I watched as my dad stood before me, his right hoof off the ground, the same hoof he used to hit Quake, who was now slowly standing up; a little stagger as well. I looked over my dad; his arm was filled with dings and dents, some magic blast like soot stood out on the armor, as well as a bit of his cheek. His sword, hung over his back, still sheathed as he looked back to me, with his scar eye. “Shadow,” he spoke softly. “Are you alright, are you hurt?” I only shook my head as I then slowly stood up. My face was a little bit sore, but with the love I had from my family for all those years, the bruises and aches slowly died away.

“I’m fine,” I answered shaking my head. “But Quake…”

“I see,” he answered looking back at Quake. “First you go after Vloor, and now Quake!” Dad yelled out to Cocoon. “Why, what could you need of him, for making him love you?”

“Rather simple,” she answered as Quake moved back to her side when she waved a hoof over to him. “We needed as much love as possible, for my Hive, the Queen needs the most. And Quake here, was kind enough to be my host…or his daughter would taste Death’s open arms.”

“L…Light…” Dad looked over when mom called him out, as he then said.

“Saki…honey, are you okay?” I saw my mom give a weak smile as she then answered.

“Haven’t been pounded on that hard…” she answered, panting softly as she returned again, with that smile, “Since our wedding night…”

“Really Saki?” dad asked, shaking his head softly.

“D…Daddy!” we jerked our heads over quickly as I saw Chrysalis, hand her over to a group of Changelings of her own, to keep her down as she walked over.

“Nina!” Dad snarled softly and turned to the two. “What you told me…it won’t happen!”

“Oh?” Chrysalis asked. “And how do you plan on stopping us?”

“First…” dad spoke looking to Chrysalis. “What is your gain? What do you want, when Cocoon bitch over here was ranting,” I heard the Changeling Queen hissed when dad called her that. “You didn’t offer up what you wanted!”

“All in good time, my little Halfling, all in good time,” she spoke, waving her hoof. “You see…for the past few decades, we have been working, on increasing our numbers of our Hives, and now; with enough, are plan is now at hoof.” She turned to Cocoon as she went on. “We shall take over the major Kingdoms of this world; and then spilt it between the two of us; a truces in place, until a year after we have done so!”

“That…is impossible!” I called out as both queens looked to me. “That would mean you would have to get rid of the Dragons race, or control them. But, I’m guessing now, that is near impossible.”

“Oh we’ve tried,” Cocoon answered. “But, dragons have a strong sense of smell; they can smell a Changeling, even when we are in pony form. No, we’ll simply destroy them in another way!”

“World domination,” Dad snorted shaking his head. “That is so old, I bet Celestia and Luna herself were around when that was first said!”

“What do you know?” Cocoon spoke. “What we have planed, is full proof. Even if we told you, which somepony already did; it is too late for you to stop us! And beside, we’ll just kill you here, its you two, on us; and we can easily trance you!”

“Not…quite…” I turned when I saw Lance, I didn’t noticed him on the ground till now, as he pulled out what seemed to be a firecracker, but longer and wider. He pointed it up, and shot it off, a red flare going up, before bursting. He gave a small chuckle as he slowly stood up. “Unknown to you…We held a small group of guards, just in case somepony outside the castle needed help, and when they see that; they will contrive here…so you’re going to be outnumbered, rather quickly!”

I watched as Cocoon gave a deep angry growl at this as she lowered herself toward the ground; Lance, making his way to dad’s side as he picked up a spear that was laying close by. I stood up, about to join them to fight as well, just to hold them off until the ponies Lance spoke of. I jerked back when I heard Quake stand up fully as well, his eyes still in the trance as Cocoon snorted. “No matter,” she sated as she glared at dad. “I shall simply have to do what I must, quickly before they come. Chrysalis?” I watched as the other Changeling Queen, gave up the hold of my sister as three other of her followers came over to hold her down, by now, mom was just too weak to move, but even then, there were Changelings holding her down as well.

“How long?” I heard my dad ask Lance as I backed up toward them, holding the sword out.

