Equestria Eclipsed

by DougtheLoremaster

Chapter 2

Standing there, bathed in the glow of her luminescent suit stood the eccentric Griffon, her light illuminating the face of a pink-furred equine. The mane of the creature was a rich bubblegum pink, with baby blue eyes. I blinked. A pony, no way. The pink pony blinked in the bright light, turned its head, and in a very hyperactive feminine voice protested.

“Hey watch where you’re shining that light!”

She laughed nervously as she stared up at the pink pony.

“Oh sorry about that.”

I watched her press a button on her suit causing the light to dim, and that’s when it happened. Still looking down as the light dimmed, she was completely oblivious as the face of the pink pony split in half revealing vertical rows of sharp, saliva-dripping fangs. I tried to scream as the creature chomped down onto the spot she was standing; the sounds of bones breaking and a sickening squelching were all that was heard as the light vanished.

Silence fell in the pitch-black darkness, leaving me alone with my thoughts. What just happened? My heartbeat pounded against my chest as the sound of gravel crunching reached my ears. Whirling around with a flashlight, I suddenly found myself face to face with what was once the pink pony, its face now changed to resemble a carbon copy of its latest victim. It laughed at me, in her voice, repeating the last words of the eccentric Griffon.

“Oh, sorry about that.”

Its face started to split open, revealing row after row of murderous teeth. I opened my mouth to scream-

excerpt from the Journal of the Unknown Explorer

---

Chrysalis tapped an impatient hoof against the armrest of silver-clad bones that comprised her throne. Past trophies of her many conquests, she had the bodies of her fallen foes dipped in silver; a reminder to all, who currently ruled Drakon.

The keyword there is currently. It had been one hundred years since her reign began. And now the wheel of fate would spin once more, choosing the next ruler.

“Where is your champion, Chrysalis? Or are you not competing this time?”

Staring at the projection in front of her, Chrysalis grimaced at that sweeter-than-honey voice. There on the screen were four sub-sections, each depicting a surviving race on Drakon; Torch, Dragonlord of the Dragonlands, Glumptin, King of Griffonstone, Agri, Cheifteness of the Kirin. And then there was Diamdra. Chrysalis’s eyes narrowed in spite. Oh, how she hated the Queen of the Diamond Dogs.

“My choice will be arriving soon, Diam-”

The Diamond Dog Queen narrowed her eyes in annoyance at being addressed informally, but Chrysalis paid her no mind and continued.

“So sit there and shut your mouth-”

Diamdra’s mouth opened to yell, only to be cut off by Chrysalis finishing harshly.

“Like a good dog.”

“How dare you talk to me in such an insulting manner!”

Chrysalis snorted in derision.

“Believe me, Diam if I could kill you I wouldn’t be wasting my time on insults, you wretched mutt!”

A somber silence fell over the five. Immortality. All five possessed it. The reward and punishment for competing and winning that horrid game. Each had lived through the horror of that castle. Each had the scars of victory.

Torch swallowed hard and finally spoke up in a booming voice.

“So where is your champion at, Chrysalis, you know we can’t keep them waiting.”

“They’ll be here any minute.”

Chrysalis felt a tingle of annoyance. Where are those idiots with my offering?

---

In the caverns below, two adolescent Changelings carried between them a squirming, wiggling burlap sack tied at the end. The two were bickering back and forth as they rushed along the rocky corridors

"Thorax, this is all your fault.”

The obsidian exoskeleton of the Changeling brother bristled as annoyance rippled across his face. Turning to his twin sister, he barked out.

“Shut it, Ocellus.”

Blinking her teal eyes, Ocellus grinned, well aware of how close Thorax was to losing it. She knew full well just how hard on himself he was. And how he refused to blame her for anything, instead taking it as a willing yoke around his neck. Even when it was her fault, calmly she spat back.

“Mom’s gonna kill us for being so late.”

