We flew high and fast, skimming over the clouds, the sun now very low in the sky. It would be night soon, not the sort of time I wanted to be heading home and potentially fighting for my life. Add to that the bloody things we were likely to face when we got there were black and nigh on invisible in the darkness. If we just went barrelling in, it probably wouldn’t end well for any of us.

Whilst we travelled, I checked my gear, Nimble doing the same. We’d potentially be going in hot so preparation was essential. We didn’t have any idea of enemy strength, location or disposition, only that they were in the village and there’d been casualties. Any thoughts of who may have been injured or killed were for later, for now I kept a grip on my power, restraining my emotions. I knew from hard experience how I had to control my anger and rage, channelling it into directed force when, and only when, I needed it.

Nimble peered out the window, “Hey Cap’, you’ve got family there right?”

“I have, yeah”

“Tell me about them, it’ll help pass the time.”

I checked my crystal supply as I spoke, “Well, there’s Meadow, my wife, she’s with the heard now. Then there’s little Sparrow Song, my daughter, she’s with her mum. There’s Tingles and Shadow, they’re living in the village with Lumin my son.”

His eyes were wide, “That’s some family you’ve got there!” He scrubbed his mane with a hoof, “Look, Cap’, I’m sorry I shouldn’t have brought it up. I remember what you told me about Meadow and Sparrow.”

“Don’t be,” I said tightening one of the equipment straps, “they’re with the herd as we all will be some day.”

“What about the others though? I don’t remember you mentioning them.”

“Didn’t I?” I checked the terrain below us, it was hard to get a fix because of the cloud, “Tingles is a Pegasus. She used to work with me in the agency, but now she’s a bit more…’freelance’ you could say. Lumin’s my son to her. He’s very young still and looks like his dad too.” I smiled, picturing the little fellow in my mind, “Shadow’s my other mare, she’s a thestral from the Wither world.”

He looked up, “’Other mare’? As in, more than one?”

I face hoofed, me and my big mouth! “Believe it or not, yes. I live with two mares and a foal, it’s not uncommon to herd corporal, you know what the female to male ratio is like.”

His eye twitched, “Yes, but…no! Maybe…that was a long time ago, stallions don’t…that is…”

I wanted to change the subject quickly, “What about your family corporal? You mentioned a young lady if I remember correctly? Whiffles was it?”

He stopped and re-engaged his train of thought, “Whiffles? No, her name’s Ruffles. Good grief captain, who ever heard of a mare called ‘Whiffles’!” He laughed and slapped his side, “I’ll have to tell her that one, maybe it could be a new nickname!”

That worked then. Thank the goddesses I’d distracted the inquisitive corporal from delving any deeper into my personal life. I’d already told him far more than I really wanted to in any case.

He patted the pockets of his agency barding, “Ah! Here…” He hoofed me his wallet which held a small photograph of a cream mare with a pink and blue curly mane and tail. She was looking round seductively, her tail barely covering…

“Bloody hell, Nimble!” I squeaked, passing back the wallet, “You don’t show that to other ponies do you?”

“Why not? She’s beautiful”

I rubbed my mane, “Yes…yes, she is. But, what she’s doing with her tail!”

He looked at the picture, “I don’t see what you mean” he seemed genuinely perplexed.

“Corporal?”

“Cap?”

“Do you have any foals?”

“Ha! Not yet, I mean, we haven’t settle down yet and I’d like a home of our own first so we can…you know…”

Smiling, I tapped him on the leg, “I get the idea, Nimble. Just, keep your head down today okay? I don’t want any casualties, especially if it means I have to explain what happened to you to a young mare. Do I make myself clear, corporal?”

He snapped off a smart salute, “Aye, Captain”. The effect was ruined by the cheeky grin that accompanied it.

Loofa suddenly shouted something to us and pointed towards the ground. Both Nimble and I looked to where he was indicating but it was now so dark it was hard to make anything out. My wendigo enhanced vision gave me some advantage, but it was no match for Loofa’s. I instinctively checked the safety on my pulse gun. I was all too aware of how difficult it was going to be to fight in the dark; I’d have to keep my two comrades close so we could cover each other.

As we descended I began to make out fires, small ones dotted about the perimeter of the village with dark figures moving around between them. There was no mistaking that shambling gait, they were minotaurs.

Loofa tapped his TED, “Captain, where’d you want us to touch down?”

“Behind the largest building,” I replied, “looks like we missed the party.”

