Back in the clearing, the warriors had begun to repair the barricades, clearing the dead and readying weapons for an onslaught that wasn’t coming. Heavy Hoof looked up from bandaging a wounded stallion, “My lord?”

I stood in the centre of the clearing, spread my wings and took a deep breath. My scythe held high above, the blade swung out and I shouted my exhaustion, my relief, my jubilation to the morning sky,

“VICTORY!”

For a moment, for that briefest of seconds, there was silence. Then the bellows, shout and howls began, the cries of the victorious filling the forest air. Weapons covered in the evidence of their grisly work held above their heads, the warriors of the tribe of the four winds savoured their survival and the defeat of our enemy.

Loofa stumbled over to me, the blast had singed his fur and he winced slightly in pain, “Is that it? Are there more? Dear Celestia, Captain…I thought we’d had it for a minute there.”

I looked at Jasper who was busy being checked over by the medic despite her attempts at pushing him away.

Taking another deep breath, I let it out in a long slow exhale before answering the pegasus stallion, “Want to have a look for yourself my friend?”

He looked to Nimble who was staring at the ground, his eyes like saucers, “No”, he said quietly, “I don’t think that necessary, Captain”

One of the griffins landed beside me, “Doesn’t look like any got through my lord and…” she tilted her head smiling, “If you look to the east, you’ll see a wonderful sight indeed.”

Everypony followed her gaze and there, sure enough, was a large group of army sky carriages with a number of agency ponies amongst them. A familiar face appeared before me, stepping down and brushing the dust off his agency barding, “Agent Nox, or should I say, Lord Fairlight, now?”

“Hello Brandy”

He went to shake my hoof, but instead I grabbed him and pulled him into a hug, “Thank the goddess you’re safe and thank you for coming here. Is Smiling Borders safe? Tingles?”

Brandy took a step back, grinning, “She’s safe, the village is safe, and as for you…hell fire, Fairlight, you look like shit.”

I raised an eyebrow, smirking, “Missed my morning shower. Bloody agency inefficiency, that’s what it is”

The stallion clopped me on the shoulder, “No inefficiency from you though, and I thought we’d had it bad.”

“Had it bad?”

“There was another portal.”

“Dear Luna, I feared as much.”

“Hundreds of them.” He said scrubbing his mane, “They attacked Canterlot in droves, after one of them had impersonated the princess and attacked princess Celestia.”

Loofa and Nimble began shouting at once, which Brandy stopped by raising a hoof, “She’s alright, the elements of harmony saved the day. A young mare in particular, a miss Sparkle, Captain Armour’s sister would you believe.”

I nearly fell over, the little librarian mare? “Twilight Sparkle?” I asked.

“Yes, do you know her?”

I shook my head, I didn’t want anypony to find out that she’d gone behind Celestia’s back to help me, “Not really, Brandy. She lived in Ponyville when I was in the watch there.”

He scratched mane and looked about him, “There’s carriages here to take the wounded back to the village, we’ve proper medical teams and tents set up. Our ponies will secure this area now, so you can go and rest up a while.”

“No…I can’t Brandy, my son’s still out there somewhere”

Brandy looked at me in shock, “But Fairlight, you’re in no fit state, at least have a break!”

I wiped a piece of cloth over my scythe, “I’ll take a break when my son’s home with his mother and I. If it was your little Brandy, wouldn’t you do the same?”

He shook his head, “You amaze me, Fairlight, seriously you amaze me. In answer to your question though, yes…yes, I would do the same. Although our orders don’t include punitive raids into changeling territory, I suspect Celestia will be taking care of that once she’s fully recovered.”

“I’m not waiting for that” I said quietly, “Lumin won’t wait. Have you seen what these things do to ponies, Brandy?”

By the look in his eyes he knew all too well, “Yes, and far too much of it. Look, Fairlight, get something to eat and drink, your warriors need something too. Good goddesses pony, look at them, they look dead on their hooves!”

He smiled at me, “Look, get the wounded away and take this opportunity to resupply and fill your canteens and bellies. Remember, Piss Poor Planning…”

“…Promotes Piss Poor Performance”, I finished. He was right, charging in could get us killed and who would help Lumin then?

“I wouldn’t worry too much old friend,” I said wiping my face with my foreleg, “I won’t be going in blind, but I’ll take up your kind offer of supplies, food and a nice cup of something hot.”

Brandy passed me a cigarette which I took gratefully, “Any thoughts on what to do next?” he asked offering me a light.

I drew on the sweet tobacco and exhaled a small smoke ring, feeling my muscles relax slightly, “Oh, yes”.

Grinning up at the rising sun in the sky, I raised an eyebrow, fixing him with a blue eyed gaze, “There’s always a plan ‘B’”.

A steady stream of chariots, carriages and supplies began to arrive shortly after we’d finished evacuating the wounded. The army ponies set up a defensive perimeter around the portal, including a large number of magical energy weapons and even human made firearms. Regulars and Royal Guard alike mixed with the tribes’ warriors surprisingly well, although in fairness I think it was more down to Loofa and Nimble who acted as a go-between between the groups. Distrust and wariness were tempered in the melting pot of facing a common foe, and I was particularly impressed with the re-armament of the army troopers with pulse guns rather than cross bows. Many of the Royal Guard still carried melee weapons despite sporting a contrasting mix of newly manufactured beam guns. Old habits die hard I suppose.

On the subject of contrast, the tribe stood out like a sore hoof, and not just because of the armour. Many of them had a certain look about them, a hardness and distance that only comes from facing a foe on the field of battle. Our fight had been up close and very personal; ramming a bladed weapon into your enemy, one who is only literally inches away from you is something you never forget. The smell of them, the sound of steel against steel, the look in their eyes as their life leaves them. These were things that all us would have to live with now, a truly terrible burden for anypony.

Brandy re-appeared with an army officer in tow, “Lord Fairlight, this is Colonel Graceful Quartz.” He held out a hoof, “Colonel, Lord Fairlight of the tribe of the four winds.”

I reached out to shake her hoof and she stared down at as if it were a poisonous snake before warily accepting it, “Lord ‘Fairlight’…are you not the one we were ordered to hunt down not too long ago?”

“That’s right”, I said raising an eyebrow, “I can’t help being popular I’m afraid. I presume that the princesses have informed you of the current situation Colonel?”

