A thick stream of saliva dripped from the monsters mandibles. It chittered softly as it moved through the undergrowth. The air was warm and moist here, the earth beneath its feelers sticky. This was its home, it was close now. Skittering over a few fallen stones, the creature came up short as it senses the void in front of it. A bridge had been here once, but it had long ago crumbled to dust and decay. Spreading thin chitinous wings the broodling waited for a gust of wind from the abyss. As it came it leapt into the air and with a powerful hum from its wings it sailed over the chasm. The song of the hive was close now; the melody of home, the sweet voice of its mother.

It whistled and hissed in reply to its fellows as it flew into the hives cavernous depths. The air was even warmer here, shadows chased away by the luminous glow of billions of eyes. It smelled so good here. Landing with a harsh clicking sound, the drooling insect gave a soft buzz of love and greeting as it landed before its mother. She loomed over her children. Her wings were thunder, her eyes massive pools of swirling light, her feelers long and elegant, and her voice shook the beast to its core as it gazed up at her in awe.

Fluttershy lent down and stroked the parasprite’s fuzzy caraprace with a single hoof. “Hello little one. What news do you bring?”

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

Deeper darkness lurked beneath the trees in Everfree Forest. Theia had seen the distant night lands before now, but even those frozen lands had the blessing of the stars and the moon. The forest floor may never have known any celestial light. A forest like this should not be able to exist in the sun-less Twilight lands. Wind, soft and warmer than Theia had expected, rustled the leaves gently. A thin mist crept along the ground, damp and cool, but still far warmer than it had any right to. None of this was as it should be and it was unnerving the cream colored pony badly.

For the last few hours the daughter of the moon sensed that she was being watched. If it was paranoia or if there were truly eyes upon her she could not say. The fog played tricks with sound, muffling and enhancing them by turn. A tiny drop of dew from a leaf made a sound that echoed long after it should’ve stopped, while Theia’s own foot steps in the damp soil barely made a sound. Without the stars to guide her, she quickly became lost. She tried to move in a single direction, hoping she would find the pony known as Fluttershy eventually, or at least some sign of her so that she could begin tracking her down. Right now she was just hoping to find a clearing, if only for some small respite from the forest around her, and a glimpse of the heavens above.

Without warning a spear slammed into a spruce next to her head, vibrating violently enough to shake the dew from the tree tops, causing a short, sharp shower of water all around Theia. Her eyes could not be trusted to find her enemy in this crypt-like gloom, so she swiftly dived behind a stout oak and listened hard as the water droplets fell. The sound carried uninterrupted in every direction, save one. The sound bounced easily off the trees, but in one spot it was absorbed completely. It was only a hunch, but Theia rolled swiftly to one side, and hurled a pair of throwing knives into the auditory sink. A yelp of pain rewarded her throw and she knew she had guessed right. She tensed, expecting her would-be killer to counter, but the attack never came. Instead she heard soft crying from the brush. Cautiously she crept up on the sound, prepared to attack at the first sign of a threat.

There, in a small clearing lay a little colt, clutching his shoulder with one hoof. One of Theia’s knives had buried itself deep there. He was so young. Hot, angry tears rolled down his cheeks as he glared up at the unicorn, angry defiance clear in his teary eyes. His mane and his body were striped black and white save where the blood from his wound dyed him red. He wore a golden bracelet around his left front hoof and a necklace of teeth around his throat that clattered as he suddenly backed away from her. “Stay away fiend, you have no place here! Leave now, or I will give you something to fear!” His words were bold for his years, but Theia couldn’t take him seriously as a threat. Truly she felt bad for wounding him so, but she doubted he would’ve felt the same if his spear had found its mark.

“Who are you little pony? What are you doing in these woods by yourself?” The colt backed out of the clearing, blending into the darkness, the red of his blood fading to black as he all but disappeared. “No pony am I, enemy of my clan. Nor alone am I either, I have my nan! Now you go away, turn right around. Go back where you came from, to your living dead town.” Theia could barely understand what the child was saying, his accent was so thick. He suddenly bolted into the brush. Hesitating only a moment, she followed him. Though it was impossible to see clearly, she could easily hear him crashing through the thick growth ahead of her. The further she went into the forest, the lighter it began to get. The heat also increased until she was forced to pull down her hood, sweat dripping from her silver mane.

When she next emerged into a clearing, the sight she beheld brought her up short. The sky above was blue...but a brighter blue than she had ever seen! The clouds were soft white balls of cotton floating across a sphere of burning light! It looked like the sun, but the firelands lay across the sea, far beyond the Chimeron Empire. It was said only dragons could dwell there, for only they could survive the nigh eternal sunshine! What madness was this? Below the insane sky, a thatched mud hut sat; tree limbs, tribal masks, and other ornaments adorning the structure that seemed to be one with the forest. The black and white striped colt stood in its doorway, the thin knife removed from his shoulder and another spear clenched tight in one hoof. “Why did you follow me!? I said go away! Just leave us alone! You will not take her do you hear me!? She’s all I have...all I have in this world!”

