AN: Just as a forewarning, this chapter is DARK. If you can't stand torture, mentions of genocide or stuff like that, I would recommend you give this one a pass, everything that happened in it will be explained next chapter. Otherwise, please enjoy the long-awaited chapter 23 of Emperor Spike!

The loss of the shield meant the loss of the Hive's most prolific defense, and the destruction of the tunnels that lead to Canterlot also meant the loss of the Hive's primary evacuation plans. A panic quickly gripped the hive as soldiers were rapidly dispatched, and sent to all possible entrances and exits. Drones quickly scattered to collect supplies, gather up eggs and move the nymphs to designated safe zones. Chrysalis herself had quickly made her way to her Throneroom with Sombra and locked herself inside, with the Hive's most elite soldiers standing outside to keep her safe.

The dragons and ponies of the empire set upon the main entrance like a tide, slamming into the poorly equipped and prepared changelings. Pike-wielding ponies formed a frontline that stabbed and eviscerated any changelings who were by themselves, picking those that attempted to fly over them with crossbows and spells. Those that attempted to form together to make shield walls or more defensive positions were instead immolated by the dragons, their flamethrower-like breath turning enemy formations to ash and screaming, burning bodies in seconds.

To say the changelings didn't have a chance was an understatement. There was no chance of victory, and they knew it. They were outmatched, outnumbered, outmaneuvered, and unprepared, which was perhaps the most damning fact of them all. All they could hope to do was stall the Draconic Empire's storming of the hive for long enough to escape.

Spike himself was well aware of this, so he knew he had to smash aside their forces as quickly as possible, and get soldiers to every possible avenue of escape. Due to the duplicitous nature of changelings, it was obvious that most, if not all but the main entrance, would be hidden. Therefore, the best way to reach them would be to head through the hive to reach them.

"Garble!" Spike shouted after, with but a single slash of his greatsword, he cut down a Changeling who had transformed into a bear, "Order your men to track down every entrance and exit and cut them off. We must cauterize all passages to this hive before any changelings can escape!"

Garble stomped his foot down on the skull of a wounded changeling with a bestial grunt before calling back. "Yes my Emperor!" He called back, before taking to flight to relay the Emperor's orders.

"Ember, on me." He roared as, with a shoulder charge, he pushed his way through the already thinning changeling lines towards the main hallways of the hive. "Pharynx, lead us to either the throne room or the prisons. Now."

"Right. Follow me." Pharynx said, rushing past Spike and Ember, the blueish-greenish blood of dozens already staining his armor.

Chrysalis stood in her throne room, nervously biting her hand. This was it. The end of the hive. She cleared her throat as she stared down at several of her attendants, who were busy running about collecting supplies for her flight away from the battle. Sombra stood near the entrance, a grim expression on his face. He knew what was coming.

"I don't believe there is a way for both of us to escape, my dear. The Emperor is cutting his way through your subjects directly towards us. He will not stop until he catches one of us. Ergo, someone has to be left behind." Sombra exclaimed grimly as he walked towards the Queen's throne.

"I thank you for your sacrifice, my love," Chrysalis said with a saddened tone standing up on her throne. She quickly took to the air with her wings, landing before Sombra. "I will be certain to kill Thorax before I leave, as vengeance for bringing the Emperor's wrath down upon us."

"Au contraire, my dear," Sombra suddenly said darkly, before with narrowed eyes, he thrust his hand forwards and Chrysalis felt something thrust into her side. It burned and stung, like nothing she had ever felt before. She wanted to scream, but all the air had been forced out of her lungs, and all that came out was a pathetic wheeze. "Thorax is important to the next phase of my plan, however, you are not."

Sombra pulled up his leg, placed it upon her stomach, and kicked. His blade came free as Chrysalis tumbled to the ground, a pool of blue-green blood slowly pooling on the ground around her. Her attendants gasped and rushed towards their queen, but were all disintegrated in seconds as neon green bolts of magic struck them from Sombra's horn.

