Yep. It's one of those stories again. As with everyone, I too have my gripes with the Royal Wedding episode. The entire episode revolves around the 'Idiot plot' trope. However, this isn't the typical 'UGH! Twilight's friends and Celestia were total morons' story filled with angst and drama. I mean there's still going to be angst and drama but not everyone and their grandmother yelling and crying at Twilight's friends for several chapters. We had too many of those already.
I chose a different route especially since Chrysalis had a more terrifying role in the comics. Also no power of love asspull. Consider this a sequel of my 'Guess my age' story. Prepare for a lot actions and various characters locking in.
TW: War, Death, blood, burning, Swearing
Get it. Got it. Good
(Update: January 15, 2025. I decided to split the chapter into 3 parts to make it easier to read for you guys. Also a few grammar edits)
The wedding hall erupts in frenzied whispers. Two Cadances? Dusk Shine barged into the hall reeking of blood, soot, and ozone with a blade in hand. However, the blood wasn't red. It was green. Rainbow Dash blitzed him, attempting to stop this madness once and for all. He sidestepped with blinding reflexes unbeknownst to someone of his lifestyle and philosophy. Rainbow's eyes widened in disbelief. As did everyone. Rainbow is among the fastest Pegasi in modern Equestria, creating a Sonic Rainbow Boom twice in her lifetime. Yet, Dusk Shine evaded her charge like she was passing him alongside the street. The most mind-boggling thing. Dusk Shine didn't use a drop of magic to assist him. This was pure skill and keen reflexes. His fingers hooked the crook of her dress. She gagged at the sudden tightness across her neck. Dusk Shine rotated, using her momentum against her and launching her back to where the others were. Has he gone mad? The guests muttered.
Dusk Shine warned her to never do that again or he'll use her feathers to stuff his pillows. His fellow bearers admonished him, stating he was going too far. Dusk Shine ignored them. Rarity blurted out about something regarding a movie or trashy romance novel. Dusk Shine blinked slowly. He told Rarity he'd revoke her library privileges when this was all over as what she said was one of the dumbest things he heard up to this point. Celestia interjected after the two Cadances accused the other of being an imposter. Dusk Shine asked a series of questions for each Cadance. Simple ones. Soon Dusk Shine got into specific ones where only he, Shining Armor, his family, Celestia, and a few others knew. The new Cadance answered with clarity as the bride provided superficial answers at best. Guests viewed the bride suspiciously, reaching into their dress pockets and gripping their weapons. Guards brought Lyra, Minuette, and Twinkleshine, their heads thundered like a boombox set to max. Dusk Shine asked a drink-spitting question. Which one of these lovely mares did he lose his virginity to before he moved to Ponyville? The Bride shouted all of them during a three-way. Several people snorted, trying to cover their laughter. His parents, Celestia, Spike, Shining Armor, and the disheveled Cadance.
"Seriously?" Dusk Shine deadpanned.
"I'm sorry, Dusk Shine but you have to attempt that was hilarious," Cadance teased, covering her mouth through her snickers. "One or two but all three of them?!" She can't hold her laughter.
"Was it so hard to believe?" Dusk Shine asked.
"Yes," They all replied.
"We call you Olive Oil for a reason," Shining Armor teased. Dusk Shine's brow folded, desiring to do something but he saved it for later.
"You'll be the purest of Paladins" Celestia praised, widening her grin. Dusk Shine inclined his head, covering his face."No big deal Dusk Shine, you'll find that special somebody when you're good and ready," She comforted. Dusk Shine is a stellar stallion with far more options than he thought.
"Honestly I thought he lost it to one of the Bearers," One of the guards whispered to another. They blushed, eying each other wondering if one of them did.
"He could've asked one of us," Minuette offered.
"Say what now?" Dusk Shine deadpanned, turning his old classmate with blank eyes and red cheeks.
"I mean," Twinkleshine shrugged as they gave him a flirtatious wink. Dusk Shine jerked on the backstep with rosy features. Did Lyra like stallions in that way? What does Bon-Bon say about this?
"Uh, my head," Shining Armor groaned, blinking rapidly to clear his swimming vision. "Where-who are you?" He mumbled, narrowing his eyes at the person beside him.
"It's me, your wife, your princess Mi Amor-" The Bride Cadance closed the distance, pressing their foreheads against each other but her head snapped back from his fist impacting her nose. The hall gasped.
"GET OFF OF ME!" Shining Armor bellowed, kicking the imposter away from him. "You may have her face but you don't have her soul," He fumed, galloping over to the messy Cadance near Dusk Shine and embracing her.
"I guess that settles it," Celestia said, her regal steps echoing through the hall like a chiming bell. The punched Cadance started to sob. "Don't try to cry now, imposter," Celestia glared with stone-melting ferocity. "I know your taint everywhere, Queen Chrysalis," Celestia revealed. The audience gasped. The Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings?! Chrysalis growled now the rose was up and wiped her bloody nose.
Emerald flames ringed as she shredded her disguise. Chrysalis reached eye level with Celestia. Her brilliant pink coat mutated into a deep mossy black. She had a figure treading between delicious petite and mouthwateringly voluptuous under her shaggy chiton. Emerald eyes blazed with malicious hunger relishing in the dumbfoundedly horrified expressions of the wedding guests. Her cackle buzzed with a chittering aftertone, displaying her fangs. Insectoid wings and a jagged horn erupted from her body, completing her transformation. In all known words, Chrysalis was gorgeous. Something's off. No, it wasn't her waxy skin; ancient scars from her battle with Celestia centuries ago. Instead, the unease resulted from how anatomically correct her body was. Everything was where it was supposed to be. Remove her horn or wings and shrink down as she'll be an ordinary pony. Yet she isn't!
"Of course, I didn't get past you Celestia but it's too late," Chrysalis smirked nastily when a stomach-churning noise thundered. The barrier shattered!
"Evacuate," Celestia ordered as the audience scurried for the exit, led by Royal Guard chaperons and service staff. "Dusk Shine, Shining Armor, Cadance get the Elements. I hold her off," The monarch commanded, glaring at her old enemy. Dusk Shine nodded, getting the group to follow.
"I would like to see you try-" Chrysalis bragged when Celestia's fist crashed into her mossy face with meteoric strength out of the wedding hall. Stone and glass shattered like teeth with Celestia following.
"These goshdarn shoes aren't made for running," Applejack grumbled, hopping on one foot to remove her heels. The entire wedding hall was in a panic.
"Careful with that," Rarity nitpicked.
"Well sorry for caring about the fate of Equestria over some fancy shoes," Applejack shot back, rolling her eyes.
"Will both of you shut your damn mouths and focus?" Dusk Shine remarked sharply. His commanding irate tone cut their pointless argument like fine linen. They withdrew their spat. Neither desired to further enrage him at this time. He coated them all in his arcane aura and with a flash changed them out of their gala clothes and into their casual outfits with a few modifications. Dusk Shine supplied them with weapons and simple armor. Chrysalis won't make their escape an easy task, sending entire swarms their way. "There. Better now," He deadpanned, turning to his brother. "What's the plan, Captain?"
"We need to get the civilians to safety and deal with the Changelings," Shining Armor said. That's the most obvious. They don't need the incessant nagging of entitled nobles.
"I know some of the passageways," Spike answered. Good, it'll take them into the underground bunkers.
"Night Light, Twilight Velvet, Dusk Shine, Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, we've surely found ourselves in a predicament," Fancy Pants greeted in full armor alongside Fleur De Lis. They're ready for war. "At least we Sentinels can help without our bedazzled weapons," He joked. Who needs arcane relics when ole reliable steel can do the same?
"I was hoping for a more dignified foe," Fleur De Lis scoffed. A horde enemy? They can slaughter tens of thousands of the foe and it'll only be the useless fodder units.
"Me too love," Fancy Pants nodded, holding her hands with a tight squeeze. "We have already fortified several choke points within the castle," He informed.
"Watch for imposters," Shining Armor cautioned.
"This wasn't the first time, Canterlot or Equestria has been plagued with doppelgangers," Night Light reported.