“I don’t understand what you’re going on about,” said Theia. “You attacked me first! I don’t even know who you think I’m going to take away from you kid! Just calm down. And while you’re at it, explain to me what in all of Equestria is going on with the sky!” A rattling, but gentle laugh came from the darkness inside the hut. “You must excuse my nephew, his fear and anger comes from a place of love, where your own fixates only on the skies above.” An ancient creature appeared behind the young colt, mane long and unkempt. Her skin hung in great wrinkled rolls that bagged beneath her eyes and chin, sagging gently over a tall golden hooped neck ring. She was almost as small as the pony she claimed as her nephew. “He thinks our meeting will cause my death. Though it's true, I shall die soon, it's not you who will take my final breath. The stars foretold my fate as it has told me yours, but you are quite late!”

“Would somepony please just tell me plainly what’s going on?” Theia was exasperated at this point. Going from being attacked in a dark and creepy forest to standing under a burning sun while some ancient pony spouted rhymes, well, it could do that to a filly. “We are not ponies, we are zebra! And the sky is always as you see it in the day time! My great aunt Zecora told me a one eyed pony with a broken horn would visit her on the day she was to die. If you had just died in the forest that day would never have come!” He had started to cry again, yet still he radiated defiance, doing his best to stand between Zecora and Theia. “Hush now, that is enough of that little Zinsu, do not cry, one day we all must die. Let us invite this traveler in from the heat. I’m sure we can spare some food to eat.”

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

It took a long time with lots of starts and stops and more than a few misunderstandings, but eventually Theia began to get the shape of what she had run across. Zecora and her nephew were zebra, possibly exiled form a distant land where their kind were the norm and beasts great and small wondered grassy plains and jungles thicker than even the Everfree Forest. They seemed well aware of the Twilight beyond the forest but the cycle of night and day, which the rest of Equestria had not known for nearly a century, continued here unabated. This was not the case in every part of the Forest, and apparently Theia had been wandering a patch that Zecora referred to as the realm of the shadow folk. She warned that the darkness there was not to be trusted, however that at this time of day she would be safe so long as she kept to the beaten paths.

They shared a meal of a thick hearty stew full of roots and vegetables from the forest. Zinsu did not eat with them, but instead skulked away to sulk and tend to his wound. Thankfully it seemed to be mostly superficial, either that or he was a much tougher colt than he seemed. After the meal, Theia tried to ask Zecora about the pony she was looking for, Fluttershy. The zebra grew quiet then, her old eyes closing in a look of deep contemplation. “Sakpata rules the forests most ancient site, to reach her you will need considerable might. Alone you cannot hope to reach her with speed, I’m afraid you will find it is allies you need. Yet still you must search, of this I’m sure, but before you set forth let me give you this cure.”

Zecora tottered weakly across her cottage floor to a dusty chest that lay in the corner of the room. Her bones creaked almost as load as the hinges of the box as she opened it. Her hooves shuffled through rolls of old tissue paper, a sound of glass clinking together came as she moved potions and vials aside. She lifted up a large vial, within was a single large feather. Taking out the cork with her few remaining teeth, the feather seemed to ignite with the rush of air, but the illusion lasted only for a moment before the burning feather returned to its reddish golden hue. “A potent medicine is the phoenix feather, I’ve been saving it for a day of rainy weather. Take it child, I beg you, it's useless to me at my age. You will need it if you are to face Sakpata’s rage.” Theia didn’t know what use a feather could possibly do her, but not wanting to seem rude, she took it and placed it in her pack anyway. She thanked Zecora for the gift and was about to set out on her way. “Zinsu!” the old zebra called to her nephew. It didn’t take long for the zebra colt to come to her call, once again carrying his spear. “Yes nan, what do you wish?” Zecora looked sternly at the child as she spoke, “See our guest safely through the wood. If any harm comes to her now it will do us no good.” Zinsu looked as if he was going to protest but suddenly Zecora let out a shout in a language Theia couldn’t understand. Shining tears welled again in the colts eyes and he gestured Theia to follow him without saying another word.

As they left the hut, Theia couldn’t help but ask, “What did she say...?” Zinsu glared at her over his wounded shoulder. “She said that if I did not leave now, I would die here too. I am no coward to run from death, but this forest needs a shaman, and I was sent to learn from her. Today I take the greatmothers place. So be silent pony. It is a day of mourning and shame, and on you do I place the blame.”

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

As the pair faded into the forest, Zacora watched them go with the only sight still left to her, her second sight. There was an aura of anguish around her great nephew, but he would be strong. He had to be. The pony, though, had no aura at all, and it was one of the most disturbing things she had ever failed to see. Even the dead could be seen by Zacora. Whatever Theia was, she had been mutilated more horribly than any creature Zacora had ever seen before. Contemplating this, she heard the soft sing song buzz growing in the distance. It drew closer, the sound growing to a roar.

