The Soldier
Colgate Aquafresh
I couldn't believe Lyra just blasted through a diamond wall. It was crazy, but she did it and now here we were, stepping through a hole in the wall into what looked like a mine shaft. Lyra headed left up the tunnel. I simply followed along, she had to have a plan of some sort right?
“That was amazing! You just blasted right through a wall made of diamond! You could join the EUP with spells like that.” I said still in awe as I followed along behind her.
Lyra giggled, “Actually anypony could do that. Diamonds are actually pretty brittle until they have been cut. Smashing an uncut one is easy if you know how to hit it.”
“Where did you learn how to do that?” Meep asked, quickly chittering in recollection, “Oh right, your mother is a miner.”
She nodded, “Yep.”
I grinned, feeling confident we would quickly escape and bring the word in time to save the day. It would be so awesome to be celebrated heroes for real!
“Too bad I can't remember how she said you find the exit to a mine.” Lyra sighed.
Apparently that confident feeling was just indigestion. “So we are going to just hope we are going the right way?” I asked.
“I figured if we keep going in one direction for a while and no one tries to stop us that must be the wrong way.” Lyra informed casually.
I looked at her uncertainly for a second before it hit me, “Oh! You don't need to waste ponies guarding prisoners when you just need to guard an exit.”
Meep nodded, “That's a sound plan. After all she believed the only way into our cell was psychoportation. There is no need to position guards here. Especially since she probably can't spare many troops right now. I vote we just go whichever way slopes upwards and look for guards.”
Lyra nodded, flashing a grin at Meep, “Yep, and this way slopes up. The shards of wall slid down that way.... Hold on, psychoportation? What's that?”
“The psionic art of teleportation.” Meep answered adding quickly, “Changlings don't have magic. We do however have psionic ability. Some types of changelings can do more, others less.”
“I don't get it.” Lyra stated bluntly.
“Well as she explained it to me, psionics is like magic but different. Kind of like apple juice and cider.” I hoped that would clear things up for her.
“Oh, so they do the same thing? That's kind weird, is it just like a word thing or what?” she asked.
Meep sighed, “No, it's more like two fundamentally different things which have a few of the same properties. Um... Magic is knowledge guided by will, psionics are imagination guided by will. They cross paths on what they can each do frequently, but each one has certain things they alone can do. Like my shape shifting, magic can't keep you in a form other than your own forever. Psionics can.”
“Oh. So can anypony lean how to do that?” Lyra asked curiously.
“No. Not everyone is psi adept. Imagine it like being a unicorn, you need the biology to do it. But unlike being a unicorn any race can produce psions. It's just rare... Unless you are a changeling, then you are almost guaranteed to be one.”
That got me curious, “Almost? What happens if a changeling isn't born with your powers?”
“She dies.” Meep answered simply, “She can't eat. It's why almost all of us have psionic abilities, we evolved to eat emotional energy so we have almost completely removed non-psions from our gene pool.”
Lyra and I winced. The thought of a foal starving to death, unable to eat was horrifying. “I-is there anything you can do for them?” I asked hopefully.
“No. It would be like a pony being born without a digestive system. The kindest thing to do would be to kill them quickly.” She answered bluntly.
Meep bit her lip, stopped walking, and looked down at the ground for a short moment, “Can we talk about something other than this? It's kind of personal... My sister died that way.” Meep asked in a reserved tone.
“I'm sorry, I didn't know.” I apologized quickly.
“It's fine, it was a few centuries ago. I just would like to forget it entirely. Hum, I said I would tell you about my people though. Anything in particular?” she asked as she resumed walking with us.
“Oh yeah!” Lyra exclaimed, “You mentioned types of changelings. I guess that means you have things like the pony tribes right?”
I glared at Lyra for stealing my question, but had to agree, “That is something I wanted to ask too.”
Meep nodded looking over her shoulder back down the way we had come for a moment, “Basically yes, our castes are somewhat like pony tribes. We are kind of like ants, there are roles a changeling colony needs to do to survive and some of our people are literately bred for that particular thing. There are distinct differences in appearance between types, but the biggest differences are in our abilities.
