You are Havel the Rock Act IV

>You are Havel the Rock
>and you are a little confused as to why Celestia and Solaire are currently in shock right now
>Celestia seems to be the first to recover from this
>"T-the elements... you mean the Elements of Harmony, correct?"
>"Forgive me, but they did not specify."
"Elements of Harmony... you mean like princess Twilight?"
>your friend finally snapped out of his trance as well
>"Yes, Princess Twilight is but one of six, or, rather, used to be."
"Ah, I remember now."
>you recall a book you've read about the elements of harmony, along with an explanation from Pinkie Pie a while back
>it detailed how these elements form the most powerful magic of all... friendship
>however, something doesn't quite make sense right now
"Why is she no longer an Element?"
>"According to the archives, they sacrificed their necklaces holding the raw power of these Elements to eventually gain ultimate power to stop ultimate evil. I believe this evil was referred to as 'Tirek'. That is all that was documented, at least."
"Interesting... and this is supposed to be the strongest known power in existence?"
>"Yes, Havel."
"Hmm... so that's why you were both so shocked."
>"Exactly."
>the princess stands up and slowly walks towards Artorias
>"Listen to me... are you truly sure of this? Is this exactly what was spoken from those guards?"
>"There is no doubt in my mind."
>you see a look of dread fall upon her face
>"I see... then we have little time to waste. We must take action accordingly."
>Solaire quickly rushes to Celestia's side
>"What must be done, my princess?"
>"I fear we may be left with no other choice... but to lay siege to the changeling's stronghold."
>you almost fall over from that statement
>the pacifist pony princess wanting to engage in warfare?
>this... is something you can get used to
"Now we're talking."
>"Then you will join us, Sir Havel?"
"Only after I've been paid for my deed here. After that, we can talk about my involvement in this rather sudden declaration of war."
>Celestia closes her eyes, possibly to think for a second about what you just pointed out
>"Very well... let us discuss this in Canterlot. My apologies for being so sudden... even with over a millennia of knowledge, I have little experience with... war."
"Then this little meeting it adjourned?"
>"Correct. I will check on princess Twilight and have a talk over what we've just discussed."
>"Allow me to accompany you, princess."
>"Very well, Solaire."
>Solaire get's up from his bed and follows his princess out of the room, leaving you with Artorias and Sif, who finally seems to be at ease
"That went well."
>"I overheard what you said about these so called 'Elements'. Are they truly as strong as Solaire mentioned?"
"I cannot say as I too have only read about this."
>"Still, it must be something of great importance. That... pony seems to be over one thousand years old, and yet she was astonished from the mere mention of something stronger than these Elements."
"It can only mean this will not end well."
>"They will most likely need my help in all of this..."
"Before you mention it, no, I do not think there is a way back to Lordran. If there was, I would have taken it, so for now, you're stuck here."
>"Then that settles it. The princess must have sent the lot of you to rescue Sif and I. I must repay the debt I owe her now."
>you chuckle at that
"And how are you going to accomplish that? as much as I would love to fight by your side, you lack the ability to even walk."
>"For now..."
"Hmm?"
>Artorias grips his greatsword in his good hand and lightly stabs it into the ground
>you notice his legs begin to move, allowing him to lift himself off of Sif
>that sword of his is acting as a cane of sorts, helping him walk
>or, rather, just stand there
>"Miracles may not help me, but I can naturally heal. I've been out there for more than enough time to let my legs heal up. In a few more days, I should be up and ready."
"Unbreakable will... you really are the great Artorias."
>"I wouldn't say 'great', but the gesture is nice."
>and with that, his legs finally lose their strength and Artorias falls back onto Sif
>"*cough* Maybe... a week instead."
>you begin to walk towards the door
"I think it would be best if you were to focus on resting. I will explore this little town to help pass the time. The Princesses shouldn't take too long with their discussions."
>Artorias lets go of his sword and leans his head back
>"Perhaps you're right..."
>and with that, you leave the room and close the door
>you did not want to simply sit around and do nothing while you wait for something to occur
>you've done that for far too long in the past
>this is a new town, so something might be interesting here
>you walk down the stairs and meet with the stallion running this place
>he notices you quickly enough
>"Hello there, kind... sir, how are you enjoying your stay?"
"Charming, but I was getting rather bored. Is there anything of interest in this town?"
>the light blue pony scratches his chin for a little bit
>"Well, I have the largest hat collection in Equestria, if you're interested."
"Pass."
>"Um... you could go to our farmlands and see just how we can grow crops on things other than dirt!"
"...Better than nothing. Where is this place?"
>"All around you! Pretty much everywhere you go, there's someone growing something, so just ask and you shall receive."
>you were right, this place is particularly boring
>your kind of town
>at least this should be nice and calm
"Very well, thank you for the information. I will be back later."
>"Alrighty then, take care!"
>with your equipment still on your person, you walk out of the inn and gaze upon the land
>still the same thing you saw when you arrived
"So, there's crops around here... might as well check it all out."
