Filling Holes-Part-8 (/bug/)

>After a very uneventful journey, your convoy arrives at the tomb of Chrysalis' grandparents.
>Blackened stone with high spires, reminds you of the Cathedrals on Earth.
>A very large, heavy looking set of double doors stands as the only apparent entrance to the building.
>Chrysalis looks around as she gracefully climbs down from the carriage doors.
>"Radar, go see if there's any enchantments on the crypt, if they've been here already Vira would've left presents".
>As you're wondering who Radar was, a little drone comes buzzing out of the back of the convoy.
>As he zips up to Chrysalis he throws a very overly enthusiastic salute, "Yes my Queen! I will sniff out any magics for your safety"!
>In a flash he's off to the tomb, a small team of other changelings go behind him.
"He's...motivated".
>Chryssy rubs a hoof on her temple, "Honestly I think his egg may have been shorted a bit of proper incubation".
>The rest of the convoy assembles in a formation around the carriages.
"So...Chryssy, what is it you want me to do? I feel weird just standing here".
>"Well, get that weapon out and go with the breaching team then. I'm not stopping you".
>You draw the revolver from it's holster and start to head to the tomb entrance as a bit of magic turns your shoulder.
>"Don't...just be careful okay? I don't want you hurt".
>Smiling to her,you reply in the most reassuring voice you can muster.
"I'll be fine love".
>A short walk to the tomb entrance you find the others were already buzzing around the sides of the crypt.
>The drone known as Radar spots you and in another flash he's in front of you.
>Shit he's quick.
"At your service my King! Anything for the blessed soul mate of our dear Queen".
>His mannerisms coupled with his voice pitch and speed is going to be grating on your sanity.
"I...just wanted to see if there's anything I can do to help Radar".
>He seems to have been taken aback, after a few eye twitches and quick circular flight motion he seems to have gotten himself together.
>"Oh! Well, you can be our Grand Supervisor! The supervisor to me! I'm the supervisor you know I head our little reconnaissance team here, we specialize in breaching through surfaces and other dastardly things! You can-".
>You hold a hand up, he rightfully takes it as a signal to pipe it down.
"Alright, how about I just look around. See if I can't find something out".
>A midair bow and a salute as he's off to the others.
>Good God damn.
>Walking to the front door you start to look at all the intricacies in the design.
>Perfectly carved engravings in what seems to be an older version of the changeling language.
>From what you could read it tells something about a catalyst, and a book.
>You give up on reading the rest. Chryssy is doing her best to try and teach you how to read the language but it's like trying to read hieroglyphics.
>The rest of the black tomb is rather plain for the resting place of royalty.
>Light green trim runs along the outer part of the doors, and there's a crest of emerald and rubies on the arch above the door.
>You get a jump as the main doors start to open up, and immediately raise the revolver aiming at the doors.
>Radar's head pokes from the middle, eyes setting on you he starts up again.
>You lower and holster the revolver as Radar proudly prances out back into the front of the tomb.
>"I had KNEW there was a side entrance! Couldn't risk our two most important individuals over some arbitrarily dumb idea as just going through the front door! No sir"!
>He's at it again.
"Yes Radar thank you, it's safe inside I assume"?
>A quick back flip from Radar, "Yep! As far as we've been searching at least. We have the best recon team in the Badlands but anything can and will happen! Reminds me of the time I was just a tad older than a larva, I had so much joy in-".
"That's wonderful Radar, now we can go inside".
>Chrysalis and her envoy approach the main doors, after they go inside you and Radar's crew slip in behind them.
>The temperature difference gives you a bit of a shiver, the cold and murky insides gives off the same kind of atmosphere as the tunnels at home.
>The inside of the tomb has about the same lack of decadence as the outside, few decorations or anything else befit of royalty.
>Seven pillars hold up the high metal ceiling, three on each side and one in the middle.
>The middle pillar sports similar glyphs from the doors outside, though this one says something about life and death.
>"Life is a path to death, death is the re-imagination of life".
>Chryssy had sneaked up on you while you were trying to read the glyphs yourself.
"What is that supposed to mean"?
>"My grandfather and my father had said that phrase a lot to me during my adolescent years. My grandfather saw it as a reminder of sorts that life will continue no matter what you do, so take what you get and make the best of it".
>Chryssy sighs as she looks over the pillar, "My father, however, saw it's meaning differently. He saw it as a sign, or a guideline, to use your life to achieve death".
>"He would put himself and his subjects in mortal danger on a regular basis, on the thought that everyone is to die to achieve death. For death is the real life in his eyes, well...was the real life in his eyes".