We landed gently on the lush grass by the taverns vegetable garden. Grabbing our gear, we readied ourselves for what, if anything, we were going to face in the village. Although it seemed quiet, I didn’t want to take any chances. I took the lead, watching the angles, corners, using my wendigo enhanced sight to check darkened areas. Thankfully I had some advantage over an attacker here, and that was that I knew the village quite well, whether I’d need to use that knowledge remained to be seen.

Moving carefully around the corner of the Wyvern’s Tail, I froze. Two hulking shapes stood outside flanking the door, heavy axes gripped in their claws. In the darkness and flickering light from the various fires, it was hard to see clearly who they were. Hell, I didn’t know all the minotaurs in the village! I only really knew three of them and I mentally kicked myself for not taking more time to get to know everpony. I took a deep breath and stepped forward,

“Evening lads”

The minotaur closest to me turned his huge bull head to peer at me before nodding slowly, “Evening lord Fairlight”. Without another word, he went back to silently watching the ground before him. You had to love them, so full of personality…

Nimble nudged me, motioning towards the minotaur, “What is it?”

“One of our warriors”, I said with a shake of my mane. I’d never get used to these things. I couldn’t work out if they were the strong silent type or just short on grey matter. Either way, they knew how to use those axes. In the torchlight I could make out the shapes of bodies lying in the grass, lots of bodies, and not just ponies, minotaurs or griffins for that matter. The silent shapes reflected the moonlight, slick black carapaces like monstrous beetles. Goddesses knew how many of them had attacked the village but we were damned lucky it wasn’t a massacre.

“Come on”, I ordered, leading my troupe in through the taverns front door.

The light inside was blinding after the darkness outside and it took me a moment to re-adjust. Nimble and Loofa stood in shock at the scene. As my vision cleared, I looked about at a scene of absolute horror. Dead and dying lay all around me, minotaurs, griffins, even the odd pony, all lying quietly on makeshift pallets being tended to by a swiftly moving team of medics I didn’t even know we had.

I scanned the room but didn’t see any of my family; where the hell were they? My heart rate began to rise and I could feel my teeth beginning to itch while I headed for the stairs. A familiar face pushed through the throng and leaned down to address me,

“Lord Fairlight, you’re back.”

The rumbling monotone voice of the minotaur mountain known as Heavy Hoof, stared down at me, a massive battle axe strapped to his back.

“I am, Heavy Hoof, its good to see you. I’m sorry, will you excuse me, I need to check on my family.”

“Not here.”

“What?”

“Things took your foal, orange pony too. Shadow has taken warriors to hunt them.”

I leaned forward and grabbed him, my eyes blazing, “What the hell do you mean, things took my foal? Tingles too? Where did they go?”

My heart was hammering now, my breath pouring out in a stream of icy fog. Nimble stepped up and placed a hoof on my foreleg, “Cap’, steady, he’s on our side. We need to get more intel before we blunder off into the night. We’ll get them back.”

I released the minotaurs barding, “Heavy Hoof, what can you tell me? What happened here?”

Heavy Hoof was completely unfazed by my reaction and explained in his inimitable fashion,

“Black things, changelings, attacked village. We fight, many died, many changelings. Orange pony and foal were taken into forest. Shadow not here, but came here after. Took warriors into forest to find pony and foal, tell us to stay here and protect hurt warriors.

“Where’s Heather?” I asked. On queue, a white aproned minotaur appeared from the kitchen carrying bandages. She was covered in blood.

“Heather?” I asked quietly.

She looked up and, putting her bandages down, rushed over to take me up into her arms in a bone crushing hug. Peering down at me, tears welled in her eyes. I smiled at her,

“Thank the goddess you’re safe, you’re dad is too. Grimble’s at the hospital in Manehattan, he was injured but we got to him in time. He’s going to be okay.”

She nodded and smiled, wiping the tears away, “Thank you”, she muttered before lumbering off to continue tending to the wounded. I took a deep breath, calming my racing heart,

“Heavy Hoof, who are the worst wounded here?”

We walked slowly between the pallets, administering life essence to the weakest, the seriously wounded and in some cases, the dying. Watching the changes was heart lifting; the looks of amazement, the smiles and thanks from them was a balm for my soul. Heavy Hoof managed to catch me as I toppled over, carrying me upstairs so weak I could barely keep my eyes open. The room was a wreck, with bedding, furniture and splintered wood lying everywhere. I motioned over to a pile of my gear I’d left behind, where the huge minotaur lowered me surprisingly gently to the floor.

