A Silent Night in the North

by GTthe4th

The Future's Precipice

---

Cadance woke to the sounds of crying, and her motherly instinct took over. Disregarding any form of exhaustion she had, she swiftly stood up from her bed and made her way to Flurry’s crib, gently plucking her daughter out of the blankets with the gentle grip of her magic.

Flurry gazed at her with teary eyes and held out her little hooves to her, and Cadance’s heart melted. She brought her daughter in for a hug and softly patted her back, shushing her. “It’s okay, sweetie, mommy’s here. What’s wrong?”

She sniffed the air. It wasn’t an accident, and Flurry certainly wasn’t hungry. Shockingly, she never woke up in the middle of the night like this unless she either had a nightmare or if she just wanted to be held by her parents. But with Luna guarding her dreams, it couldn’t have been a nightmare, and if she wanted attention, she had it now, and yet she continued to cry.

She sat down at the edge of her bed and stroked her daughter’s soft mane, humming the lullaby Luna gave her in her dreams. It seemed to work, and Equestria’s littlest Alicorn seemed to calm down somewhat, although she still sniffled. She looked up to her mother with her big blue eyes and sniffed again, a deep frown on her face.

“What is it, Flurry?” Cadance whispered again. “Did you have a bad dream?”

Flurry may have been young, but she understood a few words. She shook her head and pointed to her horn.

“Is your horn hurting?” Cadance asked, putting a hoof on her daughters head and feeling around. Flurry shook her head again and pointed to her horn, then at her mothers Cutie Mark, then at her horn again.

Cadance pursed her lips. “Magic?” This time Flurry nodded, and tears welled up in her eyes again. “Oh, nonono, sweetie, don’t cry. Shhh...it’s okay. You’re safe.”

There came a knock on the door, and both Alicorns looked up. “Come in,” Cadance called quietly.

A Praetorian poked her head in, worry on her face. “Your Highness, are you alright?”

“Yes, sergeant, I’m fine. Little Flurry’s just having a bad night,” Cadance replied, brushing her daughter’s mane some more in comfort.

“Anything I can do to help, Your Highness?”

“No...” Cadance started, then hesitated as a thought struck her. She looked at her Cutie Mark and then back at her daughter’s horn. “Actually, can you check with the Palace scholars and see if there’s been a magical disturbance of some kind?”

The guard fidgeted and looked away. “There...has, Your Highness...”

Cadance narrowed her eyes. “Explain.”

“It’s the Crystal Heart, Your Highness,” the mare explained. “A few hours ago it began to grow dimmer for some reason, as if its energy was being drained. Prince Shining Armor, Royal Crystaller Sunburst, and Captain Flash Sentry were all informed, and they told us not to disturb you unless it was an emergency, while they looked into the matter. They’ve not been heard from since they left to find the source of the energy drain.”

Flurry whimpered, and Cadance hugged her to her chest protectively. “The Crystal Heart...sergeant, I’m coming down. Please have an escort ready.”

“At once, Your Highness!”

A few moments later, Cadance, with Flurry resting in the crook of her arm, along with an escort of four Praetorians, made her way down the Palace corridors leading to the courtyard. Her gaze was hardened, and the tips of her wings ruffled slightly in caution. Tonight, despite Luna’s declaration, was getting stranger by the minute, and this latest development only made her more suspicious. If the Heart had caused such a disruption that it affected Flurry Heart thanks to her connection to it, then it was a far bigger concern than Shining must have thought.

As she stepped into the courtyard, she took note of how dark it was. The Crystal Heart always shined with colorful light even during the night, but the sergeant seemed to have been right --- it was a lot dimmer. In fact, it barely shined anymore, and the shield over the city was flickering wildly. The Heart’s beat had gone almost silent.

Flurry stirred in her grasp and looked at the Heart in silent wonder and sadness. She didn’t cry, but she reached out towards the Heart with her little hooves and wings. Cadance knew her daughters connection to the Heart was strong, but she didn’t think it was this strong. The poor thing must have felt the Heart’s distress during her sleep.

