The Season of Spirits, Part 2
INTERLUDE: THE SEASON OF SPIRITS, PART 2
THE CHANGELING CASTLE…
Chrysalis looked over her waiting audience.
“The next tale is that of the hero Snow Flea, Brother of Queen Orchid, Metamorphosis’s wife. However, Snow Flea was not a hero yet…”
...
MANY THOUSAND YEARS AGO…
“Snow Flea! I must talk you out of this!”
Queen Orchid was frantically attempting to catch up to her brother, who was trudging through the snow towards the Everfree, with nothing more than a saddlebag containing some water, a few loaves of bread, and a dagger. Her long mane blew in the wind, and her delicate features had arranged themselves in an expression that indicated that this was not the first time this had happened.
“Stop, you idiot! You can’t do this!”
Snow Flea turned to look at his sister, never slowing his pace.
“You forget, little sister, that while you may be queen, I still have seniority over you, and as such, only my brother-in-law can stop me.”
It was at that moment that Metamorphosis and his constant avian companion Storm appeared.
Metamorphosis had aged into a handsome changeling stallion of forty, and now had a medium-length beard. His mane contained a few grey strands, yet he still looked similar to the rebel leader who had led three armies against Tirek’s grundles when he was only eighteen. He had since risen as the first true leader of the changelings of the New World, organizing five other leaders as the rulers of the “Great Swarms,” of which he and his line would always be considered “High Royals” in addition to their royal connections in Neighpon. His crown of Mithril glinted in the sunlight which shone through the clouds, and his sword rested in its scabbard. He now looked at Snow Flea with authority befitting his status.
“And what, may I ask, is it I should be stopping you from doing?”
Snow Flea began to answer, but Orchid cut in.
“He wants to wander off into the forest to chase an urban legend! He thinks he’ll find something that can take care of the assassins who want to try and kill you! He’s actually going to try and find a Kryyshhshh egg! I told him it was foolish, and that you would never agree to it!”
Metamorphosis looked at Snow Flea.
“Orchid is right. I cannot agree to this…”
“See? I told you!” said Orchid.
“…Without giving you the proper seal of my approval,” the king finished.
*
The Everfree has always been dangerous.
What most do not realize about the Everfree, however, is the fact that it is actually divided into one hundred and fifty different sections, including the Web Wood (home to the giant, sentient Kumo spiders), the Briar Thicket (from whence none have ever returned), the Slender Groves (constantly foggy, easy to get lost in), The Subterranean Forest (a large expanse of forest in an underground cave system), and the Happy Vale (home to the more-or-less normal settlements of Sunny Town and Gloomy Town.)
Here, ponies were affected in strange ways if they did not escape or were simply eaten by predators. Strange things could happen, as spirits were common in this day and age.
A pony faced with starvation in the Briar Thicket could change into a cannibalistic Wendigo (not to be confused with the Windigos of the classic Hearth’s Warming tale), becoming feral, their front hooves becoming sharp, and their cutie marks becoming faded.
A pony who was overcome with despair in the section known as the Garden could run the risk of becoming an aggressive beast known as a Rake (or Tokoroth in the Changeling language), their fur turning grey, becoming bipedal, four sharp claws protruding from what was once their front hooves.
A pony giving in to the dark whispers of the Shadow Woods would sprout a pair of blood red antlers, becoming a bloodthirsty creature known as a hippocerf, who killed for pleasure.
Those trapped in the caves of the Subterranean Forest would invert their bodies, arching so that their backs faced the ground, losing all their hair, skin growing over their eyes, teeth sharpening, and cutie marks disappearing, becoming Watchers.
The inhabitants of Happy Vale would run in fear as the Cutie Pox spread through Gloomy Town, killing the inhabitants before bringing them back as undead creatures known as Ensembles. The inhabitants of Sunny Town would pass the fear of the “curse marks” to their descendants, but their fate is a story for another day…
However, the biggest “Change” would happen to a pony with deep feelings of hatred, jealousy, and vengeance. Dark magic would infuse them, distorting their proportions, making them grow a horn or a set of wings as was necessary, turning them into a dark alicorn with cat-like eyes: a Nightmare.