“Five minuets,” he answered. “Eight at most.” I heard dad hum his answered as I then heard him speak to me.

“Son,” he whispered.

“I’ll deal with Quake,” I said firmly. “I…I have to,”

“I know,” he answered. “Shadow…I know you can take ponies off the love you give them, but I know you can’t do well when others have been placed under the spell you did not cast on them…there may be only one option.”

“I know…” I whispered to him.

“I know this may sound cold when I tell you this,” he told me. “But…don’t think too much on it, do not think about what you might have to do, worry about the here, and the now.”

“It won’t come to that,” I answered as I watched Quake at the ready. I heard my dad let out a soft grunt, before all hell broke loose.

I watched as a large group of the combined Changelings rushed toward us, dad unsheathing his blade by the sound of it as he let out a loud battle cry, some came toward me as I turned and slashed along the side of one, falling to the side as it cried out in pain. Two more jumped on my back, I heard Nina calling out to me as I screamed and jumped on my back, knocking the wind out of their breath; before hoofing each in the face. I saw quickly Lance stab one through the chest, the gargling sound of blood bubbling in the Changeling mouth before he flicked the body off his spear. I rolled away as one flew down to me, pointing with my magic; I shot a small fire ball, causing it to hit the wings. The screeching of the red Changeling as it fell rang in my ear.

I jumped back when I saw that Quake was running toward me, still without his hammer, he swung at me with his hooves. At times standing on his hind legs to hit me (or try to) like a boxer would. After a bit of moving, I got hit a few times, myself, cracking him on the side of the head. Before I could attack once more, I felt something hit me in the back of the head, causing me to gasp, as I was then on the ground; unable to move.

I must’ve blacked out for a second, cause when I woke up, I found Quake over me, his hooves on my throat as he was chocking me! I started to gasp, batting at his arms, trying to get him off me. I could see, with what little vision I had from his keeping the air from getting to my brain, that deep down; he didn’t want this! I could see it in his eyes. Without thinking, knowing that I would die if I didn’t do anything, I brought my arm with the hidden hoof-blade out, flicking it out…and stabbed him in the neck.

I watched as the blood seeped onto the small knife, slowly going down my own arm as I gasped at what I was seeing. I watched Quake’s eyes slowly grow dimmer, as he pulled away, one hoof on his neck. His red eyes flickering back to the normal eyes he once had. He looked to me, not saying anything, before falling on his side; not moving. I backed away for a second, just watching his now limp body, before I gave out a yell, being slammed to the ground by many Changelings. I struggled to get them off of me, but was unable to, as they were just too many for me to throw them off. I watched as Cocoon easily threw off Lance, him, skipping along the ground, as dad looked back, to see if he was alright, before he was lifted up by magic. I was forced to watch as Cocoon lifted him up, dad looking in pretty messed up, and he already was when he first came here. I kept on struggling to be released, to help my dad. Nina was screaming, my mom also screaming as I tried to call on my magic, but I could not!

“I planed on doing this to you far later,” I heard Cocoon say to my father. “But, you’ve been nothing but a thorn in my side since that day all those years ago!” I watched as her horn glowed an odd green like color, unlike where her magic aura was red…what was she doing? I heard my mom yell as Cocoon stabbed her horn right into dad’s chest. I yelled out as well as Nina only cried louder for dad’s safety. I heard the scream of dad’s pain, the same color that was on Cocoon horn flowed into him. Thick lines of green covered along his body, I watched my dad’s face. A mixture of pain, shock, and something else. His eyes rolling in the back of his head as he screamed even louder, before Cocoon threw him to the ground.

“Over here!” I heard voices behind as I looked back, seeing many of the guards coming. “The flares come over here!”

‘Cocoon! We must make our leave; now!” Chrysalis yelled out as she went back, grabbed a hold of my sister who was screaming for dad, who was not moving now, beside the small twitch of his body. “We have what we wanted and them some!”

“What about the son,” she then turned to look at me.

