“I was not prepared for this...” I say looking up at the massive murals painted on the caverns ceiling and walls. “Their beautiful.”

Lixia walks further in. “These murals have been dated to have been made between twenty to thirty thousand years ago by my ancestors.”

I whistle. “What are they of?”

“They are the reason your here.” Lixia gestures to a mural. “This mural depicts the first creation of the Changeling Empire. The empire covered much of the known world and consisted of thousands of hives and one fabled superhive city.”

That caught my attention. “A superhive?”

Lixia nods. “We have reason to believe that somewhere there was a hive so large it was the biggest one constructed. Thought we have no idea where. That information was lost during the civil war that decimated our race.”

I look down and see Lixia was crying. I walk forward and kneel down. “Hey, you ok?”

Lixia wipes her eyes. “Sorry...I get so emotional when I tell the story.”

I reach up and place a hand on her shoulder. “If it's painful you don't have to tell me.”

Lixia shakes her head. “No, it's my job to tell you. It's what I'm here for.” Lixia takes a deep breath. “I guess I should start at the beginning.....” Lixia gestures up to a mural of a large black hive stretching out over a lush green land. “The story begins over thirty thousand years ago in the capital 'Gar'eelien'....”

The Empress sighed but remained still as a Hybrid mare circled her. The Hybrid mare stops, tapping her chin. “Nope, I don't like it. It takes away from the eyes and brings out too much of the Empresses figure.”

“And that's a bad thing?” The Empress asks sounding bored. “I thought that was the point of this meeting?”

The Hybrid mare rubs the bridge of her nose. “Empress Axtria, the point of the meeting is too find you a suitable husband. Not to have a one night stand you are so fond of when you sneak out the royal chambers.”

The Empress smiles nervously. “Y-You know about that?”

“I'm your senior hoofmaiden, I know everything.”

“Should have known. It is your job after all.”

The Hybrid mare smiles. “I remember you when your mother had you, can't believe it's been a century and a half already. You grew up to be such a beautiful mare.” The Hybrid mare reaches up and moves a loose bit of the empresses mane from her face.

The empress blushes. “T-Thank you Melin, you are a true friend.”

“Yes yes, I know.” Melin replies. “Now lets get this dress fitted properly. You need the suitors to be looking at your face not your flanks.”

“Wait, how do you know this even happened?” I ask. “It took place thirty thousand years ago.”

Lixia looked shocked for several seconds before a look of realization crossed her face. “Oh! That's right, you don't know about the memory vault.”

“Memory vault?” I question.

“The memory vault is a special crystal that archivists in the past used to store important information taken direct from their own memories.” Lixia answers.

“Ok. That doesn't explain how you knew that conversation?”

“The Hybrid mare in the story Melin was the senior hoofmaiden to the empress but she was also an archivist. Her memories were stored in the crystal upon her death for future archivists to learn from.”

I nod my understanding. “That makes sense actually. So future generations can learn from the knowledge of the generations that can before.”

Lixia nods and grins. “Exactly! It also allows us to not make the same mistakes our ancestors made.”

I nod again. “So what happened at the gathering?”

“Oh right!” Lixia cough before continuing her tale. “The gathering with the suitors didn't go as planned.....”

The empress slams open the door to her chambers her face a storm of anger and rage. Axtria uses her magic to tear off her dress and throw it to the floor. “If I see those pathetic excuses for suitors again I will have their heads!”

“Empress....” Melin starts to say.

The express snaps around. “No Melin! I will not hear it! They made me look a fool, making it seem like I was only interested in one thing!”

Melin chuckles. “I thought you was?”

“Not the point!” The empress slumps. “I thought when I finally became empress I would bring change.” The empress sighs and looks out the nearby window at the vast hive city stretching out around the palace. “But I won't bring change will I? The Changeling Empire will never change it will just go on like it has....”

Melin steps forward. “Change can be frightening to some.” Melin walks upto the empress and sits beside her. “Your mother was not so different from you. She to wanted change but it won't come overnight. You have to work for it Axtria.”

Axtria looks to Melin and smiles. “I know my friend, I know.”

I rub my chin. “So the empress wanted change? But what was she trying to change?”