"Once we get the soft bellies out of the way, we'll carve a path for you and hold," Fancy Pants informed, honing in on Celestia's last command.
"We're coming too," The CMC injected gleefully.
"No you ain't," Applejack denied with Rarity and Rainbow Dash nodding.
"Come on we can help you and get our cutie marks," The CMC begged, causing an argument between them. Dusk Shine stepped forward. His amethyst eyes stared blankly at the CMC.
Dusk Shine gave Applebloom a merciless gut check, hoisting her off her feet, and folding her body at an acute angle. Her eyes exploded with his fist and her stomach reached her spine. She wretched clear fluids from her gullet, collapsing to her knees. A magical blast sent Sweetie Belle on her back. Scootaloo's legs were smacked under her, flipping the young Peagus flat on her face. All within 2 seconds. He loomed over the trio; his sharp eyes challenged them to stand as he would do it again.
"Listen here and listen well because I won't say it twice," Dusk Shine cautioned, lowering himself to their level. "This isn't one of our silly little adventures where we can write to Celestia about what we learn. This. This is war," He widened his arms, absorbing the carnage befalling their beloved city. The ear-splitting madness echoed, rejecting any possibility of a swift resolution and heartfelt ending. "People are dying in droves. Your grandmother experienced unimaginable pain by burying your father. Don't be selfish by making her bury a granddaughter too," He resonated with the girls and stood. "Spike, go with Mom and Dad and take them away," Dusk Shine turned to his younger brother. "Here's the key to our tower," A small white key was placed into Spike's hand.
"You two better come back alive in one piece," Twilight Velvet demanded. The brothers nodded, giving their parents a hug before they left.
"Harsh but necessary," Fancy Pants commented. They didn't have time to coddle overambitious children who were in over their heads. "On another note, I can't believe Chrysalis thought she could mimic Cadance with a sloppy cover," The other Bearers flinched at his and Fleur De Lis' cold side-eye. All the Sentinels knew they ignored Dusk Shine's warnings about 'Cadance's' bizarre behavior, yelling and shouting he was insane or jealous before casting him out with tears in his eyes. Guardsmen found Dusk Shine weeping as Celestia consoled him. She too acknowledged the irregularities. Shining Armor grimaces, recalling the heavy-handed dagger he pierced in Dusk Shine's back.
"Since she's a Queen, perhaps she emits some form of pheromone to compensate for it," Dusk Shine calculated, aware that Fancy Pants' jeer was towards the other Bearers. "We don't know much of Changeling biology besides their ability to polymorph, siphoning emotions as a form of sustenance and links we can deduct from similar social insects," He added, connecting links hoping to lead somewhere. Fancy Pants and Fleur gave the Bearers a contemptuous look but accepted Dusk Shine's assessment. For now.
Dusk Shine's mystic aura flared, dematerializing the standard sword on his hip and summoning something greater in this crisis. His family's ancestral blade, Holzfäller. Fancy Pants, Fleur De Lis, Shining Armor, Cadance, and a few Guardsmen raised their brows at the fabled weapon. Holzfäller was a massive two-handed blade. The blade was supremely practical regarding its aesthetics. Forged from a hyper-reinforced steel alloy, splitting stones like twigs. Soft nocturnal colors made their home on the hilt, angeled crossguard, and stern pommel. Beyond the engraved symbols near the crossguard, Holzfäller was featureless. He grabbed the hilt with a single hand and rested the blade on his shoulder.
"Dusk Shine, sugar cube I think that's a little too big for you," Applejack cautioned. She expected him to have some fancy rapier or a spear with a shield. Not something that can cleave one of her family's trees. "You don't have to prove anything,"
"Applejack," Dusk Shine's voice chilled the air. Applejack's ashen body stiffened, unable to avert her gaze. Nervous sweat formed on her brow. "You'll pry this sword from my cold dead hands," He declared, turning with narrowed glowing eyes. His callous eyes and low tones uneased Applejack and the other bearers beyond any prior threat. Why? It's imminent. None of them can use the Elements without all of them present. None of them can hope to argue with Dusk Shine in this state. "It's been passed down for generations and many more after that," The silver blade glistened in Celestia's light with his reflection staring back. Emotions stormed in his pupils. "I know this weapon like you know that shotgun and your hat," Dusk Shine knelt, pressing the cold steel against his head and horn. He muttered something. An oath. To who and for what? They waited in respect until he stood again and secured it on his back.
"Guardsmen, we need an escort for the Bearers to the Tower," Cadance requested the nearby troopers. "It'll be dangerous but we need to get there," She warned. Chrysalis will send everything and anything if it can impede their progress.
"We're with you Princess," A platoon of golden Celestia's, platinum Cadance's, cerulean Fancy's, and Fleur De Lis' forces saluted. Cadance smiled. They prepared themselves for the quest; moving through several hallways when someone stopped them. An old face.
"Didn't know you were back?" Shining Armor questioned. Thunder Aegis. One of his old mentors before he retired a few years ago.
"Yes, the princesses ordered for all able-bodied guardsmen for security detail," Thunder Aegis smiled with a small retinue of Royal Guard.
"Strange because you died over a year ago and we went to the funeral," Shining Armor commented grimly. The Imposter paled.
Dusk Shine took his trusty revolver, jammed it under the Imposter's chin, and fired. Bone, gray matter, and green blood exploded from the crown of their head. One traitor guardsmen lunged. A magical sphere encased their head. They yelled and scratched, slamming their head against their weapon to break it. Nothing. Their vision swam. Losing precious oxygen in this suffocating prison. The sphere shrunk. Barely to the size of a marble. The guardsmen fell limp, headless. A deluge of crimson flowed out to the ground. Shining Armor's horn hummed, glaring coldly. One attempt to strike when a pink streak ripped between their eyes. Cadance had her hand raised.
Dusk Shine dealt with the other. He made an esoteric sign with his hand, staggering the traitor with a telekinetic blast, and charged. The guardsmen regained focus, delivering a wild swing at Dusk Shine. Dusk Shine deflected, using the full weight of his blade to bash the weapon out of their grip. The guardsmen panicked, reaching for their sidearm. Dusk Shine didn't allow it. Rotating his blade, he jammed his pommel into their rib knocking the air out of them and directing it into their chin. Their vision swam at the ceiling before the flat side of Dusk Shine's greatsword swiped their legs. They slammed on their faces and crawled for their primary weapon. A terrifying stomp landed on their body's center rendering them immobile. They turned to a frightening image. Dusk Shine's eyes blazed with untold fury, raising his sword. Their mortified image reflected on the shimmering baleful blade. Dusk Shine plunged his sword into the traitor's cowardly spine, delivering searing retribution for those they betrayed. Guttural anguished screams barked from their bloody lips as Dusk Shine turned his blade edge vertical, raking a clean line to their shoulder blades and wrenching it from their neck. He aimed his firearm and blasted the back of their skull.
Snarling critters lunged from the ceiling with more traitor guardsmen. Applejack fired, creating holes in two of their chests. The guard's armor protected them from the worst of it. Dusk Shine raised his hand in another bizarre gesture, jetting a flame stream from his fingers rendering the ambushers to smoldering bodies. His friends watched in shock. Dusk Shine's horn didn't glow upon summoning the flames but he performed magic. More came.
Shining Armor shouted commands, hustling the guard into disciplined formations as his magic bolstered their armor. Cadance launched magical blasts over their heads. Rarity harnessed her magic, outstretching her palms before swallowing the lump in her throat. She showered one hallway with crystalline shards as the drones rushed. They fell like popped balloons as shrapnel pierced their bodies. Green and red slicked the regal floors but they still charged. Anguish murked her smooth features. This was different compared to fighting beasts during her gem hunts. Then she fought for self-defense and escape. Now she's fighting for her life, Canterlot, Sweetie Belle, her family, and more. Rarity bit her lip, summoning a hexagonal barrier to bolster the thin line of troopers. Changelings crashed into it and fell.