Quartz looked like she’d eaten something sour. Something told me I wasn’t exactly on her favourite pony list, “Yes. Her majesty has appraised me of the situation. I can’t say I’m exactly enamoured with it, but whatever happens, and regardless of my personal thoughts on the subject, Equestria’s security is my first priority.”

“Well said Colonel!” I quipped, “But don’t worry, Equestria’s military won’t have a blemish on its name will it? That’s why we’re here, am I right?”

Brandy looked worriedly at the Colonel before swapping his attention to me, “Fairlight, you know why Equestrian forces can’t enter their domain. Regardless of the provocation, the princesses want peace with their leader and this would only escalate the situation, possibly beyond redemption.”

“Escalate it?” I laughed shaking my head, “It’s already beyond redemption Brandy, it has been from the moment they foalnapped my son.”

“I know Fairlight, and that’s why only your warriors can do this.”

“Plausible deniability, eh?”

He nodded, “You guessed it”

Turning to the Colonel, I motioned to the engineers behind her, “If you’re going to destroy the portal, I’d appreciate you doing it after I get back, Colonel Quartz.”

The officer narrowed her eyes, “If we see evidence of another major changeling incursion, then we’ll have no choice but to blow the gateway. Until that time, we’ll be waiting to hear from you. I suggest you complete your task as quickly as possible.”

I took Brandy to one side and spoke quietly so the Colonel couldn’t hear us, “Brandy, Celestia knows what we’re going to do doesn’t she?”

He nodded, “Princess Luna assured me that she does and that, even if she doesn’t necessarily give it her blessing, she understands the rescue of the child is paramount.”

“But if they’re going to ‘negotiate’ with the changelings anyway, why would she endorse this then? It seems out of character for her.”

The agency stallion peered back at the Colonel who was intently brushing dust off her uniform, “Her majesty obviously doesn’t trust them, nor do we have any guarantee that we’d get your foal back through diplomatic means. There’s some mention of Lumin being important to them for some reason and it has Celestia worried, Luna too.”

Brandy clopped me on the shoulder, “Get Lumin back safely Fairlight, Princess Luna has instructed us to wait here for you and I’ll make sure there aren’t any ‘accidents’ with the explosive charges. Unfortunately the communicators don’t work across the portal, so you’ll have to get your job done and your arse out of there as soon as you can.”

I let out a long breath and gave my legs a stretch, “Guess this is it then, time to kick some flank and save the day once again.”

“What can I say?” He laughed, “You’re good at what you do.”

Chuckling I nodded to Heavy Hoof and the others who hurried off to assemble the troops and gear, “Do me a favour, Brandy”.

“Of course, Fairlight”

“Make sure nothing happens to Tingles, okay?” I stared up at the sun wistfully, “If…you know, if I don’t come back…”

He pushed me hard with his hoof, “Don’t say it. Sometimes, thinking bad things makes them happen. If the shit hits the fan, bug out and get back here, you’re not the only one who has a ‘plan b’ my friend.”

I gave him a wink, “Give my regards to your family. We’ll be back in two shakes of a manticores tail.”

He leaned forward and embraced me briefly, making me jump in surprise, “Be safe my friend, you may be the lord of the tribe of the four winds, but you’re still a son of Equestria.”

I felt a warm feeling flush through me. I’d never seen Brandy like this. I nodded to both him and the Colonel who gave a brief nod in return,

“Warriors of the four winds”, I shouted, “Let’s move out.”

We’d covered a lot of ground, the bleak and foreboding land around us more reminiscent of the Wither world than Equestria. It was hard to believe that this had once been a verdant paradise, home to the beautiful creatures that had somehow become warped into the vile things they were now.

The other portal, at least the one we knew of, had been located and locked down by the combined agency and army forces. Where it was located in this world though, was anyponies guess. Nimble, Heavy Hoof and Loofa marched alongside me, the troops in a column behind us with our scouting parties out to the flanks and front. So far, other than the blasted remains of the changeling invasion force, we’d not seen any sign of life since we’d entered this damned placed.

The green tinge of the magic shield never changed, the sky a constant palid green casting the land in a sickly haze that made me wonder how anypony could become accustomed to it. We marched in silence, occasionally checking our bearings from the glow of the beacon. How far we’d come, how far we had to go, was a complete unknown. This land just seemed to suck your vitality from you as surely as its denizens did. I hated this place, probably more than I had the Withers. Damn it all, by comparison that place was almost welcoming!

Up ahead, the land rose slightly, before dropping away into a long shallow valley. Tree’s, or at least what had probably once been regular Equestrian tree’s, lined the banks of a river and lake, along which I could make out structures of some kind.

“Captain?” Loofa held up a hoof to the sky, “Scouts coming in.”

A hippogriff landed several yards away and trotted up before bowing, “My lord, we’ve surveyed the land for several miles around and have found no sign of enemy forces.” He pointed off to the structures in the distance, “There appears to be a settlement of some kind on the edge of the lake. We’ve seen changelings there, but no military units so far.”

I nodded to the scout and held up the Beacon. The light shone brightest in the direction of the settlement and that, hopefully, would lead us straight to Lumin. Heavy Hoof strode over to me, “Lord Fairlight, your orders?”

“We will advance on the village, scouts and flanking parties to maintain lookout for enemy forces.”

I scrubbed my mane, “Remember this is a rescue mission, Heavy Hoof, getting Lumin back is why we’re here. Once we have him we’re pulling out, understood?”

“Yes, my lord”

Loofa scanned our objective with his binoculars, “Looks like a village alright. Some movement, but nothing that would suggest they’re expecting an attack.”

I took a swig from my canteen and felt a surge of anticipation, was Lumin in the village? “Keep alert everypony, I don’t want any surprises down there. We’ll use the trees to camouflage our approach. Keep alert.”

Filing through the trees in near silence, I couldn’t help but think back to the white crystal forest, the black river and the bridge; Thorn’s son…crucified on the other side awaiting his father. A wave of barely suppressed emotion rolled through me making my heart rate increase. If anything had happened to my foal, if they had touched him…

Shaking my mane, I gave a snort and focussed on the task at hoof. This was no time to speculate, this was a time for caution and readiness for action. We were in enemy lands and they had an advantage over us here, and in some strange twist of fate, we were doing what they had done to us. I wondered if they understood the concept of irony? I would bring them the concept of steel.