>you step onto the streets and begin your trek towards the unknown
>"Hold it right there, knight!"
>you heard that coming from behind you, near the inn
>you turn around, only to see not someone in front of you, but someone standing on top of the roof
>the voice was definitely feminine...
>who is this mare?
>why is the sun blocking you from clearly seeing this mare?
>...and what is this infernal noise you hear?

>You are Havel the Rock
>and you think you might be hearing some form of terrible music
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEf5HJlAlug
>the mare jumps down from the roof and finally gives you a chance to see clearly
>...oh dear, that's a changeling
>"So, you're the one who killed Adapt, huh?"
>the music you're hearing from... somewhere is still making you want to rip your ears from your head
>you can tell its a changeling by the large fangs in her teeth and the holes on her legs, however her attire almost made you think otherwise
>for starters, the changeling is wearing armor similar to the last one, however, there seems to be yellow streaks along the edges
>not only that, her mane doesn't look like it belongs on an insect, but rather a pony
>it shines a radiant white glow as it flows in the non-existent wind
>...huh, she's missing her wings, however, her horn seems to be a bit larger than any other changeling's you've seen before
>lastly, her helmet seems to have some type of red glass covering her eyes, although you can barely make out that they're showing the same blue changeling eyes
>...it all looks so gaudy in your opinion
"And here I thought I was going to be bored in this town."
>the unknown changeling smirks at that statement
>"Well, sorry, but you're going to continue to be that way. I'm just here to tell you ponies and... monkeys what I'm gonna do."
>you're already holding your dragon tooth in both of your hands
"Here we go..."
>"Tell Princess Celestia about this too, just to give her a heads up. See, I know everything about what that big guy just told you all, which also means I know you're going to plan something. That's fine and dandy, but my job is to disrupt whatever it is you're gonna do to try and stop us, buuuuut here's where the hard part comes in. I'm not supposed to kill any of you."
"...Run that last one by me again?"
>"I know, right? I dunno what my Queen is planning, but damn, it must be pretty amazi-"
>*smash!*
>you don't let her finish that last part as you swing your weapon right into her face
>that really should have dealt tons of damage
>"Wow, you're a rude dude, you know that?"
>it just dawned on you
>your weapon stopped moving as it made contact with her head
>she didn't move a centimeter
>your attack truly did nothing
"What in Gwyn's name..."
>"As I was saying, I'm going to have fun every so often in that big ol' city of yours."
>you continue to swing your weapon in every direction you can think of, trying to make her feel even a hint of pain
>"Oh, and just so you know, I'm one of those experiments like Adapt. They gave me the name 'Null', but that sounded stupid, so I gave myself a new name!"
>you're bashing your shield against her horn, but it seems to be denting your equipment more than her
>"So yeah, I named myself Dyna! Has a cool sound to it, right?"
>your punches aren't doing crap, so she's not made of rock
>"Ok, so I know you're going to tell everyone about this probably traumatizing experience, so my work here is done. I gotta get back to the castle before I'm late for game night. Hope to see you again, Havel!"
>she ducks under your next punch with your chime in hand and jumps onto the roof again
>"Later!"
>and with that, you see her run away, taking her infuriating music along with her
>now, you stand there with all of your weapons on the ground, all rendered useless against this Dyna changeling
>absolutely nothing affected her
>you were completely useless against her might
>there's only one thing you can think of right now
"I need... to tell the princess!"

>You are Havel the Rock
>and right now there might be someone else who deserves that name more than you
>but enough about that, the princess needs to know of this new threat
>you don't even pick up your fallen weapons as you run back inside and sprint up the stairs
>the princess' room soon comes into your vision
>you run as fast as you can towards the room...
>and instead of ramming the door open, you ram the wall open, completely missing the door by a long shot
>you see Twilight Sparkle sitting next to Celestia while the injured soldiers continue to sleep peacefully in their beds
>oddly enough, there's no sign of Solaire
"Princess...es, I regret to inform you that we may have a problem!"
>of course, Celestia is the first one to speak
>"Hello there, Sir Havel. We were about that odd music we were hearing outside as well. Do you know anything about that?"
"Yes, there was a-"
>"Oh, and you're standing on Sir Solaire."
>you look down to see that you're still standing on the piece of wall you cheesed
>however, there seems to be something under it...
>Solaire!
>you jump off, causing the floor to slightly rumble, and throw the piece of wall off, which promptly flies straight out of the unusually big window in the room
>as you help your friend up, you can't help but hear the wooden wall crash onto something while hearing someone scream about cabbages
>"Please... do warn us next time."
"My apologies, Solaire, but there is a matter of great importance we must discuss."
>"Sir Havel, you may speak now."
>you straighten yourself up and realize that she's still not your princess and that you shouldn't act like this
"Well, for starters, I know what that infernal music was. A changeling appeared right outside of the inn, but this was no ordinary changeling."
>"Was it another one of those 'new breeds'?"
"Yes, but this one didn't seem to hostile... at least for now. She came only bearing a message about her plans. I tried to take her out before she could escape, but..."