Cadance gently set Flurry down on the ground next to the Crystal Heart’s pedestal and scanned the Heart with her magic. She didn’t like the results she saw. The Heart was almost completely drained, and it would take all the Crystal Ponies several weeks to fix the damage. The shield wouldn’t last much longer at this rate.

Still, as Princess of Love, there was one thing Cadance could do. It wouldn’t be enough, but it would buy them some time. She stood up on her hind legs and wrapped her forehooves and wings around the Heart and its pedestal, her face one of concentration. The love she had for her family, her subjects, and her kingdom flowed through her veins and transferred itself into the Heart. The Crystal Heart seemed to grow brighter for a moment before stabilizing once more, and its Heartbeat resumed, although at a slow, sickly rate. The shield outside the city regained some of its integrity, much to Cadance’s relief.

Flurry Heart smiled up at her mother and clapped her hooves as she saw the Heart glow brighter again. She then felt her mother pick her up off the ground and curled into a ball with a large yawn, wrapping herself in her abnormally large wings. She was asleep before she and her mother made it back into the Palace.

Cadance, however, would not fall asleep again tonight. There was far too much on her mind.

---

Shining didn’t quite know how far he had gone down the tunnel, but at this point, he didn’t really care. The crystals were getting thicker and more dense the further he went down, which could only mean he was getting closer to the source of the infection. Although, the yellow eyes watching him through the walls didn’t make him feel any better about this information. Twice now the walls had bulged outwards behind him, and he could’ve sworn he heard moaning and a saw hooves reaching for him, only to pull back at the last second and make the wall solid once more.

He was certain he was going to need therapy after tonight, but he’d worry about that later. For now, he kept trotting down the tunnel, keeping a close eye on the walls and floor.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of walking, the tunnel straightened out before him and refused to delve deeper down. He let out a sigh of relief; he hated going down.

He turned his head to look up the tunnel he had just come from, only to rear his head back in shock. There was now a solid rock wall behind him --- no crystals, no yellow eyes, just stone. Looking ahead again, he saw the same thing. It was as if the tunnel had changed its composition instantly.

He blinked stupidly for several seconds, shook his head, and looked again. Still just stone. Had he imagined the whole thing, or was it some more powerful mind magic? Either way, it was concerning.

Still, that didn’t explain what a tunnel was doing down here in the first place. If Crop Duster was still alive after all this, he would have to have a long talk with him, tribalist or no. That is, if the tunnel was real in the first place. Shining just didn’t know or care anymore. All he wanted now was to put an end to this madness, one way or another.

So, onward he went, further down the tunnel.

---

Sunburst and Thorax stared at the door in front of them, perplexed. It was a normal door, or seemed to be. No crystals, no murderous creatures stalking them from the shadows, no infected floorboards or walls, just a simple wooden door at the end of the hallway.

Neither of them tried to open it.

“Well,” Sunburst said at last. “Gonna be honest, this is kinda...”

“Underwhelming?” Thorax finished.

“Yeah...” Sunburst scanned the door with his magic. “As far as I can tell, it’s just a normal door, although I can’t quite tell what’s behind it. Something’s blocking my magic from going any farther than that.”

“Um, Sunburst?” Thorax said, poking the Unicorn in the shoulder. “I think we might have to go through.”

“Hm?” Sunburst turned to face the Changeling, only to see him pointing behind them.

Four crystallized Ponies stood staring at them from the darkness, weapons in hoof. The hallway behind them had inexplicably closed itself off with a thick sheet of crystal, and more yellow eyes were watching them from behind it. None of the Ponies moved, but the intent was clear.

“...Yeeeeeah, you’re right,” Sunburst deadpanned. “Run for it!”