>It just hit you that Chrysalis never talked about her parents, they never came around.
"Chryssy, I never thought to ask about your-".
>"They're both dead, my mother was killed by Vira some decades ago, my father is also dead. He threw himself in harms way to protect me and my mother, during a pony raid about 120ish years ago".
>Good fucking God.
"I'm sorry to hear that Chryssy".
>"Don't worry about it, let's just get you better and get out of this place".
>As she moves away from the pillar towards the main hall the others clamber into formation, keeping her out of the way of any directional attack.
>You follow at the rear, as Chrysalis directs where to go from the center.
>The deeper you go inside the tomb, the more hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
>The place has an unsettling, empty feeling to it.
>Like theirs something that's very wrong about the place.
"Chryssy, are you sure we're supposed to be here? I don't like the feel of this place at all".
>"Yes Anonymous, this is where the archives my grandparents had made of all spells of our kind".
>Her words do little to quell your nervousness.
>"Anonymous, keeping your heart rate elevated like that will certainly not help things".
>Her tone gives off a bit of her old self centered ways.
>You haven't been paying much attention to where you all were going, but you certainly don't know where you are now.
>You've been going down levels, so you're most likely underground.
>"After this corridor starts the security enchantments for the tomb. I want everyone to stay behind me so I can get these taken care off".
>All of the changelings wordlessly follow her order, stacking up behind her with you at the rear.
>"Anonymous, up here please dear".
>Moving up to her you kneel a bit.
"So what kind of stuff is here"?
>A small sigh escapes her, "Mostly magical barriers that trigger certain effects on those who pass them, only seen by the King and Queens of the same hive".
>"Of course, that only means me. Since you're not a changeling".
>A thought of what Patina said comes to you.
"Chryssy, when I was at Ferrugo, Patina said that a Queen cannot take a King from outside the hive, said it was law".
>"It states 'Changeling from outside the hive', which mean you're fine dear. You're not a changeling".
"Ah".
>"Now, granted I believe you are the first non-changeling King in history. I think our ancestors didn't anticipate us getting to the point where it was an option".
>Chryssy stretches a bit and shakes her front hooves, then turns towards the others.
>"I want you all to spread out towards the entrance and patrol, I want nothing getting inside this tomb while me and Anonymous here get to what we are looking for".
>A dozen salutes and they're off.
"You sent them away"?
>"Behind me".
>Stepping behind her she begin to walk slowly down the dark, gritty hallway.
>"And yes I sent them off, there's now way we'll be effective if there's fourteen of us in this cramped path".
>Makes sense.
"I would've at least kept one or two".
>Chryssy looks over her shoulder to you with her alluring eyes, "Well, I have faith that you'll keep me safe, my King".
"Giving me too much credit here Chryssy".
>Despite the seriousness of the situation the two of you manage to joke and banter your way through the labyrinth of hallways, corridors, and rooms towards your goal.
"So, we're looking for a book"?
>"Yes Anon, it's a book that has every available changeling spell known to us. Even the forbidden ones, like the one Vira had used on you is in there. Luckily for us, we always have a reversal for every spell that we've created".
>Nothing but your footsteps and her clip clop of hooves are heard as she continues, "It's to...put everything back to normal, for example if we were to take over a diplomat after we've exhausted his use we can reverse every spell that was put on to him and he'll be good as new, mostly".
>Mostly?
"Mostly"?
>Chryssy tilts her head as the two of you circle an invisible barrier, "Some have...side effects".
>Her tone of voice puts you off, like she doesn't want this topic to continue.
>In an effort to not cause any tension on her side you decided to drop the subject.
>An idea whittles itself into your brain.
"Chryssy, can you reverse the thing I can do with my eyes? If I concentrate too much on things they sort of turn on and its hell on my head".
>"We'll have to see, I don't know the reversal myself. What that spell did to you isn't exactly high on a hive's tools to use on others".
>She look to the left around a corner, a slight bit of light comes into the hallway.
>"Ahh here we are...my grandparents' tomb".
>Entering the main chamber leaves you with the same exact setting as the main hall on ground level.
>Absolute absence of any over opulence.
"Not a flashy bunch were they"?
>"My grandparents prided themselves on not living above the means of their hive, Patina is sort of the same way".
>The two giant stone coffins lay side by side, each with a plaque in changeling glyphs.
"Here...lies...our...".
>"Here lies our righteous King Mertag and Queen Nimbrina, forever they will rest in fields of love".
>That's really sweet actually.
"So, the book would be-".
>"Somewhere in this room, sadly I don't remember where-".