>the purple one finally speaks
>"Mister Havel?"
"My attacks... didn't even put a scratch on her. She paid no mind to anything I was doing. I was truly useless against her..."
>the benevolent ruler leaves her seat, trots over to you, and puts a wing over your shoulders
>"There there, you did the best you could."
"If you don't take that wing away, None of us will ever see any of those feathers ever again."
>thankfully, she retracts her wing
"...but thank you for the gesture."
>"You mentioned something about her plans, Sir Havel?"
>you explained to everyone about Dyna's next course of action, which promptly causes Celestia to... not show any emotion towards this?
>she walks over to Twilight and whispers something in her ear
>Twilight nods and soon enough leaves her seat and walks over to you all
>"Mister Havel, I'm going to give you a fair warning. Celestia and I are going to pool our magic together so we can teleport us all back to Canterlot."
>teleport
>you just need to ask this question
"If we could teleport these long distances, why didn't we do that in the first place to arrive at the canyons?"
>"Well... I may have been able to teleport myself that far, given the right circumstances, but teleporting is a very powerful magic, and depending on how many ponies you're taking with you and how far... its not something me or Celestia could accomplish."
"And yet the both of you might be able to do so with your powers combined."
>"Yes, but it will most likely leave us magically drained. I've slept enough to have regained me energy, so don't worry about that."
"...Just this once."
>"Alright, everyone is in this room, now all we need to do is-"
>"Aren't you forgetting about someone?"
>you all turn around to see Artorias barely holding himself up against the now useless door
>"Oh my, I'm so sorry, I completely forgot about you and Sif. Don't worry, I'll make sure to teleport both of you as well."
>"So long as I'm not left in the dust, I am grateful."
>the purple princess walks up to the white princess
>"Now Twilight, let our horns make contact and-"
>"What in Tartarus happened to my wall?!"
>again, you all turn around to see the owner of the inn panicking over the broken wall
>"You... you're all going to have to pay for this!"
>suddenly, a big bag of bits is thrown to his side
>it looks like more than enough for repairs, the rooms, and more
>"Thank you all, come again soon!"
>he trots away merrily without a care in the world
>Celestia clears her throat
>"I truly hope there will be no further interruptions? No? Good. Now, Twilight, focus on the teleportation spell and let our horns-"
"Wait!"
>they both let out a sigh of frustration, along with some anger from the purple one
>"Really?!"
>you run passed Artorias, down the stairs, out of the inn, gather your equipment, run back inside, swipe one of the small hats from the collection in the main room, run back upstairs, and enter the room again
"Alright, now I;m ready."
>the two princesses let their horns touch at their tips, creating a strange spark effect from the sheer amount of magic
>you can see the magic being channeled through their horns, and with a blinding flash
>...you are now back at Canterlot, in the throne room, no less
>no one seems to have been forgotten as well
>even Sif, who was in the other room, is now standing next to Artorias, who calms down the now frightened wolf
>the princesses truly look like they're about to pass out from that stunt, however, Celestia looks as though she still has some fight left in her
>"Now... we must have... a court meeting... to discuss the new... changeling..."
>yup, she almost collapsed onto the floor if it wasn't for Solaire catching her
>"Please, my princess, you must rest yourself. Soon, you must lower the sun for your sister to raise the moon."
>Celestia quietly nods and allows herself to be carried by Solaire
>your friend may be smaller than the princess, but his devotion to the sun knows no bounds
>Artorias, who is now resting on top of Sif, comes up to you
>"If it would be alright, I will allow Sif to escort everyone to their rooms, provided I have someone to give me directions."
>the purple princess weakly responds to that
>"I know this castle... like the back of... my hoof."
>"Splendid! Havel, could you assist me in help these ponies onto Sif's back?
"*sigh* Let's get this over with."

>You are Havel the Rock
>and you are currently holding up a white flag as Sif takes you all on a magical journey of the castle
>"Sir Havel, is that really neccesary?"
"Someone needs to make sure the guards do drive their swords into your pet."
>"Companion."
>all the maids drop their supplies and hide while the guards are always ready to either run away like cowards or actually draw their spears and swords
>you're thankful that white towel the first maid threw at you came in handy
>you tied it to your dragon tooth and soon enough allowed you all safe passage
>sometimes its nice NOT to fight
>soon enough, Twilight tells Artorias to make a stop in front of a large door
>from the looks of it, it seems to be a barracks of sorts
>"Please, Havel, let these soldiers sleep in their beds."
>"*Yawn* that won't be needed, princess."
>you stop waving the flag and look behind yourself to see Flare Sentinel finally waking up from all of this
"Nice to see you're awake, soldier."
>"Good to see you too, Sir Havel."
>"Sergeant, are you sure you're alright?"
>he gets up while still on Sif and stretches his appendages
>"Yeah *ahhhh* never better. Glad to see we we're still alive. Although I'm grateful, Princess Celestia might want to work on her teleporting..."
>"It was mostly me, Sergeant..."
>a look of absolute dread falls over the sergeant's face
>"Um... forgive me, princess?"