Thank the goddesses, the flasks were still there. A couple of them were empty, but there was still enough left to refill me. The silver fluid ran through my veins in a rush of ice cold power making me gasp and shudder under its onslaught. Nimble walked in moments later looking concerned,

“Cap’, you okay? You looked ready to pass out down there.”

Replacing the flask, I began swapping my barding, equipment and weapons, “I’m fine…at least, I am now. My people’s needs have to come before mine.”

I picked up my scythe and watched in satisfaction as the blade swung out. Heavy Hoof’s eyes reflected in the polished blade. Stowing the deadly thing in place, I looked at Nimble, “But my family…”

He didn’t answer but just nodded. Some things didn’t need to be spoken aloud.

I took up my weaponry. A pulse gun lay discarded nearby, empty and by the looks of the black blood across the floor and walls, used to good effect. I replaced the ammunition and loaded up as much as I could, there was more than enough to share with Nimble and Loofa.

Speaking of which, the inquisitive agency Pegasus pushed his nose into the room, “Great Celestia…” he breathed, his eyes taking in the scene of utter devastation, “…there’s been one hell of fight in here.”

Nimble was staring at something and I followed his gaze. He lowered his head, “Oh goddesses…Captain…”

I strapped on the last of my equipment and grit my teeth, turning from the bedroom, the place I had slept with my beloved family, “Come on…we’ve got work to do.”

Closing the door behind us, the image of a bloodstained orange feather screamed at me to rush off into the night, howling for vengeance and death. This time, I would keep a cool head. I knew what the forest was like and it would be worse in there at night, if that was even possible. Death would come in its own time. The feast had been prepared; all it needed now was for the guests to arrive. And I was on my way…

Outside a minotaur and a hippogriff stood quietly, both of them sporting various injuries and watching the tree line warily,

“Lord Fairlight”, the hippogriff bowed, “Thank the goddess you’ve returned. My uncle found you safely?”

Uncle? I peered at the creature. It was clearly a hippogriff, not a griffin, but…”You mean Grimble? He’s your uncle?”

“Aye. He wanted to stay and find your foal and the lady Tingles, but lady Shadow felt it best to send for you.”

I stomped a hoof in irritation, a thought flashing into my mind, “Why didn’t they use the communicator? Grimble nearly died trying to reach me!”

“I…I don’t know, my lord, I’m sorry.”

Shaking my head, I addressed the creature, “What’s your name warrior?”

He stood up straight and hefted his spear, “I am Zephyr my lord, I had the honour of fighting beside the lady Shadow.”

I felt like a bucket of water had been thrown over me, “What do you mean ‘had’, where is she now?”

“In the forest my lord, with a group of our best warriors hunting for the rest of your family. Dew Shard and I were sent back by lady Shadow to have our wounds tended. I’m sorry my lord, I would have stayed but she…”

I raised a hoof, “-No…its alright Zephyr, forgive me, I’m just…” I took a deep breath, “Where are they?”

He shook his feathered head, “The changelings headed north, but didn’t fly for some reason. Instead, they ran through the forest itself, maybe for cover, I don’t know. We followed, some of hoof, some by air, but the trees are so dense in there it’s almost impossible to see through the canopy.”

He scratched his head, looking to his friend Dew Shard, to help with the account. The minotaur leaned on his axe and spoke in that low rumbling voice of their kind, “We found the changelings, killed many. They have magic, but no match for our steel and muscle. Lady Shadow took more warriors to hunt the rest down and find pony and foal.”

Loofa tapped me on the shoulder, “How are we going to find them boss? Its pitch black and flying over the Everfree? I’m game, but it’s going to be like trying to find a needle in a haystack out there.”

Nimble nodded, “He’s right Captain, the forest is vast. You got any ideas?”

I looked out over the forest and the moonlit mountains beyond. My family and I had a connection, but it was more on an emotional and instinctual level, not like the bond the tribe shared with me, but…did it work both ways? I closed my eyes and concentrated, channelling my magic and listening to the winds, but there was nothing.

I gritted my teeth and stared up at the moon, “Boys, I’ve said it before, you don’t have to come. I trust Shadow, but there’s no way I’m going to sit on my arse here and wait to hear back when I could do something, even if it seems futile.”

Loofa glanced at Nimble and grinned, “North you say? Come on, lets grab the carriage, some of us can’t fly you know.” Nimble rolled his eyes.