"The wound is non-fatal. It will likely take you a day to bleed out from it. Plenty of time for Spike and his soldiers to find you. Though, it will restrict your movements and keep you from flying." Sombra said with a smirk as he slowly walked in a circle around her. "It's nothing personal, I assure you. I just can't have you messing up my plots, and I can't have Spike coming after me if we both escaped together, I hope you understand."

He was about to make his escape when he heard the sound of sobbing. Turning down to Chrysalis, who was curled in the fetal position, covering her wound with her arms, he saw her staring up at him with tears in her eyes. "I-I thought we had s-something." She whimpered weakly.

"Oh shh shh shh," Sombra said, wrapping a comforting hand around her chin as he knelt down at her side. An evil smirk slowly formed on her face. "You of all people should know what it's like to use people. Now then, try not to talk too much while losing as much blood as you are, or you'll run out of oxygen. Can't have you die before Spike finds you now can I?"

The unicorn stood up and turned away from the Queen, not even remotely phased in the slightest. "Now then, tah tah."

With a flash of black smoke, he was gone, leaving Chrysalis alone.

With a single slash, Pharynx slashed the throats of two changelings, leaving them to gasp and sputter on the ground. The changeling rather harshly kicked one of the now downed guards, forcing him to spin over onto his back, still gurgling on his own blood as he desperately tried to breathe.

The changeling captain ignored him, merely reaching down and grabbing a keyring off his belt. He quickly turned around to Spike, tossing him the keys. The Emperor caught them without even looking, striding forwards into the hive's prison block, Ember and Garble at his sides.

Spike stomped forwards, uncaring of the blood pooling around him as his soldiers ruthlessly cut down the changeling prison guards who tried to stop them. Periodically, the Emperor would stop, slamming open a cell door to check for his Thorax, but he repeatedly either only found empty cells or chained up Imperial Soldiers or citizens, captured in raids past.

Of course, he ordered his men to save them, they were his subjects and it was only right, but he was only barely paying attention to them.

Eventually, he came across the last cell in the prison. He stood in front of it, his breath caught in his throat. "This is the last one. If he isn't in here..."

Ember growled slightly. "Don't talk like that. Of course, he's in there." She snarled. Spike couldn't tell if she was to reassure him, or herself.

Spike slowly reached forwards and unlocked the door. He paused before opening it, turning to Pharynx. "Be honest with me Pharynx. If he is in here, what am I going to find? How poorly would they have treated my changeling." He snarled slightly.

Pharynx merely remained quiet, staring up at him. If Spike didn't know any better, he could have sworn he could see Pharynx's eyes water slightly.

The emperor gulped before he forced the door open and strode inside. He scanned the dark room for a moment, before his eyes finally settled on Thorax, laying on the ground in the middle of the room, curled up in the fetal position.

"Thorax!" Spike roared, rushing to the ling's side. He collapsed onto his knees, pulling the 'ling against his chest, cupping the back of his head as he did. Ember was quick to join him on her knees, grabbing Thorax's hand as she did. She was quick to notice the new holes in his legs, some of which were still leaking the occasional droplet of blood. New cracks covered the ling's body, many of which were covered in dried ichor. Whip marks covered his carapace, deep slashes that only looked barely healed, though any quick movements would very obviously open them up again.

Ember's breath caught in her throat when she noticed the new branding on Thorax's chest. The word traitor permanently burned into his carapace. She retracted her hand from his, to stop herself from breaking it as she balled her fists, her vision going red.

Spike's breathing was slow but heavy. He gently brought his hand up, brushing one of his treasure's cheeks. "Thorax. Speak to me... please..." He quietly said.

Slowly, Thorax's eyes cracked open. They were tired, barely conscious, yet they still filled with fear. "N-no please... no more... please don't hurt me anymore..." Thorax whimpered between quiet sobs before his head went limp again.

Spike was quiet as he stared down at Thorax. His breath was slow. Garble and his troops nervously stared down at Spike, expecting him to explode at any second. Pharynx however merely kept his eyes glued to his brother, his vision going soft.

After what felt like an eternity he spoke up, his rage barely contained.

"Garble. I want you to kill every single changeling you come across that shows even the slightest hint of resistance in the most painful way possible. Then I want any who surrender peacefully bound and thrown to the troops once the battle is over to do with as they please." Spike said, his tone vicious. "Now get out of my sight."