>"Its alright, I do need to work on transporting other people with me, so you're not wrong."
>Flare lets out a sigh of relief as he jumps off the wolf and lands smoothly on the ground
>he turns around, only for his eyes to be locked onto the knight next to you
>"Whoa, who's the big guy?"
"Why does everyone keep saying that?"
>"Because he's towering over you."
"True... this is Sir Artorias, and yes, he's from my world. Don't make us tell the story again, just take the private and be on your way."
>"Oh come on, I almost gave my life protecting the princess and you can't even tell me this guy's story? ...He is a guy, right?"
"Yes, and if you want to make sure it stay as 'almost', be on your way."
>thankfully, the sergeant shuts his mouth and does as you commanded
>with the private on his back, he walks through the door, gives you all a wave goodbye, and shuts the door behind him
"Alright, now we need to bring Twilight to the Royal guest chambers, correct?"
>"Yes... how did you know we had one?"
"Every castle has one..."
>"Oh... mine doesn't... I think I should change that when I get back to Ponyville."
>"Sif, onward!"
>the trek towards the guestrooms mimicked the previous trek, with you forcing yourself to wave a white flag and ponies being scared of everything in sight
>again, you drop off another passenger, who seems to have recovered a bit from her intense magical show
>she lets herself in and you are now currently alone with Sir Artorias... again
>"Well, this is where our little ride stops."
"...Beg pardon?"
>"Didn't you hear Twilight? The room next to hers should be unoccupied. I requested if I may spend a night or two in that room, and she had no qualms about it."
>your flag waving may have distracted you from their conversation they may have had
"You do realize this isn't her castle, right?"
>"And I'm not about to spend another night laying on a floor or Sif, no offense, friend."
>Sif lets out a little bark as Artorias pets him on the head
>you decide to take your leave off of the wolf and allow the two to enter their room
>why are all these doors so big...?
>it matters not as you're currently standing in the middle of a hallway with no one around you
>you ponder as to what you're going to do now
>maybe you should copy Atorias' example and let yourself into one of these rooms as well
>you turn around to look for a room and-
"Wah!"
>"Good day, Bishop."
>you grip your weapon in your hand and quickly take off that silly towel that was on your weapon
>even with your defensive stance, the mare in front of you pays no attention to your possible threat
>"Sir Havel."
"Princess Luna..."

>You are Havel the Rock
>and right now, you are experiencing true fear
>you care not of how much time has passed or if she had made amends
>staring at one who, at one point, ended your own life will never NOT terrify you
>"Celestia already showed us all of your experiences today, and we must say, we are impressed."
>wat
"I thought she was resting."
>"It does not take too much magical energy to share your thoughts or memories. We came into her room as soon as she arrived and was granted access to today's events."
"Good, then you know of the threat abound for the city and castle."
>you quickly walk towards a nearby doorway and attempt to allow yourself in
"My apologies, but I seem to be exhausted to the point of being unable to continue this conversation any longer. Do excuse me."
>you open the door and walk in
>only for a blue aura to surround the door and let it slam right back into your helmet
>thankfully, it took most of the blow
>"Sir Havel, we are not so easily tricked by such helpless lies. We have much to discuss with you."
>you begrudgingly turn around and face the princess
"Do make this quick, I was not lying about the exhaustion part completely."
>"We would much prefer discussing this in a more private estate, however, we know of your distaste for magic. We are asking, may we use a simple teleportation spell."
>you ponder this briefly
>would you allow an all powerful being responsible for your death to teleport you to an unknown location?
>you respond in the most eloquent way possible
"Go fornicate yourself."
>"we... see. In that case, we will simply use this room."
>a magical force pushes against your chest plate, forcing you into the room you were denied access to only moments ago
>the room is rather simple, a spacious room with drapes along the windows and a bed with a distasteful shade of pink covering the whole thing
>not a room that would suit you, but a bed is still a bed
>you see that same blue magical field pull out two wooden chairs next to a simple sound table for two
>oddly enough, they are big enough for your size
>considering this is a guest room for anyone or anything, perhaps this is not as odd as you originally thought
>"Please be seated, Sir Havel."
>you oblige by simply walking towards the seat and making yourself comfortable on the decently sized seat
>Princess Luna does just that as well, however, she conjures up a small pillow before seating herself on all fours onto the chair
>"Now, have you any ideas as to what we have in store for you?"
>you cross your arms at that question
"Does it involve a task only I can accomplish?"
>"That is most likely the case. We recall Celestia asking for your assistance against the changeling threat, correct?"
"Yes, and?"
>"We would honored if you were to join our ranked in this castle's forces and help lead them into b-"
"I refuse."
>"W-what?"
>you unfold your arms and put your hands on the table
"I agreed upon dealing with these changelings when given the chance, but I refuse to join your army."
>"But how will you help our soldiers in combat?"
"I refuse to join your ranks, however, I am open to freelance."
>"A mercenary?"
"Correct. I care little of what happens to this castle, it's people, and anything of the sort, but I can persuaded with the right price."