Before long we were soaring over the Everfree, keeping just high enough to allow us to scan the ground below. I flew next to the carriage, feeling the magic flowing through me, the cold night air against my hide; it felt right…like this was my time, my element. The moon above, that huge white orb in the sky, calmed my heart and resonated with my magic, making it feel more focussed somehow. I sent a silent prayer to Luna to help guide us. I prayed I wouldn’t be too late, goddess protect them all.

Loofa headed north, straight for the mountains, while I used my wendigo vision to help watch the forest below. It was as he’d predicted, the canopy was so dense I couldn’t make out any detail beneath. Even in daylight it was just a solid blanket of black and deep green. Nimble leaned out of the carriage with a set of low-light binoculars, but even he had to shake his head at the enormity and seeming fruitlessness of our task. The forest was just so big that all I could do was hope that…

“Cap!”

Loofa pointed to the northwest, “Thought I saw something, a flash, could be magical discharge.”

Nimble moved quickly to the front of the carriage, “What? What is it?”

“Flash to the north west. Use those binoculars of yours, corp’”.

He brought them up and scanned the darkness, “Damn it, its just black on black, can’t…hang on…something’s out there, yellow light. Could be lanterns moving around”

I strained my eyesight to see but couldn’t make anything out, “Loofa take us to where you saw them, Nimble guide us in. Weapons ready everypony, but watch your fire, there could be friendlies down there.”

A chorus of agreement rang out from the two and we increased speed, heading in the direction of the lights. As we drew closer I began to make out moving spots of yellow lamplight and then a bright green flash, followed by something altogether more familiar. A beam of crackling purple lightning lanced out into the night sky, followed by shouts, bellows and shrieks catching my hearing, carried on the faint breeze across the ancient forest.

My wings beat furiously and I released all controls on my magic. White mist billowed out from my haunches, my teeth itched, strength burning in my muscles, nothing would keep me from my family now…

The cacophony of battle rang out loud and clear from around a small clearing below us, just enough for Loofa to land, but barely.

“Follow me in”, I shouted to Loofa, “Let me clear the way first”

He nodded and I dived, a streak of white and blue shining like a night star in the black sky. Barely flaring my wings in time, my hooves slammed into the ground, my magic bringing my scythe up and around ready for battle. Around me, screams, neighs, bellow and snorts rippled through the undergrowth accompanied by blasts of multicoloured magic and the sharp ring of steel.

The clearing itself was empty except for numerous corpses, looking so much like stones in the darkness. Only the reflected moonlight gave them away; the slaughter here had been terrible, and it wasn’t over. Loofa brought in the carriage and unbuckled himself as the first of the changelings flew at us out of the darkness, its wickedly curved dagger catching the foliage as it came on clicking and hissing. Nimble’s pulse gun took the vile creature in the chest and it erupted in a shower of burning black gore and body parts even as more of the things came at us from all sides.

Loofa and Nimble used the carriage as cover, the two laying down a withering barrage of magical fire that played a symphony of destruction through the ranks of the changelings. The song was being played, its staccato notes bringing me to the edge of ecstasy and beyond. My battle scythe swung through the air, taking the first of my assailants in the chest, cutting through the chitinous body plating, its internal organs and out past its shoulders. It didn’t even scream.

Gore spraying my muzzle, I shouted a wordless war cry and sprayed liquefying icy death at the things, turning many solid instantly. But not all, that would be far too quick and ruin the song…there were so many more who would taste my wrath this night…so many more. And on they came.

One after another they charged, felled by either my scythe, magic or the blasts from my comrades in the carriage. A shout of alarm from Loofa carried me up into the air to bring down a storm of blue magical incineration onto a large changeling that had somehow shielded itself from their fire. The thing howled as my magical beam took one of its wings off and most of one leg, dropping it to the ground where Nimble put a shot into its head, silencing it forever.

The evening air filled with the cries of the changelings, from fury and anger, to fear and the cries of their dying. They attacked regardless, heedless of their casualties until, like entering the eye of a storm, the attack ceased. I stood, my chest heaving, dripping in black blood and entrails, my scythe matted with the evidence of the evenings work. Nimble and Loofa sat back in the carriage, exhausted but elated. I was pleased to see that they were quick to reload and kept a vigilant watch on the dark forests depths, even as the first of the minotaurs broached the clearings edge.

“Lord Fairlight, we sensed you were here.”

I lowered my scythe, “Where’s Shadow?”