Garble and the few soldiers Spike had brought with him to the prison were quick to salute before running away as quickly as their legs could carry them.

Spike turned to Ember next, placing his free hand on her shoulder. "Ember. I need you to get Thorax out of here. You're the only one who can."

Ember looked up at him and nodded. Part of her wanted to come with him and rip Chyrsalis apart limb by limb, but she knew better. She knew she had to get Thorax out of here and to medical care stat. The dragoness nodded up at Spike as she reached her hands under the changeling. She very gently scooped Thorax into her arms as she stood up and made her way slowly towards the exit.

Spike's heavy breathing only intensified as he stared down at his hands, coated in Thorax's cyan blood. He sniffled slightly, shaking his head before he stood up, turning back towards Pharynx. The captain stared up at him as the two locked eyes. Silence reigned for a minute before Spike nodded.

"Take me to the throne room. I think it's time for the two of us to have some well-deserved revenge." He hissed darkly.

Ember grunted as she ducked under a collapsing pillar. The hive was like a maze, twisting and turning every which way. Her attempt to find her way out back the way she and Spike came had left her lost, no doubt due to taking the wrong hallway. And now said hallway had just collapsed behind her, leaving her trapped in the middle of a massive firefight.

Imperial soldiers on one side, changelings on the other. Two balconies sat above them, which were covered in Imperial archers and changeling warriors who were each taking potshots at one another, arrows and bolts of magic raining down on the soldiers below and towards each other. It was pure chaos, especially when the Imperial Dragons broke ranks and charged directly into the center of the changeling line in a chevron formation, breaking apart their desperate shield wall and leading into a rather nasty and chaotic scrap.

Ember grunted, her only way out was on the other side of the room, past all the screaming and bodies. She looked up, going through the air was a no-go, too many ranged soldiers on either side, one side of which were likely more than willing to take pot shots at her.

The dragon let in a deep inhale as she looked down at Thorax in her arms. He was completely limp, her previously golden armor was now stained a greenish-blue. Her hasty move to dodge the collapsing roof had definitely opened more than a couple of old wounds. She had to get him somewhere safe, and quick.

Ember took in a couple of breaths, trying to psyche herself up before she took the plunge. Rushing forwards like a quarterback, she dove into the combat. She ran, head down, narrowly avoiding falling bodies and arrows from above.

She came to a screeching halt when a spray of cyan blood exploded out in front of her, absolutely coating her. She stumbled forwards slightly, blinded by the ichor now covering her face. Her current state left her unable to dodge a sword slash from a 'ling soldier, which dug into her left thigh, forcing her leg to buckle.

She collapsed onto one knee, with a cry of pain, before a small group of changelings pounced on top of her. The dragoness arched herself downwards, shielding Thorax with her body as the enemy squad started hammering her back with blow after blow. She grit her teeth, smoke pouring out of her nose as she let fire build up in her mouth.

She quickly spun around, blasting amethyst-colored flame from her mouth, which almost instantly incinerated one of the changeling attackers to nothing. She didn't have time to do the same to others as one of the other changelings struck her in the side of the head with a heavy war hammer. Ember fell to the ground, positioning herself at an awkward angle to stop herself from landing directly on the injured Thorax, which would have only exacerbated his state.

Ember saw stars as she felt blood pour out of the side of her head like a waterfall. She struggled to pick herself up, her hands digging into the dirt. She felt one of the changeling slam a hoof down on her tail in an attempt to trap her. Big mistake. In an instant she spun around, blasting him with flame as well. Just then the other two who had been attacking her pounced, one of them trying to pin her to the ground as the other drew a dagger, aiming it towards her throat.

Neither had a chance to make it through with their threat before a pair of javelins struck them, one going through one of the ling's eyes, and the other embedding into the other one's chest.

Two pony soldiers rushed up to Ember, clad in purple and green armor.

"My lady, hold still, we'll get you out of here." One of them shouted as he crouched down next to her, slinging an arm over his shoulder.