It was time.

They flooded through the windows and rose up from the floor. They tore through the roof and smashed open the door. Greedy green eyes glowed from within the sudden darkness that blocked out the sun. They swarmed over the old zebra’s body, tiny legs like pin pricks over ever inch of her flesh. In their wake great boils swelled and burst, weeping runny tears of yellow pus and blood. Their drooling maws nibbled at her, only tasting, they wouldn’t eat of her, not yet. The parasprites were beautiful as they swarmed, every color of the rainbow flashed within the great mass of bodies, as well as a few no mortal eye had ever seen before. Yet each had the aura of a dead thing, each and every last one existed by the will of only one being. “You’re favorite tea I still have set aside. Won’t you share one last cup with me, Pestilence bride?” Zacora’s voice, though calm through it all, failed her. Strangles out by a throat filling with mucus and puss. She collapsed under the weight of her own bones into an oozing pile of bile and putrefied flesh.

The swarm began to eat.

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

They moved swiftly through the Everfree Forest. It seemed Zinsu knew these woods extremely well, and it was not long before they came to a wide beaten path lined with blue flowers. The zebra colt picked up his pace, running along the wide road. Theia broke into a trot to try and keep up but the colt pulled steadily ahead of her. With her pack weighing her down she had to break into a full gallop just to keep the young zebra in view. As they moved away from Zecora’s home it grew darker and darker. Theia began to have a hard time keeping track of Zinsu in the shafts of fading light. “Wait!” she called, but he did not stop. It dawned on Theia he was trying to give her the slip. Coaxing her protesting limbs to pour on a burst of speed, Theia rocketed through a copes of trees. And found herself in a ring of lances all leveled at her throat.

“HALT! Friend or foe!? Think quickly because we won’t ask twice!” The daughter of the moon found herself surrounded for the second time in as many days, this time by ponies in the armor of the Armies of Dawn. “Uh... Friend?” A heavily armored pegasus pony in solid white plate, edged in glowing blue runes with the golden insignia of Celestia at her shoulder, scoffed, “A likely story, do you have any proof!?” Her mind racing at the sudden turn of events, Theia reached slowly into her pack and produced the badge that marked her as an ally of the Dawn. It was fortunate she still had it from when she had infiltrated the Dawn before, otherwise she might have found herself with a few new holes, not to mention a thoroughly failed mission. A large pony, encased in the same white plate and glowing runes looked over the badge. “It checks out sarge, though what a filly like her is doin' in a place like this, I don’t reckon I can fathom.”

The soldiers lowered their lances, but still looked on Theia with suspicion. She realized this was not a full battalion, but merely a small scouting party. “My name is Theia. I am an agent of the Cult of the Moon, allies of the Armies of Dawn since the end of Blueblood’s... I mean the Glorious Challenge.” All of them reacted to that and their suspicion seemed to give way slightly to curiosity. The pegasus pony the larger soldier had referred to as sergeant lifted the visor on her helmet, revealing a youngish face with an orange hide and vibrant pink eyes. Her mane, feathery and the same shade of pink, was matted to her forehead with sweat. An old scar ran left to right diagonally between her eyes. “I am Sergeant Major Scootaloo of the Dawns-Light Crusaders. Ma'am, I think you’ve got some explaining to do.”

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

So that’s exactly what she did. She told them about the wars end and the pact struck between the three factions to unite against the Twilight Queen. This was met with more suspicion until she explained Prince Blueblood’s demise. That brought forth a rush of questions about his killer, so she told them of the legend of the Queens servants, that she had so recently been able to confirm. Theia also explained her mission to uncover the truth about them, assassinate them if she could, and the fact that one of them was said to be nearby. It was their turn to speak then.

The big fellow who had verified her badge was Private Jonathan, a demolition specialist the others nicknamed ‘Little John’ who made his own explosives from apples. that grew wild in the forest Well, mostly apples. Most of the other privates introduced themselves but it was hard to keep track of all their names; Silver Stars, Red October, Desert Rat, Rising Sun, their names went on and on. The only other ponies who stuck out was the companies last surviving medic Corporal Wintergreen, a pony who’s armor barely fit her, and then of course Sergeant Sweetie Belle. She was the only unicorn in the unit, with a beautifully styled pink and purple mane and knowing emerald eyes. She barely wore any armor compared to the other soldiers, apparently trusting to her magic as her defense. Theia couldn’t quite place it, but there was something familiar about her. She regarded Theia with a cool gaze, and when introduced told her just to refer to her as Sergeant Belle.

When Theia asked Scootaloo about her, the Sergeant Major explained, “She’s our units secret weapon. Ya see back in the early days of the war, the higher ups noticed that the Everfree forest was the only tract of land where plants kept growing even though there was no sunshine in the rest of Equestria proper. They sent us in to secure the lands resources and establish a base here to eventually strike back at Canterlot. We’ve more or less been successful in the first part of our mission and have been able to keep ourselves supplied from local sources of water and food.” She guided Theia slowly away from the rest of her troops. “The later part, though, has been an utter failure.”