*
Snow Flea had entered the forest knowing full well the danger. However, as a changeling, he only needed to worry about the various dangerous flora and fauna, as well as catching “Shift Fever,” a disease which caused the changeling affected to undergo a strange and nonsensical transformation, with certain individuals sprouting purple feathers, and others changing shape every time they sneezed. It was fatal unless cured within forty-eight hours.
Not that that was on Snow Flea’s mind at the minute as he dodged the large, club-like branch that smashed into the ground where he had been standing a mere second before.
He had been traveling north to the Shadow Woods, on the border between Equestria and the Crystal Empire, for over a week now. It was a harsh place, especially in winter. The only trees which grew here were various evergreens, including the ironwood, and carnivorous trees such as the bloodoak and the six-eyed Ya Te Veo. And then there was the tree Snow Flea was fighting. Tall and sturdy, with dark brown bark, the twisted tree raised another bludgeon-like branch to strike.
Snow Flea had run into a Batter Tree, also known as a Bludgeoning Birch, a Mauling Maple, a Whomping Willow, or Kryypshaksyy (Squashing tree).
He braced for the blow which would have finished him, only to hear the sound of a violin softly playing.
Hey! Come derry dol! Hop along, my hearties!
Changelings! Ponies! Lost ones all! We are fond of parties!
Now let the fun begin! Let us sing together!
Old Fool Willow, Get ye gone!
Lest Dread Queen Mab turn ye to heather!
The singer was a pony with sharp fangs and red eyes. Vampire-bitten.
The tree ceased its attack, stiffening. Snow Flea got up and looked at the Vampony. It was once an earth pony stallion with a brown coat and a treble clef cutie mark. He was holding a violin in his front hooves. He smiled, showing his fangs. “Greetings, Shape-Changer! From where didst thou come?”
Snow Flea was thankfully smart enough to know one never gives that kind of information to a Lost One, as all cursed ponies are known. Instead, he spoke thus:
“My brother is King, yet I am no prince,
North I travelled, I know not whence,
I hop in snow, that frozen rain
And my sister thinks I am insane!
The Vampony smiled. “Thou seeks the egg of a Beast. Thou art a changeling, the brother of the King, Metamorphosis, by his sister’s marriage to him. And I believe thy name is Snow Flea?”
Snow Flea’s jaw dropped. The bloodsucker smiled. “The Queen’s been expecting thee. FOLLOW.
Snow flea had to obey.
*
They arrived hours later at a large clearing. Snow Flea recoiled in horror.
There were Lost Ones all around the clearing. Hanging from trees like obscene spiders, Watchers hissed at him, staring at him eyelessly. Rakes peered from behind trees, scraping their claws. A single Nightmare peered from the shadows, her cat-like eyes gleaming.
Overlooking it all were two royally-dressed equines.
One was a female unicorn… or she had been. Her dark green coat contrasted against the white of the snow-covered forest, her robe obscured her cutie mark, and her tall iron crown was perched in between two massive blood red antlers. This was Queen Mab, the Hippocerf Matriarch, Ruler of the Lost Ones of the Everfree, save for the Nightmares.
Beside her was seated a terrifying figure. It was a windigo, as described in the ponies’ Hearth’s Warming tale, but bigger, bearded, glowing red, and dressed in dark armor, his helm only showing his burning yellow eyes. This was Red Rimefrost, the Ice King, ruler of the windigos. Surrounding him was his elite guard; thirty ash-grey, undead wendigos with red eyes: Draugrs.
Queen Mab looked over the changeling. She smiled cruelly. “We welcome thee, traveler, to our home. It is as we have told the Cold One, thou may stay here. However, unlike the Red King, thou art never allowed to leave.”
Snow Flea began to think quickly. “What of my trial by song? If I win, I go free and get the Beast egg I came for.”
The Queen raised an eyebrow. “And if thou should lose? What shall I get in return?”
Snow Flea knew he had her curiosity now. She had forgotten the Royal “we.”
“Then I will be your slave to do whatever you please.”