Ember panted, turning her eye to Thorax, who the other guard threw over his shoulder, instantly recognizing him as someone important. Ember's breathing became wheezing as the soldier started carrying her toward her desired exit, the other following after with Thorax as the Imperial battleline rapidly shifted to keep the four of them safe.

Ember frequently stumbled, barely able to keep herself up even while using the soldier next to her as a crutch. She couldn't put any weight on her left knee, giving her no choice but to awkwardly limp, her vision still blurry and full of stars. The edges of her sight were frequently consumed by darkness, signs that she was possibly about to lose consciousness, but through it all, she could only think one thing.

"D-damn it..." She quietly said, ignoring the confused look of her new companion. "I'm still... still too weak..."

Chrysalis flinched as the doors to the throneroom exploded inwards, falling off their hinges as Spike and Pharynx slowly walked in, the same look of murder written on both of their faces.

She was currently desperately trying to brace herself on her throne, a desperate attempt to stand so she could try some kind... any kind of escape. A pool of blood led from where she currently stood all the way to where she had been stabbed initially, painting a rather nasty picture.

Spike stomped forwards, gazing at the blood before his eyes returned to her. His face rapidly contorted into a snarl as he closed the distance.

"No w-wait. Please..." She said, holding up one of her hands, the other applying pressure to her stab wound.

It was a futile effort. Instantly, she felt a cold metal gauntlet wrap around her windpipe, lifting her into the air. She desperately gasped for air, her hands both shooting up to grasp at Spike's armor, smearing her blood against his arm plates. Spike's snarl only widened before he brought a knee up, kicking her directly in the stab wound. A cry of pure agony escaped her mouth before it was silenced by Spike tightening his grip.

Her vision started to go dark as she felt her lungs burn before Spike rapidly spun around and tossed Chrysalis to the ground at Pharynx's hooves. She felt her son stomp down on her stab wound, causing her vision to go white and her ears to ring. Still, she could hear Spike's voice rather clearly through it all.

"You know. Looking back on things, I really didn't mind you controlling your Hive all that much. You provided me with an outside enemy I could use to keep everyone else in line. Better to focus on the enemies outside than your own oppression inside, a tactic I'm sure you used quite often while you ruled the Changelings. Am I right Pharynx?" Spike hissed, as he stopped towards her, rapidly clenching and unclenching his fists.

Pharynx didn't respond, only grinding his hoof, only making Chrysalis's searing pain all the more intense.

"But no, you couldn't be content with that. You just had to keep pushing and prodding. I'll admit, I could deal with the niggling little annoyances you shoved in my face. If not because you inadvertently helped keep me in power, then because I felt bad at the thought of the mass rape and death of your subjects. I'm not a monster you should know." Spike said, kneeling down once he arrived at her side. Then she noticed what the dragon was holding in his free hand. It was a branding iron, the very same one she had used on Thorax.

"Then you decided to make things personal," Spike said as he brought the iron up to his mouth, breathing a wave of fire on it, rapidly heating it up. Spike paused for a second, looking down at his handy work, idly spinning the brand this way and that. "You stole my property. You hurt my Thorax. And for that, me and your son here are going to do what you did to him a thousand times over to you. We are going to torture you, and then we are going to kill you."

Chrysalis felt her eyes water slightly, rapidly becoming aware of the irony of her current situation. How many times... how many times had she been in Spike's position, towering over a captured pony, about to torment them in a similar way. How she ignored their cries and begging. Yet... she still couldn't stop herself from doing the same thing.

"P-please..." She wheezed, slowly holding up a hand towards Spike. "Please no..."

Spike merely stared down at her emotionlessly before turning his gaze up to Pharynx, who merely nodded down at him.

"We are far past that point, bitch." Spike said coldly before in a quick movement he shoved the burning iron directly toward Chrysalis's eyes.

This time, it was her turn for her screams to echo throughout the hive's corridors.

Damn bro, if I had waited a couple of weeks it would have taken me two years to update this story.

Probably killed literally all interest in it by waiting so long huh?

Ah well, hope it was a good chapter nonetheless.

Will be trying to get shit out for this story more regularly from now on. Try to get back into a groove.