Through the trees, their blackened bark and dark green foliage dappling the light, we slipped as rain through a grate. The lake to our right sparkled and rippled quietly against the gravelly shore. Gradually we closed on the village until in a rush of feather and fur, one of the griffins came into view through the sparse undergrowth,

“My lord, we’d seen no enemy forces for several miles around. We estimate around eighty to one hundred changelings in the village. Several appear to be armed but there’s no sign of any alarm.”

Thank the goddess for that, it looked like we’d taken them by surprise, “Good, join the rest of the main force for now. When we’re in the village itself, keep a watch on the perimeter and keep us informed of any approaching forces.”

“Yes, my lord”.

The scout hurried to the back of the column. As he passed by, the warriors watched with a look of anticipation in their eyes. Muscles twitched as claws and hooves readied weapons for battle. Nimble, Loofa and myself trotted up to a thick group of bushes to observe the village. Sure enough, there were all the signs of what you would consider to be normal village activity; If you liked black as your predominant colour scheme.

The buildings were all slick, oily black affairs, looking as insectoid as their builders. Frightening in their alien appearance, they looked for all the world like monstrous wasps nests. The doorways of each were reminiscent of a cone, big enough for a pony to pass through but not much else, if anything they looked surprisingly fragile for dwellings. Loofa finished his observation and passed the binoculars to Nimble who grimaced,

“Is this our objective, Cap’? It doesn’t seem like the sort of place anypony would keep a hostage, it just looks like a village; a weird village of course, but still a village. Maybe we should go around it.”

“It’s a little late for that” I said quietly, “It would take hours to go around and besides…” I held up the beacon for him to see.

Nimble nodded, “Understood…”

Loofa tapped me on the shoulder hissing, “Sir! You see that?”

I grabbed the binoculars and swung them around to try and find where he was pointing,

“Where?”

Loofa’s exceptional eyesight guided me, “There, behind the first building on the right of the street”.

Panning the binoculars round, I found the building, the trees around it, a patch of thick dark bushes and…there! Movement, barely any, but the sure sign of somepony trying to sneak around in an attempt to remain undetected.

“Oh goddesses…” Loofa breathed.

“What?” Whispered Nimble, “I can’t make It out”.

I kept watching through the binoculars, “It’s a pony. These fuckers have captives…”

As I watched, I heard Heavy Hoof assembling the warriors quietly behind us. My heart hammered in my chest, adrenalin surging. I could feel my spirit begin to burn with anticipation as I watched. The pony was desperately trying to keep low and stay out of sight behind the bushes as she attempted to move away from the village.

A clicking cry and hiss from behind her caught my attention as well as the mares. Looking behind desperately, she spotted her pursuers who were already charging towards her, closing the distance with frightening speed. With a loud neigh, she bolted for the tree line, straight at us. Loofa shook his head, “She won’t make it, she looks weak and those bastards can fly”.

True enough, the changelings were on her in moments, pinning her down, their horns glowing, drawing her emotions from her tortured body. Gasping and thrashing, her movements gradually slowed until in an instant, the green glow of magic surrounding her disappeared as if turned off with a switch. Nimble lowered his pulse gun, watching for my response.

I smiled.

Raising my hoof, the magic surged through me, white fog rolling out from the trees into the space before the village. Like some mythical army of ghosts from the ancient past, the warriors of the tribe surged forward toward the village. Banners snapped in the wind and horns blew, Heavy Hoof bellowing a deafening war cry while he lead our warriors into the settlement. For myself, I made for the pony who was lying shaking on the ground, the tide of armed warriors passing around her like water around a rock.

I stepped over the remains of the changelings and passed her my canteen, “It’s alright, we’re Equestrian’s, you’re safe now.”

She looked up at me with deep bronze eyes, “Who…who are you?”

“Lord Fairlight, but that doesn’t matter now. What’s your name and why are you here?”

A medic rushed over, checking her for injuries as she spoke, “My…my names Olive Glass, I was on holiday with my family when these, these ‘things’ attacked our carriage and dragged us here. They’re still in there… some of us, the rest…the rest they…”

I lay a hoof on her shoulder, “I know ,Olive. Listen, are there any foals there? A grey unicorn with yellow eyes?”

“I…maybe…I don’t know, they split us up when we arrived. Those that were too weak, they drained and slaughtered like…like we were nothing to them.” She took a drink from my canteen, “Lord Fairlight, they’re monsters…all of them, please, help my family…I just want us to go home.”

I nodded to the medic, “Take care of her”

The village was a battleground. Screams and shrieks rose from the inhabitants as the warriors fought those foolish enough to resist. Some had fled but were swiftly brought back by the scouts and flanking parties. In short order the changelings were marched out into the clearing between the tree line and the village while our troops swept through the buildings for any who had tried to hide or any sign of prisoners.

Heavy Hoof trotted up, “Lord Fairlight, we’ve found something. You’d better come see.”

The huge minotaur had to duck through the doorway of the odd building, this one was a lot larger than the rest and it was as dark inside as the colouring of the changelings themselves. Two of our warriors were already inside with lanterns, lighting the scene of nightmares before us.

In the large room were tables, four in total, two with the motionless bodies of ponies still tied to them; one was only a young filly. They’d both been drained of their emotions to the point where their bodies had simply…stopped. The sadness and emptiness of their final moments was etched forever on their colourless faces. I swallowed. I couldn’t begin to imagine the horror they’d suffered at the hooves of these…evil…’things’. Grief tore at my heart, my soul screaming in horror and pain at the unimaginable cruelty before me.

Nimble walked up next to me, “Oh Celestia…dear sweet goddesses, what have these monsters done…”

I held up the lantern, taking a deep breath of the fetid air, illuminating the cocoons that ranged the walls, each holding a captive. Some where empty, but most held ponies, griffins, it didn’t seem to matter to these things…they were simply food.

“Captain…”

I pushed past Nimble and spoke to Heavy Hoof, “Get them out of there commander, even the dead…”

I headed for the door, fury surging through me, “Get them out!”

The changelings buzzed and hissed, huddled in a mass surrounded by warriors and sharpened steel. One of the creatures was bigger than the rest; black and green with the now noticeable holes in its slick carapace and wings.

“Who is in charge here?” I asked, fighting to keep control of my anger. The large creature looked up at me, its eyes full of contempt, “I am”, she said grinning, “…Pony”.

