I blink wildly at this dragon was claiming to be Umbra. She was a changeling, but there was no way she could possess this kind of power. Was this another ploy of some kind? Luna recoils a bit and tilts her head in confusion. “Umbra? How…”
Umbra looks behind her and watches Daruk nervously. He roars with laughter, grabbing Garges like play toys and hurling them across the battlefield, just so they can collide with several other Og Nag. Between his tail swipes, metal-melting fire and teeth that could tear through a growler with ease, there didn’t seem to be anything on Zaran’s side that could stop us. As long as Daruk didn’t change his mind, that is.

Umbra taps what look like her paws, but they’re more of a cross between normal cat feet and a lizard’s hands. They even have a small amount of fur on them. “I...I’m not sure if I can fully explain it to a non-changeling. Normally we can only replicate what we can see. I found out that if I concentrate, I can morph individual limbs. I remember seeing this creature called a Toffler, it’s like a cute, fluffy lizard but they only live in the freezing north. Then I realized I can take pre-existing creatures, use them as a base and make whatever changes I want. It certainly takes a lot of concentration, but then I was able to come up with this after I saw Daruk!”

Luna narrows her eyes skeptically. “You...saw Daruk and decided to just go up and say hi?”
Umbra’s mouth hangs open in thought for a second. “Well...actually he found me and kind of threatened to kill me. We talked for a bit, I told him about the war and everything, then he said if it was interesting enough, he’d kill them instead. I still can’t tell if he’s joking.”

Luna nods in agreement. “Daruk doesn’t like to admit he’s helping. He kind of has to have an excuse that makes him sound all evil. It’s a pride thing. He doesn’t wanna look soft.”

Luna glances over and her horn flares. A large, purple shield surrounds the balcony, right as several Og Nag come flying out of nowhere and collide with it. They bounce off and hit the ground. Daruk cleaves his way through their ranks, even letting them get close just so he can roast them all.

Luna looks back to Umbra, still with a bit of skepticism in her eyes. “From what little I know of changelings, it takes power to keep a form. How are you doing this?”

Umbra gives us a massive smile. “I actually found a way to absorb magic!”

A guard walks in and whispers something in Luna’s ear. She nods to him then turns back to us. “If you don’t mind, there’s something I need to deal with.”

Seeing as how Daruk was dealing with the nine thousand Og Nag left, I saw no reason to concern myself with the battle. Either Daruk was going to take care of it, or we were doomed. A strange sense of calming lethargicness washes over me. I give Luna a small nod then turn my attention back to Umbra. “If you don’t mind, I need to ask you some questions. First off, where were you the last time we spoke?”

Umbra narrows her eyes and turns her head to the side in confusion. “What do you mean?”

I exhale frustratedly through my nostrils. “Before you left the palace, where were you?”

Umbra blinks at me with a clueless expression. “I don’t understand, why are you asking?”

There was no denying that a fight with her now was basically suicide. I still had to know if it was her or not. “I’m going to ask you this one more time. I don’t know for a fact if it’s really you or not. You could be another Zaran ploy. You could be any changeling. With your races shapeshifting and Zaran’s crap, I can never be too sure. So, if it really is you, then when did we last speak?”

Her eyes go back to being narrowed but she does her best to maintain her composure. “We last spoke in the dungeon, when you released me and Pharynx. Speaking of Pharynx, where is he?”

Emeris walks through the doorway with a bit of a strut. “Pharynx went toe to toe with an Assassin Garge and won. He’s recovering, but it will be a while. Cadence apparently can’t heal changelings...or maybe she won’t, but owell. Look...can we please just take a break for a while? You and Daruk are the first bit of luck we’ve had in a long time. We all need rest and it would be nice to drop my guard even for a few minutes.”

Umbra’s eyes almost bulge out of her head and her mouth stretches from ear to ear. “Of course! I’m sure Daruk and I would love to keep an eye on things for you! I’ll let you know if there’s any changes!”

I blink rapidly. “Are you saying we have time off?!”

Emeris turns to me and rolls his eyes. “Raiden for the love of everything that is holy, please don’t freak out. Daruk has things covered on the frontlines. Umbra can handle the air. The guards will let us know about anything else. I know everything is insanely chaotic and we have a thousand questions, but honestly...I’m exhausted. I’m sure Daruk will blow through the remaining Og Nag and even if he can’t, I’d rather die rested.”