A tall black shape emerged from the darkness behind the minotaur, red eyes burning in the night, pure white teeth sparkling in the starlight,

“Fairlight”

She advanced on me, armoured and soaked in blood, thankfully not her own by the looks of things. Shadow smiled, “You are late.”

I stepped forward and leaned my forehead on her shoulder, “I’m sorry love. Thank the goddess you’re safe.”

The thestral nuzzled me and pulled me into a brief hug, “Tingles, Lumin…”

“Have you found them?” I asked hurriedly.

She shook her head, “No. Changelings took them.”

Around us, more and more warriors emerged from the forest. Many of them were injured, all looked tired, yet every one of them had a look of absolute determination on their face. Shadow looked me square in the eyes, “We will find them, Fairlight. We will”.

“Any idea where they’re heading?” I asked. Shadow shook her head,

“Not my world. Not yet”

I understood. How could she know? She’d just arrived in Equestria, but Shadow had still been able to track them, yet where the hell were Tingles and Lumin? Anger and despair warred within me and I barely heard Loofa’s voice behind me,

“Er…Captain Fairlight?”

He sounded worried and I tore myself away from the barrage of questions I was preparing to throw at Shadow to see what the Pegasus was going on about, when I noticed the green orbs in the forests clearing. Loofa was staring intently at them,

“Boss, I think we’ve got company…”

I held out a hoof, “Hold your fire and lower your weapons.”

Reluctantly, the warriors around me complied, although kept them to hoof and claw, ready at a moments notice. Shadow walked up beside me,

“Fairlight?”

I smiled at her and walked toward the green orbs, stopping a respectful distance away.

Loofa and Nimble trotted up but kept slightly behind me, I could sense their unease and hoped it wouldn’t provoke an unnecessary confrontation. Before me, the orbs glowed brightly, accompanied by a background wooden clacking noise. Behind them, additional snapping and clacking sounds revealed yet more of the beings; many, many more. Nimble fidgeted with his pulse gun,

“Dear Celestia”, he muttered, “They must have been attracted by the smell of blood.”

“What are they?” Loofa whispered.

“Timber Wolves”, I said quietly, “Stay here and don’t move. I’m going to speak to them.”

“What?!” Nimble hissed, “They’ll tear you apart!”

I frowned at him, making him back off a step. I didn’t want anything spooking them. The lead wolf stepped forward into the clearing, its green eyes burning as brightly as Shadow’s did red. It regarded her then fixed its gaze on me, snuffing the air and bobbing its head in some animalistic attempt at communication. I hadn’t seen many of these things before, the last time hadn’t exactly been the best introduction to this magical race of living branch, twig, leaf and bark creatures. The one staring at me seemed to know me, and I recognised it as the one who had taken over from the monstrosity that had lead the attack on the village.

Bowing slightly, I waved my forelegs across the clearing, taking in the dead changelings “You can have the dead, my friend. We will leave you to your dinner.”

The wolf yipped and pranced forward, taking the haft of my scythe in its jaws and pulling it away,

“Hey! What are you doing?”

Shadow placed a hoof on my shoulder, shaking her head, “Follow”

“Follow? What, follow the wolf?” Oh great, straight into the pot too most likely. But then, sarcasm aside, there was something else at play here. I knelt down and brought myself muzzle to muzzle with the wolf,

“We’re looking for my mare and foal, an orange Pegasus and a little grey foal. Do you know where they are?” Goddesses, it was worth a shot.

The wolf bobbed and pranced, clacking and yipping before rushing off to the clearings edge and looking back at me expectantly. Shadow shook her mane and watched me, waiting. Memories of the first encounter I’d had of these creatures replayed through my mind; the darkness, that terrible nerve rattling clacking sound and, the screaming. Goddesses…what the hell was I doing?

“Loofa, leave the carriage and fly cover, your eyesight’s better than mine. Corporal, you’re with me, the rest of you keep close and alert.”

The warriors behind us, rumbled their agreement, a number of griffins taking to the air and keeping station with Loofa. Before I knew it, I had a small army with me, heavily armed and armoured, all of us following an unknown number of timber wolves through the dense forest of an unforgiving and merciless forest in the middle of nowhere. What was not to like?

We rushed through the thick undergrowth, brambles, branches and Luna knew what else, snatching and catching on our coats and equipment. I took point, hoping the other would follow my path, but I needn’t have been concerned, the minotaurs simple acted like muscular bulldozers, ploughing their way through the forest, an unstoppable tidal wave of brawn and spiked armour.