I walked up to the changeling, my anger flaring, vision turning blue and my teeth itching with hunger, “You have a name?”

“I am Sliver”

I glowered at the creature, my anger bubbling dangerously behind my conscious thoughts, “Sliver, I do not intend to harm your people. I only wish to recover those you have captured from our home.”

“Your home? That is our home!” she hissed at me. The rest muttered their agreement, “Equestria has shut us in here for years, for lifetimes, to starve and wither. Your princess has left us here to die.”

“Your people attacked ours, look at what they’ve done!” I waved a hoof at the pitiable creatures being lead or carried from their prison, “You view us as nothing more than food. Is that why you invaded Equestria? To feed upon our people, our friends, our families?”

“FOOL!”, she shrieked, “You ARE food! All of you are nothing compared to our people. Our queen will rule and dominate the whole of Equestria. All of you will be drained to serve her glorious majesty!”

I could almost feel the scythe on my back crying out to be freed, “Sliver”, I said in a low voice, “I will ask you once only. If you value your life and those of your people, answer truthfully.”

She sneered at me, “Your weakness shows, Equestrian. Your show of magic does not frighten me nor does is intimidate us. Ask your question then, ask and I shall answer”

I unbuckled my scythe, letting the haft slip past my hoof to rest on the gritty soil. The grain of the wood felt smooth, old, reliable. A press of the release sent the blade snaking out to lock into place, the green light glinting off its edge. Magic roiled through me, the warriors around the changelings watching me as much as their charges.

“Tell me then, changeling, where is the grey foal, the unicorn with the yellow eyes?”

Her eyes were locked on the blade, “The foal…Yes, the foal…He is the source, the one who shall give us power, the strength we need.”

“The source?”

“The foal has an inner power, an endless supply of emotion and strength to feed our queen and give her the strength to break this barrier.”

“Where is he now?”

She stared at the blade then did the worst thing she could have done…she laughed, “You think I’ll tell you? You are nothing, your people are nothing…simply cattle, cattle to be drained…”

I turned to see a foal fall in the dirt, his face covered in bruises and dried blood. He looked up at me as the hippogriff gently picked him up and placed him on his back. The small pony’s body was almost skeletal, his colour washed out and pale…he was so small…

“…you are pathetic! None of you will…”

Her mouth was still moving when her head hit the floor, my tears landing in the dirt around my hooves like crystals of frozen pain. I took a deep breath while snow began to fall around me,

“Kill them.”

“My lord?”

“Kill them all”

I stood, eyes closed, drinking in their energy until I was drowning in their released life energy. The shrieking, clicking and screams of the living mixing with those of the dying. The irony was delicious, if somewhat bitter. They had drained our energy and now I drank theirs. There could be no redemption for these evil things, they had to die, all of them…I would show them as much mercy as they had shown my people…none. Mercy was for the weak.

Nimble walked over, his grey coat spattered in gore, “Captain…”

“I know what you’re going to say Corporal and I’m only going to say this; if you want to leave, leave. I won’t stop you, but I will not allow these things to hurt another pony, not another living thing. I will find my son, I will bring him home, and anything, anypony who gets in my way will die.”

I looked at him square in the eyes, my cheeks still damp with tears. Loofa stood listening beside him, “Leave if you want to Corporal.”

The medics were tending to the freed prisoners and the doctor looked up at me shaking her head, “We have to get them out of here my lord, some of them wont last long otherwise.”

Heavy Hoof walked up beside her, “We can’t send warriors back, we must stay together”.

Loofa nodded, “Cap’, Heavy’s right, but if we keep them with us, some are going to die”

One of the freed captives was being hugged by Olive Glass who was whimpering and crying into their fur. I shook my head, “Heavy Hoof, organise a small detachment and two of our scouts. Find a sky carriage, there must be something around here we can use, and get them back to Equestria as fast as possible.

The large minotaur warrior slowly nodded his head, “Yes, my lord”

Damn these things, what the hell else was I to do? Sending them back would weaken my force but bringing them with us would be like having a millstone around our necks. We couldn’t communicate with the troops on the other side of the portal and anyway, they had been expressly forbidden from interfering. That bloody Colonel Quartz would see to that.

I held up the crystal beacon, it glowed as brightly as ever, “Get them on their way and let’s move out everypony.”

The evacuation team set off back to the portal as the rest of us moved onward, following the beacon. Nimble walked alongside me in silence for a while before speaking, “Cap’”.

“Nimble”

“What was that business about Lumin being the ‘source’?”

I pondered that for while, I’d heard the word before. Lumin was ‘the source’, the source of what? Power that the queen of the changelings was going to use to break through the barrier and attack Equestria?

I shook my mane, “He’s inherited my family’s magic, and that of Etrida as well. Luna said he would grow to be immensely strong in magic and it seems that our changeling friends want to tap into that to break free and attack our home.”

“But ‘tapping into that would mean’…”

“Draining him, yes. But from what that creature said, he was like some bottomless well for them to drain…again and again and again…”

Anger, tinged with a hint of fear for my son’s safety shivered through me and I gripped my scythe tightly in my magic. Stowing it away, I snorted, “This isn’t just about Lumin now, Corporal, I think you can see that for yourself now.”

“Yes, Sir”.

“Come on, hopefully we wont have far to travel.”

We trudged on, following the beacons light, troops in column and scouts out as our eyes and ears. Loofa flew a circuit around us, using his keen eyes to watch out for any threats. Tension was in the air but the troops were in good spirits, Heavy Hoof leading some song about females and…unicycles? I tried to make it all out but could only catch the chorus, “When she rides, she’s like the tide, she’s rolling in and she’s rolling out. Hey fi! Hey Fo! She likes a buck and a fol de do”

I couldn’t help but laugh to myself, Nimble chuckled and nudged me, “Never heard that one before, bloody hell! I’m going to see one of the lads later to get the lyrics”

“That’s all we need, the singing corporal!” I chuckled.

He smiled expansively, “I’ll keep it quiet around Ruffles though, don’t think she’d appreciate it.”

“I don’t know about that…”, I said glancing over my shoulder. Sure enough, the female warriors were joining in as much as the males, “Something tells me our feminine contingent will have songs just as bawdy”.

We didn’t have a chance to hear them though as Loofa shot forward like a comet to meet one of the scouts coming back the other way. Heavy Hoof noticed and waved to the column which immediately fell silent. Loofa landed beside us,

“Theres a castle over the next rise. By the looks of it, we’re expected.”