He turns around and leaves without even waiting for my response. I give a small shrug and turn to Umbra. “Keep the air clear of those Abominations. They’ll tear through the guards if they get inside.”
Umbra briefly glares at me. “Yeah...I know. I got this.” Her tone is full of annoyance.

I get to my room and remove my gauntlets. Luna trots through the open door and taps my shoulder with her hoof. I turn around and she has a gentle look of pity on her face. “Raiden, there’s someone who wants to talk to you outside.” After a few winding paths, I’m out back in Canterlot palace through one of their side entrances. I stop when a familiar yak stands before me, with his head bowed in shame. I cross my arms and slowly walk up to him. He sighs, looks up briefly, before dropping his gaze to the ground again. Despite having me right in front of him, he still says nothing.

Luna lands gently and silently at my side. “Bargna, just say what you need to say alright? Don’t think too much, just let your feelings to the talking.” He paws at the ground a few times, still not daring to lift his head. “Yak sorry for leaving. Yak never been defeated. Every battle, yaks just push harder and win. But this time...first time yak felt fear. Yak watched all his friends die. Yak didn’t see any other way to fight.” He lowers himself to the ground, still concealing his face.

I walk over and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Bargna, this is war. Now you know what we puny humans have been doing all our lives. There is no species that can shrug off watching their friends and family getting murdered. You’re not a coward, you just experienced emotions you’re not used to.”

Bargna slowly shakes his head, still cradling his face. “No...yaks never run. How does yak go back to his village?! What does yak say? They not understand! They weren’t here! What does yak say?! No one talk to yak afterwards!”

Luna walks over and lays next to him. She drapes a wing over his shoulders and cuddles up to him. He scoots away from her with a pitiful whine. She adjusts herself and is at his side again, but this time he doesn’t move. She rests her head on his foreleg and he looks up just enough so she can see his eye. “Bargna, we’ll tell them the truth: you were a brave warrior who stood shoulder to shoulder with his comrades until the end. That’s all anypony needs to hear alright? Maybe we can even give you all a parade when it’s over.”

Bargna looks back down. “Isn’t that lying?”

Luna shakes her head with that beaming smile of hers and gently narrowed eyes. My heart skips a beat as the sun shines off her hair, reflecting brief amounts of purple against his dirty, brown fur. “No, they won’t understand so why bother? Besides, the only thing that matters is that you fought for as long as you can. You are not a coward, Bargna.”

Bargna gets off the ground slowly but keeps his head hung. He turns around and starts walking away. “Yak wishes he could believe that.” He slowly disappears into the vast garden of flowers that ponies frequently went for walks in. The trees that hung overhead cast shadows across his fur. In time, we’d see whether he can resolve his demons, but not everyone can.

With my helmet and armor in my room, it was time to see just how far Daruk and Umbra were willing to take the war effort. They both agreed to watch over the battlefield as we all slept. Zaran had left with what little Og Nag remained but there was no way we were risking any more units for recon on him.

The morning sun swims across the balcony while Luna and I sit on a bench. She sits on my right, with her head slumped over my shoulder. She strokes my back with her left wing, and it was honestly one of the first relaxed moments we had together. My right hand massages her knee and all the tension between us was finally dead and buried. Daruk and Umbra watch us while on their hindlegs from the ground below, their heads poking above the railing. Umbra has a beaming smile on her face while Daruk stares at us in disgust.

He cocks an eyebrow with his head slightly recoiled. “Interspecies romance? That’s the most disgusting thing I’ve ever heard.”

Umbra glances at him briefly. “I think it’s sweet! There’s nothing wrong with two adults who want to be together!”

Daruk rolls his eyes and makes a gagging motion with one of his claws. His bright, slimy, yellow tongue hanging out of his mouth makes me shudder.

Luna giggles lightly. “Sorry Daruk, but there’s been a lot of that going on since the Taraskans got here. There’s Cy and Stormchaser-” Her back muscles tense up and she goes quiet. I wrap my arm around her and pull her close.

