The next morning, Twilight received a letter from Guardian saying to gather her friends and wait for him at her house. So now Twilight and the rest of the gang sat in the council chamber of Twilight's home.

"Now where do y'all suppose he is?" Asked Applejack thirty minutes after the meeting should've started.

They all turned their heads to the sound of the door opening and footsteps. Some of them were ready to question why Guardian was late, but the grim expression on his face silenced everyone. Guardian walked to his seat, marked by the insignia that took the form of Guardian's gem. No one dared to speak, even after he sat down. There was a heavy silence in the air that if broken by the slightest sound, they might find themselves dead. When Guardian did finally speak, it almost gave them all a heart attack.

"How many of you are familiar with the concept of war?" Asked Guardian.

They looked at each other with complete confusion, except for Twilight who halfway raised her hoof in the air, "I've read about it a little, but not too much."

Guardian didn't look at any of them, he just kept his hands clasped in front of him on the table. He looked at his hands, his eyes full of pain and sadness. No one knew what to say. Something was very wrong, and Twilight wondered if it had something to do with the expedition the day before.
Guardian finally let out a long sigh, he knew he couldn't keep it from them.

"The way it works is that an independent nation like Equestria declares war on another country. Then the two sides use their military to capture locations from the other side such as trade routes, resource deposits things of that nature."

Rainbow Dash spoke with a frightful tone, as if she already knew the answer, "What exactly do you mean 'use their military'?"

"I mean they send their troops into bloody battles to the death." Guardian replied with a grim tone.

Twilight's suspicions were really bothering her now. She had to say something, "What happened on the trip yesterday? Are you saying we're going to war with another country?"

They all looked at him with pleading in their eyes, the thought of something so horrible coming to Equestria was too much to bear.

"Not another country, no..."

His next words almost matched those of The Overlord's final threat to Twilight,

"But a force more powerful than you can imagine"

-----------------------------------

He hoped He was making the right choice. He knew that Equestria would need all the help it could get but-

Stop that irritating concern! It's giving me a headache!

"Odd considering this isn't your head."

You watch your tongue with me. I may hate Malcan and Denthar just as much as you do, but that does not excuse that kind of attitude with me.

"Fine, but remember when I send you back it may not be a very pleasant experience if you keep ordering me around."

Silence! I didn't come back here to pointlessly argue with you! We have an appointment with a Queen don't we?

He stood inside the mouth of a small cave. The back of the cave sloped downwards, then turned left. At the corner there was a soft green glow. Guardian didn't have any experience with this new Queen. The one he had been acquainted with was assassinated in the Old Wars, he hoped that they didn't hold grudges.
Guardian took a deep breath and made his way down the slope. When he turned the corner there was a long tunnel with glowing green holes in the walls. In the middle of the corridor was an unconscious, brown unicorn stallion with a yellow mane. As Guardian approached him the stallion's eyes snapped open and he scrambled to his feet.

"Please help me, I was attacked by these...things!" The pony begged frantically.

Using the their prey's natural instinct to help someone in need against them. Now there's a strategy I could use.

Guardian reached into his interior cloak pockets and pulled out a green, slimy egg.

"I have an appointment." He said with a serious tone. He was secretly hoping that they didn't change their customs these past years.

Fortunately, the stallion stood up straight and looked at Guardian with a hardened expression.

"Follow me."

The unicorn lead him through a series of corridors. The twists and turns made Guardian wonder just how these creatures navigate through these tunnels.
They finally came to a stop in a pitch-black cavern. Guardian didn't know how big the cavern was, it was too dark to see anything.

"Her Majesty shall speak to you now."

Guardian had no idea where the raspy voice came from, but he wasn't given any time to think about it when a candle flickered in between him and the Queen sitting across from him. The candle wasn't enough to light the whole cavern, all he could see was the face of the Changeling Queen sitting across from him.

"Have we met?" Asked Chrysallis, looking bored as if she had meetings every day.

Guardian gave an honest and foolish answer, "I am Guardian. I am the mentor of Celestia and Luna, I was the one who ordered your mother assassinated in The Old Wars."

WHAT?!

The Queen's eyes went wide with shock and fear, then it changed to a thoughtful one.

"I never did like Mother. She always tried to send me into battle...I suppose I owe you my thanks and my attention."

Seriously!?

Guardian breathed a quick sigh of relief, then turned to Chrysallis. This is where He was needed, He had to convince her to join them in the upcoming war. But this would be no easy task. He was asking her to join her worst enemies. But if they didn't form an alliance here and now, the Changilings may actually become part of the darkness.

Author's Notes:

I've always enjoyed the idea of an Equestrian-Changeling alliance to fight against a common enemy. Plus with The Overlord as Guardian's adviser, how could this possibly go wrong?

You will all die you puny mortals!