>you see Princess Luna conjure up a notepad and quill, writing something down as you speak
>"We... never knew of this side of you."
"Neither have I, until only recently."
>"Yes, well, we know of the steep cost of your last task, and because of that, we must heavily discuss exactly how much you will be compensated for you work."
"Understandable."
>you see her turn the page in her little notepad and make a big X shape on the page
>"This would have been the part where we discuss where you will be placed within our ranks, but it appears that is no longer needed."
"Indeed."
>another page turns as you lean back in your chair
>"What will you be able to offer us in this time of need?"
"What else can I offer? I am a skilled combatant with an arsenal suited to killing anyone wielding magic."
>"Then you would be willing to be a soldier on the front lines?"
"I think it would play out more along the lines of leading your... rather lackluster army into their deaths."
>"...Explain."
"Barring a few select soldiers I've seen in the few times I've seen your soldiers fight and/or spar, they mostly seem far too inadequate for real combat on the battlefield. That and I know for a fact that Solaire is acting like an overly protective parent to a large portion of them."
>"...Your point being?"
>you slam your hands onto the table
"Are you daft? I'm saying the undead soldiers back in Lordran could wipe the floors with your soldier's blood! They need serious training!"
>again, Princess Luna seems largely unaffected by any attempts at intimidation by you as she writes something down in her notes
>"Interesting... and you know of what our soldiers are lacking?"
"It is not easy to see most of their faults, but a full examination would be required to reach a decisive conclusion."
>a small smile actually blooms onto her face
>"We are intrigued by your knowledge of this. We may have the perfect vocation for you at the moment!"
>you plop down back into your chair and lean forward in it
"...I'm not going to enjoy this, am I?"

>You are Havel the Rock
>and you grabbed a standard training lance placed next to you and hold it in front of the army in front of you
"Let's get down to business!"
>you break two pots with the faces of changelings on them
"To defeat... changelings."

*the next day*

>You are Havel the Rock
"And you're all incompetent weaklings!"
>you are standing in a grassy field near the barracks where soldiers learn to fight on non-urban terrain
>and by non-urban, they mean on dirt
>plenty of earth ponies and pegasi lay before you, exhausted to the point of collapse
>their moaning is insufferable
>only a few soldiers are still standing, meaning there is some hope for this pitiful army
"I could care less about how much it hurts, it is always better than death. I said it once and I'll say it again, not only must you be able to use your weapons, but a shield must be in your other hoof to keep you alive."
>you pick up your weapons and walk towards your trainees
"You've all been trained too softly and inefficiently. Rarely does not having a shield benefit you, so you must learn to have the strength needed to wield such necessary equipment!"
>you see all the small buckler shields strapped onto their left or right forelegs, but alas, they can deal with the small weight of them while continuing their training
>one of the pegasi speaks up, even though she's still on the ground
>"S-sir... these small shields felt so light at first, but now, they feel like heavy armor..."
>you slam your greatshield onto the ground right in front of the pegasus
"That is because you lack discipline and endurance! As you use more and more of your muscles, they gradually become weaker and weaker with overuse in a short amount of time, giving the illusion of something getting heavier and heavier. That is why I am training you all to overcome such a weakness!"
>a familiar captain watching from the back lines has been surprisingly quiet, until he finally broke out into laughter
>"Aye, all of ya wee little lassies can't even make it through one itty bitty day of intense trainin'. I be ashamed ta even be in the same army as the lot of ya."
>you point your weapon in his direction
"Captain Claymore is a shining example of what this battalion of ponies SHOULD be like. If any of you trained half as much as he has, we wouldn't be here, whining like a bunch of babies without their bottles."
>Flare Sentinel, one of the few standing ponies, flies over to you and puts a hoof on your shoulder
>"Sir Havel, you may be overworking them. Not many of us can even handle half of what you can normally accomplish."
"And yet you still stand, ready for more practice."
>"More?! Oh man, I don't know how much more I can take..."
"Then its settled, you keep practicing with your sword until you become just like these ponies on the ground."
>"What?!"
"Its better than the alternative."
>"I think I'd rather do whatever else you had in store for us..."
>you drop your dragon tooth onto the ground and tightly grip your greatshield
>this time, you speak so everyone in the field can hear you
"Listen up... fillies! There is some good news in store for us! First off, you may all take off your practice shields."
>most of them frantically struggle to unbuckle the straps on their forearms, thankful to have such a tight, heavy burden off of their weak bodies
>you even see some of them stand back up
>good
>you walk towards one of the small doors leading back into the castle, but stop near the doorway
"You're all going to love this, I'm allowing you to leave and relax in the mess hall!"
>the small amounts of cheering is a clear sign that you've gotten most of their attention
"...But on one very small condition."
>and just like that, silence fills the air
>"Oh, dis should be fun ta watch."
"You all need to simply..."
>you slam your greatshield, planting it firmly on the ground right where the exit is
"Get passed me."