Thorax and Sunburst galloped towards the door, just as the creatures surged toward them, screeching as they did. Thorax reached the door first and slammed into it, grabbing the handle and jiggling it until it opened. He ushered Sunburst inside and then dove through after him, slamming the door shut again. Unfortunately, one of the creatures stuck its hoof through the gap and blocked the door from closing completely. Another hoof punched through the door and would’ve smacked into Thorax’s face had he not ducked.

Sunburst bucked the door with his back hooves and then braced his entire body against it. The creature holding the door shrieked in pain and yanked its hoof back, allowing the door to close. Thorax stood back and sucked in a deep breath, and hidden folds on his neck opened slightly.

“MOVE!” Thorax yelled, as droplets of green liquid fell from his mouth.

Sunburst dove from the door, and Thorax threw his head forward. A long stream of green goo flew from his mouth and covered the door, hardening as it went. He filled in the hole in the door and sealed the hinges and edges of the door, effectively shutting the creatures out. Finally, the goo stream ended, and he fell back on his haunches and took a few deep breaths.

“Wow,” Sunburst remarked, looking at Thorax’s handiwork. “I’ve heard about Changeling goo, but I’ve never seen it up close. That’s fascinating...”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve done that,” Thorax murmured, standing up with a wince. “Forgot how much it hurts. Ow...”

Sunburst looked over Thorax’s body and raised an eyebrow. “Where did it all come from?”

“You don’t wanna know,” Thorax replied curtly, and left it at that. “Where are we, anyway?”

They both surveyed their surroundings, and instantly came to the same conclusion. “A tunnel,” Sunburst declared. “Of course it’s a tunnel. Why wouldn’t it be a tunnel?”

“Weren’t we just in the house?” Thorax wondered.

“Were we?” Sunburst muttered, looking back at the door. “I don’t know anymore. Are we just dreaming this all up?”

“If you two are dreaming this up, then you both have really messed up minds,” said a voice, and the startled Unicorn and Changeling whirled around to see Shining Armor walking towards them from one end of the tunnel. “Fields of stars, crystal claws, demented voices, monsters in the walls, and big chasms where there shouldn’t be any.”

“Shining!” Sunburst exclaimed happily. “It’s so good to see you’re okay.”

“You too, guys,” Shining smiled, putting a hoof on Sunburst’s shoulder and winking at Thorax. “Nice wings, by the way.”

“Er, thanks,” Thorax replied, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. “Where’s Flash Sentry?”

Shining frowned. “We got separated. I don’t know where he is, but if the three of us managed to regroup, chances are we’ll see him soon. He’s a tough kid, he can take a few monsters.”

“I hope you’re right, because there’s a lot more of them than us.”

Shining looked at the goo along the door and the wall and whistled. “That oughta keep them at bay for a while. Nice work.”

Thorax beamed. “Thanks.”

“Well, I guess there’s only one way to go now, assuming you explored down the other way already?” Sunburst suggested.

Shining nodded. “Nothing but stone, which is weird, because it was all crystal a few moments ago. Some funky mind magic is going on, that’s my guess.”

“I concur,” Sunburst said, looking down the tunnel. “Well, no use standing around. We’ve got a monster to take down and a Crystal Heart to save.”

The other two stallions nodded in agreement, and soon all three began their long walk down the tunnel.

Behind them, the door (and the goo) vanished, and the tunnel began to dissipate into shadow.

---

Flash woke up, and immediately wished he hadn’t. The pain in his right side was unbearable, and seemed to burn him from the inside. Still, he supposed he was thankful that he was alive, although he knew that any second now he would be wishing that Faust had taken him to the Great Beyond.

With great difficulty, he managed to roll onto his back to get a better look at his wound. The crossbow bolt had punched through his armor and had dug deep into his abdomen, but luckily the armor held it in place. Providing he could pack it tight enough and not put his weight too much on it, the bleeding shouldn’t be too excessive that he couldn’t continue flying.

