"Are you ready to give yourself in, monster?" I heard the unicorn clad in purple and yellow armor, with some sort of crest resembling that of a purple star on the armor's chest piece.

I raised both of my hands, "I dunno. am I?" I asked mockingly. "I've escaped capture for this long... only to turn myself in. Yes. That makes sense. So, you tell me. Am I ready to give myself in?" Instantaneously as those words left my mouth, I mentally scolded myself for such a great way to open discussion. Sure, I have a somewhat calm and relaxed demeanor right now, but I'm basically nervous as all hell right now.

This time, the pink alicorn was the one that replied, "Whatever you are, I hope that you are-"

"Human! I'm human. That's my race, anyways. I don't really feel comfortable telling you my true name, but I guess you can call me "Summoner." everyone seems to call me by that." I said, still retaining my somewhat relaxed appearance and tone, "But, enough of me, Cadenza. What about you? I've heard your princess of those crystalline things," I said as pointed at a distant pony whose existence resembled that of a mineral given form of a pony.

Both rose their eyebrows skeptically., "It's unnerving having to hear my name spoken to you. Could you just call me Cadance?" Cadance requested.

"Cadance? That's refreshing. I haven't heard a normal name for what seem to be several days now." I replied. It's quite refreshing that I don't have to deal with anyone with an obscure name.

"Uh- thank you?" Cadance said, and just as she said that, the protective energy field surrounding the vicinity of the town dissipated, I assume that was Chrysalis' doing.

They were visibly stunned for a good second or so, they weren't certain what just had happen. Seizing the opportunity, I wasted no time to shout as loud as I could at the outskirts, "Now! My swarm, subdue all of them!"

For a short period of time, one could hear slithering or crawling if one was listening well. My numberless legion of zerg forces basically erupted from the dense shrubbery of the forest. Accompanied by the storming assault of Zerg were the complimentary apocalyptic-like devastation of the ground itself as the Nydus Worms erupted, spewing countless Zerg.

In response to this, however, the equines opened fire at me. The ground around me were dotted with singe marks as a spectral display of beams bolted right at me. The air itself was seemingly being cut as spears rend through the air. I frantically dove to nearby cover--an unfinished trench structure.

My zerg forces passed by me and charged ferociously into the ponies' stronghold, "Wait! Take as much prisoners as you can! I do not want anymore blood in my hands!" I yelled, not that it mattered to the ponies that my Swarm already slaughtered, of course.

I poked my head out from the entrenchment. Claws and fangs pierced into the wooden barricades. A line of desperate ponies incinerated and impaled as many Zerg as they could, but they seemed to have just shrug off their attacks as if they were nothing. With a panicked scream, they were ordered to retreat.

'Back into the inner part of town... They're going to head there. That makeshift isn't going to hold my Zerg at bay for any longer. I'd say that it's going to last for exactly-' My train of thought was abruptly stopped as I was startled by something tapping my left shoulder. Reflexively, I flinched as I look towards my assailant.

It wasn't one of those ponies that are out to murder me. No. It was something much worse, it was Chrysalis. She looked at me, slightly amused at my reaction, "Relax, you mongrel. It's just me."

"Gah, you just can't- ugh, so, I see that you managed to turn off that big shield-thing. Good job. I guess," I said, mildly agitated.

"Yes. Now you owe me twofold. First for saving you from that lunatic princess back in the forest, and secondly for assistance in destroying Ponyville... for a second time." She smugly shot a grin at me. Shrugging her words off, I rolled my eyes. "We shouldn't waste our time here. We have to oversee the battle. You are their leader, correct?"

"Have you gone mad? I don't want to be in the cross-fire," I stated, worrying for my own health. "Besides, there's nothing there to see, except for death and possibly some explosions. The only thing that I'm somewhat intrigued is the latter. Everything else I find distasteful."

"Hmph. You're more boring than I originally anticipated. Well, see you later then." the changeling queen said before vanishing in a display of green flames.

"Well, that was somewhat abrupt." Sighing, I could only watch the lingering green sparks from her teleporation spell dissipate on the ground.

"My queen, I suggest that you should enter the battlefield and spectate the flow of battle, and commandeer your troops," I heard the familiar voice of a Zerg queen from behind me.

I turned around, and saw my adviser. I dismissed her with a wave of my hand. "I'm quite certain that my forces are capable of handling these equines."