>you see their hopeful spirits shrivel up and die at that statement
>some of the pegasi clearly flare their wings, ready to fly out of this training session
>you're not going to let that happen
"And may I remind you all that if any of you simply leave without my permission, the princess will hear about your desertion!"
>hook, line, and sinker, they catch the bait and stay right where they were
>they're all perfectly allowed to leave by their own accord
>but since when have you ever played by their rules?
"You may grab your weapons, work together as a group, or even attempt to kill me, I could care less. I want you all to knock me down and get passed this doorway I'm protecting."
>they all look at each other, then look at you, then back to themselves, back to you, you're flipping them off, they don't know what it means, and they all finally do as you demanded
>most of them grab their sword and spears while others actually put their shields back on, but don't even glance towards their main weapons
>they all draw near you as they finally look as though they've shrugged off most of their fatigue
>this is what you've hoped for
"Come on, you lot, tear down this wall!"

>You are Havel the Rock
>and this is rather pathetic
>all the ponies are clearly trying to knock you down, break your guard, find a way passed your defenses, and even broke down and asked politely for you to move aside
>they were met with your boot to their head
>not enough to kill them, but to just get the message across
>no shortcuts
>muscle through the pain and agony
>the part that makes this whole thing depressing is...
>they're individually trying to make their attempts
>every time a pony fails, another politely asks to take his or her place and try their own tactics
>it sickens you to the point of almost vomiting
>you must do something about this
"My god, you are all truly pathetic, aren't you?! Come on, this isn't a game or school."
>they all seem confused by that statement
>you slap your helmet in disbelief
"Stop taking turns like a bunch of toddlers and fight me! I'm preparing you for warfare, combat, battles, skirmishes, encounters, whatever you want to call it, now treat this test as such!"
>you notice a broken piece of a shield next to you and pick it up
>the sight of an earth pony getting a little angry comes into focus as you throw the piece right at her face
>it makes direct contact, giving her a reason to charge at you with her spear in her mouth
>she makes contact with your shield, keeping her spear directly pointed at your shield, attempting to pierce it
>again, everyone does not join in
"You see this? A comrade is having trouble with an enemy! Assist her, you idiots!"
>you jerk your shield, breaking off the tip of the spear and gripping it in your hand while you still keep your greatshield steady
>thankfully, the earth pony's fit of rage allows her to attempt to grapple with your shield, but alas, you are simply too strong for her
>you notice some ponies draw closer, but they seem afraid of something
>and none of them are looking at you, but, rather, the pony in front of you
>they seem to be retracting their weapons, not willing to attack while she is near you, as if their afraid of hurting her
>time to teach them powerful lesson
"You damn cowards! Afraid of accidentally injuring your friend?! Don't want to give them a little scratch by mistake?!"
>you lift your spear head in the air and grip it in your hand, ready to impale the pony in front of you
"If you don't help her right now, say goodbye to your fellow soldier."
>that seemed to have snapped the earth pony out of her little temper tantrum and realize what you just said
>it matters not as you swing downwards, aiming directly for her head
>suddenly, just as you're about to make contact, you feel something ram itself into your shield, creating enough force to make you drop your spear tip
>at least, that's what you're showing
>you look at what hit you only to see Sergeant Flare using his own small shield as a ramming tool, still trying to push against you
>you actually see a small tear come down his face, along with intense fury in his eyes
>before you have time to call him out on his bravery, another pegasus tries to jam his sword into your shield, breaking it in the process, but still catching you a little bit off guard
>the scared earth pony regains her vigor and starts pushing against you yet again
>even though all of this, you notice two female ponies take to the skies
>remarkably, one of them is an earth pony being carried by a pegasus
>they start to make a dive towards you with the earth pony wielding a spear in her hooves
>the pegasus lets go, allowing the earth pony to plummet to the ground, however, she seems to be heading straight towards you
>you brace for impact as she makes contact with your shield, actually making you take a step back from the sheer power behind that attack
>not even a second later and you feel a hoof make contact with your helmet
>although you are able to handle it, you look to see that it was the pegasus who threw a pony at you
>a number of voices start to be heard around you
>it seems they're all rallying together
>second after second, you feel yourself having to give more and more effort to keeping your stance up
>ponies keep coming together and attempt to push against you
>you're actually starting to lose balance
>it seems they are actually going to topple over you at this rate
>then again, you have different plans
>with all of your might, you take a step forward and begin pushing against the mound of soldiers
>you start to push them back, giving you a chance to do one final action
>you ready your fist, wind up it up as far as you can, and punch your shield with everything you've got
>the immense strength behind your strike allowed you to shove off every single pony that was pushing against you
>all of them fall to the ground and, from the looks of it, don't seem ready to get back up
>to be fair, you could use a break yourself
>the morale of all these soldiers seems to have diminished and faded into nothing
>you expected them all to fail, but at least you got something out of them
"You have all failed in this task. I am still standing."
>you walk over to your dragon tooth, pick it up, hold it over your shoulder, and return to your original position
"However, it seems you all learned something."
>a few of them look up to see what you have to say
"There is strength in numbers. As long as you all work as a team, you have the potential to accomplish any task thrown at you."