Few slipped through the edges with agape maws and rivers of caustic spittle. The guards ready themselves in a shield wall. Shields raised with spears prepared at the pests. They thrust their spears, the sharp tips exiting the Changelings' black backs, splattering green ichor. The guards wrenched their spears and repeated. Thrust and Pull. Thrust and Pull until the enemy was dead. Dusk Shine lobbed fireballs and telekinetic blasts culling the hordes as Rarity held the majority with her shield. The Royal Guard braced. Stepped forward to break necks and shatter jaws with their shields. The invaders didn't stop trying to brute force their way through Rarity's barrier. Some morphed into larger creatures to shatter it but they were drones. Their bones and muscles are underdoped for wall-breaking. Splitting their heads open from darting at high speeds. They continued this tactic, piling on the cold floor and feebly clawing at the crystalline surface.
"They're killing themselves," Rarity muttered, sickened by their lack of self-preservation.
"They're drones. Fodder for our weapons to exhaust us. Their lives never mattered besides this," Dusk Shine remarked, illuminating his horn with a spark of electricity. Some guards tensed momentarily. He zapped the barrier, transforming it into a makeshift bug zapper. The swarm flashed and spasmed in agony from the snaking electrical currents, short-circuiting their hearts and brains. Blood is a great electrical conductor.
On the other side, Fluttershy played defensively, evading snatches and bashing them away with her shield. Her weapon was a polished wooden bludgeon, wrapped in leather. Nobody expected her to kill but to be useful throughout the siege besides using the elements. Rainbow Dash took the aggressive role, gutting them with her short curved blade. Pegasi with their militaristic roots instructed them in their youth with mock military drills for such an occasion. Pinkie Pie released marbles of concussive forces and other wacky concoctions. Fleur De Lis gently blew a suffocating squall of pollen, blurring their vision, and locked their throats. Fancy Pants confident blade skills made short work, smoothly flowing through the hallway with feints and reversals. Applejack sprayed slugs, ejected the emptied rounds, and rearmed as fast she could. This pouch Dusk Shine gave her must be enchanted to provide her this much ammo. Time blurred, eradicating all their attackers until they retreated to somewhere else or died.
The ambush ended. They used the respite to recover and process what happened. Nobody died defending against what seemed to be a decent-sized battalion. That's a miracle to be praised. Weapons were cleaned. Dusk Shine handed Cadance a rejuvenation potion. He couldn't give it to her while they were in the caves. She smiled, took a long swig, and handed the vial to Shining Armor. They exhaled as their muscles relaxed and magic was restored.
"Seems we have traitors," Fancy Pants sneered, returning his blade to its scabbard.
"What could they possibly want?" Rainbow Dash asked the question everyone thought. They weren't mind-controlled like Shining Armor nor were they imposters.
"Sex mainly," Dusk Shine answered, cleaning his blade, feeling their gazes on him. "Changelings were one of the likely explanations for the classic Succubi or Incubi myth. They can change into any man, woman, or in some foul cases child of their desire," He explained as if he were giving a lecture. Few winced."Think about every celebrity you had a fantasy about, someone who's out of your league or can't be with you for whatever reason. Sapphire Shores, Captain Spitfire, Cherry Jubilee, Fleur De Lis, Blueblood, a teacher, a neighbor, your friend's spouse, one of us, etc. A changeling can fulfill your fantasy without the risk. For a price," Dusk Shine concluded, allowing his words to chill their souls.
"You mean to tell us those morons threw us to the timberwolves for a quick rump," Applejack commented on what everyone thought in this madness.
"Basically," Dusk Shine shrugged. They recoiled at the petty motivation behind the invasion. Chrysalis wanted to feed her children. An understandable motive. Offering up the head of state, the nation's capital, and thousands upon thousands of citizens and soldiers so they can have a harem? Just go to a brothel.
"Other ponies turned traitors for pettier reasons," Cadance admitted. There have been rumors about certain individuals who heavily disapproved of Luna's reinstatement. That had merit. This doesn't. They didn't have time for a history lesson and heeded Celestia's words to reach the tower.
"Dusk Shine," A trio of voices called out to him. They turned.
"Minuette, Twinkleshine, Lyra, what are you doing?" Dusk Shine questioned his three former classmates. Cadance's bridesmaids joined their rush to the front in their casual clothes.
"We're helping," Lyra declared as the other two nodded. All of them were a part of the Gift Unicorn program making their arcane abilities a key asset.
"Are you nuts? You can't help me by risking your lives," Dusk Shine argued and stopped in his tracks.
"Dusk Shine, we've known you for years. You always did things yourself because you didn't want to be a burden or viewed as incompetent or unworthy as Celestia's student," Mineutte confided, remembering all the extended nights Dusk Shine spent in the library. The mountains of books were split by rivers of detailed notes with determined tears flooding his eyes. He didn't reply.
"We didn't know how long we were under her spell," Twinkleshine confessed, sharing an ashen and terrified expression with the other two. They swore they could still feel her crawling in their minds. "The least we can do is get you there faster,"
"Fine," Dusk Shine grumbled. "Minuette would you please?" He requested.
"One double-time spell coming right up," Minuette obeyed, igniting her horn with a smile. Her cutie mark ticked as the hands moved upon activation. Time slowed. They blurred past soldiers barking orders, viewing the spit ejecting from their mouths as the battle continued. Wedding guests ran for safety, leaving their acid-burned associates behind. They must reach the tower.
"RAVORI," a battalion leader thundered, getting their troops in order. Once the dome fell, they assembled as many troops as possible. Chrysalis blew through one of the roofs in the hall, determining this was where the tide would crash against their shields. Changelings swarmed their positions, dying by the dozens to even hundreds, but it didn't matter to them. Archers and gunmen shattered windows for a clear shot.
"OURUOM!" The phalanx retorted, jutting out their spears and swords against the pests. Gunnery sergeants relayed bombardments to artillery pieces. Craters formed as changelings scattered into pieces across the field. Marksmen focused on any elites but they were few and far between forcing them to waste their ammo on grunts.
"Step!" The battalion leader yelled, exploiting the ebb of the wave.
"Nuom!" They advanced.
"Step!" The battalion leader repeated, marching a respectable distance from the wedding hall. Their blood chilled at the door creaking open behind them and swiftly formed a rear defense. They didn't need to. Their hearts sang at the reinforcements, parting their shields for a path."TO THE CAPTAIN! TO THE CRYSTAL HEART! TO THE SENTINELS! TO THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY!" The battalion leader encouraged them, raising their weapon to follow them.
Dusk Shine's body crackled with electricity. Lyra, Minuette and Twinkleshine's horns shimmered as well. Shining Armor shouted. The defenders raised their shields as a soundproof bubble shielded them. Minuette screwed with the enemy's perception of time, forcing them to act before or after the precise time to react. Twinkleshine blinded the invaders. Scorching the retinas of those too slow to cover them and rubbing to soothe the stinging. Lyra burst their eardrums with thunderous shockwaves. They wailed. Few collapsed on the ground in a fetal position, covering their bleeding ears. Deaf to the world. Dusk Shine leaped, slamming his fists like a raging god, and rumbled the earth. He blitzed, becoming nothing more than a purple blur. The only evidence of his actions was the twitching fallen bodies of traitors. Rainbow's eyes widened. Dusk Shine modified the Buccaneer Blaze!
He and his classmates paused, glaring at a figure on the battlefield. Their shouts quaked with shocking disgust. Mythic Tinker! One of their former classmates from the Gifted Program. Mythic Tinker went on an ego-centric rant about the Canterlot & Celestia will pay for not recognizing their skill and genius. Idiot. Tinker was expelled after nearly blew up the west wing with an unauthorized experiment. Lyra mocked with a Blah-Blah gesture as Mythic Tinker boasted they should be the Element of Magic. Dusk Shine grabbed their horn, halting whatever useless spell they could muster. Mythic Tinker paled, begging Dusk Shine not to do it. He ignored their pleading, snapped their horn like a twig, and kicked them away. The unicorns gasped, instinctively touching their horns from the gory scene. Breaking a unicorn's horn is one of the greatest tragedies to befall them. It's worse than a pegasus losing their wings. Mythic Tinker stumbled, grabbing the stump as magic fizzled and spasmed like an uncontrolled muscle. Tinker's head exploded and fell limp. Some gagged, holding back their bile and horror. Dusk Shine casually tossed the horn onto Tinker's dead body for identification. He pointed to another figure causing his magical aura to flare. The figure had a liquid smug aura about them, rivaling Blueblood with a powerful Peagsi bodyguard. No that would insult Blueblood. Blueblood was a typical spoiled sheltered annoyance who would rather loft away from danger in his villa but never betray Equestria.