“Not long after we first arrived here, we started losing ponies left and right. We thought it was just, ya know, local problems with disease. Everypony died a little differently, but the results were always the same. They’d either disappear all together or they’d end up as food for parasprites. It wasn’t long before a few deaths became an epidemic which only Sweetie Belle and myself survived. We were the only ones who made it from the first crusade into Everfree Forest, chased out by disease and predatory parasprites.” Theia didn’t know what a parasprite was and said so. “Well they’re usually harmless enough, even cute, but in these woods they’re vicious pony eating little monsters that like to liquefy their prey and then slurp up the resulting soup. We barely made it out of the forest the first time with the swarm on our heals. If it wasn’t for Sweetie Belle we probably wouldn't have made it at all. When we were cornered, and all seemed lost, that crazy unicorn started to sing!"

“Her horn was glowing, her voice was ringing, and the parasprites seemed mesmerized by her. They slowly floated away like they were dreaming with their little bug eyes open. That was how we discovered the parasprites had a weakness to sound. This armor you see myself and the rest of us wearing has sonic runes inlaid with magic running through them. It keeps the parasprites off us so we can handle those bugs. But we haven’t been able to build a base here yet. That’s mainly because of the Infected.” Theia tried to take all this in, and turned her gaze back over her shoulder, looking at the other soldiers. They all seemed healthy. “The infected?”

Sergeant Scootaloo followed her gaze and stifled a laugh. “Not them!” she paused and continued more somberly,” Well. If we're not lucky, then maybe one day them. But not everypony died when they fell ill and we’ve lost more soldiers since. Ya see the armors good for parasprites, but the Infected are ponies that seem to have mutated from exposure to something in the forest. They look more insect than equine, and let me tell you, they’re way more of a threat than a few parasprites!” A sudden crashing in the underbrush got everyponies attention. Visors dropped over faces suddenly gone deadly serious as the crusaders raised their lances. The noise came closer as a figure burst from the undergrowth. Zinsu bounded into the clearing, breathing hard and his eyes wide. The soldiers relaxed. The zebra colt spoke one word before bolting out of the clearing, “Run!”

They struck without making a sound, massive mandibles burying themselves in Private Jonathan’s armored throat with a crunch. There were three of them at first, they had the shape of ponies, but where covered in hard, slick brown carapaces. Thick scythe like appendages grew from their shoulders and down their flanks. Their eyes were wide and swirling with green light that warped the crusaders reflections. Scootaloo was the first one to react, leaping high into the air with a jump and a mighty pulse of her wings. She dove down on one of the Infected from above, slamming her lance in hard where two thick plates of the monsters shell met, viciously forcing the metal shaft through the monster and impaling it to the forest floor. It shrieked, spurting steaming green blood, but it did not die. “Fan out in a tight formation and take em down! Watch your brothers backs! There could be more!”

Leaping into action, the crusaders charged and thrust with their lances, trying their best to keep the monsters at a distance while not leaving them any openings to get behind them. Theia went into action, tossing her throwing knives into the side of the beast worrying Jonathan’s throat. The blades rebounded off its thick armor, but it distracted it long enough for the larger soldier to break free and smash the monster to the ground. One stomp of his armored hooves was enough to shatter the Infected’s head like an over-ripe pumpkin, green and yellow bile splattering the forest floor. A slight buzz was the only warning Theia received as another monstrosity loomed behind her. Reacting instinctively she turned into shadow, mandibles closing with an audible click where her head had been.

The most fearsome warrior had to be Sergeant Belle. It was plain now why she wore less armor than her fellow crusaders, as not a single Infected could get within ten feet of her without exploding in a shower of blood and limbs. Her horn glowed bright as she sang, sending out waves of sound keyed to shatter the Infected’s hard, yet brittle shells. With a sudden roar of thunder, pairs of chitinous wings burst from the shell on the remaining Infected’s backs. They disappeared into the canopy, instead of attacking again they seemed to be in retreat. Panting with exertion, the ponies took stock. In all, five Infected had been disabled or destroyed. The one Scootaloo had impaled still writhed on the end of her lance. Of the crusaders they had lost only two, their armor ripped off and faces grotesquely melted, though whether by the creatures saliva or the splashes of semi-acidic blood it was hard to tell.