“Enemy numbers?”

“From what we can see,” he said settling his wings, “around twice our number, including several giants and those large changelings. They’re formed up for battle Cap’, we’re in for a scrap alright.”

Heavy Hoof snorted, “We’ll give them one”

I clopped him on the elbow, “Let me give them a little taster, eh?”

Magic surged through me, as Marocs memories filled my mind with images of battles, tactics and combat manoeuvres. I think Miss Sparkle would have liked being a wendigo; having a library in your head would probably appeal to her. At first it had been unsettling, seeing somepony else’s memories, hearing their voices, sometimes even having conversations with them. Thank the goddess they were at least interesting.

We reach the peak of the rise and looked down to the changeling army below. It was a fraction of the size of the invasion force but still substantial. Our warriors formed up, three ranks deep and ready to engage. I’d watched them in action and was always impressed by their discipline. The warriors would fight in the front ranks and then change with those behind so none were in battle for very long, giving each a chance to rest before returning to the fight. Of course, that was ideal for a set piece battle and utterly useless against magical energy weapons, but so far, we’d held our own. The changelings tactics so far had been mass wave attacks and close in melee. This lot however, looked somehow a damned sight more organised.

I took to the air with Loofa and our griffin commander, Halberd. The three of us landed around a hundred yards from the changeling force and waited for one of their number to approach. Loofa opened his mouth to speak just as a large changeling pushed her way through the throng and approached us, flanked by two of the giants. She had the same look of distaste and arrogance as the last one, the bloody thing even looked the same! Perhaps they could tell each other apart by the arrangement of holes in their bodies or something.

“Why are you in our territory, Equestrian?” she demanded.

I shook my mane, “Perhaps you haven’t been keeping up with recent events madam. It appears that some of your ‘friends’ have invaded Equestria, attacked the royal family and taken to kidnapping our people.”

I cocked my head on one side, eyeing her, “I doubt you’re surprised that there would be some level of…’retaliation’? Is that the word?”

“Who are you?” She asked irritably.

“Who am I? Halberd, do the honours would you please?”

The grizzled veteran stood straight and tall, calling out to those around us, her voice like the cry of the eagle in the mountain tops, “Before you is the Lord of the Fortress of the Four Winds, Lord of the tribe of the Four Winds, descendant of Maroc and Arathea, last of the wendigo and bringer of the northern winds.”

I looked at Loofa, “Oooh, she’s good! I like the ‘bringer of the northern winds’ bit, not sure what she means, but…y’know…”

The changeling glared at me, “What do you want Equestrian? Speak quickly!”

Magic flowed around me and I ruffled my wings, allowing the fog to spill around me and roll out around the hooves and feet of our adversaries. The changeling female looked down worriedly.

“Lets see now…Oh yes!” I stepped forward and bared my teeth, “Give me back the ‘source’ and any other Equestrians you may have or…” my voice lowered to a growl, “I’ll kill the fucking lot of you.”

She laughed, but even then I could hear a note of uncertainty, “Give you the source? Are you insane? He is our prize! He is the key to escaping this accursed land!”

My teeth itched as I glared at her, “I don’t give a fuck about that, you can argue all you like with Celestia, this is between you and my tribe. Give me back the foal you stole.”

“The queen will not…”

“Ah yes! The queen. Bring her out would you? I’d like to speak with her. Better the organ grinder than the monkey.”

She hissed at me, “You insolent dog! Her majesty is away on ‘business’, I am regent in her place, I speak for her in her absence and I say you will NOT have the source, he is too valuable.”

Loofa spoke, “Miss, please, you don’t want to go down this path. Your people will stand a better chance of negotiating a favourable deal with Celestia if you release the foal, surely you can see that.”

The creature’s wings buzzed, “What I see are Equestrians in our lands, threatening us unless we accede to their ridiculous demands. You will leave at once and not return, Equestrian, these negotiations are over.”

Loofa held up a hoof in protest but I stopped him with a loud snort and flap of my wings, “Remember Shard, changeling?”

She looked at me, “What do you mean…’remember’?”

Loofa muttered under his breath, “Oh goddesses, Fairlight, don’t!”

My blood was on fire, the blue blaze of my eyes burning with the storm of magic swirling around and through me. I bared my teeth, the whist mist dripping from my maw to the ground.

“You’ll be finding out if you don’t hoof over the foal you fucking piece of filth. GIVE ME BACK MY SON!”

The changeling took a step back, “I…”

An arrow suddenly thudded into Loofa’s shoulder and he fell back on his haunches with a cry. One of the giants suddenly took a step forward and swung his huge black club at me which I dodged nimbly, bringing my scythe around and raking across the things face blinding it. With a horrible scream, the giant flailed with its club, smashing the changeling leaders head into black and grey paste which flew in the air like hell’s fountain.

I fired a beam of concentrated magic from my horn, taking the giants head off at the neck as the other lunged at Loofa. He managed to fly up and away from the thing in time for me to breathe another blast of magic at the monster, turning its head into a frozen lump that shattered into pink lumps when it hit the ground.

I flew high into the air and screamed my war cry to the heavens, the horns and battle cries of our warriors echoing in response. The ground and even the air began to shake as they charged.

The changelings were unsure of what to do. With their leader gone, they appeared to have difficulty in deciding on a course of action and stood frozen in place. The warriors of the tribe ploughed through them like they were as substantial as a warm breath on a winter’s morning.

I flew above the mass of panicked creatures, my magic lashing through them, cutting them down in droves. I laughed, I sang, this was why I was alive, this was beyond life, love and joy, this was ecstasy. My wendigo spirit thrilled in the fight and I danced through the air, cutting down the flying black creatures, bringing a black rain to the parched land. The warriors below gritted their teeth, bellowed and shrieked as they swung, thrust and cut their way through the fleeing changelings.

Most the things died quickly, some trampled by their own as their attempted to escape, others simply stood there. Devoid of leadership, they were as lost as a soul in the underworld. The boats of Tartarus would be filled to bursting this day and I revelled in it.

Those that fled were hunted down quickly and killed until, there were simply no more changelings.