I don’t know how long we’d been running for but I started to notice something up ahead; an odd silver-white glow. At first I thought it could be the beginning of dawn, but quickly dismissed that thought; it felt different somehow and the colour was wrong. Oh hell, no…I knew what it was, but by Celestia’s sagging arse, I wished I was wrong.

Loofa shouted over to me, “You see that Cap’?”

I didn’t bother answering, I’d seen enough of the bloody things. Nothing good ever came of these and the goddess knew where this one lead. Everytime I saw one, it was a portent of something tragic…portals. This one was still active and I arrived in the clearing before it in time to see one of the black changeling creatures standing over the prone figures of two ponies, a green magic aura surrounding the thing. It saw us, turned and fled through the portal as one of the wolves dived after it. There was a deafening shriek and the wolf re-emerged, pulling the thing back in by one of its hind legs whilst it tried desperately to pull itself away.

One of the minotaurs grabbed the creature and pinned it down, drawing a sword,

“NO!” I shouted at the great beast. It turned and eyed me curiously, before lowering the blade but still kept the changeling secure. The vile thing could wait. My heart leaped as I recognised one of the shapes before the portal. Shadow reached them at the same time I did. They were still, grey, cold to the touch…a tangerine pegasus and a white mare with a golden mane and tail. My heart faltered, the magic within me answering with horror and anger, lending a strength I didn’t want right then…not now.

“Tingles?” I leaned down, nudging the prone form with my muzzle, “Love? Please…wake up love, I’m here” She was unmoving, her hide ice cold, all the colour looked like it had been drained from her. Her cutie mark was a strange reflection of her condition, colourless and devoid of any warmth…was she…?

Shadow nuzzled her as I collapsed to my knees and lay my head across her, feeling for a pulse, for any sign of life. The thestral warrior sniffed Tingles’ body, snuffing and nuzzling her…those deep green eyes, so full of life, closed tight. How had it come to this? It was all my fault too, I’d been so damned stupid, careless, sitting on the porch smoking that bloody pipe. If I’d kept my wits about me, if I’d listened, maybe I could have heard…

Thump…

Wait…was that…?

Thump…

I waved for silence to the increasingly agitated warriors, while Shadow leaned over Tingles, her eyes blazing, “Fairlight…is Tingles…?”

“No”, I said shaking my head, “No, she’s still alive…barely.”

Gently, I raised her head and dribbled some of my life essence into her, but all it did was drip back out of her mouth onto the muddied ground. I wanted so much just to wrap her up and take her home, but some of Meadows advice came back to me about not moving an injured pony. Was this the same sort of situation? Tingles just lay there, there were few injuries, certainly none life threatening that I could see, but I still couldn’t detect any sign of life from her except for that slow beat of her heart. What the hell was I supposed to do now?!

Panic, anger and rage cascaded through me as I looked up at the cause of her suffering… the changeling. I nodded to the warrior without taking my eyes from the thing. He watched me carefully, retaining his grip on the slick black creature. The warriors around me formed a circle, wolves howling and clacking occasionally.

Several warriors brought pole lanterns and set them up around us, lending at least a little light to the scene. I nuzzled Tingles, her body frigid and nearly devoid of life, not even my magic was helping here. A tear rolled down my cheek and I heard the creature buzz…of course…of course I knew what they’d done…

“Fix this”, I whispered, holding Tingles’ head in my forelegs, “Fix this now or I swear by the moon I will tear your still beating heart from your body.”

The thing chattered and hissed its defiance. I motioned to the creatures captor,

“Release it.”

“My Lord?”

“Do I have to repeat myself?” I growled deep in my throat, watching the creature. I rose to my hooves, letting the magic sing, howling through me in a torrent of rage and hate. White fog billowed around me in a tempest, faster and faster, silver motes mixing and swirling with myself, Tingles and the creature at its heart. My horn glowed and ice formed around the creatures legs, freezing it to the ground. Helplessly, it beat its wings and tried to fly, the additional weight keeping it bound to the earth.

“I gave you your chance…” I hissed, forming a short dagger of ice before me. The blade unnaturally sharp and thin, I held it up before the changelings face, “…maybe your screams will bring her back.”