He pulled off his helmet and detached the crest, plucking out all the feathers inside and stuffing them around the wound under his armor. He then threw the crest away and carefully leaned his face forward towards the bolt, gripping it between his teeth. Using two of his hooves to brace the bolt, he used his mouth to snap the longer shaft sticking out of his armor off, leaving the rest inside.

Then, after taking a few breaths to prepare himself for the pain to come, he flipped over again and, in one deft motion, stood up on his shaky hooves. He let out a loud grunt of pain and hissed through gritted teeth, almost falling to his knees but managing to regain his balance using his wings, which had thankfully been undamaged in the fall.

He braced himself then took a step forward, almost falling again. He extended his wings and gave them an experimental flap, and was pleased to find that it didn’t hurt as much as walking. His preferred method of travel chosen, he flapped a few more times until he was airborne, letting out a small cheer as he began to make his way to the city. Neither rain, nor hail, nor any wayward crossbow bolt could stop--

A pair of bolas suddenly came into vision, and his eyes widened as they wrapped around his legs and pulled him down again. He didn’t recall giving any of his troops bolas.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me...” he muttered as he fell to the earth once more, and prepared himself for a whole new world of pain and suffering.

A large pool of neon green slime suddenly appeared underneath him just before he hit the ground, and he bounced on it. Another glob of the stuff hit his legs, then another for his wings, and then a third for his head. It tasted worse than it smelled. Another hit his side, but thankfully, it didn’t aggravate his wound. Instead, it seemed to hold the bolt in place and provide extra packing, so he was thankful for that, he supposed.

What he wasn’t thankful for was the voices that met his ears after he landed in the goo again.

“We got one!” said one.

“Nice shots, Elucia!” added another.

“Status report, you two!” a third, more gruff voice demanded.

Flash sighed through the goo. Of course. Changelings. Because why not?

“General Pharynx, sir! We’ve captured one of the Empire’s guards. We now have a way into the Palace to enact the Queen’s plan.”

Flash struggled in the goo, but it didn’t matter. He was too well-encased in the stuff. Hoof-steps could be heard moving closer to him, and he felt a hoof moving his head from side-to-side. “This isn’t some normal guard...you two captured Captain Flash Sentry himself. I’m actually impressed,” the third voice said. “He’s wounded. Blindfold him and bring him to base, we’ll treat him there. Can’t have the food dying on us, after all.”

“But sir, the shield’s been fortified again,” the first voice argued. “We won’t be able to slip through the cracks again.”

Flash felt a very slight wave of heat wash over him, and then he heard his own voice say, “Not a problem anymore. Get to the edge of the shield, I’ll handle bringing it down.”

...Buck.

---

“Please tell me that’s not what I think it is?”

“It is.”

“Horseapples...”

The three stallions stared at the wall that now blocked their path. They had been walking down the tunnel for only a few minutes now, but it seemed that it didn’t go very far. A few tools and a broken lantern lay nearby, indicating that this was where the tunnel ended. But if it did, that would mean they were trapped, which didn’t make much sense considering what they had already gone through.

“Look around, maybe we’re missing something,” Shining ordered, and Thorax and Sunburst nodded. Thorax lifted his wings to illuminate the area a bit more while Sunburst studied the wall and scanned it with magic, only to shake his head in disappointment. Shining shined a light along the other walls of the tunnel, looking for a switch, button, or hidden lever of some sort. It was a long shot at best, but there had to be something.

And there was something.

“Do either of you hear that?” Thorax asked.

The two Unicorns paused and glanced at him, their ears swivelling as they listened. Sure enough, they heard a faint cracking noise. “Aw, buck, not again...” Shining muttered, before the ground below them cracked faster than thin ice and sent them falling into a hole.

The three of them screamed as they rolled, tumbled, and slid down a crystalline chute that the hole led into. After a few moments of this (as well as a tight embrace that the three of them would never speak of again), the chute opened up in a darkened room in the house and they fell out, landing in a heap on the floor.