Silver Ballad would.
They're from the self-proclaimed 'super-elite' class. The festering vestige of irrelevant nobility from the sisters' ascension to the throne and after Celestia became the sole ruler. Nobody likes them, including Fancy Pants. Silver Ballad and their associates reeked of a condescending manipulation. Also scheming for more power while boasting their riches and legacy to anyone forced to listen. Dealing with Gorgar was a more trustworthy deal than whatever those fools had. If this invasion enabled them to be drunk on this drowning temptation of power, then the Sentinels would burn their accursed houses to the ground once this was over. However, they're one of the oldest noble houses in Equestria for a reason. Some dated before the Unification era. Powerful tomes and artifacts, ancient secrets, competent forces, and stalwart connections help them persist in this era.
Silver Ballad dressed in what Rarity would describe as an overdesign cornucopia of gaudy soulless trash. No drive, artistic vision, or personality from the designer who's only interested in the payment. The suit she made for Dusk Shine's birthday had more glamour than whatever that is. Silver Ballad guzzled a bottle of Grancukastel Chiaretto, burped, drained the contents, and threw the bottle at a barely conscious guardsman's face. They whooped like they scored a winning goal as the guard bleed a crimson curtain. A single bottle can buy a house at a profit.
"THE ONLY ONE THAT'LL BE WEEPING WILL BE YOUR OVERPRICED CHEAP SLUT WHORE HEIFER OF A MOTHER AFTER I PUT YOUR ROTTEN SKULL ON A RUSTY PIKE WHEN WE USED IT AS A PISS POT!" Dusk Shine thundered with gritted teeth. Everyone stared. They had never seen Dusk Shine like this. Shining & Cadance shrugged equally concerned. Others had a wolfish grin, seeing Dusk Shine with a warrior's spirit.
"Good lord," Fancy Pants mouthed despite the fact he and others had similar ideas but not as descriptive.
Ballad shot a magic missile gesturing for their guard to back off. A magical duel? Dusk Shine didn't evade or flick it away. His supreme skill forced the projectile to freeze like an insect cased in amber. Terror festered in their eyes at the returning hypercharged missile, creating a barrier. Ballad's heels skidded. Easing their body as the shield held but won't hold against what's next. Dusk Shine's fist shattered the sphere after closing the distance instantaneously, carrying a mountain of wrath reserved for oathbreakers, and didn't stop until his fist hammered into their jaw. Ballad's neck twisted painfully as teeth flew out. Dusk Shine grabbed them, bashed his knee into their gut, and tossed them stones away. He pulled his revolver and unloaded three shots in their leg, shoulder, and cheek. The last shot was for their head.
"Sto-stop him," Ballad whimpered, crawling away as blood leaked from their burning wounds. Ballad's guard covered him and fended off several loyalists. Where's that arrogance huh?! More changelings came. Dusk Shine's revolver shattered a chunk of a changeling's skull. He flicked open the chamber, siphoned his magic, and shut it. Six shots. Two had holes in their foreheads. One in the throat. He weaved, blasted another in the knee, and kicked them to the ground. His foot flattened their spine. The fifth lost an eye. Dusk Shine grabbed the sixth arm, kicking their shin, and flipped them over. The sizzling metal blew the side of their cranium. Flick and close. Dusk Shine glowered, tightening their fists with fury pumping his blood. His veins pulsed at Ballad and their guard escaping with a host of dead loyalists behind them
THE COWARD IS GETTING AWAY! Dusk Shine charged his firearm unleashing steady volleys, incinerating and cartized limbs from their joints. His hand singed from the firearm. However, the extended range and armor-piercing capability were worth it. Ballad gasped, feverishly ordering the changelings and guards to delay Dusk Shine. The houseguard placed them on their back and flew. Dusk Shine summoned ethereal hunting dogs to maul them. Traitors and changelings screamed in agony as their throats and other vital organs were ripped from them. The Guard fluttered, reaching higher altitudes with evasive maneuvers outside of the weapon's effective range. A childish raspberry blew from Ballad's lips. They paid for it when a heated shot pierced a chunk of their ear and seared their luxurious hair. Ballad's flesh bubbled. The scar will never heal.
"IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU GO!" Dusk Shine roared with a dragon's breath, incinerating any in his path. "I'LL HUNT YOU DOWN!" His vow scarred their minds as they escaped. People will label their escape as cowardice but witnessing the carnage released Dusk Shine's wrath. It's the pragmatic approach. Seasoned guardsmen briefly glanced away and kept a safe distance away from Dusk Shine. They observed Celestia's student brutalize each opponent in his bare hands despite having magic, a sword on his back, and a revolver on his hip. Changelings were torn like paper. Arms ripped. Heads twisted and snapped. Throats crushed like empty water bottles. His true fury was saved for the traitors. Mercy began a foreign concept. Dusk Shine crushed them in their armor, bursting a gory deluge through their orifices. Holzfäller thundered. Dusk Shine cleaved and thrust Holzfäller, piercing gaps in armor or severing limbs at the joints before cutting their heads. He evaded a spear thrust, diced the pointed end off, and with a bit of magic, launched the broken piece square in the traitor's eyes and out of their helmet. Dusk Shine holstered his blade, grabbed another traitor by the face, and heaved, crushing bone under his herculean grip as they struggled. They punched, scratched, and kicked with tears welling up. Dusk Shine slammed them into the broken ground, rendering them limp. Nearly fully paralyzed thanks to several shattered vertebrates would be a better answer. He scavenged the body. A wedding band? Dusk Shine broke it, tossing it on the body. They stared back, twitching and mouthing something under their breaths.
His instincts twitched. He formed another sign with his hands, creating a humble shield against the ax swing. The assailant bounced off. A pegasus. They grunted when Dusk Shine fired a precise magical shot to dislocate the shoulder, dropped their ax, and swapped to their side sword. Holzfäller collided with their ribs, fracturing several of them but their armor prevented the worst. They dueled. Dusk Shine kicked their shins and kneed them in the groin. Their fractured ribs howled in pain. Dusk Shine punched them square in the chest, sending them flying despite already having wings. The pegasus touched their dented armor and paled. Their armor was dented! Do you know how hard you have to punch to dent armor and send a fully grown adult several paces? They flexed their wings to soar to another position but got a single hop before crashing. Smoke and cooked flesh assaulted their nostrils. They turned and froze, unable to look away from their mutilated wings. How?! Dusk Shine approached with Holzfäller glowing. A spellsword! They stood to run. Dusk Shine lunged, clearing several paces in a flash. Holzfäller pierced the pegasus' back and armor, cooking bone and organs as the body dragged slowly. Dusk Shine retracted Holzfäller and searched the corpse for any identifications. A lieutenant. Shame but a traitor is a traitor.
"ROYAL GUARD!" Shining Armor yelled, getting the entire defense to listen. "WE HOLD THIS SACRED GROUND IN THE NAME OF THE SUN, MOON AND CRYSTAL HEART!" They halted their petty duels including Dusk Shine and rushed over with well-oiled discipline. A simplistic dome formed over the wedding hall. "WHY'S THE STANDARD ON THE GROUND LIKE RAG?!" He shouted, glaring at the defending troops. A guardsman hoisted the Equestrian banner, shaking any dust off for it to stand proud in the wind. "IF WE DIE THEN WE DIE WITH VENGEANCE ON OUR LIPS AND COURAGE ON OUR BACK!"