Heavy Hoof stood breathing heavily, his huge chest rising and falling, a grin on his big bullish face. Around me, the tired but smiling faces of my warriors was a sight that filled my heart. Dusk Haze walked over to us and grinned, “My lord, the gates are open”

I gathered my commanders, Loofa remaining behind to be tended to by the medics. It didn’t look as though the arrow had hit anything vital, but I’d rather he had professional help rather than just yank the damned thing out.

Heavy Hoof was ready to charge in, “Steady Commander”, I said holding out my foreleg, “A spider lets its prey enter her web before springing the trap.”

He snorted and lowered his axe, “What do we do?”

“We accept the invitation, naturally, just in our own way.”

With a strong beat of my wings, I flew up and landed on one of the turrets, the rest of the winged warriors circling and watching for movement. One of the scouts called down, “No sign of anything, my lord, there doesn’t seem to be anypony here”

I held up the beacon, its light strong and bright, leading straight to the largest building in the castle. I channelled my magic and sent my voice out, into, and around the castles interior, the temperature dropping as the magical winds whistled through the seemingly deserted castle,

“Your soldiers are slain, your castle is surrounded. I give you one chance, as I gave them. Surrender the source or we will put you all to the sword. I will spare none who harm my son.”

Silence.

“Heavy Hoof”, I called down to the minotaur. He stared at the open gate, waiting,

“Take this place apart. If they resist, kill them”

“Yes, my lord”

Like some well oiled machine the tribes’ warriors searched the castle. The place was, for the most part, completely deserted. Some captives, held in those sickening cocoons, were found and freed, while myself, Nimble and two of our warriors raced through the strange black walled castle following the beacons light. Corridor after corridor, doorways, rooms, all flashed by in a blur as I raced to find my son. I suppose I would have liked to have spent more time examining this strange alien place, but right then, right there, there was only one focus for me…Lumin.

Finally, the glowing crystal led me to a large set of heavy black doors. They were locked solid. Nimble moved up beside and cleared his throat meaningfully, “Cap’, let me, your magic’s a bit…you know…”

Snorting, I backed away as he set a small charge on the door. With a nod, he set the device off which blew the centre of the door out allowing him to buck them so hard they flew open with a crash almost as loud at the explosion.

“And you think I’m excessive?” I muttered before rushing into the room.

The interior held several cowering changelings, a few guards and a large cocoon that was surrounded by glowing green pillars. Before me, covered in debris from the door, a dark blue robed changeling with a long flowing white mane lay trying to pick himself up.

I strode over and grabbed the creature in my magic as the warriors backed the other changelings into the corner. The cocoon was a peculiar, slick construction with bubbles running through it, the translucent centre allowing a clear view of its tiny occupant, curled up in a ball with his eyes tight shut. He looked like he was asleep, or…

I tightened my grip on the changelings’ throat, “Release him”.

The creature choked, “He…he is the source…”

“He’s my son, changeling. I won’t repeat myself again.”

“I…I cannot”

“You drain the emotions of other don’t you, suck it out of them?” I motioned over to one of the cowering changelings, “Bring it over”.

The minotaur dragged one of the struggling creatures over to stand before me. I looked into its eyes, “Strange creature isn’t it” I said softly stroking its head, “Do you think it would hurt, having its life essence drained from its body? I imagine it would. Just a little nip and then I simply take it all away, and you know…right now,” I bared my teeth, “I’m very, very thirsty.”

The creature stared up at me clicking and buzzing nervously. The robed one gasped, “You…you won’t! You’re an Equestrian!”

“Wrong on both counts I’m afraid. Firstly, yes, I will do it and secondly, I’m a wendigo”, I stared into the large changelings eyes, “…and I’m your worst fucking nightmare. Release my son or I’ll kill every single changeling I find in your sick land until the whole of Equestria forgets your sick kind ever existed.” I smiled, “You won’t need to break free then, think of it as me doing you a favour”

He stared at me, “You’re insane! A demon!”

I laughed, “Haven’t heard that for a while! What nostalgia!”

I turned smiling to Nimble, “Forget it. Corporal, we’ll take the cocoon with us, kill the rest.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“NO!” the thing shrieked, “I’ll release him, don’t…don’t kill them”

I lowered the changeling to the floor and shouldered my war scythe, “In your own time, friend”.

The changeling’s horn glowed and began to pulse, the green light synchronising with the pillars around the cocoon. Heat began to pour off the thing and the fluid inside bubbled furiously and I felt myself begin to panic. Just when I was about to charge in, the cocoon broke open and the fluid poured out in a rush. The robed changeling reached in and brought out the soaking body of Lumin and hoofed him to me,

“He is unharmed, Equestrian”

I stared down at the tiny form of my son, stroked him gently and trying to hear any sign of a heartbeat or breath; there was none. Even in my state of elation, I felt a wave of bitter cold soak my heart; my son...my precious son!

“He isn’t breathing…” I said quietly.

“He will,” the changeling said urgently, “his body is readjusting…see! He lives.”

Lumin’s body shook and he coughed out a lungful of the fluid he’d been suspended in, his hooves twitching and eyes slowly opening. A pair of tiny yellow eyes looked up at me as he tried to speak. All that emerged was a gargled squeak, but it was enough.

I held him tenderly to my chest and tried to send my bodies warmth into his, he was freezing cold. The changeling watched me with its dark eyes, so pony like, yet so strangely alien to us,

“You have your foal, now leave us in peace”

I placed Lumin in my fleece lined pannier I’d prepared for bringing him home before addressing the changeling, “Who are you?”

“I am Tena, a simple member of the royal court.”

“A simple member, eh? So tell me, Tena, why?”

“Why?”

“Yes, why. Why invade Equestria, why kidnap our people and do this to them? Surely there must have been a better way than this?”

He shook his head, “We have lived like this, in the darkness, imprisoned, for generations. Prisoners of your beloved princess.”

I wasn’t so sure about that part. He continued after sitting on his haunches and rubbing his neck, “Do you know what that is like? Generation after generation of your children growing up in a prison, never seeing the sun or the moon? Why should they suffer for something that our ancestors did?”

“What did your ancestor’s do?” I asked genuinely intrigued.

“They made a pact with a monster, a vile creature that promised them eternal life, happiness…the usual lies to draw in the unwary, and by the gods we were.”

He shook his head, “The price was this…” Tena held up his legs which showed the holes his kind had in abundance, “We are like these; empty, hungry, always hungering.”