>you turn around and face your back towards them
"And above all, one of you saw your ally in danger and dove into danger to defend your comrade. I can only hope you all learn a lesson from that stallion's courage."
>you begin to walk away, letting yourself into the castle
"You are all dismissed. I will arrange a small feast to congratulate a fine first day of training."
>"Monster..."
>that word makes you stop in place
>you know exactly who said that
>"If I didn't help her... you were going to kill her..."
>you remain where you are standing
>"I thought you cared about us... about your fellow soldiers..."
>without looking back, you finally respond
"If I didn't care, I would have let you all leave without a care in the world."
>and with that, you walk away from the tired out trainees and make your way to your guest bedroom
>you get to the door and almost put your hand on the door knob until...
>"Aye, lad, ya shouldn't have gone so far ta teach 'em a lesson like that."
>just from the accent, you know who is behind you
>the only solder in this entire castle who you respect
>he somehow doesn't have his usual loud, obnoxious voice, but rather a calm and serious one
>you turn around to face the captain
"You know they needed something that drastic to knock all of that peaceful nature out of them."
>"I cannae argue with that, but don't think I be blind enough to not notice that intent ta kill."
"I would have stopped with a simple flesh wound."
>"Really now? Ya trained like that from where evah ya came from?"
"..."
>"Thought so. I be fine with given' the lot of 'em bruises and bleedin', but death... leave that ta the battlefield, Lad."
"...Very well, I will give this some more thought."
>the captain seems a little surprised by that
>"Huh... thought it would be takin' a lot more to get me point across. Glad ya see it my way."
"Indeed..."
>you turn around to enter your room, but you remember something and look back
"Oh, since you're hear, might I make a request."
>"I know, I know, the chefs will be informed ta make somethin' a little bit more grand. Maybe I'll join them. Whip up an old family recipe."
>he begins to trot away
>"Hope they take a fancy ta onions."
>and with that, you retire to your humble abode and lay your equipment down on a nearby table
>you're still keep your armor on
>always gives you a sense of comfort and protection
>you reach your bed and gently climb onto the top of the sheets
>today's events linger in your mind, along with Captain Claymore's little lecture
>true, these soldiers may have been a little too... sheltered to experience this kind of training regiment, but... they need it
>you know for a fact Celestia will plan on making an assault on the changeling's hive
>at least, you think so, considering that's how wars are won
>an army against another and may the strongest men win
>however, based on how furious those changelings were back in that canyon and the constant whining from a simple day of training from the Canterlot army... these ponies wouldn't stand a chance
>no wonder they took this place over briefly in the past
>you really wonder if you're even capable of truly making this army battle worthy
>you let out a sigh and gaze outside of a nearby window
>it is clearly evening, but taking an early rest wouldn't hurt
>you're usually tired by this time anyway
>back at the farm, anyway
>speaking of the farm, you wonder if Celestia sent a pegasus to escort Maud to the castle for the time being
>she would most likely not object, but you hope she will be here soon
>her company always puts you in a calm mood
>but for now, you gaze upon the dusk sky, seeing the sun getting ready to set
>just the sun, the sky, and a rather amusing light show
>...wait
>light show?
>in the castle?
>during the evening?
>...
>you hear music

>You are Havel the Rock
>and you sense a disturbance in musical culture
>loud thumps are heard in the distance
>is that the music?
>no, it can't be...
>although, you've heard some very... profound sounds in this world
>it seems rather interesting
>it could be some sort of celebration
>or maybe a simple gathering for no apparent reason
>...
>you decide to discover exactly what is going on down there
>a little hop off the bed, a swift grab of your weapons, and you're off onto a road of discovery
>you knew it was around the barracks, so you head straight there
>on the way, you notice a plethora of unicorns walking toward the same destination
>they're all wearing some kind of glowing rings around their necks and hooves
>...these are military ponies
>why are they wandering the castle with such... gaudy looking apparel?
>soon enough, the music becomes quite a bit louder, although still muffled by a large door in front of you
>the unicorns seem to be crowding around the area, meaning you've definitely reached your destination
>you open the door and marvel at everything filling your senses
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-cgC1UN9-A
>the incredibly loud noise banging your ears
>the immense amount of flashing lights filling your vision
>a terrible stench filling your nostrils
>the vibrations possibly caused by this music forcing your armor to shake, making you feel dizzy in the process
>it is all to much to bear at the moment
>almost as if acting on instinct, you pull out your chime and cast a magic barrier, hoping this will assist you in any way
>after the miracle enveloped you in a magic free world, you're relieved that the sound, lights, and vibrations died down
>all of this must be the result of magic
>doesn't explain the stench, though...
>oh well, you're relieved most of your basic senses have been salvaged
>as your thoughts become refocused to what is currently in front of you... you honestly aren't entirely sure what to make of this
>the ponies seem to be dancing around to the outrageously loud music, but it all seems so... spontaneous, as if they're just shaking their bodies without a care in the world
>..oh dear, every single one of them is a unicorn
"Keep yourself calm, they're not evil..."
