker. Yes, she’s also scientific, and yes, she never showed any of these thoughts in the show, but there’s no reason why she can’t here.
So for all those who stuck with this story so far, first of all, thank you so much, and second, be prepared for some cool stuff in the next chapter. We’re going back to Chrysalis and Pharynx next time, and Malefor’s up to no good. See you then! 
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Scorpion King ..... why do I suddenly get flashbacks from The Mummy Returns
welp, this world really like genocide,isn't it
and we back with "alicorn are fucking OP" trope
11120743
Well, that story took place loooooooong before the events of FiM, soooo yeah...
Not quite. Ageless is not the same thing as immortal. Immortal is not being able to be killed at all. Being ageless just means you will never die from old age, but you can still die through other means (such as sickness).
It’s a common misconception.
Okay, I finally made it here. I won't say much again as there isn't much story to advance here, but you again manage to make the worldbuilding and lore intriguing to experience, not just read through. It's also a nice way to tie almost everything under the Changeling arc with a neat bow by bringing us back to Tarsus and the Council of Seven, seeing more of the Primordial Hive, and clearing up questions about why Thorax may be the way he is.
As for the concern about being preachy, I do like how you wrote down the last section there. In fact, I find it as a little novelty since most insightful moments in fan fics like this don't really touch upon the subject of religion and spirituality beyond vague stuff you might find in a Disney movie (then again, I've yet to read any original fic fantasy heavy-hitters, though they have completely different settings entirely, so...), so if anything, this was new to me and surely a differently interesting way to characterize Twilight Sparkle.
That's all for now. Thanks for the chapter, and looking forward to see how the rest of the story goes!
‘Who are you?’, ‘What are you?’, and ‘What do you want?’
i.imgflip.com/16hn3n.jpg
11149501
Admittedly, I took some inspiration from Babylon 5, but it’s not quite the same. Nice catch, though.