And then it happened. Thorax, still struggling against the wiggling burlap sack, and being goaded by his sister, grew larger. His spindly limbs elongated and grew thicker, a long tail sprouted forth as scales covered his body and he rose, towering over his sister. He leaned down and roared in Ocellus’s face, freezing as she spoke sweetly in response.

“Was that so hard, bro? Now pick her up and let’s go. Mom’s waiting.”

Ocellus marveled at the sight as Thorax effortlessly slung the burlap sack, still wiggling furiously, over his shoulder as he growled behind him.

“Oh shut up, let’s go, you.”

Chuckling to herself as he lumbered off, she skipped happily along, easily keeping pace.

---

“Mom, we’re here.”

Thorax tossed the squirming burlap sack down onto the hard stone floor. Chrysalis slowly rose from her throne and walked over to her son, her jagged horn crackling with lime green magic. With every step, a crater appeared around her hooves, her body quaking in rage. Barely containing her fury, Chrysalis spoke in a whisper, causing the very cavern to shake from her very presence.

“Where have you been?”

Stepping forward, Ocellus stated outright.

“Sorry mom, it was all my urmphf-”

Pointing her hoof at her own self, Ocellus suddenly found her brother’s hoof pressed firmly against her mouth as he interrupted her, staring his mother dead in the eyes.

“It was my fault.”

Chrysalis’s eyes softened at the display, but only just. Her horn ceased crackling and the rumbling in the cavern slowly came to a stop. She sighed and turned away.

“Just get your flanks down to the chamber, we can’t waste any more time. My sisters aren’t known for their patience, after all.”

---

Chrysalis led the way down a side corridor, encased in cobwebs that ignited as she approached them, burning away to reveal the dark and dank hallway. Candles along the wall lit up with silver and gold flames as she approached the door at the end of the corridor.

The door looked to be a plain oak door, nothing unusual about it, aside from the over one hundred locks that covered it; all of which burst apart as she placed her hoof on the door frame. Behind Chrysalis, four creatures watched in awestruck trepidation as the door suddenly swung open to reveal…

Nothing, but an empty 9x9 hoof jail cell. Confusion crossed the others' faces, as Chrysalis turned to face them. She pointed at a small orange dragon with purple spines, the Champion of Dragonlord Torch.

“You-”

Immediately she was interrupted by the dragoness.

“Smolder. My name is Smolder.”

Chrysalis rolled her eyes, as her horn glowed a bright lime green.

“I couldn’t care less what food decides to call itself. Get in there!”

Smolder was levitated and hurled bodily into the cell. The instant she hit the floor, Smolder stood up and began to angrily shout while drawing two revolvers at her side to point at Chrysalis, who stared impassively at the display.

“How dare you-”

Her words were cut off, as the wooden door suddenly swung shut on its own accord, before clicking audibly. Five seconds of stunned silence passed amidst the remaining Champions before the door swung open once more; to reveal an empty room. Looking from one to another, Chrysalis’s fangs glinted in the candlelight as she said softly.

“Who’s next?”

---

Once. Twice. Three times…One after the other, the remaining Champions entered the small cell, only to vanish into thin air as the door slammed shut after each one. The door opened up with a click, after the fourth Champion, it was time for Chrysalis’s entry.

Off to the side, Thorax fumbled with the sack opening, causing his sister to grow impatient. Ocellus shoved him out of the way and easily undid the knot keeping the struggling burlap sack closed.

At once, Ember burst out of the opening, knocking Ocellus to the floor, and lunged in fury at Chrysalis. The Changeling Queen’s eyes went wide as Ember swiped at her with her claws, the movement catching her unawares. Ocellus struggled to get up, now entangled in the empty sack, but Thorax was already on the move to intercept the enraged dragoness.

Slamming bodily into Ember from the side, Thorax’s momentum sent them both tumbling into the cell. Chrysalis just stared dumbfounded as the door slammed shut. Ocellus shouted at the closed door as she scrambled over to and clawed desperately at the unmoving timbers.

“Thoraaax!

And as the door slowly swung open once more, a single tear made its way down Chrysalis’s muzzle, dripping onto the floor. The cell was completely empty.