The two monarchs smiled, and brought forth their best players. Mab’s Vampony servant, Brown Tom, went first, and the Lost Ones danced to the rhythm. Though not necessary, he began to sing:
“Circle and circle,
Rhythm and rhythm,
Time is a tangle, ringle-rangle,
Life is a puzzle,
Life is a riddle,
From any angle, ringle-rangle,
Ringle this! Rangle that!
Like the others!
Ringle is this way, rangle’s the opposite!
If you’ve seen ringle, you’ve seen rangle too!
Dance you Lost Ones, a-one and a-two now!
Ringle-Rangle!
Ringle-Rangle!
Ringle-rangle-dangle-doo!”
He played until he could no longer. He smiled at Snow Flea. Snow Flea took the instrument.
Words could not describe it. It was the feeling of the beauty of a single moment in time one could wish to hang on to forever. A lamb opening its eyes for the first time. The song of the wind blowing through the leaves. The first time a foal said “mama.”
Some of the Lost Ones wept, remembering their past lives. However, Red Rimefrost and his windigos remained impassive.
Skeeves, said the king in a voice like a blizzard, show this fool how a true musician plays.
Skeeves came forward. He was a Krampus, a type of goat, but built like a minotaur, bipedal, with clever fingers. He began playing.
Snow Flea joined in, but he could not keep up with the Krampus’s fiddle. He conceded defeat.
The Ice King smirked. Come, my vassal. You belong to me now.
Snow Flea smirked in return. “If you will remember, I said I would be the Queen’s servant if I lost, not yours.”
Queen Mab fell over laughing, while Red Rimefrost shook with anger. With a howl, he and his court arose. Snow Flea grabbed the egg from Mab and ran, the Draugrs and the Krampus on his tail. In a last-ditch effort, he threw his supply of salt behind him, then ran into a grove of holly. He turned… to see the ash-grey windigo warriors tossing their heads about and howling.
“Tis the holly and salt what’s stopped them,” said a voice. Snow Flea whirled around and found Skeeves had grabbed him. “Don’t worry thy petty head, thou wilt go free, but thou must know this; the King has been cheated, and he shall seek his vengeance on thy kin each year. Now, thou hast been a most naughty visitor, and must be punished!”
The Krampus held up several long Birch wood switches. He smiled gleefully, flames dancing in his red eyes.
*
Snow Flea found himself outside the castle. Orchid confronted him, as did Metamorphosis.
He told his tale, and when he had finished, the King made the following proclamation:
“Every Hearth’s Warming, we shall put branches of holly over the windows and sprinkle salt on the sills and doorways to prevent the Draugrs from harming us. We shall also leave our quids scattered through the castle to thank the Krampus who let my brother-in-law escape.”
As this was said, Snow Flea rubbed his flank repeatedly. Orchid looked at him.
“Are you alright?”
Snow Flea smiled. “Yes, but take this word of advice…”
“Which is?”
“Birch branches really sting.”
...
THE PRESENT… THE CHANGELING CASTLE…
Chrysalis finished the second story. All those who had gathered cheered, waking up Storm, who looked around, irritated at being so rudely awakened.
Now that Chrysalis had finished, the festivities could commence.
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Wow. Just.....wow. Also did you make up those creatures or are they real?
2203961 the Rake is a Creepypasta, the watchers are based on stories of the cave children, hippocerfs are actually from greek myth, the wendigo is based on the fic called the Windigo by Hidden Identity, Krampus is an actual spirit connected to Christmas, and the Nightmares... well, you can figure that one out.
2204307
thanks. the next chapter of NanoZ is up. You should check it out. just saying.
2204604 On it! thanks!
2204609
How do you spell Discord's race? I can never seem to remember it correctly.
2204717 Draconequus.
2204729
Thanks bro.
2204751 Don't mention it.
the third part of chapter 9 should be up tonight. I'm making myself cry writing it.
2204762
Wow. It must be really sad then. I shall read it with care. Also sometime tonight or tomorrow try and read the next to last chapter to Chaos Returns.
2205266 Will do. NOW BEHOLD AS I PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON THIS PART AND POST IT RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES!!!
Interesting.