I knew what that was like. Tena hung his head, “Some time ago, another liar appeared and dripped honeyed words into the ear of our beloved queen. Poisoned words promising escape, and power, power to even change the fate of our people…”

“Who was this?” I asked quietly.

“She called herself the ‘Mistress’”, he gave an ironic laugh, “The same name many of our people use to describe our queen. I heard some of her colleagues call her by another name when they thought none of us was listening. They called her ‘Annabelle’”

My eyes went wide and he looked up at me from under his heavy brows, “You know her, wendigo, don’t you?”

I nodded, “Yes, Tena…yes, I do. You’re not the only one she’s played with.”

Turning, I motioned my warriors to follow me out, “Tena, you have shown me a side of your people I wish I had seen before this nightmare began. Celestia is willing to negotiate with you, to help you. Seize that opportunity and bring your people out of the darkness, you may find her more willing to help you than you expect.”

He gave a small smile, “I hope so.”

“Tell your people to let us go in peace and I will leave your lands as quickly as I can. Farewell, Tena.”

Outside, the tribe’s warriors had wasted no time gathering up prisoners and tending to the wounded, repairing weapons, and all the other things soldiers do when they have spare time on their hooves. Card games had sprung up spontaneously around the place together with shouts of laughter and dismay. Nimble tapped me on the elbow, “Cap’, what now?”

“We’re going home, my friend. We’re all going home.”

The changelings from the castle unmolested, we backtracked through the changeling’s lands, following the scouts who helped us to navigate this odd terrain. I don’t think I’d ever wanted to leave a place as much as I had this one, I didn’t even know its name, or if it had one. Not that it really mattered, it wasn’t exactly a holiday destination and I had no intention of coming back here any time soon, or ever.

I could see the warriors sporting odd trinkets, swords, helmets, banners. It was as if I’d gone to war with a bunch of magpies, they were laughing and joking, swapping the things they’d collected along the way. Maroc’s memories pulled at me and I plunged into them, leaving part of my consciousness plodding along in the waking world.

“Maroc”, I said respectfully.

“You’ve come a long way, Fairlight. The spirit burns brightly within you, as it does with your son.”

Arathea’s lilting voice warmed my heart, “He is strong with your magic, Fairlight, he has the strength of the elder dragon inside him as well.”

“Whilst he is young, he will be vulnerable and a target because of who and what he is” Vela said in his deep timbre, “Keep him safe, Fairlight, the future of the tribe is in his hooves, and yours”

Maroc stepped forward, “Beware on your way home, Fairlight. This is the time when an army is weak, when they have thrown away their caution in the afterglow of victory. Here they will be vulnerable and not expecting an attack. Keep alert my descendant, remember…keep alert”.

The green glow of the changeling realm oozed back into my conscious mind and I looked around me, there was nothing for what looked like miles. We’d slaughtered the changelings, their invasion force, the one at the castle, what the bloody hell could they have left? Maroc’s warnings were valid, sure, but we’d be home soon and then I’d be able to get this little one back to him mum. I cooed at him in his pannier. The thing was armoured too and sat on my back, if a little awkwardly, but it did the job. I didn’t think I’d need to worry too much about fighting now, thank Luna.

We kept following our tracks back the way we came, it wasn’t exactly hard, the army had…

What was that?

Ahead one of the scouts was circling like some vulture over a corpse, before rushing back to land before Heavy Hoof, the two conferring before hurrying over to me. The griffin saluted, “My lord, one of the scouts we sent back with the captives we rescued…he’s dead. Shot with arrows.”

I hung my head, “What about the rest of them?”

He shook his head, “I don’t know my lord, the tracks continue over the ones we made coming here, they don’t deviate from them.”

“Heavy Hoof, Nimble…” I said urgently, “Get your warriors shit together and get ready for engagement. Double time them, I’m going up for a look. Scouts and flankers out.”

A familiar face appeared beside me, “Need an extra pair of eyes?”

Loofa smiled at me, “That silver stuff of yours works a treat, takes a bit out of you though.”

I nodded, “Me too. You okay to be up here?”

“Sure. Doc says I’m in piece, just need to build my energy reserves back up apparently. I think you should work on the taste and smell of that stuff though, it’s like dog breath”.

“Oh thanks!”

“Ha! You’re welcome”

We soared above the empty land until we saw them. What I took to be heat haze initially proved to be a huge mass of changelings and more of the giants mixed in for good measure. They stood in a direct line to our destination; the portal home. Loofa smiled,

“There’s a lot of them…a hell of a lot, think they came through the portal?”

I shook my head, “No, not past the army and agency crew. These things have magic but they’re no match for the amount of firepower around that portal now. No, my guess is they either came through another one and were on their way back to the castle or it’s a relief force heading out that we missed somehow. Whatever it was, it looks like the fuckers ran into our people.”

It was difficult to say at this distance, but there was definitely the remains of a couple of carts at the rear of the mass of changelings, many of whom buzzed through the air like some massive swarm of bees. Their ground forces outnumbered us horribly as well, and right now, things didn’t look favourable at all. Damn it, Maroc had been right.

Heavy Hoof and the rest of the warriors thundered up, coming to a halt below us. Landing I addressed him, “We’re in for a fight my friend, we’re heavily outnumbered too.”

The minotaur grinned, showing me his huge white teeth, “Small chance of winning, big chance of dying”

Loofa chipped in, “What’s not to like?”

I shook my head, “Where do you pick these things up from? Gah!”

Nimble trotted up, “Captain? The troops are getting into position, we’re ready when you are.”

I nodded, taking to the air. Commander Halberd flew up alongside Loofa and myself, the veteran giving the pegasus a cheeky wink. Loofa grinned back at her before turning to me, “Getting déjà vu here Cap’”.

“Try not to get shot this time then will you?” I jibed, “Can’t have you wasting the medic’s time again”.

He chuckled and shook his head. Halberd looked around suddenly and called to us, “I don’t think they’re open to negotiations this time, they’re coming right at us!”

“Shit! Let’s haul flank!”

We dove, sweeping back to the rest of the assembled tribe and readied ourselves for the coming onslaught. Our scouts rushed up, “Field has been sown, lord Fairlight”. I nodded, “Good job, get back to your sections they’ll need you.”

Nimble shook his mane, “Fucking typical, just when you think a jobs nearly finished, some bastard comes and ruins it for you.”