"VENGEANCE & COURAGE!" The defense roared, causing the Bearers and Dusk Shine's former classmates to cover their ears from the fiery thunder. This was the Royal Guard under their captain. The line was drawn. They can only advance! Spear were ready as their shields were interlocked prepared to defend their partners. Changelings crashed against their lines but they remained. The defenders' spears jabbed forward and over their heads. Several changelings stabbed in the chest and throat yet none complained about the other stealing their kill. The enemy was dead. That's the only important thing right now. The Changeling used their overwhelming numbers to choke the defenders in bodies, eroding their equipment with acid or shapeshifting into frightening creatures to intimidate them. It didn't work. They remained. Marksmen and artillery blasted the larger changelings and airborne units. However, that didn't stop them from doing kamikaze runs into the defenders' lines to disrupt their formations. They remained.
"Where's Nimbus?!"
"Dead sir!"
"VENGEANCE!" The defenders pushed further, stepping over the dead. Dusk Shine, Shining Armor, Cadance, Fancy Pants, Fleur De Lis, and others led the counterattack. The brothers fought together. Spear & Shield. A guard handed Cadance a spear to conserve her magic. Their actions were an all-star morale boost. The Captain and his bride-to-be after being deceived by the witch Chrysalis, cover the other's back. Fancy Pants and Fleur De Lis were Sentinels, dedicated to protecting the capital with their lives. His refined sword skills and her blooming devastation. Dusk Shine shocked them the most. Here he was the typical scholar who would rather spend his days conducting research, fighting with everything he has and more. He's 23! Yet Dusk Shine is fighting with more tenacity and fervor than any of them. A group of Royal Guards witnessed this. Their bodies and minds were exhausted after fighting from the start. They steeled their nerves with a deep breath and charged with a battle cry. Rarity patched holes in the sphere. Fluttershy tended to injured guardsmen behind the defense. Rainbow Dash dragged any loyal stragglers to their lines. Pinkie did Pinkie things. Dusk Shine was in the thick of it all, reaping scores to his tally.
Applejack wasn't far behind him; firing slugs and blasting holes in changelings outside of Dusk Shine's range or focus. Years of rodeo games and defending the farm against pests steeled her aim. Protecting him like this is the bare minimum Applejack can do to atonement. Holzfäller gorged itself on Changeling and traitor blood after being sealed and used for training for so many years. He glanced at a reloading Applejack. An entire group of Changelings were buzzing right for her!
Dusk Shine tackled Applejack, sending themselves rolling on the ground. Dusk Shine grabbed her shotgun, reloaded it, and calmly exhaled. A squad of changelings had their heads burst like grapes in the next moment. He pulled Applejack up from the ground, returned her shotgun, and rushed to another section of the battle.
"Dusk Shine," Applejack whispered, desiring to apologize for being lower than a snake's belly button. He doesn't bother to look at her. Applejack's lip tightened, reloaded her shotgun, and fired away.
Dusk Shine, Twinkleshine, Lyra, and Minuette stood abreast. They synchronized their movements and magic to bolster Shining Armor's barrier. Morale surged as cracks sealed. This was the power of graduates from the Gifted Unicorn program. Defensive lines were reorganized. Chrysalis grimaces, directing her swarm into the barrier when Celestia sends blazing darts at her head. The Queen didn't need to evade. Why should she? Drones were forced to serve and surrender their lives to their Queen. Chrysalis smugly folded her arms as her children absorbed the damage and crashed to the streets. This . . . was true power and obedience.
Minuette, Lyra, and Twinkleshine struggled to hold as changelings dived. Their muscles wailed with a pounding headache. Spells of this caliber were foreign to the trio; their knees buckled. Dusk Shine focused; his eyes glided to his former classmates withering magic. Plans formed. What does he know about creatures like Changelings?
Their society is based on eusocial insects like ants, bees, and termites with Queens on top, drones and workers at the bottom, and everything else in between. A queen's work is law in the hive. She can override a lesser changeling's mind with pheromones, magic, or both to achieve a goal. An iron fist can substitute as well. Castes are implemented. Drones or workers were at the absolute bottom often weak and sterile but were the most numerous. Weak individuals but unstoppable by sheer weight of numbers. All caste systems have warriors, medics, thuggish brutes, minor nobles, and whatever their society deemed appropriate. Changelings were subtle ambush predators using their polymorph abilities to launch a surprise attack with their overwhelming numbers, carrying their victims to their massive underground subterranean hives. Deception & overwhelming numbers.
Chrysalis mentioned her hive was hungry. Ambushes weren't meant to be lengthy endeavors but swift destructive assaults. His eyes scanned the field; Changelings were gnawing on dead soldiers and wedding guests, shoving each other to get more. Hunger, urgency, and oppression. Those are the main principles of this invasion. Additionally, Chrysalis desired to humiliate Celestia after their prior duel centuries, leaving the Queen a spotty mess by taking her castle. Ego, cruelty, and revenge. A debilitating combo of traits for any leader. Horrible weaknesses. Dusk Shine doesn't have the kindness nor the mercy to ignore them.
He interlaced his fingers, widened his stance, and tightened his muscles. Arcane might swirl around his body like a tempest, kicking up dirt, and pebbles and fluttering his hair like a cape.
With a roar to subjugate dragons and the stars, Dusk Shine propelled his skills, fully encasing the wedding hall and neighboring sections.
The dome radiated a molten heat. His feet sank into the earth, unable to withstand his titanic power. His former classmates were blown away by the backlash of his aura, shielding themselves, leaving him the only one standing. Dusk Shine strengthened his resolve. The dome retaliated against the foul changeling invaders. Scorching tendrils whipped, smacking them like flies around a hard-earned meal. Immolating craters greeted the changelings and devoured any who even smelled the boiling temperature.
"Holy shit," The defenders gawked with slack jaws and wide eyes, unable to speak beside a handful of people. Shining Armor grinned at Dusk Shine finally cutting loose. The Captain raised his fist triumphantly and projected his voice. Others joined the chorus. Cadance added her voice, arching her brow at Dusk Shine's power. Few began to chant his name.
"Dusk Shine, Dusk Shine, Dusk Shine!" He ignored it. Today wasn't the day for personal glory. He poured more as the dome flashed rhythmically. They better arrive in time.
Some changelings exchanged worried looks and morphed into civilians during the mesmerized chaos. A pair of guards ushered them into safety. This wasn't to exploit but to survive until they died of old age. Hiding and pretending to be a normal citizen pays in dividends compared to being under their queen's rule. Hail Princess Celestia.
"Well I'll be damned," Fancy Pants muttered, removing his monocle to witness this spectacular display of arcane mastery. His face carried a smile. He playfully nudged his wife. "Think he'll give lessons?"
"Oh shut it," Fleur De Lis muttered, using a vine to slam a trio of traditors but she couldn't keep her eyes off it.
They keep forgetting how powerful Dusk Shine is as a unicorn. Even his classmates were mystified. He's the personal student of Celestia and the embodiment of Magic for a reason. His humble nature would never tell you this power. The Canterlot elite didn't have the chance to see the fruits of Dusk Shine's labor. Ponyville residents had a mere sample of his power when dealing with Trixie and the Ursa Minor. However, utilizing several spells simultaneously while levitating a massive beast would be an arduous task for any unicorn requiring a skilled team but Dusk Shine did it himself. Now he's taking a spell and pushing it to the apex. Changelings continued to bombard the searing dome, using their sheer flood of numbers to shield the others as they struggled through the blazing heat. Charred smoldering bodies fell like rain. This spell wasn't designed to completely blunt an advance but to erode the enemy resources leaving them with smoldering ash. Chrysalis will have her fill as will he.
Changelings breached the semi-permeable barrier as expected yet it was a hollow effort. Their further blackened bodies were ruined, falling like bruised overripe fruits. Thin wings incinerated like stale paper. Limb segments are charred into atrophied stumps, lost in the barrier. Faces, eyes, lungs, and other vital organs boiled and popped as their skin cracked and flaked. They crawled like dregs, dragging themselves a few paces before succumbing to their wounds. Few managed to stand only to be cut down by archers and riflemen. Larger groups were shattered by ordinances, scattering their shaggy forms across the field. Dusk Shine withstood the searing ache in his horn and remembered his teachings.