I look over at Umbra. “Cy was killed by an Abomination. Big Mac and I were too hurt to do anything. We don’t even know where Stormchaser is at the moment. We got hit so hard and fast, that everything is in chaos. All we can do is wait for our forces to report in.”

Luna swallows and does her best to change the subject. “So, Umbra...when are you and Big Mac making it official?”

Daruk bursts out in laughter. “A dragon and a pony?! Now that’s just wrong!” He keeps howling to himself loudly while Umbra’s cheeks light up.

Luna watches her suspiciously. “Umbra I’ve been meaning to ask, how are you...still doing that form?” Daruk stops laughing and listens curiously.

Umbra looks away awkwardly and clears her throat. “I found a way to...absorb magic. It lets me stay powered up. I was going to teach it to Pharynx, but he’s injured.”

Daruk chuckles, puts his right arm around her shoulders and gives me a toothy grin. “Yes, yes she did!” He tilts his head back and laughs. A puff of fire shoots from his mouth.

Luna and I both gawk at her.

Umbra’s eyes dart around nervously. “I...I had to! It was the only way Daruk agreed to come help us! That’s the only way I can stay in this form is from all his magic!”

Daruk cocks an eyebrow and stops grinning. “What do you mean this form?”

Umbra slowly lowers her head so we can’t see her face, but we catch her cheeks lighting up like strawberries again.

Luna looks over at Daruk. “Daruk...Umbra is a changeling.”

Daruk opens his mouth and lets it hang open as his eyes bulge. He slowly takes his arm off Umbra’s shoulder and stares at her.

Umbra covers her face with her massive paws. I bite my bottom lip and try to stifle my laughter.

Luna curls her lips inwards, also trying to compose herself. “That’s karma for you Daruk.”

We both almost fall off the bench laughing, as Daruk just stares blankly into the castle, rigid as a statue.

Luna wipes her tears away with a hoof and lets out a few more chuckles. “How do you think Big Mac is going to take the news Umbra? I mean in your defense, it was a military necessity.”

Umbra keeps her face hidden but lets out a loud groan. “I don’t even wanna go there. I...should I even tell him?”

Luna tries to keep her face blank, but a small smile forces its way out. “I mean...how far did this...transfer go?”

Umbra uncovers her face and her eyes bulge. “No no no! It wasn’t anything like that! I just...had to let him pour flame from his mouth into mine, but he sure as hell didn’t feel like keeping his claws to himself…” She shoots Daruk a glare, who is still staring ahead mindlessly.

Daruk blinks a few times and narrows his eyes. “I mean...she was still a dragon, so it’s not the same as the rest of you.” He closes his eyes and nods to himself approvingly.

A familiar voice makes my blood boil as it travels across the ground to us. It was my voice, Zaran’s voice. “Oh, how cute, a little lizard finally found itself some friends. Not going to lie, you’ve set me back a bit, but I decided to make some friends of my own.” His voice is loud and annunciated.

One after another, beasts the same size as Daruk, land on the ground. They roar and hiss, while occasionally crawling around, but never taking their eyes off him. A total of eight land and they spread out to make sure there’s nowhere for Daruk to go. While the rest of us gawk in fear, Daruk narrows his eyes and smirks. “Does Zaran seriously think these tank breds can stop me?” They growl and hiss again in response. Daruk lets out a small chuckle.

Emeris runs out onto the balcony and skids to a halt when he sees the colossal lizards littering the landscape. “Ho-ly. Are..are those dragon Og Nag?! How did he make them so damn fast?! He hasn’t even been gone a full day! Um...so they’re...dragon...um...Doragonag?”

Luna leaps to the railing where Daruk is. “Daruk! Hold on let’s formulate a plan-” Daruk calmly lowers himself from the balcony and walks on all fours towards the Doragonags.

Emeris clamps a hand on my shoulder. “I can’t find Lucretia. No one has seen her either. She’s not in the medical wing or in her quarters!”

I pound a fist on the balcony’s ledge. “I...I don’t know how to find her. We can’t exactly leave right now. Just tell the guards to keep an eye out. As soon as this crap is over with, we’ll send out recon teams.” I rub my face angrily as Emeris sighs. He stands next to me as we watch our giant lizard walk onto the battlefield.