"Something truly troubles me. These... four-legged nuisances are quite feeble. Pitifully weak, to be exact. However, something in the midst of this skirmish sends out a faint presence of immense power. Should the need arise, you'd be able to commandeer your troops if you head into the town."

"Ugh. Fine. Fine. I'm wondering what Chrysalis is up to anyways." I said as I began to walk into the town, my Zerg adviser following closely beside me. "She seemed rather suspicious going into the middle of a war like that."

As I passed the border of the remnants of the eradicated barrier, all I could see was carnage. Buildings being burnt down by both acid and fire. Both arrows and spines squalled down from the sky, decorating the ground in a pincushion-like pattern.

What perturbed me the most, however, were the screams. They echoed from every single direction.

I shrugged off the haunting feeling instilled in me by the screams as I swayed my eyes from side to side. There were gryphons and ponies making a desperate last stand in the town square. They must've rallied the surviving remnants here.

The streets were littered with the mangled bodies of the ponies. There were only a few corpses of Zerg, which really didn't surprised me. Only a few can fend off the Zerg.

The pegasi were rampaging freely around the air. They all maneuvered in complex loops and whirls in order to avoid the volley of spines. That didn't stop the barrage of pegasi crashing into the ground, as spines shred their wings however.

Nearby, there was a mutalisk being surrounded by three pegasi. They all circled around the mutalisk, pelting the Zerg flyer with arrows and bolts. The mutalisk desperately aimed, but all of its shots missed.

Suddenly, one of the pegasi slowed down, allowing the mutalisk a clear shot. The mutalisk flung its spherical projectile at the foolish pegasus. The ball-like weapon struck the face of the pegasus, sending fragments of the pegasus' cranium throughout the air. Mortified, and probably traumatized by their brother's morbid murder, the two remaining pegasus fled. The mutalisk flew after them, vanishing from my view.

"I really wished I hadn't come here..." I muttered to myself.

In the distance, I could see some sort of building being garrisoned by several unicorns. Aforementioned unicorns were apparently skilled magic users as they were gunning down the agile zerglings with their magic, sending a tsunami of beams. Reduced to a smoldering heap of corpses, the zergling forces were no more.

In one of the streets, there was apparently a shootout between some hyrdalisks against a squad of unicorns. One of the unicorns formed a defensive shield, while the remaining unicorns blasted away at the hydralisks. Scythed-appendages lobbed themselves to the air as explosions rocked the ground.

"Actually, see to it that my forces prevail, these ponies are more formidable than I thought. Make sure you take as much prisoners as possible. I'll have... a look around." I commanded.

"if that is your wish, it shall be done." the Zerg queen replied. "Please take care of yourself."

"I will," I reassured my mentor with a casual nod. Beginning to stealthily sneak by the streets paved with charred bodies, I made my way around the town.

I wandered through the onslaught, in search for that bastard of a queen. There's nothing but corpses, burnt, impaled, or dissolved, littering the streets. But then again, that is to be expected, I mean, there's a war going on here. There where the occasional severed equine extremities, most likely the result of hydralisk spines.

Hyrdalisks. Such an intriguing zerg breed.They shoot honed spines, that are around thirty centimeters or so in size, at an exceptional velocity. No wonder why there are limbs scattered throughout the streets. Morbidly impressive.

As I walked through the streets, carefully avoiding stepping on the many lifeless corpses that are scattered throughout the streets, I saw a particular alleyway which caught my attention. I'm not so certain why, I guess it just had an ominous allure.

I decided to head into the alley. Passing through the alleyway, I perceived what appeared to be a stallion shivering in his armor. I tentatively took a single step back as I saw him. I couldn't discern most of his features, but I'm sure that he hasn't noticed me yet.

Seeping from his leg was what appeared to be blood. I subtly took a closer look. A very severe gash on his foreleg has rendered him crippled.

"Need some help there?" I spoke, my voice barely audible enough for him to hear me.

He replied, not even bothering to look at me, "No, no, I'm fine, just-" he finally turns his head towards me, "Monster! You're- you're the vile creature that wrought all of this!"

He stood up, or at least tried to. His critical injury was too much for him to bear as he slumped to the floor with a yelp. His horn began to emanate a silverish light. My stance tensed up. I had not spotted that horn on his forehead.

He had a bitter glare adorning his face. Revealing itself from the shadowy floor was a spear being levitated by unicorn magic. The tip glimmered with faint sunlight as its tip pointed itself towards me.

Despite the threatening weapon pointed at me, I did not flee. That injury on his left leg will stop him from using magic properly. I'm presuming he isn't aware of how lucky he is that his leg isn't severed whole.