With a look of remorse, Sergeant Scootaloo stomped their heads in. “If we don’t do this they’ll just come back, just like them. If we had figured that out sooner we might already have a permanent base instead of having to shift camp every few days.” The demolition specialist, Jonathan came over to Theia as the one eyed pony studied the impaled Infected. “You alright ma'am?” The daughter of the moon was lost in thought so she was slow to answer. “Yes, I think so. These things. They’re a lot like the soldiers of Twilight, but more bestial.” While this was true, this close she could see remnants of the pony this warped thing used to be. The hair of its mane and tail had almost completely fallen out and what was left was course and brown as its shell. Its teeth had also fallen out, replaced by four clacking mandibles. The mark on its flank remained, despite the hideous transformation, three morning glories. “There are many of them?” The big pony stamped a hoof irritably and took a small apple shaped object out of his pack. “More than I’d care to count. Frankly the only good Infected is a dead Infected. Hard to count them when they’re trying to rip off your face. Open wide, monster.” Jonathan shoved the red bomb into the creatures howling mandibles. A short while later it detonated, evaporating half of the creatures body while the remaining half simply slumped to the forest floor. “Thanks for yer help back there by the way, but if ya don’t have any bigger weapons, best ta focus on their eyes. Their tough customers on the outside but inside, they’re as soft as old apples.”

“I think...we might be able to help each other,” Theia spoke, turning to Sergeant Scootaloo. “It seems clear to me that this has to be the work of the pony I’m looking for. If I can find her, we might be able to make it so no new Infected are created. It would benefit both of us if you were able to hold the Everfree Forest and any information I can get on the Queens lieutenants should be helpful in taking her down once and for all.” Sergeant Belle flipped her mane and spoke, “That’s all well and good darling, but where do you propose looking for this ‘lieutenant’’ of yours?” Timid little Wintergreen spoke up as she was checking private Jonathan’s armor for any puncture holes. “The Hive...” Sergeant Major Scootaloo shook mud and gore off her lance and checked to make sure it was still straight. “That’s not a place to be going into under strength. We’re down to about ten soldiers from the forty we came in here with, counting the two losses we just took here. The Hive will be absolutely crawling with Infected, parasprites, and who knows what else. We’re not gonna be able to just rush in there without being spotted.”

Theia smiled thoughtfully, silvery blond mane curling over her bandaged eye socket. “Leave that to me.”

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

Zinsu stopped, panting and out of breath. He had seen the insectile ponies around the forests before, but today they had ranged much further than usual. They usually stuck near what used to be the old castle of the pony sisters. Such a change, it couldn’t be anything but bad news. He had to get back to Zecora’s hut so he could protect her. This part of the woods though, seemed strange. It was at once familiar and bizarre. He realized that this was the first time he had ever been in this part of the wood at night. At least it appeared to be night...how else to explain the darkness all around him? He could barely make out the outline of the trees.

As the colt stumbled through the darkness, ancient crimson eyes opened wide all around him.

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

The spell was a simple one for the daughter of the moon, even with her part grown horn. It was taught to initiates almost as soon as they joined. Not quite as potent as the shadowy intangible form Theia could take at will, the spell she cast now over the assembled crusaders muffled their hooves and made them fade into the background. They would be invisible to the eye and ear, but not intangible. They’d still have to be careful not to knock into anything too abruptly, or the illusion would fade and they would be exposed. Explaining this took some time and she had to recast the spell on Wintergreen a few times as the medic had a bad habit of tripping over roots when she was nervous. Still, it wasn’t long before they were heading for the mysterious Hive.

Theia’s spell was put to the test almost immediately as a swarm of parasprites, the first she’d ever seen, flew low over their heads. The crusaders ducked low, but Theia couldn’t help gazing up at the creatures in wonder. There were so many different beautiful colors of the fuzzy creatures, and they were so cute! It was hard to believe they were ruthless killers. Yet, looking closely, she could see how their eyes glowed the same unsettling green as the Infected. As the swarm passed and they moved on the forest itself began to change. The leaves of evergreen trees turned brown, then a strange violet hue. Some other trees lost their leave all together and instead had strands of mold and green slime hanging from their branches. Not just the trees, but the animals changed as well. Theia spied a few rabbits nuzzling at red grass at the side of the path with six black eyes and antenna growing from their heads. Further on she spied a turtle, its shell cracked in half down the center, but far from an injury, a series of spider like legs grew from the gap which it used to skitter along the ground and up trees.

Everything grew more and more bizarre. Where there had been grass and trees, now there were orange mushrooms ten feet tall and weird blue creeping vines, faintly glowing. What they saw here were mostly Infected. Private Jonathan almost blew his spell when one of the Infected walked out onto the road in front of him, its feelers twitching along the ground as it sniffed the earth. The big pony readied to attack but a re-assuring hoof on his shoulder from his Sergeant settled his nerves. The monster moved on and the troop came to a river. It was easy to cross...some great serpentine beast had died here long ago and its gleaming skeleton, likely stripped of flesh by the very swarm around them, was strong enough to bare the ponies weight if they walked one at a time. The river itself was placid and full of algae, slightly steaming. Everything was steamy actually, a thin haze crept over the mud slicked earth and the air grew warm and moist. It wasn’t long before a light rain began, screening their view of the bizarre forest and forcing the crusaders to close ranks just to keep each other in sight.