Thorax buzzed his wings weakly and fluttered off the other two, and Shining and Sunburst untangled themselves and stood up, coughing from all the dust. “I’ll never look at Flurry’s playground slides again...” Shining muttered, rubbing his head. “Ow.”

“We’re...back in the house,” Thorax remarked, tapping the floorboards.

“But we just...we...” Sunburst said, looking up at the chute in the ceiling and then back at Thorax. “Buck it, I don’t care anymore, I just want out of this place.”

“Get in line,” Shining snarked. “Where are we, anyway?”

Welcome, gents.

Thorax’s eyes widened and he took a step back. Sunburst looked curious, while Shining groaned. Thorax glanced at both of them. “You...heard that, didn’t you?”

“Yep.”

“Fascinating...”

I’ve been expecting you for a while now. Please...make yourselves at home.

Suddenly the room lit up with brilliant light, blinding the three stallions for a moment. As their eyes readjusted, they realized they were in a large dining room, with a round table in the center with four chairs. The walls were lined with crystal, as usual, but there were also many pairs of eyes staring at them from within the walls. Then, as if on cue, the walls bulged outwards, and out stepped all the remaining crystallized Ponies. The three stallions prepared themselves for a fight, but were surprised to see the creatures ignore them completely, instead focusing on the table in the middle of the room.

And that’s when they saw it. A beautifully-carved, spiralling crystal of black and purple, not unlike the ones outside, but much smaller and infinitely more mesmerizing. For some strange reason, it seemed to remind Shining of Dragons, and he didn’t know why.

Please, it’s not polite to stare.

“This...this is it!” Sunburst exclaimed, pointing at the crystal on the table. “That’s the source of the energy transfer!”

“And the infection,” Thorax added.

A low chuckling could be heard all around them. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, my friends. A moment please, there is something I must do before we carry out our discussion.

Several crystal claws latched onto the three of them, holding them in place. They grunted in protest, but the crystal monsters didn’t seem to notice or care. They stepped towards the table and bent their heads down, bowing to the crystal on the table. A purple light emanated from each of their chests, and then a stream of dark magic began to flow in the air from their chests to the crystal. When the magic touched the crystal, it began to glow brighter, and the crystals on the walls pulsed once more with light.

Then, the transfer ended, and as one, all of the crystal monsters fell to the floor, their eyes dull and their bodies limp. They were all dead. All around the dining room the crystals lining the walls, the floors, and the furniture suddenly shattered into fine dust, and spidery cracks appeared along the base of the crystal on the table. The chute above their heads vanished, and the crystals that covered the dead Ponies melted away, revealing their fur underneath, now lifeless and grey. Their Cutie Marks had disappeared, and they remained still.

The crystal claws vanished, and the mental enchantments on the house dissipated, reverting the house back to its normal condition before it became a maze of alien geometries.

My research in this area is now concluded, and I’m both pleased and impressed with the results. I wish to see more of this world, and to further my studies.

Shining glared at the crystal and gripped the sword at his side. “Are you serious?! You take control of innocents, steal the Crystal Heart’s energy, and then slaughter my troops, all in the name of ‘research’?! And now you expect us to--GAH!” Shining stamped on the floor and snorted at the crystal, his horn lighting up with a bolt spell. “Who or what are you? Why have you done this?”

I suppose you’ve earned that much, and it would change nothing. Very well, I shall tell you. I am from another world, much like this one in its own ways, although very different. I was a great leader there, destined by prophecy to annihilate my world and recreate it in ways too beautiful to describe. I was...defeated...by some purple whelp and his whore who were far too young to realize what they were doing.

“Sounds to me like they had the right idea,” Sunburst chuckled.

You speak of things you do not know. You cannot possibly know how much pain they inflicted on me, or how torturous it is to see your life’s work come crumbling down around you. My destiny was denied! The prophecy remains unfulfilled! And when they struck that final blow, the Ancestors came and trapped my soul in the vessel you now see before you, and I was sent hurtling through the Void Between. I fell through stars and universes, saw things I never even dreamed of, heard voices I hadn’t heard for millennia. I finally found myself on this world, in the field of a farmer. I was curious, so I directed him to bring me here. He was all too...willing.