We have queens, they rule the hive and are superior to all others in every possible way they can be. Speed, brains, strength, psionic power, love burn rate, attractiveness, everything. There are sapharu, who are basically our unicorns. They are very potent psions and have the ability to see normal invisible energies. They can work magic of psionics like a wood carver.
Let's see... we have soldiers, they do exactly what you think they do but terrifyingly well. A scout is able to connect to a hive mind regardless of distance and are very good at shape changing. Harvesters I explained already. They are basically walking food carts.
“There are workers, which is my caste. We have the power to control and program drones and are fairly adept at tunneling and digging. Drones are the most common type of changeling... they are not intelligent. Imagine a cat in a changeling body. That's basically all a drone is.”
I blinked twice, “Hold on... the most common type of your species is about as smart as a cat?” That was just weird. Creepy weird.
“Yes.” she answered, frowning as my disbelieving stare demanded more information from her, “Drones are not normal changelings. But they are the bulk of a hive because we use them for manual labor. They are laid in the hundreds by the queen once every few months and are fully grown a few weeks later only to die off in about five years. If it helps imagine them as robots. If not imprinted with instructions they act pretty much just like a cat dose. As a worker it's my biology given job to control and care for as many drones as my mind permits. I was assigned to manage a construction swarm.”
Lyra stopped walking and looked at Meep as she asked, “Are you telling me that most changelings are just animals?”
“Yes. It's just how we are. Honestly I was surprised that all ponies are sentient when I first came here.” Meep informed.
“So they are slaves.” I muttered, “lovely.”
“What? No.” Meep objected. She stepped over and tipped my head up to look into her eyes, “Sweetie, I've connected with drones on a level more intimately then any other type of changeling ever has. They really are almost mindless. These are creatures which will turn three quarters of a circle because you forgot to tell them how to turn to the right. They are alive and we use them as a labor source, but it's about the same as training animals for a task.”
That didn't change my mind too much. “It still feels... wrong.”
Meep nodded, “I can understand that. Ponies value equality, it's one thing I like about you guys so much. Besides, it's not like any couple's child can ever be a drone. Like I said, they are exclusively a queens offspring.”
“But what if that happened? What would you do?” I asked.
Meep shrugged, “I don't have all the answers Cole. I'm pretty sure it would be of interest to science, and I would feel bad for the couple. It's just a culture thing I guess. Ponies have the potential to do anything they like, changelings are born into our jobs. Heck, I'm happy I was born a worker we at least get some choice in what we do with our lives... Then again I did wind up running away rather than dig more chambers in the hive to be a scientist. Huh... Maybe I wasn't happy.”
Meep grew quiet for a few long time. We trotted along the tunnel in silence with Lyra ahead of everypony, me in the middle then Meep bringing up the rear. It was hard to tell just how long we walked since we were underground. Long enough for my legs to start getting sore at least.
It was fairly dark in the tunnel. The sort of haunting darkness that fills you with dread, as if something horrid is lurking in it, just over your shoulder. Trying to break the silence and get rid of the uneasy feeling in my heart I joked, “It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.”
I got a glare from Lyra. “Don't you dare jinx us like that!” She hissed.
We continued on in science for a while longer. Long enough for me to star feeling bad I got upset at Meep over how her species was. It was stupid, like getting mad at a pegasus for flying. I hoped that I didn't make her question her entire life. It was clear she was thinking about something though. So when I couldn't take the science anymore I asked, “Sorry if I made you question your whole life... Is anything wrong?”
Meep shook her head. “Just thinking about my family. I could have a ton of relatives now. I did miss my older sister when I first left, and well... My father was important to me. He sort of is the reason I am interested in the stars.”
“How so?” Lyra asked curiously.
“He was blind, but that didn't bother him very much. He was able to do everything he needed to without help. However, he always wanted to know what pictures the stars formed and why they grouped up to form pictures in the first place. He died of old age when I was thirteen and I decided I would learn that for him. That got me into the field, but well, you girls are pretty familiar with my obsession. Tartarus, I left the hive because my job would have me underground for the rest of my life.” Meep answered.