It was a good thing too, for when Theia almost fell over a sudden cliff side, Scootaloo was there to grab her and haul her back. Eventually the rain cleared enough that they could see into the distance. A structure loomed out of the mists, a squat affair of crumbling mortar interlaced with a pulsing yellow construct made of what appeared wax that fairly buzzed with life. This had to be the Hive. A wide chasm separated the troop from their goal. Luckily there didn’t seem to be any Infected or parasprites in the immediate area. Sweetie Belle found an old sentinel tree that seemed not to have succumbed too badly to the rot the rest of the forest had. Setting a few small charges, Jonathan brought the tree crashing down between the gap. Everyone moved quickly across for fear the noise would draw attention, but everything here seemed oddly calm. The mists closed back in, and the Crusaders made their way cautiously through what had once been a doorway to a castle, now a yawning mouth wreathed with what looked like glistening teeth.

Inside the air was even warmer and stifling. The walls were covered in bodies, great and small, as insectile creatures of every shape and size skittered about their work. Even if they weren’t shrouded, Theia got the feeling they would’ve been ignored anyways. The entire complex seemed to be industriously growing, shifting, changing. Different moment by moment. Theia watched in astonishment as an Infected walked across their path, up the side of a wall, over the ceiling and up over the lip of the hives entrance before flying off into the forest. They crept as swiftly as they dared, trying to avoid touching any of the crawling, flying creatures. “You can stop sneaking you know. My babies can see you, and so can I.” The voice was soft and gentle, yet had a slight buzz-saw edge that echoed throughout the cavernous hive. Theia and the crusaders froze in place. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you. Here, why don’t we start the introductions?”

From above a massive creature that looked like it may have once been a manticore lowered itself by a thick black thread that hung fro ma hopelessly gnarled dead tree. Its wings and scorpion tail were the same, but its feline head and body were completely changed to that of a hulking spider, thick yellow drool spilling from jagged jaws. At the point where its spine would’ve met with the base of it skull, if it still had either, sat what had once been a yellow pony with soft pink hair. Much of her flesh had slogged away, her belly was completely gone from her chest down to her pelvis, only her thick spinal column connecting the two halves of her body anymore. From the gaping hole spilled a green miasma that engulfed the pony in a swirling cloud. Insects of all shapes swarmed lovingly over her. Her body was also covered in thick golden plates of chitinous shell, save her face which only had them running along her cheek bones and over her eyebrows. Her eyes were churning pools of verdant light, and though it was clear her eyes and mouth had been sown shut at some point, black thread still laced between perforated lips and eyelids, she had no trouble seeing or speaking.

“When I was called back I was named Pestilence. My friend calls me Sakpata, but I don’t know what that means really. You can all just call me Fluttershy.” Both Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stared, mouths open in disbelief. “Fluttershy!?” was all Scootaloo could say, “What.. What happened to you!? Oh, I think I’m going to be sick...” was all Sergeant Belle could manage. “Hello girls. Its been a long time. How have you been?” The leaders of the Crusaders seemed to be at a complete loss. “We... We thought you died with the others in Ponyville. Are you dead? You look dead.” Scootaloo seemed deeply shocked, and on the verge of tears. Theia spoke up, her voice hard, “Of course she’s dead. All the soldiers of Twilight are dead. You know that.” She glared up at Fluttershy, “So you’re the one responsible for all this death and mayhem? Applejack said you’d turned your back on the Twilight Queen!” Jonathan looked at Theia at the mentioning of the dead lieutenants name. This seemed to be too much for Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle to take in. Something sickly close to a smile writhed between Fluttershy's course black threads. “But I did! I could never bring myself to hurt anypony. She wanted me to spread a plague to strike down a third of all living things on Equestria, but I refused...I ran...and I found myself here!” she was laughing gently to herself, a sound equal parts amusement and madness. “I don’t know what ‘death’ you’re talking about. There’s no death here, I’ve made certain of that!”

“That's a lie! What about our friends, the soldiers you’ve killed!? The monsters you made from their bodies!?” cried the usually quiet Wintergreen. Fluttershy narrowed her eyes, “Killed? Me? Never! I made them better, stronger than they ever could have been on their own. Made to survive in this terrible world. The better question is how could you call them your friends and exterminate them so callously?” Her voice was still quiet, but rage was creeping into it and the hive responded. What was quiet industrious work became a buzzing frenzy, a ring of infected closed in around the crusaders as if to rip them to pieces. One of them, Theia noted grimly, bore the same gold ornamentation as Zecora had worn the last time she’d seen her. The queen that lorded over this Hive quickly responded, “Shh, its ok babies, I’m just a little upset that they hurt your brothers and sisters. Its not their fault. They don’t know what’s coming.” The daughter of the moon stomped her hoof to drag Fluttershy’s wandering attention back. “What IS coming Pestilence!?”