Pain is the price of life. Suffering is the eternal constant of existence.
The swift hammer of discipline and humility is the greatest treasure over the luxurious poison of indulgence and hubris.
Chrysalis broke a critical axiom. Sacrifice satisfaction for success. Her bombastic ego eclipsed her cunning and hunger making the next action a must.
"My Queen, they formed another barrier," A soldier changeling informed. They were of hardier stock than their expandable brethren as they were provided more nutrients in their larvae stages. A brutal vetting process emerged upon they'd reached childhood resulting in the strongest, cruelest, determined, or cunning will survive and wore their oily dark blue armor.
"Well, breach it you moron," Chrysalis dismissed the soldier's worries with a thought. She's busy fighting Celestia again. By her maw, the dome was bright. The monarchs won't be surprised if the other cities could see it from here.
"But," The soldier protested, holding their gaze against the dome. It's an ambush, not a siege. They have superior numbers outnumbering the Canterlot defenders by over a dozen to one. However, their army is mainly drones to exploit the chaos and inflict punishing damage on Celestia's home. Wait. Chrysalis didn't bring enough warriors! Her attack is a raid! Devouring any vulnerable Equestrians possible and capturing more to store in their hives. To breach the defense requires significant resources and depriving other fronts leaving them open to counterattacks for a minor gain.
"But what?! Are you disobeying me, your queen, your mother in the most important battle in your insignificant life?!" Chrysalis exploded. Her magic bombarded the soldier with cascading malice for their disobedience. The soldier screams, clutching their head to ease the pain. "You'll serve my will whether you want to or not. We have enough to do so,"
"Yes, Your Highness," The soldier changeling obeyed, flapping their wings and emitting pheromones to gather more changelings to their positions. Chrysalis as well across the city. Changelings paused their feasting chases and submitted to the commands of their superiors. Frightened civilians and pushed Canterlot soldiers using this opportunity to flee or regroup. The soldier changeling shrieked, extending their claw to the wedding hall and charged. Lesser changelings formed a multilayered dome around their superiors, hissing acid before colliding. Canterlot defense forces witnessed the gathering horde and made a desperate interception. Why? The barrier. A sign that the crown is still in the fight. Pegasi crashed into the flying changelings. Unicorns used whatever magic they had to shatter the offensive. Earth ponies used their tools and strength to keep the rest grounded.
The soldier changeling winced at the pained screams of their broodmates, coerced by their queen in this pointless gambit. Smoke filled their lungs as the flare skyrocketed. They coughed, drawing near the center. An ungodly heat crashed against the soldier like an avalanche forcing the breaching party to swim through charred bodies and rivers of hellish intensity.
They're in; relishing the cool air in the dome. The outer barrier eliminated their ability to thermoregulate, blurring the surviving changelings' minds. Their thoughts were a labyrinth, unable to focus on the objective. A few soldiers shredded their ruined armor and fell on their flanks with heaving chests.
"MOVE!" Chrysalis bellowed wrathfully. They did with an unsteady gait of sluggish reluctant muscles. Some flew. Their unfocused minds arranged their flight in clumsy bounces to avoid projectiles. Only to crash and blackout on the ground. Warrior changelings snapped and grabbed the dizzy drones to push forward to the enemy lines. The commanding soldiers kept their armor to display their rank and establish the hierarchy. Blood thumped in their skull urging them to burse like a dam. They limped, licking their arid mouths. Explosions thundered but their minds were so drained leaving them ignorant of the madness. Arrows chinked their armor. A nearby explosion flung them several meters, flipping them on their faces and colliding with other changelings. Their auditory senses blared. Blood fluffed their vision with stones lodged into one of their eyes. They stood and faltered into the pile of broken, dead, or dying changelings. Their muscles screamed. Chrysalis didn't thank them for their sacrifice as it's their job. She chose who they would die. The soldier closed their eyes, allowing the pain and hunger to submit to the darkness.
"What is that?" The ground quaked rhythmically. A massive hulking creature marched forward, crushing buildings with its girth. Dusk Shine glared. That must be one of their specialized burrowing organisms to create their tunnels. It resembles a rhinoceros beetle but doesn't seem to fly thanks to its lumbering mass. The eyes were beady almost vesicle adapted to use other senses leaving sight an afterthought. A low groan escaped its lips, breaking the dome and allowing smaller changelings to hide underneath its soft belly. Smoke billowed from its body as it passed through. Campfires spread across the carapace, ignoring the extreme pain for the glory of Chrysalis. The defenders showered the beast with arrows, bullets, bombards, and magical shots but nothing slowed it.
"It's through!" They withdrew to the backline. The barrier stood but the changelings had a gaping hole to pour through. Dusk Shine took a spot near Shining Armor. Without a word, they materialized a massive secondary barrier and pushed against the advancing horde. Tertiary shields made by Rarity, Cadance, and others were behind them halting additional invaders. The brother's shield had an abrasive whirling face, grinding flesh, bone, and chitin into a fine pulp. They pushed, forcing the burrowing beast back into the scorching perimeter. However, its hulking mass and dense physiology would at most immobilize it and allow more flooding through.
Fleur De Li grazed the ground, ejecting a trail of serpentine briars to wrap around the limbs and necks of the rushing changelings and traitors. They growled and hissed while pulled into the soft soil. Their struggles ceased. They're still conscious of what's happening. The changelings can't move. A paralyzing sap coated the thorns embedded in their flesh. Soil entered their horrified throats, muffling their silent screams until they were nutrients for the royal garden.
Fancy Pants blurred across the field. His refined sword strokes cut true as his group flanked from the beast's right. Fleur's magic loosened the soil, causing it to sink ever so slightly. One of the hindlegs had more damage. Fancy Pants steeled his mind, teleporting himself above the appendage and slashing clean through the joints. Green ichor stained his armor but there's nothing that a quick trip to the dry cleaners can't help. The beast wailed, slumping as the shield snapped the horn in two.
Dusk Shine grabbed the air, highlighting the monster in his aura, and flipped it over on its back with a mighty yank. Dozens of changelings were crushed under its weight. Another spell speared the broken horn through its skull and jaw. Fleur's tendrils lashed, snatching any enemy into a sandy grave. She summoned tower-sized briars to restrain the writhing beast. Pegasi dropped artillery charges on its exposed underbelly, cracking craters into the vital organs and catching invaders in the blast zone.
"We cleared a path for you. GO!" Fancy Pants ordered, pointing down the path with his blade.
"Come on," Dusk Shine commanded, gesturing to the Bearers and the escort to start running. He wanted to take the monster's skull but they'll be more. Cadance, Shining Armor, the Elements, and their escort rushed through the gap. He turned to his classmates. They smiled, gesturing for him to go and save Equestria again. "You better stay alive. You still owe me a birthday gift and this couple a wedding gift," He demanded.
"Of course," Fancy Pants remarked with a smile before hardening his expression to rejoin the defense. Dusk Shine nodded and joined his group to reach Canterlot Tower.
The escort organized themselves in a diamond formation with Shining Armor crafting a simple dome around them in the center with the Bearers & Cadance. The battle raged with blaring sirens. Changelings swarmed, devouring citizens and brave soldiers alive like hyenas and scavengers on an elephant. They were starving. Love provided an ample food source but there's a primal enjoyment in consuming physical food once more. Civilians' screams echoed with chilling pauses, haunting their dreams forever until death welcomed them. Brave soldiers gave their last to defend home against these putrid invaders, hacking and stabbing as the Changelings clustered. Quantity has its own quality.
Shining Armor's dome protected them from swooping changelings eager for a bite. His shield and their escorts' spears bulldozed any in their way. Sweet Celestia, there's so many of them! AND THEY'RE EVERYWHERE! The Changelings' ability to turn into anything wasn't an exaggeration. They were in one of the commercial districts near Restaurant Road where what they thought were abandoned shoes, eating utensils, and other random items only for them to morph into ambushing changelings. Inanimate objects?! No wonder they survived for generations despite countless purges. Their bodies chilled. How many citizens went missing due to a changeling morphing into a sock, rock, pen or anything other object?