Suddenly the tunnel opened up into a wide cavern. It was absolutely monstrous, most of Ponyville could have fit in it. A sea of natural crystals filled the floor, jutting cliffs formed platforms along the cavern's sides and were connected by mine cart tracks. Massive arching crystals supported the ceiling like pillars. The entire cavern was a sea of shimmering, rippling ribbons of light as it spilled into the cavern from somewhere overhead.
“Wow! This is amazing!” I exclaimed in excitement looking over the cavern with a wide grin.
“Yep...” Lyra said nonchalantly. “And that looks like moon light, which means we are near the exit.”
“And no guards!” Meep exclaimed happily.
At that exact moment twelve circles of green fire blazed into existence a few yards ahead of us. A changeling rose from each circle, blue eyes burning almost as brightly as the flames which surrounded them. Most of the changelings looked unfinished, almost as if they were life sized dolls. I hadn't seen Meep very much but I could still recognize her by her appearance. These changelings were different in they all looked the same. But one of them, at the center of the group was unique.
He was huge, he stood a whole head taller than me. His exoskeleton was somehow both bulky and streamlined, it took me several minutes to realize he had armor literally bolted to him forming additional plates. His eyes were larger than Meeps, not just because of his size but proportionally larger by a hoof's width. From what I could see he probably had an enormous field of view. His fangs were far more pronounced, and had apparently grown in such a way as to over the years scrap groves into the chitin around his mouth.
“So... um... That's a soldier.” Meep squeaked.
“Celestia damn it Shine!” Lyra swore, “You just HAD to make the GM throw an encounter at us.”
I nervously took a few steps backwards. The soldier grinned, he spoke in a voice like thunder and hooves on a chalkboard. “Her Majesty requests you return to your cell. You may return on your own. You have five minutes to turn back, or settle matters with your gods.”
“Er- what?” Lyra asked, looking at the soldier incredulously, “You are giving us time to figure a way to beat you?”
He nodded. “Your choice has been made? Good. Entertain me.”
I laughed nervously and slowly started to turn around, “So I think I'll just be going now...”
“He will just chase you after killing us.” Meep moaned, “Please. At least stay with me.”
“Ok...” I squeaked.
Meep and Lyra trotted over to me, forming a little group and begun to speak in faint whispers. Lyra spoke first, “Ok so Cole, do you think you can do anything?”
I shook my head. The way their blue eyes glared at me with absolute hatred... I couldn't handle it. It was an inversion of what I felt love for. Like the person dearest to your heart was advancing on you with a knife laughing maniacally. “I, um- maybe...”
Meep groaned, “Ok, if you can pull it together use the spell I taught you on the soldier.”
“Right. So it's down to just us... What are our assets?” Lyra asked with a hint of dread in her voice.
Meep facehooved, “This isn't a game. We don't have an inventory.”
“I know that!” Lyra hissed, “I mean what can we try and throw at him? Or his friends.”
“Oh... Humm...” Meep thought for a moment before her eyes widened with hope, “The drones are not a problem. He can't control them directly. They have to have been preprogrammed. They will respond to his voice. Keep him from talking, the drones will not change what they are doing.”
Lyra grinned, “Those are drones? Can you control them?”
“Maybe...” Meep mused, “I don't know if I can do it to drones of another hive. But I'll try.”
Lyra nodded in determination. “Right, so that leaves the big guy... If you can manage the drones and we get them to dogpile him, I can throw all the fire I got at him.”
That actually seemed like a good plan. I nervously opened my mouth to speak, “I um... I'll help with that.”
Meep smiled, “Glad to have you at my back hon. Oh... Somepony will have to distract him while I try and connect to the drones. It might take a few minutes. I'll start now to get a head start on it, but if he notices what I am doing...”
I had no idea what I could possibly do as a distraction. Fortunately Lyra grinned and announced, “I got just the thing!”
She broke off from our group and called over to the soldier, “Hey how much time do we have? I would like to pray.”
The soldier chuckled, a sound which I swear actually physically hurt me. “Three minutes.”
Lyra nodded, “Thanks!”
She trotted over to the minecart's tracks and looked into one of the rusty carts. After a moment the golden glow of her magic lit the minecart's interior and she took a pickax from within and trotted back to us. To my amazement she stood up on her hind legs and gripped the pickax with her hooves, holding it before her with the blade upwards. Standing like that is something anypony can do, but it takes a lot of practice to do it as easily as Lyra had.