The insectile pony’s living throne lowered itself to the floor fully, eight legs bending fluidly, and Fluttershy hopped off stroking its thorax with a smooth glistening hoof. “Why, the end of this world is coming, Theia.” she laughed lightly. “Oh don’t look so shocked! You must’ve realized by now that’s the Twilight Queens goal. Or are you simply surprised that I know your name? My sweet babies see many things and they tell me it all. I’ve had them watching you for a good long time now.” The undead pony moved toward her, spine undulating strangely. “They told me about your war. They told me about what you did to Applejack. They even told me who took your eye.” Jonathan spoke up then, “That’s great and all, but whats this business about the world endin’?” Fluttershy looked at him with large, soulful eyes. “It’s a terrible thought isn’t it? All the birds and the bees and the squirrels and the trees and the cute little baby bunnies, all gone! Fire is coming to burn this world to ash. But don’t worry! I’ve thought up a way to save everypony and every precious living thing! Well... As many as I can save...” She touched Jonathan’s chest lightly and instantly his eyes glazed over and started to pulse a dull green.

“You girls are the real killers here. What I do, I do out of love. When the fires have died it will be my babies that rise up to inherit Equestria. We will be strong. You can be strong too, if you want.” She spread her arms wide as if to embrace the entire platoon. The thick miasma that flowed from her body filled the Hive and one by one the Crusaders fell gasping, boils and sores opening on their bodies as their new exoskeletons formed, eyes glowing green from within. All except for Theia who seemed unaffected by the mist. “This is your grand plan Fluttershy? Change everything you love into a twisted copy of yourself!? What makes this fate any better than the one the Twilight Queen has planned?” There were slight traces of uncertainty in the insectile pony’s eyes. She began to stutter nervously, “It... It has to be this way... because then.. then we don’t have to fight. I think we can put our differences behind us, for survival... you monster.” A nimbus of fire surrounded the daughter of the moon as her rage built. “You think I’m the monster!? Look at what you’re doing to your so called babies! They’re not being saved, they’re being destroyed one cell at a time! How can you watch them writhe in agony like this and say it's for their own good!?”

Fluttershy started to cry, thick yellow tears running down her face. “But there’s no other choice. The Twilight Queen has declared life a sickness. I have to make them better. I have to or they’ll all die! I’m going to save everything and no pony can STOP ME!” Rage suddenly flooded Fluttershy’s face as she roared into the air, six shimmering wings sprouting from beneath a set of ruined feathers that may have once been pegasus wings. As she climbed into the air, a nimbus of diseases collected around her and she sent the stream of pestilence down at the one eyed pony as a blast of wasting death. Theia noticed for the first time the flames licking over her hooves as the cloud burned away around her. She didn’t burn, but the flames were warm to the touch. Remembering the medicine Zecora had given her before her demise, she pulled the phoenix feather from her pack. It looked like a living flame, burning with every color of the rainbow, but the gold and red feather within was still visible. The undead pony gasped, “Where did you get that!?” she flew down, reached out her hooves and snatched it from Theia, darting back into the air. “I haven’t seen this in such a long time. I remember...oh...I’ve been such a foal.” Fluttershy’s body began to melt away as the fire from the phoenix feather licked up and down her body. She spun gently like a falling maple leaf. Fire spread, washing over the interior of the Hive, the Crusaders, and all the other insectile creatures. “I forgot an important lesson Theia. Don’t you forget it. Things that aren’t broken do not need to be repaired,” her soft voice was sad and quiet, the entire structure was an inferno of cleansing flame. “But there’s no fixing this is there? Sometimes you just have to let go, and trust. And hope...”

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When the fire finally burnt itself out, all that was left was a slightly charred ruin, crumbling castle walls standing roofless here and there. The open sky above was choked with smoke, but the moon was just visible through the haze. It seemed larger, much larger here than usual. The crusaders stood, shaking themselves. “What the heck happened?” Scootaloo was the first to recover, the runes on her armor had burnt off but otherwise she was fine. They were all fine, and more than that, as Theia looked around she could see dazed and confused ponies and other animals standing up and stretching as if waking from a long sleep. A few had been too far gone and hadn’t made it. A gold hooped necklace was all that was left of the Infected who’d been Zecora. There was no sign of any parasprites or any other insects save a few butterflies. Theia turned to the Sergeant Major, “I think... We might have just put something very wrong, right again.”

“Indeed you did.” the voice was hollow but familiar. A pretty pegasus pony stood shimmering and ethereal at the center of a scorch mark on the ground. She seemed to be composed of the last few fumes from the quickly extinguishing phoenix feather, the smoke creating something like a portal to another plane of existence. It was hard to tell at first, but this must have been what Fluttershy had looked like in life. “I have to apologize for all the hardship and trouble I caused. I also need to warn you. I saw many terrible things through the eyes of the parasprites. My old home, Cloudsdale is the next place you must go. My dear friend Rainbow Dash needs your help Theia, now more than ever, but you won’t be able to go there unless you can walk upon the clouds or take wing.” Sweetie Belle, recovering from her initial shock, chimed in, “I remember! My sister had a spell like that cast on her once. Is that what you’re suggesting we do?” Fluttershy’s shade smiled bashfully, “Yes. But again, I must warn you, I only know of one copy of the book that has that spell. It was in the library at Ponyville.” Scootaloo balked, “What!? But that place is crawling with Twilight ponies!” The ghost looked sad and started to fade away with the last few vapors of smoke, “I’m sorry but its the only way. Take care girls. And Theia, thank you for freeing me from that nightmare. Please, find a way to do the same for the others!”