“You sadist...” Shining snarled.

Perhaps, or perhaps I am willing to do what is necessary to create paradise. Either way, I became fascinated by you equines. You have within each of you the greatest concentration of the Aether Element I have ever seen, even on my own world. You do not realize the potential you all have, and it’s sickening. Given time, I could mold you all into a race worthy of the stars themselves, and yet, I am still too weak for that. I sensed your Crystal Heart and its power, and decided to extract from it what I needed to survive. And then I discovered you, Changeling.

Thorax’s eye twitched, and he took another step back.

Changelings...a fascinating race. Full of ambition and love, and yet so empty. They, too, have True Potentials that remain locked behind their hearts and souls. I am very eager to learn more of your kind...see how you work...see what you look like inside...see what makes you TICK.

Thorax shuddered, and Sunburst put a hoof on his shoulder to steady him. The Changeling was grateful that he wasn’t facing this monster alone. Despite his newfound confidence, he didn’t think he would last long against a being such as this. He didn’t want to die.

Shining sent him a concerned look, then glared back at the crystal. “So, what, you didn’t get your way, so now you want revenge?”

Always. The constant cycle of defeat, revenge, and victory is what makes the universe stay on its perpetual axis. I am always after revenge, Prince Shining Armor. Revenge against those who shunned me, against that whelp, and against all those who defy my divine will. But no, I have no wish to destroy this world. In fact, I wish to save it.

“Save it?” Sunburst asked.

I have seen its future. I have even revealed this future to one of your rulers as an act of mercy. I sense a disturbance within the life force of your planet...Harmony, is it? I sense an upheaval will happen in the future. Soon. Maybe even tomorrow. Lives will be lost. Dreams will shatter. The planet will quake with a great noise and the skies shall burn. A great rupturing of all things...

---

Cadance twisted and turned on her bed, trying to fall asleep, but she couldn’t. Dark, troubled thoughts filled her mind, and the bitter cold didn’t help things either. Why hadn’t the shield held the storm back? Did the magic she give to the Heart already fail?

Where was Luna? Why wouldn’t she answer her in the dreamscape? Didn’t she promise a night of peace? Where was that peace? Where was the light of love?

The sounds of crying woke her once more, and she sighed. She flipped over onto her side to glance at Flurry...

...And saw Captain Flash Sentry standing over her crib, smiling down at the foal. And yet Flurry continued to cry.

“Flash?” Cadance whispered, sitting up in the bed. “What are you--?”

Something splashed against her back, and she suddenly couldn’t feel her wings. A glob of green slime hit her in the back of her head, disabling her horn. A third shot hit her in her hind legs, immobilizing her completely. She cried out in surprise, and Flurry shrieked.

Cadance reached out for her daughter, desperation in her eyes even as the Changelings behind her covered her with more goo. Her hoof fell, as did her crown.

The last thing she saw was Flash transforming into a tall, brutish-looking Changeling with violet eyes and a red head-fin, grinning down at her with malicious intent as he gripped the screaming Flurry in his magic and pulled her out of her crib...

---

This world stands on the precipice of disaster. All it takes is one push in the wrong direction, and the future that was planned will be lost forever, replaced by an age of uncertainty. Tonight, that push has been made, and the dawn is fast approaching. Your precious Harmony now has a crack in its invulnerable armor, and chaos is leaking through. I can no longer see the future that was planned for you from the dawn of time. The future I now see is one of pain...pain that I can relieve, if you would let me.

Shining strode forward, his teeth gritted in a snarl. “I’ve heard enough of this. Whoever you are, you’ve just made a terrible mistake by threatening us, and you will pay for what you’ve done to my Ponies tonight.”

The voice chuckled. As I said...the cycle of revenge keeps the universe turning. Do what you must, Prince.