“Leave him,” she spoke. “He can’t do anything anyway, and beside; don’t you want this family to suffer. Allow him to watch Lighting die a slow painful death!” the thundering hooves of the guards behind me were getting closer. “Now move!”

“Tsk,” she hissed before pointing her hoof and flicking it. the ones on me got off, and using their magic, picked my weak mother off the ground as they flew off.

“N…no!” I yelled, about to charged when I was hit in the chest with a powerful magic, making me fall to the ground hard. I was about to stand up, when Chrysalis stood over me, a wide smile on her face.

“How does it feel?” she asked leaning closer. “That you wished to be just like your father…but failing like the little colt you are?” I couldn’t move, frozen in fear as she smiled, before pushing her hoof on my chest and pushed down. “The reason I let you live, so that you’ll know, soon; your father will die. And your mother and sister, will be drained of their love, and then destroyed when they are of no use to us!” she leaned lower, her lips near my ear. “And you, will be left, knowing you couldn’t do a thing to save them.” and just like that…she was gone, the area, still as death; before the guards at last showed up.

-A few days later-

I watched as my dad rest on the bed giving to him by the hospital, his chest moving was all that could show he was alive. From what I understood, what Cocoon did to him was a rear type of magic, a slow poison of sort. There was a cure, but it was so far away, that it would be a close call. I was told a pony named Rainbow Dash would be flying to gather the plant which housed the cure, they thought that with her speed, it would take a few days. and even then, it would be months before dad was fully cured. Like the poison, the cure took a slow course in healing. Not a tip of a tail of the two Changeling Queens were seen…my mom…my sister… my wounds healed a while ago, quickly because of my love I had shored in my body. Lance was better now, luckily no broken bones.

Quake was dead…I had killed him…and whenever I closed my eyes, he was there, that same look…that same…death…look! The doctors told me that dad would wake once in a while, the longest so far was a hour…he was in a great deal of pain, he even said he couldn’t move his body. The doctors told me the poison was seeping the life from him, in the most slowest way possible.

News of what had happened spread quickly, many of the kingdoms were now offering shelter for the ponies here…now, after so many were killed, so many injured?! It made me sick, that they would not help until now, sick to my gut! I knew Vloor, and Princess Celestia and Luna was helping ether way. Well…Vloor couldn’t because he couldn’t send his troops quick enough, to me, that excuse was good enough. By now, more Canterlot Guards and Higher Wing Guards were here to thicken those who were lost here.

Chrysalis…she was right, I couldn’t do anything, I was weak…I am week. Now seeing this type of thing, witnessing, being, in a battle such as this…II…Could I be what I wanted to be all my life?! I was going to beat myself up even more, when I heard the cough of dad, I looked over at once, and saw his eyes slowly opened. “Shadow…” he whispered, I looked at his face, along his muzzle and around his eyes, thin lines of the poison were seen, as well as his body. The doctor said it was in his blood stream. I looked down at him, before closing my eyes and resting my head next to his hoof.

“They took them dad…” I whimpered softly as I felt tears coming. “And I couldn’t do anything!” I felt him softly place his hoof on my head, he looked down at me as I could see the sadness in his eyes as well.

“I know…” he told me. “But…it was out of your hooves, those two are powerful, you can not beat yourself over it…” I looked away before he then said. “Your sister and mother will escape, or be freed…I know this for sure.” Yes…he was right… “And I know you want to go and try, don’t you?” I blinked and looked up at him as he only chuckled. “I am your father, and you are a spiting image of me Shadow…but are you sure you can do this…?”

“You’re…not going to stop me?”

“I am confounded to this bed,” he pointed out. “Just…promise me you won’t do anything over your head.”

“I froze up dad…” I admitted. “I froze up, and was nearly killed…I…I even killed Quake!” I looked to him as he gave me a blank face. “He was going to kill me…I had to do it, also to free him….but….” I looked away as I then said. “All I feel…is regret.”

“Hold on to that feeling my son,” he answered looking at me. “Death should not be easy…killing is something that is not easy…but, the worst thing about killing; it gets easier every time.” He looked away, as if his own words were distasteful to him.