Lixia shakes her head. “No one really knows. Most of the time Melin or other archivists weren't around or near the empress.”

“So no memories....when did everything start going wrong?” I ask.

“The memories start around a thousand years after Melin and the empire is already having a civil war.” Lixia answers her expression drops as her eyes tear up.

“Please don't hurt yourself for me Lixia just tell me what you can. Try to avoid the parts that hurt the most.” I state placing a hand on her shoulder.

Lixia nods. “Ok...the part you want to hear happens after the civil war was raging for almost four centuries.”

A hybrid unicorn stallion runs down a hallway dodging other hybrids wearing armour. The stallion comes to a door and smooths out his red mane. The stallion walks upto two hybrid mare guards and bows his head. “Archivist Treli reporting as commanded.”

One of the mares steps forward. “The Empress has been waiting.”

Treli nods. “I was on the eastern edge of the city helping the garrison there. I came as fast as I could.”

The mare nods and knocks on the door behind her. The door opens revealing another hybrid unicorn stallion in more detailed armour. “Archivist Treli has arrived Captain!” The mare salutes.

The stallion in the doorway smiles. “Archivist, the Empress will be happy you have managed to make it.”

Archivist Treli bows. “Captain Inx, I apologize for not arriving sooner but the eastern front is....” The archivist is cut off by the captain.

“I am fully aware of the situation there Treli. It's the reason why your here.” The captain gestures for the archivist to enter and then looks to the guards. “You two are dismissed. We are now code vermilion.” The two guards salute and quickly disperse.

“What's code Vermilion?” Treli asks as the captain walks passed him.

The captain stops and looks over his shoulder. “The Empress will explain.”

Archivist Treli nodded as it was no point in questioning but the he had a feeling. “This is it isn't it? The insectoids are too strong for our forces...”

“The insectoids were always going to beat us Treli. They are bred for war, they have the power. We hybrids are artisans. We make the weapons but it doesn't mean we know how to use them.” The captain sighs. “I was a leader in the top architectural institution in the city when this all broke out. I can still remember the last project I was working on all those centuries ago. I've got another few decades in me Treli before I go and I'm happy they will be spent saving our empress.”

The archivist then had a sudden realization. “The empress wants me here so it's recorded in my memories.”

The captain doesn't reply. The archivist and the captain walk through a few rooms with hybrids running around destroying scrolls and other paperwork. Both stallions come to a large door and the captain uses his magic to open it. The archivist looks in surprise at a teleport platform.

“A teleport platform but I thought I was here to help the empress?” Treli asks confused.

The captain gestures to the platform. “This teleport has one use left as per the empress' orders. It's the only way to get to the empress and the facility. She's waiting for you.” The captain turns and walks away.

The archivist wheels around shocked. “C-Captain where are you going?”

The captain turns back and smiles. “I was always going to die here Treli. My path is over but the empress' must continue. The sages have seen she will end the threat of the insectoids but not now. You don't have much time my friend. All the garrisons have been ordered back to this location. Farewell Archivist Treli, may the light guide you.”

Archivist Treli stands on the platform and bows his head following with a salute. “Farewell Captain Inx, may the light guide you.” In a flash Treli disappears leaving behind the rest of his people.

I sat there numb. I looked at Lixia. “They all gave their lives to save the empress. Millions gone...”

Lixia steps forward and places a hoof on my knee. “Are you ok?”

I look into her eyes. “Your hive is truly the last of your race?” I reach out and pull Lixia into a hug. I feel the mare tense before she sniffs and returns my embrace. “I came here for answers on why both your races hate each other so much and why you both went to war. I guess it just hit me a little harder than I thought to hear about it.” I say.

Lixia pulls away and wipes her eyes. “It's refreshing to have someone from outside the hive care so much for us.”

I frown. “Luna is your patron and protector so In turn so am I. If anyone attacks or harms this hive or any Hybrid in it then I'll make sure they pay for it.” I look into Lixias eyes and she gives me a smile. “Now why don't you continue and tell me about this empress of yours.”

Lixia steps away and walks over to a stand with a glowing crystal. Lixia places a hoof on the crystal and an image of a large Hybrid with wings and a horn appears smiling. Lixia gestures up to the image. “This commander is the Hybrid Empress Axtria.”