The crystal was suddenly encased in a pink shield, and then a magenta aura enveloped it, lifting the shield up into the air along with the crystal inside. Shining brought the crystal close and gave it a glare that would’ve melted iron. “Oh, I will. You want to see our world? I know the perfect place for you to start. Sunburst, hold this for me, will you?”

Sunburst nodded and his magic latched onto the shield surrounding the crystal, being careful not to touch the crystal itself. Shining’s horn powered up, and suddenly all three of them disappeared from the house’s dining room with a flash of white light.

They reappeared outside the city shield, where Shining then took hold of the shielded crystal once more. He lifted it up above his head and let out a maniacal laugh. “I hear Mount Everhoof is delightfully COLD this time of the millennium, thanks to chaos magic. Have a nice flight, punk!” With that, he let out a loud yell and heaved, flinging the crystal up and away, where it quickly disappeared on the horizon, falling through the darkness towards the enormous mountain that overlooked the Empire many, many miles away.

The voice laughed darkly as it faded with distance. Good show and great throw, Prince. Ten out of ten.

And then it was gone.

The three stallions stared at the mighty Mount Everhoof for several moments, saying nothing even as they were pelted by snow and ice from the blizzard. Shining finally let out a huff and lit up his horn once more, and with another flash of light, they found themselves standing at the Palace courtyard.

“So...” Thorax began. “Do you think we’ll see him again?”

“Too soon, my dude,” Shining muttered darkly. “But if we do, I’ll make sure he breaks this time. I aimed for the sharpest cliff-face I could see.”

“He was right about one thing, though,” Sunburst said. When the other two gave him curious looks, he readjusted his glasses and chuckled. “It was a good throw.”

Thorax snorted with laughter and Shining grinned. “Agreed,” he said, patting Sunburst on the shoulder. Then he yawned. “Well, I don’t know about you two, but I could use some rest.”

“Same here...” Thorax murmured, already walking to the Palace gates.

“Wait,” Sunburst called to them. “What about Flash?”

Shining paused and then lifted up his right forehoof, tapping the crystal on his fetlock. “Flash, you there?”

”Go ahead, sir.”

Shining smirked. “Glad to hear your voice, pal. Listen, Sunburst, Thorax, and I are back at the Palace. We managed to clear out whatever was causing that crystal infestation at the Crop Duster plantation. We...we lost everypony else, though. We’ll set up a memorial service tomorrow. Right now, we need rest. Understood?”

There was a long pause before Flash replied, ”Yes sir. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help to you.”

“No problem, pal,” Shining said. “Out.”

Shining let his hoof drop. “Well, all’s well that ends well, as they say. Let’s get some sleep.”

Sunburst and Thorax nodded, and the three of them entered the Palace.

---

Thorax’s eyes flung open when he heard loud knocking on his door. He sat up quickly from his bed and rushed to the door, flinging it open. “Sunburst, what--?”

A pair of saddlebags flew at his face, and he caught them with his forehooves. Sunburst pushed him back into the room and closed and bolted the door shut, fear in his eyes. “We don’t have much time to talk, put those on and get out of here!” he whisper-shouted.

Thorax stared at him. “What’s going on?”

“Changelings!” Sunburst hissed. “They’ve taken over the Empire. Flash, Cadance, Flurry Heart, and now Shining have all been replaced. I don’t know how many guards have been taken already, but you need to get out of here. They know you’re here! They’re hunting for you!”

Oh brother, where art thou?

Come on out, little brother...

He’s in the northwest tower!

I see him!

Traitor!

Thorax’s eyes widened and he flung the saddlebags over his back, his wings already buzzing in preparation for a long flight. “Where should I--?”

Sunburst pushed him towards the window and opened it. “Go to Ponyville and contact Princess Twilight. She’ll know what to do.”

Something large slammed against the door, then again, and then a third time. The bolt on the door gave way and four large, heavily-armored Changelings charged in, swinging halberds.