>A crash of stone hitting stone booms through the room as a slate falls from the wall on to the floor, exposing a small hidden room.
>Looking into it you see a large, black book with more glyphs on it, sitting on a pedestal.
"Well, there it is".
>"Yes! That's the one".
>Stepping into the room you grab the book with your right hand.
>In an instant you feel a tug and pull, then at speeds you couldn't imagine you were flying through blurs of color and lights.
>Slamming into a floor you grunt and turn yourself over, trying to get up.
>Getting on to your feet you look around.
>White.
>The same white that was surrounding you when...
"God fucking damn it you bitch".
>"Now now, mind the language. Despite your laughable royal status I am still leagues above you".
>Turning your head to look around yields nothing yet again, same as last time she's hiding.
"I find it funny you don't show yourself".
>"I don't have to show myself to the likes of you, you'll never get that privilege".
"You'll have to when I make you deepthroat my gun".
>"Vulgar insults do not intimidate me Anonymous, you'll get no where with them".
>Huh, she can manage an even more condescending tone than before.
"So what does Queen Bitch want with me now".
>"Ohhhhhh, to let you know some things. I've made sure the ponies will not help you, nor the Gryphons, amazing what one disguised changeling messenger can do".
>God fucking damn it.
>Well there just went a third of your force.
"Lovely, gives me more to shoot at".
>"I don't think I'm liking your tone-".
"I don't give a shit".
>"Fine".
>As if someone tied your legs to an A-10 you're off in a flash, sailing through a tube of time and space.
>You're spat out on to the cold stone floor of the main chamber where you started, Chrysalis runs towards you.
>"Anonymous! My stars Anonymous! Are you okay"?
>All you feel is an aching pain through your whole body, but other than that nothing too-.
>A white hot searing pain burns through you like wildfire, causing you to double over back on to the floor.
>"Spoke to soon didn't you Anonymous"?
>Vira.
"You...you".
>Can barely manage any words through the coughing and yells of pain.
>Chrysalis' horn lights up a flash of green, and as if it never happened you're pain is all gone.
>Vira's voice comes booming through the room again, "I will remove from your soul what I set in, but remember this. You will die without ever knowing the face of the one that will destroy every thing you love, everything you hold dear, and everything that will be for you".
>She continues as you clamber to a sitting position.
>"I will leave your useless, peasant soul to the mercy of Reicher when they come to annihilate all of you weak, disgusting excuses for changelings".
>Eyelids getting heavier you succumb to your inner screams to pass out.

>A gentle rocking stirs you awake, slowly opening your eyelids you find yourself in the armored wagon laying on the bed in the back.
>Chrysalis is sitting at a desk in the corner, papers and books strewn about.
>She looks to be in deep concentration, her eyes burning a hole in whatever she is reading.
>Her right ear cocks to the side in your direction.
>Turning in your chair she fixes her emerald gaze into your eyes, "Anonymous".
"Yes Chryssy"?
>Tears start to fall from her eyes, their trails reflecting the candlelight in the wagon, "I...I've failed you".
>Failed you? How could she ever fail you?
"How have you failed me"?
>"I couldn't do anything, nothing, I could only dull your pain as she ripped your soul to pieces, taking everything that she had placed".
>She starts to let out small sobs as she speaks, "I...I'm powerless against her Anonymous, the level of power she has is farther than anything I'll ever dream of".
>"You didn't deserve what happened to you, you didn't deserve to have your being ripped to shreds".
>Moving your legs to allow you to sit up you pull her chair towards the bed.
>"Anonymous, what're you-".
>Pulling her off you lay back down, cradling her in your arms.
"It's okay Chryssy, I'm still here aren't I? That's all that matters".
>Still sobbing into your armor you could barely make out her muffled voice, "I was terrified when you fell silent, I though you had died...or worse".
>Running your fingers through her ever smooth hair you start to pet her back.
>"It's amazing, what love does".
>Love?
"I thought you didn't-".
>"I thought I didn't either, but it turned from caring about your emotions to caring about you. You're such a wonderful creature".
>Chrysalis shifts her head to the side so her mouth isn't covered up by your armor, "I love you Anonymous, I really do. I no longer feel it's a job to keep you happy, It's been turning into a joy. I WANT you happy because I love you, instead of loving your emotions".
>Bending down to kiss her forehead you scratch behind her left ear.
"I love you too Chryssy".
>Her wings buzz ever so slightly at those words, issuing a small sigh she shifts herself to be more comfortable on you.
>"I'm exhausted".
"I am too Chryssy".
>You let sleep take you once again, with love in your arms.