Shadow trotted over shaking her head, “Fairlight…don’t…”

I stared up at her, my eyes brimming with anger and tears alike, “No, look away…please.” I turned to Nimble, “Corporal…”

Dutifully, the young stallion trotted up as I gazed at Shadow, “Take Shadow away, I don’t want her to see this”

He stared at the changeling and then me, “Cap’, this…this isn’t right…”

I looked him in the eyes, “And if that was Ruffles lying there, Nimble, dying before your very eyes…where would your morality be then? Tell me…explain to me, exactly how you would walk away and let this thing go as the mare you loved died before you…and you did nothing…NOTHING!”

He lowered his head silently and led Shadow gently away. The creature glared at me, its blue green eyes looking for all the world like some giant insects. I whispered into its ear, “I know you understand me, I’ve met your kind before. You’ve drained her of emotions, left her an empty husk of who she is…” I sighed, closing my eyes and tapped the knife on the changeling’s chest, “I’m going to leave you empty now…one piece at a time.”

The knife trailed down until I found a joint in its carapace below its belly, “Take a deep breath now…” I hissed, baring my teeth to the thing, “I want to hear your screams fill the void you’ve left in my soul.”

I pushed the knife firmly, but slowly. The creature suddenly shrieked and hissed, “Pleasssse…”

“It’s too late for begging”, I whispered to it, “Far, far too late…”

“No, I cannn helllpp” it stared up at me, struggling against the grip of the ice, “Pleasssse!”

Reluctantly, I stayed my hoof, taking the knife away but kept eye contact with the disgusting thing, “You have one chance, only one.”

“I mussst be nearrr”

I nodded to one of the minotaurs who lay the changeling between Tingles and the white mare. The white mare…she looked familiar somehow, no cutie mark either which…Oh goddesses…

I grabbed the creature, “Both. You help both, you understand?”

“Yesss, I underrrssstanddd”

A deep emerald glow emerged from the things horn, slowly becoming brighter and brighter, spreading out to cover both of the mares. In the flow of magic I saw patterns, swirling black and blue lines travelling from the tip of its horn and into the bodies of the mares. The strain was clearly telling on the changeling and, horribly, holes began to appear in its legs, wings and even its mane. The beast cried out and gasped as the magic flickered out,

“I…I’vvveee donnne all I cannn”, It hissed weakly, “I cannn givvve nooo more”

I pushed the thing away and lifted Tingles in my forelegs once more, watching her, praying for some sign of life from her. She was as cold as she had been before, but her coat…

Shadow rushed up, roughly shoving Nimble aside, “Tingles!” she cried out nuzzling her, “Alive!”

I looked up at her, “Shadow…she’s…”

“F...Fairlight?”

A voice, barely a whisper, a breath on the nights breeze, entered my ears and I looked down to see a pair of large green eyes staring back at me, “…Tingles?”

She smacked her lips dryly, “You took your time…”

Loofa hurried over and passed me a canteen of water, “We need to get her out of here Captain, I’ve contacted Brandy and Mitre, they’ve got whoever they can spare and medics on the way. They’ll rendezvous with us at the tavern.”

I nodded, “Get the carriage, Loofa. Take a couple of the griffins with you and fly like the wind.”

He said no more, but I felt the blast of air as he soared into the sky to collect the carriage. Tingles leaned into me, “I’m so cold…”

I snuggled into her, with Shadow on the other side and stroked her mane, “We’re here love, its okay now…we’re with you.”

I gave her a kiss, gentle and soft. She reached up and pulled me into it, her customary strength a fraction of what it had been, but even as she held me, barely noticeable in the poor light, I could see colour returning to her coat. Slowly at first, but it was definitely there, a gradual wave of tangerine vibrancy spreading out from her head to her tail. I let her take all she wanted.

“Fairlight”, she breathed, her eyes visibly brighter than they had been, “You’ve got Lumin? Please, tell me you have him?”

I laid my forehead upon hers, closing my eyes against the torrent of emotion, “We’re going after him now, love. Don’t worry, we’ll get him back.”

She nodded, tears welling in her eyes, she was so weak. I’d hear the expression ‘feeling a little off colour’, but this was quite literal, the vibrancy of her coat looked like it had simply faded away. I glared at the thing that had done this to her, to my family…stolen my son, killed my friends…

I felt my teeth tingle and a growl in my throat rose as my vision narrowed. Hatred, bitter and insatiable seized my soul, this thing had to die…they all had to die.

“Fairlight!”, I whirled round at the call. Nimble was kneeling beside the white mare, “She’s still alive, she’s coming to.”