“I’m going to try and do what I can to get them back dad,” I whispered as he looked back to me.

“I know…but promise me something,”

“Anything,”

“Bring…him, with you,”

“Him…what do you…oh…HIM.”

“Yes,” he gave a weak smile. “He is a ass, and will get on your nerves…but I trust him, and he can teach you things.” I looked at him and took a deep breath.

“Alright…”

“And…also, take the Star of Nora, with you,”

I looked back into his tried eyes as he only smiled softly at me, before coughing loudly. He turned to his side as I held his back, and as he coughed, I flinched when I saw blood splattered onto the covers. I looked away at the sight, before I felt him rub my arm. “I know what you are feeling,” he whispered. “How you think your weak because you froze up…I was not the strong fighter I am over night son…it too me years to at last get use to all the fighting. I was raised around that, you were not.” He then pulled me closer to say. “Find something that you want to protect…your mother, your sister, Crystal. What keeps me going…is you Shadow…my family is what makes me want to fight!” he coughed again as he laid back down, his eyes slowly closing…before he went back to sleep.

After a few hours, I was ready, a saddle bag filled with a few items I would need, and my father’s blade strapped along my back. To have that sword with me…it made me feel that not only my father was with me…but something else. He told me once that he named his blade after his mother who was killed by none other then Cocoon. So I guess…maybe even Nora’s, my grandmother’s spirit was within it as well; as silly as that may be. I looked around and wrapped myself in my grey cloak, placing the hood over my head. This would shield me a bit from the cold of the winter wasteland outside the city’s barrier.

Walking toward the now known exit of the city, I looked ahead, and stopped, pushing my hood down at who I was seeing. Shining Armor and a small group of guards stood behind him, his face, blank; as he looked to me. Cadence was nowhere to be seen. “You’re going after them?” he asked mater-of-fact.

“Do you even have to ask?” I answered him as he took a deep breath and sighed. “They kidnapped my mom and my sister,” I told him. “What do you think I would do?”

“Are you sure you can do this?” the prince asked me as I looked away. “I know it’s hard Shadow, truly I do…I saw the body of Quake, I wish there was another way.” He then walked over to me, and placed his hoof on my shoulder. “It is hard to take a life…even more when you know that pony. But you know, it was ether you, or him,”

“I know that!” I muttered under my breath. “And…I’ll kill again if I have to!”

“Do you believe in your own words?” he asked as I looked away.

“Are you here to stop me then?” I asked looking at him dead in the eyes. “To hold me here or something?”

“No,” he shook his head. “I considered Lighting a friend, a very good friend…seeing him like that,” he looked back at the hospital. “It’s hard, but I know him. If he could move, even with that poison in him; he would still go after them.” I nodded at this, he was right; dad would go after them, even if he had a broken arm! “There was a sighting of a small group of Changelings in the Everfree Forest,” Shining Armor told me as I looked back to him. “I don’t know if they are still there, no doubt just there to rest. But I would go there first; you might get lucky and find tracks leading you to their next location.”

“Thanks,” I answered with a small smile.

“One more thing, at least bring somepony with you on your travels, the roads are no longer safe.”

“Who, one of these guards?”

“No, me,” I looked to the side, and watched as Lance came out, a spear tied behind his back, as well as a small strapped crossbow on his left hoof. He bore a bag as well like myself, and also wore a hooded cape.

“Lighting saved my life when I was but a colt,” he answered standing beside me. “I think it’s time I return the favor, by helping you out, eh?”

“There nopony I rather go with,” I smiled, thanking him for coming.

“So, where are you going first?” Shining Armor asked me as I looked at him and sighed.

“Somepony else that will help us is staying in Canterlot,” I answered. “He’s my God-father,”

“Who?” I gave a small chuckle as I waved at Lance to start walking.

“The one and only…Doctor Love,”

Author's Notes:

Sorry for such the long wait, been busy looking for work (which I got now) and such, it may be short and rushed, but hey, at least its moving along now. So sit back, and enjoy the read!