I could see it in his face. It was strenuous enough to stand. He won't be casting any spells today, nor is he jabbing that spear into my throat anytime soon.

"Let's not do anything too hasty." I said, my tone still remaining calm. Only a faint hint of bitterness was present in my words.

His horn intensified in illuminance, as well as the pain in his leg. Before even fully sparking his horn, he fainted. He fell to ground. It was predictable. He looked as if he was about to bite the dust at any moment.

Sighing, I approached the unconscious pony. There was no movement in the chest, indicating that he's not breathing. "Damn... He exhausted himself to death." I looked away from his body with a sickened expression.

"Gah. I've... I've seen worse by now." Snapping out of it, I took the opportunity to look around for anything that might save me from being turned into ashes.

There was a deceased gryphon in the side of the alley that I failed to notice earlier, his crossbow still intact with the corpse. I wasted no time as I dove for the crossbow, dodging yet another magical bolt.

Suddenly, I heard a faint groaning sound. Looking towards it, I was appalled when I saw that the pony was not dead as he raised his head feebly in order to direct a spell at me. 'It seems that I was mistaken when I considered you dead...'

I grabbed the ranged weapon as soon as I was within its vicinity, unfortunately, the crossbow did not have a bolt readied for firing. I quickly searched the gryphon for ammunition. Soon enough, I found the gryphons quiver. Sadly, there were only three bolts left.

I fumbled as I tried to get one of the bolts ready, I had to dove to the ground for cover as blinding beam went pass through where I once stood. I heard an explosion in the distance as I fidgeted with the weapon. Accompanying the blast was a wall shattering.

Finally, I got the crossbow loaded. Wasting no time, I aimed and pulled the trigger. The bolt wasn't even relatively close to hitting its target, it simply went flying through the alley.

I did not have to think twice before grabbing the second bolt from the gryphon's quiver. Loading the crossbow less like a fledgling, I calmed myself down this time in order to avoid wasting the shot.

My sights were lined up perfectly on his head, but I was reluctant on killing him. Opting to aim for his already traumatized leg, I pulled the trigger. The bolt struck the leg of the unicorn, causing him to wring almost instantaneously while letting out a howl of agony.

Calming down, I approached the wounded equine, "Now then-" I paused to catch my breath "-You can't really blame me for self-defense. You see? This is how all this happened. You guys attacked me and I defended myself. Instead of just giving up, which is probably most beneficial, you keep on sending life after life at me!" I said, bending down to yank the bolt out of the pony's leg. My ears were ill-protected from the ensuing scream.

"Oh sorry, sorry. But I do need this back." I spoke in a tone that possessed genuine regret as I waved the bolt. The pony simply stared at me with cold eyes.

"No need to worry. I'm not going to bury you beside the ocean shore with only your head visible, unlike a certain individual that I know of..." I trailed off.

"I'm going to leave you here for my troops to pick you up. Farewell for now." I said, rising up from my crouching position before leaving the alleyway, but not before acquiring the other bolt from the gryphon's corpse.

I questioned my sanity as I left. "What... just what am I doing?"

I continued on kneading through every street. It was hard to remember if I had gone here already or not. Every corner was almost indistinguishable from the other streets.

It was always this; a squad of equines are attempting to repel a zerg assault. There were two outcomes--the ponies are victorious, only to be met with another wave of Zerg. The second outcome is... probably not needed to be said.

I growled in annoyance as I walked into, yet, another street filled with zerg and equine units fighting each other, "Chrysalis said something about holding a grudge on that alicorn. The pink one." Sighing, I scaled a nearby pile of rubble. Using the elevated height, I searched for her.

"If Chrysalis kills her or something and part of the blame would be placed on me. Of course, that will undoubtedly get these ponies even more pissed off at me, not that they weren't already really pissed off at me." I continued that train of thought bitterly.

Suddenly, I noticed a compound being heavily guarded by a countless amount of ponies. A fair number of Zerg corpses were concentrated at this particular spot.

"Well, I think I found her," I said, somewhat unsure.My suspicion, however, was confirmed when the blue-maned unicorn who appeared to be giving commands to his fellow equines. "Yup. The pink one's definitely in there. If I know her all too well, Chrysalis is prowling about nearby."

Author's Notes:

Pre-readers for this chapter:

Mimic Kairatta

ForeverAnotherChangeling

Marx T (HE'S BACK!)