Leaving Tingles with Shadow, I walked over to the mare, her golden mane and tail limp and lifeless, but there, just noticeable, her chest rose and fell. She was most certainly alive, whoever she was. I looked closer…she looked like that friend of Velvet Cream’s, the one who’d killed my friends in the warehouse that terrible evening. Looking down at her body, it was obvious, there was no cutie mark. It was her…the human.

A large purple eye opened and peered up at me, “Where…?”

I looked down at the despicable creature, fog swirling around me, echoing my mood, “Where? Maybe you’d like to tell me what you are doing here and where my son is?”

Tingles tried to push herself weakly to her hooves, the effort clearly straining her, “Fairlight, please…Annabelle tried to save us, she’s a friend.”

“Annabelle? She’s no friend, Tingles, no friend at all.”

The white mare whispered quietly as Nimble held her in his hooves, “Fairlight? C…Captain?”

Hearing that name, from her…

Memories slammed into me, a dark room, a saddle and bridle. The metal bit, the orders, the hose water on my body as I hung suspended from the ceiling. She was my mistress, I must…I had to…

A heavy thud behind us announced the arrival of Loofa and the carriage, together with the griffin escort. Whatever spell the damned mare had me under disappeared as quickly as a popped soap bubble on a summers day, “Loofa!”

“Yes Captain?”

“Get these mares back to the tavern and the medics, take the griffins with you.”

The alabaster coated unicorn lifted her head to stare at me, the dark shadows under her eyes betraying her weakened state, “Captain? Please…I have to…to tell you something.”

“I have nothing to say to you.”

“Please! It’s important, please…”

“Loofa…get her out of here, now”, I turned away, I couldn’t bare to see that bitches face for another second. I couldn’t recall it all, but enough. Pain, humiliation…it was all there.

I took him to one side, “Watch her, and keep her away from Tingles. Guards all around her at all times, you understand me? If you’ve got a hornlock, use it, otherwise multiple guards.”

He cocked his head to one side, “She’s very weak, Cap’, I don’t think she’ll be much of a problem”

“Don’t trust her Loofa, I’m serious” I tapped him on the shoulder, “You don’t want her in your head…or your heart.”

He looked unsure, but nodded and turned to help load her into the carriage as I snugged Tingles into the seat opposite her, “You’ll be alright love, Loofa will get you home. I’ll have little Lumin home with you soon, we’ll all be home soon.”

Nodding silently, Tingles struggled to keep her eyes open, “Soon…”

The carriage lifted off and swiftly disappeared into the sky and across the forest, back towards Smiling Borders. One of the minotaurs lumbered over, it was Heavy Hoof,

“Lord Fairlight, what are your orders?”

I hefted my war scythe and smiled, nodding to Shadow who had her axe ready on her back, her eyes burning like the sun,

“We go forward my friend, always forward. Fortune favours the bold.”

“How are we to find your son?”

“I have a little something to help us”, I lifted Starswirls beacon up before him. Tingles must have taken it with her hoping it would lead her to our son, instead it had nearly led her to her death. Now, it was my turn. Rotating on the end of its chain, the ethereal light shone brightly toward the portal, “It shows the path to what its wearer desires most," I said levelly, "and right now, I want my son back.”

Shadow prodded the prostrate changeling, “Him?”

I curled my lip, eyeing the thing, “I think we’ve got all we’re going to get from it.”

Heavy Hoof scratched his stubbly chin, “Want me to kill it?”

I shook my head, smiling, “No. Let him go.”

There was a chorus of shocked mutterings from behind us. I cast my blue eyed gaze on them, silencing the dissent in a heartbeat,

“You heard me Heavy Hoof, I said let him go”

Reluctantly, the bulky minotaur brought the stricken creature to its hooves and I removed the ice from its legs, leaning down to stare into its insectoid eyes. I grinned, white mist dripping from between my teeth, “Run…”

The thing looked at me and tried its useless wings before turning to look into the forest. I snarled at its hesitation, “I SAID RUN!”

It didn’t need telling twice. The changeling held its head down and charged off into the forest, quickly disappearing in a whirl of broken twigs and kicked up grass and ferns. A pair of glowing feral green eyes stared at me from the darkness, the hollow wooden click clacking, inquisitive and questioning. I smiled and nodded to my new ally; after all, sharing was what friends did.

We headed for the portal, filing through one after the other, Shadow and I sharing a kiss before going through. The last sound I heard from the forest was the lonely cry of a timber wolf in the distance. I looked back momentarily and smiled to myself, justice had been served…deliciously.