Dusk Shine roared from above and landed in, leading the charge. Holzfäller roared as well with a blaze. His blade shined, slashing heated air to bisect scores of Changelings and their conspirators. Armor liquefied on their skin, wailing from the callous immolation while they convulsed in their death spasms. Dusk Shine became a cosmic storm, tearing through anyone and anything in his path with Holzfäller and his arcane arts. He slew numerous foes within seconds of the other's death. His eyes were perpetually narrowed, sharpened to all threats. Anything in his soul roared with volcanic fury, invigorating his muscles and magic to complete his oath. They wondered how he kept his momentum. A juggernaut wrapped in silkened lavender and preserved arcane tomes.
"Stop them now for the Queen!" A group of traitor guards yelled. Lapis Note?! Their leader was a Sentinel who broke their oath for reasons Dusk Shine & Shining Armor were too disgusted to understand.
"Eat shit, traitor!" Dusk Shine bellowed with an overhead swing. Lapis smiled, raising their bloodied azure blade to block. There's no way Dusk Shine can use that sword properly. Holzfäller's massive weight shattered the traitor's blade into shiny fragments, dropping the traitor's jaw in horror. He launched fragments into their eyes. They screamed as everything darkened. Dusk Shine twisted his sword, severing their neck and sword arm. He pushed the body away into a famished group of changelings. Another traitor attempted to interact when a shining arrow pierced their helmet, zooming through their cranium. Dusk Shine deflected a spear, rotating in Holzfäller's crossguard and retching it out of their grasp. They lunged. Dusk Shine dodged, gliding Holzfäller across the gaps in their leg armor. They screamed, holding their bloody geyser of a leg stump. Dusk Shine kicked them away, leaving them writhing on the dirt road. Emboldened by the coppery scent and helplessness, nearby changelings pounced on the vulnerable guard.
"Stop. I'm on your side," The one-legged guard pleaded, dragging themselves away from the starving Changelings. A scarlet river trailed. The Changelings smirked at the guards' tears, licking their lips before chomping on the traitor's throat. They gurgled blood, futility pushing them away when another liquefied their muscles and bones before another changeling snapped it in their jaws. Nobody turned. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity covered their eyes and ears to block the horrified screams. Dusk Shine and Shining Armor continued their charge, slashing and blasting any traitor and changeling in their path. Each was flanked by a guardsman. Shattering necks and jaws with their shield rims. They dropped their spear for a combat sword, favoring its lighter weight and mobility. Applejack fired above them. Rarity blasted shards at the invaders with the occasional shields. Pinkie Pink showered crowds in smoke, foam, and cannon-level blasts with her chaotic slingshots. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash can't risk flying out of Cadance's dome and are forced to be lookouts. The speartip tensed at the rushing group of Changelings when a shower of bullets and explosions decimated them. Shining Armor turned and smiled.
"Mind we join the party?" A mare around his age of the Canterlot Interior Defense Force. Aqua Lily. She's a lieutenant. Her forces carried simple yet compact firearms adapted for city defense with a handful of munitions and melee weapons like blades of bludgeons. Aqua swiftly organized what remained of her unit and headed for any defensive positions. It's a miracle she found them.
"Keep them off us from the air and our rear," Shining Armor ordered, glad to see a friendly face in this chaos. She nodded, barking commands to support the mission. It's impossible to miss as black mossy bodies clouded Canterlot. Aqua comprehended the danger but still joined anyway if it meant the survival of Canterlot and Equestria. She bit her lip as a few members stayed to cover their escape. Exhausting all their ammo and supplies using only their blades and bodies.
They arrived at the foot of Canterlot Tower. A massive horde of Changelings awaited, growling and buzzing. All of them shifted into the Bearers and escorts, smirking before rushing. The defenders got separated between the Guards, royalty, and Bearers in the mad chaos. Each formed a defiant fighting bubble as they pushed towards the tower.
"Styx formation!" A guardsman announced. It's a last-stand order as they prepare to ride on Charon's boat. Some found humor in this situation. It's a classic fantasy every soldier envisioned. The iconic last stand against an endless horde, fighting for something greater than themselves. Aqua and her forces lobbed charges over their phalanx's helmets into the mob, reaping scores for the defenders. Each had their backs pressed against each other. Aiming their spears, blades, and iron sights for whatever they can. These hungry bastards will have to earn their meal in death and blood.
The Elements, Shining Armor, and Cadance barely fared better as they were the main targets. They had more breathing room but this theater of war had no plot or rhythm. Pure madness. Applejack barely releases a few shots, before resorting to her hatchet, lasso, and powerful legs to cull the horde. Rarity covered her fists in a serrated diamond-like material striking gaudy changeling. They can't match her grace or beauty. Fluttershy mimicked the imposters, snarling and pointing to random parts of the battlefield. Evading attacks worked as well. Rainbow Dash did what she did best, blitzing through the rabble like a thunderous razor. Pinkie Pie exhibited her party cannon from . . . somewhere and blasted them with ribbons and confetti.
Dusk Shine, Shining Armor, and Cadance formed a death ring. Dusk Shine with his blade. Shining Armor with his shield. Cadance with her polearm and magic. They formed a corpse radius, piling them twenty deep at the minimum but easily could be more. Two stars clashed above. The three shared a glance, charing their magic to unleash a drastic blast launching the changelings away. It allowed the other groups to rejoin.
Dusk Shine raised his brow at Rainbow Dash. Something was off. "Rainbow Dash, on chapter 18 on page 349 in Daring Do: The Forbidden Whispers of the Mist, what did you think about Charm Heist killing her sister and nephew to please the mist warden?" He asked. All looked confused at the shrugging Rainbow Dash.
"What?! That's what happened?! I haven't reached that chapter yet!" Rainbow Dash screamed. They turned to the voice and back to the sweating Dash in their group.
"I lied," Dusk Shine dulled, staring at the fake Rainbow Dash. She paled, turning away to escape from this monster. Dusk Shine didn't allow it. He yanked on her tail and rammed his magic-infused fist into the imposter's midsection. The fake Rainbow coughed blood. Dusk Shine's fist was lodged into her torso, shattering ribs and erupting several vital organs. He brandished her in the air as a trophy. They watched the body combust. Her eyes and mouth glowed brightly like a candle, melting her tongue and eyeballs. He grunted, removing his fist and forearm from the body, shaking all the blood and viscera as it fell. The other Bearers flinched from his unyielding and baleful stare, fearing what he'd do. He's a pacing predator, surveying for any defects or irregularities in their forms. Dusk Shine nodded, turning to the tower. They exhaled, relieved as they were all the real ones. Rainbow Dash stared blankly, petrified at the dead changeling who mimicked her. She lost bravado, clutching the rumbling storm in her stomach. Icy sweat punctured her neck. Holy shit. Her mind raced back to the Wedding hall when he grabbed her collar and tossed her back. She could've died. Actually died!
"Let's go," Shining Armor commanded, breaking Rainbow's fearful thoughts. The tower's right there. More came from above and behind them.
"We'll hold them off and deny them," Aqua Lily avowed. The brothers rejected it calling it suicide. "Go and save Equestria again," Her watery gaze softened, hugging the brothers and pushing them in the tower's direction. They paused before sprinting. A contingent of the Royal Guard remained, forming a shield wall.
"Hey, I wanted to say," Flaxen Gust muttered. A unicorn with cloudy hair flushed.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know you fucking love me. You say it all the time," Aqua Lily teased, giving them a final kiss, tensing for the swarm.
"For Equestria & beyond!" The rear guard shouted for these bastards to remember their pitiful lives as they fought for something bigger than themselves. A legacy to uphold. Everything blurred. The defenders' minds shut down relying on instinct, training, and discipline. Aqua's throat grew hoarse from bellowing commands since the barrier shattered. She encouraged her unit to keep fighting for what else they could do now. Her sword carved the murky waters. Aqua's memories cascaded on her face as the bridge rumbled with the defiant shouts of the guard. A serene finality washed. There were so many things she wanted to do.
