The Seed of Hope

“Apparently, it wasn’t such a ridiculous sentiment. At least I was standing near a window.” This was but a small consolation for Chrysalis, proud queen of the Changelings as she flew through the Canterlot sky.

“I suppose we shall have to move to phase two quicker than expected. Exos, it is time to perform your duty.”

Gradually, Chrysalis felt her speed reduce until she was once more able to hover unimpeded. The dreadful pink sphere was now indented, and thankfully shrinking.

“Your sacrifice will not be forgotten Exos. Hive, prepare to harvest.”

The black cloud of Changelings that were her subjects and family collected around Chrysalis. She had those ridiculous princesses fooled, even to the end. After this, her family would have food enough to survive the trip.

---

Watchful Eye was not prepared for this. Nobody could stand up to Shining Armor’s shields. They were unstoppable. The very fact that the figure before him was stopping one meant that something had gone horribly wrong. The Changeling, for that was the only thing it could be, was as tall as Celestia herself and very clearly stopping the shield. No, it was pushing it back. The shield was most definitely moving toward him. This was not ok.

“I would, ungh, appreciate it if you would stop staring.”

Watchful Eye let out a yelp and rocketed off. He needed to report this. Definitely just reporting this. Not scared at all.

---

Exos watch the pegasus fly away and rolled his eyes. Just his luck that he touched down right next to a guard. “Chrysalis, they know about me, I have to metabolize now. There’s no time to collect more.”

“Understood”

With a grunt, Exos focused his will on his jagged black horn. The spell he was currently dealing with was designed specifically to attack Changelings, so he figured this would probably hurt a bit. Reaching out with his own magic, he pulled at the power, willing it to come to him. First as a trickle, then as a flood, the magic pooled into him, filling his body with a searing heat that threatened to boil him alive. Each second it doubled, growing at a rate that would make even the goddess of the sun cringe. Roaring at the pain, Exos forced himself to stay conscious. His peoples’ lives depended on his strength and he would not let them down. Dark pink crystals began to grow on his back, giving him the appearance of a large, crystalline spider. The pain was blinding now. Each second stretching first into hours, then into days. Surely, whoever had crafted this spell had set out to kill his entire race with one attack. Ironic that this ‘killing blow’ would feed that race for a year. All the better that so much power was in it.

After the millennia of minutes, the magic slowed, trickled, and stopped. Brilliant arcs of glowing crystal formed a veritable forest upon the Changeling’s back that rooted him to the ground below his hooves. “It is done. Collect the love before the guard arrives.”

“We are on our way.”

Exos steadied himself and let out a hum, starting low and raising in pitch until it was almost undetectable. The crystals upon him began to shake as he approached the proper frequency. Focusing his mind upon the sensations from his back, he broke his connection to the structure as soon as the vibrations reached their peak. Cracks began to form across the entire structure, but the crystals remained upright. Judging this adequate, he carefully exited the crystalline cave before turning around and bucking it with all his might. As the structure collapsed into thousand of shards no bigger than a pony’s hoof, the swarm descended upon him, each Changeling taking a shard and fleeing north. Exos gazed fondly at the sight before him. His people had hope now, however slim. Hoofsteps interrupted his reverie as Chrysalis touched down and approached him.

“How much time do you think you can buy us?”

“At best, two hours. They fear me, but their princesses won’t.”

“I understand. You have our eternal gratitude.”

“Anything for the hive.”

“For the hive.” Chrysalis replied with a small smile. The last Changelings took their load and she grabbed all that was left. She turned back to Exos with a weary smile, and silently took off. Exos followed her flight path as long as he could. He knew he would never see her again. Once she was no more than a speck on the horizon, he surveyed the ruined city before him. Sighing, he took note of all the damage that had been done.

“This is my life now. Sole representative of the most wanted race in Equestria. Were I but a pony King, instead of a Changeling one. I would die old and married, not young and hated.” Exos turned toward the distant sound of wingbeats and hoof falls. “If this is to be my grave, I will not take to it peacefully.” Drawing from his remaining power, he pushed his magic into the ground willing the earth to protect him. The cobbled streets bent and buckled, stones flying through the air and joining together around the lone Changeling. “I will buy them time enough to live. And I will die doing it. This is my fate. I am their King.” The Changeling wove his power into the air, whipping up a whirlwind around him. “The ponies of Equestria will not harm my people further. I will use their streets, I will use their sky, and ... they will know why.” With that, wrenched a large rock from the ground and, charging his horn, he began to write.

“Ponies of Equestria, on this day, you were attacked by the entirety of the changeling race. Despite what you may think, we bore no malice toward you. We deceived, invaded, and fought out of hunger and hunger alone. I, Exos, have paid all that we can for the damage we have caused. I have been defeated in battle above Canterlot. I have fought with honor, as have you, and now I am dead. I do not hold you accountable for my death. I was meant to stall you and nothing more. My death marks the last changeling you will ever see. Goodbye, Equestria.”

Author's Note:

This was just a little idea I had. I wondered how on earth you could get love from a subjugated race. I figured that there had to be some other factor at play. I thought that a being capable of turning magic into love would be something worth having for a race that feeds off of love. I probably made some mistakes and I certainly think it is a bit short. I've never been one to write much that is very long. Oh, well. At least I have a story on the account now.

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