“GO!!” Sunbust screamed, practically throwing Thorax out of the window just as he was dog-piled by the Changelings.

Thorax didn’t even look back as he soared through the air, flapping his wings as hard and as fast as he could to get away from the Palace. Two Changelings were in pursuit, and one threw a bola that just barely missed him. The second shot a crossbow bolt at his wings, which he managed to dodge, although the bolt whizzed past his ear. It was far too close for comfort.

Tears stung in his eyes. He thought about Sunburst, about Shining, Cadance, and little Flurry Heart, and how they were in trouble. They were his friends, and he was running away, just like he always did. He was a coward...

No! He was not running, he was getting help. He had to reach Ponyville. He had to fix this! He would fix this! They were counting on him. The entire Crystal Empire was counting on him, and he would not fail them.

With a surge of energy, he pushed himself and flew. His new wings glowed green, and he felt himself being propelled forwards at speeds he never thought he would ever reach in his life. The pursuing Changelings fell away and retreated back to the Crystal Empire in disgrace, and Thorax vanished over the southern horizon.

---

Pharynx placed the last of the four scarab stones on the table, activating the communication field. The stones opened, and green magic surged out, connecting with the other stones on the table in a square. All four stones then hovered over the table and connected into one stone, revealing a green orb tinged with black. An image began to appear within the orb, and Pharynx knelt on the floor. Behind him, twenty Changeling elites followed his example.

The image of their all-powerful Queen appeared in the orb, and she smirked. “Pharynx, my prized general. I assume the takeover has gone smoothly?”

“Without difficulty, my Queen,” Pharynx reported, lifting his head up and smiling. “Princess Cadance, Prince Shining Armor, and their spawn have all been placed in pods. They are already on their way to the Hive.”

“Excellent work, Pharynx. The other two outposts near Canterlot and Ponyville have already reported in, both with success. Tonight, Equestria has fallen at last. We have won.”

The Changelings behind Pharynx stamped their hooves and buzzed their wings in approval. Pharynx’s smile grew wider. “What are your instructions, Your Majesty? Command us!”

“Have your elites continue to replace the senior Palace staff. Once that’s done, report back to me. Tonight we feast!”

Pharynx looked back at his troops and nodded, and each Changeling hurried out of the throne room, eager to do their Queen’s bidding. As Pharynx rose to follow them, Chrysalis stopped him. “Pharynx, I sense you’re troubled. Tell me, what is it?”

Pharynx hesitated and rubbed his forehooves together. “It’s...Thorax, Your Majesty. He was here. He was always here.”

Chrysalis’s eyes narrowed. “You caught him, I trust?”

Pharynx couldn’t bear to look at her in the eye.

“You let him escape?!”

“He was too fast,” Pharynx quickly said. “His wings...they glowed, and then he was gone. The elites that almost had him in their grasp were astonished. They--” He suddenly winced, as the pressure in his mind grew immensely. He trembled, and then fell to his knees and clutched his head in pain.

“The best troops, the finest general, the greatest plan, and you couldn’t capture one miserable Changeling!” Chrysalis roared as her Hivemind connection tore into his mind with increasing ferocity. “Your little brother, no less!”

“He will be caught!” Pharynx cried as he writhed on the ground. “I swear it! It will never happen again! His life is mine, and when I see him, he’ll be yours once again. This I swear to you, or you may kill me!”

The pressure on his mind was released, and he fell forward, gasping. Chrysalis gave him a vicious grin. “Your Queen would appreciate that mightily. Very well, Pharynx, one more chance. Do not fail me again.”

Pharynx stood up, just as the image faded and the stones returned to normal. He brushed himself off and hissed bitterly at where the orb once hovered before turning around and leaving the room, donning his Flash Sentry disguise as he went. “I never once failed you, my Queen.”

---

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Ta tír na nøg ag glaoch...
The Unseelie Court returns.
And Malefor beckons...