Becoming a marshal especially after she got rejected from the Royal Guard.
Perhaps getting a token medal or program named after her thanks to a fruitful career. She snickered. What was she thinking? Aqua's not the main character of a show, comic, or movie. She's a one-shot character that'll never be used after the episode. Celestia won't give her or her unit a stained glass mural in the castle. A statue perhaps. Will her family be proud of her? It's fine. The line faltered as defenders' shouts were slowly hushed. Bubble, Mist, Sprinkle, Stream, Roger, Aero, Stony, Huntress, Poppy, Socks, Jazzy, String-tuner, Juggler, Harp, Silk, Melody and Glass were dead. She knew it when their screams stoped after being dragged away or overwhelmed.
Flaxen, her shadow, remained closed, bashing away with his maul and magic. Aqua lamented about never living a long life with them. They're together. In this life and hopefully the next one. Flaxen wrapped their arm around Aqua to keep steady after being blinded by acid but continued to swing and fire. They were surrounded and were the last ones in the rearguard.
"Hey, you bug-faced fuckers. You can eat me or your whore of a queen can control me," Aqua sneered, keeping her face near Flaxen's as they grunted through the overwhelming pain. "But I wouldn't let you. I made that choice. Something you will never know in your pitiful lives," A device flashed in her hands as they swarmed her. She smiled even as they ripped and tore into her flesh. Aqua found herself on her family's beach, dragging her hands in the floury sand with Flaxen by her side as the salted air breezed past. The flashing increased. A changeling noticed mid-feast with wide eyes and bloodied teethed, shouted a warning. It's too late.
The bridge quaked briefly, cascading dust on their heads. Everyone turned at the billow.
"Was that?" Dusk Shine whispered, gazing at where the explosion happened. Similar explosions erupted throughout the Capital as desperate defenders denied the changelings their coveted meals.
"Yeah," Shining Armor remarked with a grim nod. They knew them. Some of them lived in the same neighborhood. Their families knew each other for years and graduated together. They didn't know the status of their parents or if they were in Canterlot. Nobody deserves such a fate on what is supposed to be a momentous day. Few sagged their heads in respect. Dusk Shine tightened his fist, hardening his face, and turned. Get the elements. It's the only thing he can do right now. They continued.
Checking their weapons and armor before encountering any surprises. Chrysalis had the numbers. Upon opening, an even larger swarm of Changelings with a vanguard of soldiers. The leader hissed, charging in with the rest of the swarm. Dusk Shine, Cadance & Shining Armor reacted immediately. Thrusting their hands with shimming horns, blasting the Changelings away. Numerous imposters glowed with the trios' respective arcane auras and were launched backward, crashing into the mob. Dusk Shine gritted his teeth, creating the fire sign again with his hand and igniting his horn.
"Back up," A Guardsman warned. The front line raised their shields for the upcoming inferno. Dusk Shine released a gargantuan conflagration submerging the invaders, and incinerating them into a scorched mess. Changelings couldn't scream. The wildfire annihilated their vocal cords but even if they could scream. His flames drowned them. He fanned like a gardener watering their plants, guaranteeing none survived. Seconds passed. His keen eyes and ears scanned the halls for any movements or buzzing. The hall murmured with the sizzling embers of the dead. A changeling corpse was a handful of paces away from them. Dusk Shine cast another spell, purifying the smoking miasma in this sacred place and levitating the bodies into organized piles once the siege ended. He motioned them to follow. They moved in formation with a rearguard at the door.
"Shit, I'm so glad he's on our side," Another guard with hawk-like eyes muttered to his compatriots. They nodded. Never in their days expected to see Dusk Shine like this. Fighting for the capital, yes. They viewed him as a strategist or relegated to supportive and occasionally offensive roles. Not anymore. Pride blossomed in their chest, watching Dusk Shine transform from an introvert into a daring leader, rushing into the enemy without fear and doing a damn good job at it. Despite his drive, skill, and their admiration, they couldn't help but worry about his mind and soul.
Their harsh glares focused on the other bearers who averted or ignored them as they paced to the final door. How can they be so gullible? Dusk Shine theorized about Royal pheromones but deep down they knew it was a cover story or excuse to protect them from a scandal. Their minds flashed to Dusk Shine's earlier tears, igniting a fierce wrath in their muscles. Captain Armor had a viable excuse of Chrysalis frequently applying a hypnotic spell to keep him under her hoof. The other Bearers had nothing. After everything they've been through from listening to his letters from Celestia, they ignored him like he was nothing. Yet Dusk Shine still protected them, proving why Celestia labeled him her student. That takes strength. At least they had the decency to look remorseful for what they did. If it was anyone else, they'd be exiled, detained, or executed for dereliction of duty and allowing an enemy to invade the capital. They will get Dusk Shine a cold drink when this is over.
"Princess Cadance," Rarity asked, keeping her voice submissive and polite. She and the other Bearers' actions will be etched in stone leaving their folly as their legacy. Cadance turned. Her brilliant blue eyes emitted a welcoming aura.
"You want to know how mad Dusk Shine is and want to apologize?" Cadance predicted from their harried expressions. They nodded. Cadance was his baby-sitter. Besides Shining Armor she knows him the best.
"Mad doesn't begin to describe how he's feeling," Shining Armor chastised the women, looking over his shoulder with cold wrath. His head tilted to Dusk Shine's back."Saying he's mad is calling flour spicy. Southern spicy," The Captain emphasized destroying their naivety of a simple apology. Twice they've done this.
"Your great grandkids great grandkids will work to their bone and beyond to reach a quill drip of forgiveness," An older pegasus guardsman spoke up. His voice was thick with authority and experience implying him to be second in command of Royal Guard escort and an elite. He's one of Celestia's primary bodyguards and escorted Dusk Shine & Spike upon being reassigned to Ponyville last year. His name was Steel Tempest.
"However, Dusk Shine doesn't hold grudges. It's against his nature," Cadance consoled. Her gentle words didn't help ease their worries.
"Don't be as foolish as how you are today thinking it'll be easy like making him a nice meal or warming his bed while wearing silk or lace. The wounds you inflicted on Dusk Shine will never heal. He'll carry that pain for the rest of his life," Tempest admonished, lifting his shield in Dusk Shine's direction. They arrived.
Cadance, Shining Armor, and Dusk Shine used their magic to access the Element chamber. A foul hissing emitted from the room. Dusk Shine flicked a small heated dense orb into the chamber before the nobles shut it. Panicked orders were cut down as the marble ricocheted off the walls and jetted through their armor and organs. A few seconds passed. Shining Armor, Dusk Shine, and Cadance nodded before barging in with a defensive spell and fanning out. Corpses littered the hallowed grounds. There are the Elements on their altar. They exhaled in relief. Few collapsed on the floor as all their adrenaline wore off. It's almost over. Cadance approached the altar muttering an incantation to disable the protective wards and charms. 6 jewels shimmered and floated to their owners. Necklaces for the women and a crown for Dusk Shine. They stood straighter with wide beams assured that the battle was won. Except for Dusk Shine. His grasp remained on Holzfäller as if he was waiting for something to go wrong. A golden radiance caught their attention revealing Celestia holding Chrysalis in a mystical dome. The Changeling Queen slammed her fist against it. Celestia wasn't without damage, her white chiton stained jade from numerous changeling drones.
"Alright! That's what I'm talking about! In your face," Rainbow Dash gloated, blowing a raspberry at the caged Queen where a monster like her belongs. Celestia's deep gaze analyzed Dusk Shine's aura and pushed further into his soul. His rich stygian amethyst eyes never left the snarling Chrysalis. He always acknowledged his teacher's presence but now she wasn't a concern in his mind. Celestia nodded slightly. Dusk Shine returned it, galvanizing the Bearers into position. A striking radiance dominated the room as the elements sang with unmatched power. When a dreadful irregularity happened.
(Update: January 15, 2025) Okay, I kept my promise of cutting this chapter into 3 parts. Hopefully, this happens to keep anything neat.
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