“Oh, I would worry too much just yet”, I said readying my pulse gun and removing a case from my pannier, “My dad used to say, ‘It’s always nice to go out with a bang’”. I held up the MAD remote, “It may not be nightmare night, but I always enjoy a good firework display.”

The ground shook with the rumbling of the changelings, the fliers above them turning the sky near black with their sheer numbers. Among them, larger changelings and giants lumbered forward hissing, bellowing and clicking, the whole sending a chill up my spine. Thank the goddesses for Brandy Wine, he’d come through with the goods and now…let’s hope the bloody things worked.

“And…” I clicked the detonator, “Let the show begin!”

I was near blinded by the flash of light, the sound coming in moments later, “GET DOWN!” I screamed but the warriors didn’t need telling. The combined blast was a hell of a lot stronger than I remembered. What in Equestria had they put in those things? I didn’t recall them being this powerful!

Wind, grit, rock and body parts hammered down around us even as the shrieking and bellowing remainder of their force crashed into us. It was a fight for our lives.

The clash of steel and flash of magic rippled along the lines, warriors falling and being dragged back by their comrades, changelings dropping around us like flies in a tornado from the blaster fire. Despite the bravery and skill of our troops, regardless of the MAD blasts, the damned creatures were still huge in number and threatened to swamp us. I wasn’t exactly much help with Lumin on my back either; it was time to pull one last rabbit out of the hat.

I took out the crystal orb and kissed it gently, “Etrida…”

A low voice, feminine yet full of unfathomable power, rumbled back, “Ah, Lord Fairlight, want something do you?”

“My fats really in the fire now Etrida, some backup would be gratefully received.”

“Do you have my Lumin with you?”

“I do, but he’s getting jostled a bit”

“Now that I won’t stand for” she said in a low voice, “Not at all!”

Moments later, an ear splitting crack rent the battlefield, unnoticed by many in the heat of battle, but not by those carried away in its shock wave. Nimble looked up, his pulse gun near glowing and his coat slick with sweat, “Thank Luna…”

I smirked, “I think you’ll be able to do that in person too”

He gave me a grin in reply, “’Plan B’?”

“Plan B”, there should always be that extra rabbit.

The sky was suddenly filled with armed warriors, descending on the changelings in a screaming, howling mass of shining armour and lethally sharp blades. Amongst them flew the terrifying form of a war dragon like some huge juggernaut, unstoppable and totally untamed, roaring through the changelings, incinerating many with her white hot flame. I watched entranced as two figures I knew well detached from her back, one in armour as black as the midnight sky, eyes burning with white hot magical energy and already sending black lightning into the foul beings below her. The other flew down to meet me, her red eyes burning as brightly as mine were with their blue light,

“Hello love…” Shadow said nuzzling me, “I brought friends”

Returning the gesture, I gave her ear a quick nip, “And I have guests that need attending to my love, will you join me?”

Shadow laughed and helped me pass Lumin’s pannier to a group of thestral warriors who bowed to us both, “Take care of him”.

“Yes, lady Shadow”, the warriors said in unison. She certainly had them well trained!

The song of war singing through us, we crashed through the changelings, letting its refrain carry us through the dance of death.

Shadow and I cut through our foe, the thestrals and the warriors of the four winds tribe working as one, cutting down their enemy with a machine like efficiency that was as horrific to behold as it was exhilarating. Etrida roared through the green sky, strafing and blasting fire into the things. The intense heat of the dragon fire burning away wings and flesh alike. Around us, burning bodies fell like hail, those that still lived had their suffering quickly brought to an end by the warriors below. The most terrible on the field by far however, was the beautiful yet terrible alicorn who burned whole swathes through the changeling horde with long lances of energy that left an afterimage on my eyes. The mistress of the night, the goddess of the moon and scourge of the Celestian’s…Nightmare Moon.

Fires burned, but not with wood nor coal. The stink was terrible to my nostrils but it still a good smell, the smell of victory. Nightmare Moon swept down to us, effortlessly alighting upon the churned ground, her long tail and mane glittering and flowing in the ethereal winds of magic. She was a sight no mortal should behold, and yet here we were, all of us bowing before her terrible majesty.

“Stand my warriors of the moon, you bow before nopony…you have earned that right this day.”

Her voice rang out across the smoke filled field, even Etrida, landing with a gust of wind from her flared wings, bowed to our goddess. My heart sang with joy and pride, we had made her happy, we had redeemed ourselves as her trusted warriors. Nightmare Moon laughed, swinging her blue-black sword up and back into its scabbard before leaping over a giant’s corpse to address us. I bowed low, despite her command,

“Your majesty”

A silver shod hoof gently lifted my chin, “Lord Fairlight, descendant of Maroc. Do not bow before us, not this day. Today is a day for celebration is it not? Bring us the child so that we may see the future lord of the tribe”

Shadow collected Lumin from the warriors and together we presented my son to Nightmare Moon. She reached in a tentative hoof and, thinking better of it, magicked him out while she sat back on her haunches, cuddling him in her forelegs. We stood there, watching the goddess nuzzle and coo at the little fellow who was lapping up the attention and gurgling happily with the odd squeak emanating from him. I’d have to have words with Tingles about that, I’m sure there was some mouse in him from somewhere. I’d have to try him with some cheese to be sure…

“Lord Fairlight?”

“My lady”

“That’s better!”, the midnight coated mare removed her helmet and shook out her mane, “Fairlight, we…’I’ must go back to my sister now and give her the news that the invasion has been foiled and that young Lumin is safe. After that, we shall need to look at negotiations with the changeling queen.”

“Where is she?”

“Oh, she’ll be back here shortly. Tia has her ways.”

I smiled, “Thank you for helping us, my lady. If it hadn’t been for you…”

She held up a hoof, “If it hadn’t been for Shadow, you mean. This magnificent mare brought the tribes together, convinced even Etrida to help and as for us, well…sometimes it feels good to have a change, wouldn’t you agree…my lord?”

“Yes, my lady”

My vision was suddenly filled with black fur and burning red eyes. Shadow nodded to Luna, “Excuse me”. I heard a mock cry of outrage from the princess at the intrusion, as my thestral mate grabbed me roughly and brought her muzzle up to brush against mine, sniggering. Was she sniggering? She was!

“Love…” she whispered before pulling me into a kiss that melted my heart into a sea of bliss I could have drifted away on into eternity.