Theia’s single blue eye was downcast. She’d learned a lot from Pestilence, Fluttershy, whatever you could call that strange monster. But for every question that was answered a new one had to be asked. Why would the Twilight Queen want to end the world she, for all intents and purposes, ruled? She’d have to see her mission through to the end if she hoped to be able to report back anything that made the least bit of sense to Lady Selene. “I have to go to Ponyville and find that spell. Thank you Crusaders for all your help, but I can’t ask you to walk into that meat grinder.” Scootaloo laughed, “Are you kidding? We’ve come this far, almost got turned into bugs, and burned out the entire Hive! We’re with you kid, for better or worse, right guys!?” All around her, the Crusaders she knew and some in tattered armor who had, only awhile ago, been Infected were forming up around her. They gave a ragged cheer, swearing to follow Theia into the heart of the Twilight itself. The one eyed pony smiled. “I guess we’re in this together.”

As the others began to round up the survivors, Jonathan and Sergeant Belle came over to talk to Theia. "Pardon miss, but back there both you and uh...whatever she was...mentioned a name I've heard before. How do ya know Applejack?" Theia wasn't sure how much to tell, but related what she knew about the pony that had been Famine. Jonathan seemed to take it hard, the big pony looking down at his hooves. "I was afraid of that. Ya see, I'm one of her distant relations as it might be. We'd always wondered what became of Sweet Apple Acres and now I guess I know. Well miss, I gotta say this puts things in a whole new light for me. If it was my kins last wish that you complete this mission of yours, I'm honor bound to help ya. You can count on me!" He gave her a reassuring thump on the shoulder that nearly knocked her down as he went to help the others. Sergeant Belle however wasn't quiet as cheerful. "Why didn't you tell us their names?" Theia blinked, "Who's names?" The unicorn narrowed her eyes. "The Twilight Queen's lieutenants! Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash! These are all names I and Scootaloo know. I don't think the Sergeant Major heard what Fluttershy's shade was saying clearly, but I did! This is more horrible than you can possibly imagine!" Theia hadn't realized that there could be anyone who could've known the undead servants true names but her. "I didn't think it mattered." Sergeant Belle slapped her then, hard enough to raise a red welt on her face. "You don't know anything! These ponies were our friends...we looked up to them when we were little. Seeing them like this...it's heartbreaking!" Her raised voice was causing a few of the crusaders to turn their heads and look her way. She lowered her voice to a harsh whisper, "You and I have a lot to talk about young filly and we're going to start now. No secrets, no lies. Tell me everything you know."

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All was quiet and dark now, the moon overhead was a black disc against a sky full of dim stars. Zinsu sat in the ruins of some old building that had stood at the heart of Everfree Forest long ago. His great aunt had warned him away from here. She had told him the heart of the forests power resided here. Yet, for him to do as he thought he must, he would need that power. A sound behind him made the little zebra colt whirl. What came out of the forest was no monster, but another pony. Though less threatening he was still not a welcome sight. Zinsu had never seen the black maned, gray pony before, nor had he ever seen a full grown pony who’s flanks were blank. That wasn’t what disturbed him though, but more it was the powerful aura of evil that surrounded the creature.

Grey Hoof asked cheerfully, “Hey there little colt, have you lost your way?” There were two voices speaking at once, one kind and friendly, the other hungry and desperate. If you didn’t know what to listen for you might not hear the other voice or see beyond this none threatening illusion. Not so with Zinsu. He was the son of a powerful tribe and the inheritor of his great aunts knowledge. The black skull he had painted on his face matched the one he had painted on his flank. “No, shade, I am right where I want to be. Soon, my enemies will bow to me.” Twin shades crackled to life on either side of the zebra colt. One with glowing yellow orange eyes, the other with eyes the shade of a summer sunset.

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Dear Princess Celestia,

It is said you must be cruel sometimes to be kind. This is a fallacy. In truth all kindness is cruelty in disguise.

It is a falsehood perpetrated by the powerful when they show mercy to the weak. The weak believe that mercy will always be an option and they come to expect it. When mercy is withheld they feel betrayed and secretly resent those who showed them kindness in the first place. Kindness makes them weaker, compounding their failure to grow strong.

Some are foolish enough to believe that kindness should be the norm, instead of the remarkable gift that it is. Failing to appreciate it they take it for granted. These sorry souls suffer needlessly. If you are cruel to them from the beginning, they will always know what to expect. They would grow hard and cruel as well, and if you did decide to be kind, it would be a shining jewel, a moment they would always treasure.

Kindness is self-perpetuating cruelty. You should have remembered that my Princess.