Daruk swings his tail back and forth, then slams it into the ground. All eight rush him, mouths gaping, claws outwards and running on their hindlegs. Daruk inhales briefly and blows a large ball of flame into the face of the first Doragonag in front of him. It explodes, blinding it and its allies to the left and right.

Daruk leaps towards them and hits the one on the right with his tail while spinning, close lining the beast and making it topple over on its back. It slides across the ground, crossing Daruk’s path. At the same time, Daruk closes his gaping jaws around the neck of his adversary to his left. Using his strength and momentum, he’s able to throw his opponent to the right, knocking two other Doragonags to the ground midleap. The monster he hit with his tail is flailing around so much, it catches the other three Doragonags as they lunge at Daruk, making them topple over as well.

The brief opening he created, was all Daruk needs to take a few gallops and leap into the air. The other creatures follow in pursuit, with a few stragglers who need a few to get off the ground.

Luna’s eyes dart around frantically. “What do we do?! Do we help him?!” Luna and Umbra both look to me. Something in Daruk’s mannerisms tell me to leave him be. Yes, these Doragonags were vicious, but they were no match for thousands of years of honed skill. I shake my head at both of them. “This is a fight where we’d just get in the way. He wants to fight them alone, so we need to let him. Daruk’s...got this.” Why did I feel so filthy complimenting that overgrown lizard?

With all eight hot on his tail, Daruk flies suspiciously slowly. He gradually turns in a large circle, letting the Doragonags get closer and closer. One roars and gives his wings all he can and tries to snag Daruk’s tail in his mouth. Right as he goes for the bite, Daruk tucks his wings, spins around and in one massive flap, rockets towards the beast. He quickly clashes the creature’s eyes with a claw, while ramming both his feet into its chest. The monster roars as it collides with three allies behind it.

Daruk spreads his wings and quickly flies past the group that’s now stunned. The two stragglers at the back are on Daruk immediately. This time, Daruk rapidly takes to the sky. The main group falls to the ground, but quickly get on their hind legs and leap into the air followed by furious flapping. Daruk zigzags, easily banking and gliding. The Doragonags are always flapping eagerly, always having to take a full five seconds to catch up with Daruk whenever he turns.

Daruk occasionally looks over his shoulder, analyzing their abilities and skill no doubt. These creatures have no grace and are all aggression, just like normal Og Nag. Once again, Daruk lets them get close. Right as one goes for a bite on his leg, Daruk stops flapping and snags the nearest foe’s hindleg with his teeth. Instead of soaring past, Daruk tucks his wings and tail in, letting himself plummet with enemy in toe. It screeches and flaps desperately. Its comrades try to catch up but can’t get around their ally to get to Daruk.

I can hear his deep throated chuckling from the palace. A mere few hundred feet from the ground, Daruk lets go and spreads his wings, gliding on his back. The Doragonag can’t adjust his angle enough and lets out a final screech before plowing into the dirt headfirst. It lays there, with a hindleg twitching wildly. One down, seven to go.

Daruk flips over and beats his wings eagerly. One Doragonag has broken off from the group and gradually makes its way over on Daruk’s right. Daruk looks at him with focused eyes. He banks towards the Doragonag and they’re lined up to collide. Luna covers her mouth with her hooves. Before impact, Daruk tucks his hindlegs to his chest and wraps his tail around his neck while ducking his head. For one brief second, Daruk is a ball of scales. He collides with the beast hard enough to make a smack that we can hear from the palace. The beast spins in the air a few times before landing on its back on the ground.

It tries to get up, but its legs wobble too much. Daruk looks over his shoulder at him then gains some altitude. They all go up in a large spiral with Daruk at least a hundred feet away from the nearest Doragonag. Suddenly, Daruk tucks himself again, rolls backwards and flaps down. As soon as he’s about to collide with the nearest foe, he inhales and lets out a large ball of fire into its face. The creature closes its eyes and turns its head away. Daruk grabs it by the neck with his mouth. As they fall, Daruk brings up his hindlegs and clashes its wings to ribbons. Daruk lets go and glides off to the left. The beast screeches and flails helplessly. Unfortunately for it, Og Nag don’t help each other. It collides perfectly with its wounded ally on the ground and kicks up a huge cloud of dust on impact. When it clears, both foes are motionless.

Two more down, four to go.