“Start your thing.” Lyra whispered to Meep. Then in a normal tone, to my amazement Lyra began to paraphrase an old fantasy novel she made me read back in highschool.
“I know you are afraid Cole. You feel as if you have nothing to trust to carry you through this. But you do. Once, giants lived in the Earth, Cole. And in the darkness of chaos, they fooled the god Crom, and they took from him the enigma of steel. Crom was angered. And the Earth shook. Fire and wind struck down these giants, and they threw their bodies into the waters, but in their rage, the gods forgot the secret of steel and left it on the battlefield.
Lyra turned the pick in her hooves and inspected it, keeping one eye on the soldier. “We who found it are just ponies. Not gods. Not giants. Just ponies. The secret of steel has always carried with it a mystery. You must learn its riddle, Cole. You must learn its discipline. For nopony, nopony in this world can you trust. Not colts, not mares, not beasts.”
She turned, keeping one eye on the soldier and held the pickax out to me with one hoof, “This... This you can trust.”
I knew she was just trying to make a distraction for Meep, but somehow the story made me feel better. Perhaps it was the fact that even now, when were about to be killed Lyra still cared about my feelings. Or maybe it was simply that her long winded spiel ripped from an old book of bronze age barbarians reminded me of gaming enough to get into character.
Out of the corner of my eye I could see Meep. She was shivering, looking as if she was concentrating very hard. The sort of concentration where even being bumped jerks you out of it. She needed someone to protect her or she couldn't do anything to save us.
With a determined nod I took the pickax from her with my magic and gave it a few test swings. The soldier grinned at me like I was an idiot. I probably was. But at that moment, I didn't care much.
Lyra nodded and got down on her hooves, lowered her head and continued her distraction. “Crom, I have never prayed to you before. I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you, will remember if we were good ponies or bad. Why we fought, or why we died. All that matters is that three stood against many. That's what's important! Valor pleases you, Crom. So grant me one request. Grant me revenge! And if you do not listen, then to Hades with you!”
The soldier raised an eyebrow. “You have gods aside from those within this city?”
“Oh hey, we must be under Canterlot. That's good right girls?” Lyra asked before shaking her left forehoof up and down in a rude gesture at the soldier, “Thanks featherbrain!”
The soldier glared at Lyra, I could feel the hatred pouring off of him. It was like a black, boiling, blanket being drug over me. It was wrong. It was foul. It had to stop. It was giving me a headache.
Gritting my teeth I raised my pick, “Screw it let's just go!”
Lyra winced as the soldier grinned.
“As you wish.” He said, horn starting to glow as he charged a spell.
“Crap... are you ready Shine?” Lyra asked, quickly casting a shield spell.
Meep nodded. I gasped as her eyes opened, they burned a bright golden yellow as if somepony had replaced her eyes with light bulbs. The line of drones twitched in unison, their eyes fading from blue to black only to flare up to a bright burning yellow as Meep announced in unison with the drones, “Assuming direct control...”
The soldier smiled wide enough to nearly make me wet myself, cracked his neck and in a terrifyingly gleeful tone announced, “Thank you for the interesting twist and challenge today.”
“Ah horse apples...” Lyra spat.
Then the soldier leaped towards us with a joyous scream of fury.
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Harbinger much?
They came so close to freedom as well!
Still lots of spelling errors, but I'm getting tired of pointing them out tonight.
Interesting use of Conan quotes. I'm glad you actually pointed out they were quotes instead of just putting them in and letting people who hadn't seen the movie think you wrote them.
derpicdn.net/img/2013/11/2/462737/medium.gif
Chapter named "The Soldier", changeling infodump that includes the description of changeling soldiers...
So, it'll be a drone that discovers them?
Hah, looks like I was 11/12ths right.
Dang, he's really enthusiastic.
Meep nodded. I gasped as her eyes opened, they burned a bright golden yellow as if somepony had replaced her eyes with light bulbs. The line of drones twitched in unison, their eyes fading from blue to black only to flare up to a bright burning yellow as Meep announced in unison with the drones, “Assuming direct control...”
This was informative, cute lovely, and informative. I kinda want to know more about your changelings. I've become rather attached.