>those infernal lights don't seem to be helping with anything... so why are they wearing them?
>and this music...
>annoying
>plain and simple
>but that doesn't explain why your foot is tapping
>"Hey, could you move out of the way, big guy?"
>a group of unicorns try to push you out of the way
>you've completely forgotten your position in front of the entrance
>you let them through, still a little confused by all of this
>this needs to be settled
>you grab a pony who seems as though they're about to dance into the wall and hold them up to your helmet
"You, tell me what's going on."
>"The name of the song?"
"What? No, what is this event?"
>"Who is Harvey Dent? Never heard of a name like that..."
"Oh, for heaven's sake..."
>you cast yet another magic barrier, but this time, you direct it to the unicorn in front of you
>"Hey, what happened to the music?"
"Good, now you can hear me. What is going on here?!"
>he scratches his head and gives you a look of confusion
>"Uh, dude... haven't you ever seen a rave?"
"A... what?"
>"Yeah, a rave! Its kind of a late night thing with lights, music, and tons of dancing."
"Late night... tell me, why is this being held in the evening then?
>"I dunno, we all just got a letter while out on patrol. A group of sexy mares who just got assigned to be messengers simply gave us these cards."
>he holds up a black letter with his magic and hovers it in front of you
>you let go of the unicorn and take the letter in your hand
>you give the letter a quick read, learning that, yes, someone had approved a party and all patrolling officers and soldiers are invited to, "the evening of their lifetimes."
>there even seems to be the royal insignia on the bottom of this note, along with a big, green "D" next to it
>something is definitely wrong about this
>how could Celestia approve of such a thing in her own castle?
"And you're saying every single one of you got these?"
>"Heck yeah we did! I gotta hoof it to whoever organized this, I'm having a fantastic time!"
>this can't be normal
>royalty would never allow such a thing
>in fact, you're wondering why the princesses haven't put a stop to this
>you have so many questions
>and right as you notice the current "song" end, a new one comes on
>one that you remember
>...one that was heard only recently

>You are Havel the Rock
>and sweet Gwyndolin's fake gender, there's a changeling in this place
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6tW98aOuOs
>you frantically look around the room for this invincible foe
>even now, you have no idea of what you can do to this... "Dyna" character, but you cannot simply stand there and do nothing
>as you eye the room, you notice the ponies continue to dance as if there's nothing wrong
>though you are panicking, you cannot entirely blame them
>only you know the importance of this retched song
>you weapon is still on your back, but you hold onto the grip in case of an ambush
>where could she be?
>all the unicorns here look like your average, run of the mill soldiers
>suddenly a black letter floats in front of you with a green aura
>she must be toying with you!
>since you are stumped on your next course of action, you decide to snatch the letter from the air and read the note
>"Dude, do you not know about the one thing that makes changelings fearsome? We can change our appearance at will! Right now, I could look like any one of these soldiers. Good luck, Havel!"
>and at the end, you see another green "D" on the bottom
>she planned all of this
>and getting caught was all part of her plan?
>oh, there's a note on the back
>"Of course!"
>...
>you dawn your weapon and quickly run into the fray of this crowd
>still... you cannot tell any of these guards apart
>the rings around their necks
>the standard uniforms
>the Gwyn forsaken horns
>how can you possibly find the fake one?
>"Quite the predicament, eh?"
>a feminine whisper is heard coming from right behind you
>you quickly turn around to find... nothing out of the ordinary
>"Can't find the fake guard? Ooh, tough luck."
>again, you turn around to find everyone still dancing to the music
>more tricks...
>"You know, I'm going to start killing them off one by one, right?"
"No..."
>you don't even bother to turn around
>"Yup, one by one, I'll pluck one off the dance floor and silence them with ease. With all the partying going on, they won't notice until there's only a few left. Easy pickings, no?"
>you swing your arm, hoping to hit the changeling behind you without harming any of the unicorns
>sadly, you only strike at the air
>"Tick tock, Havel."
>just then, you notice a stallion in the distance drop to the floor and disappear within the crowd
>"Too late! One down, forty seven... forty nine to go!"
"Stop this..."
>yet another stallion in the corner of your vision disappears
>"Oh, one more thing..."
>you hear sinister laughing coming from all around you
>"I'm not alone."
>all of a sudden, someone to the right of you bucks you to the point of causing you to actually stagger
>not only that, the music around you starts to fade as well
>with another buck coming from behind you, it causes you to spin around for a bit, facing you towards a pair of big... rectangular objects with a pony in between them
>she's standing near a strange looking table while holding some kind of black... dinner plate?"
>"Alright, everypony, this one goes out to a very special somepony who will soon arrive onto the dance floor! Maud, when you get here, you'll just DIE from sheer excitement!"
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSImY9exzeQ
>...Maud?!
>they have her?!
>wait... that explains why she hasn't arrived yet
>have they captured her?!
>while you were lost in your thoughts, you notice the pony up there is no longer present
>that must have been her!
>the lights in the room start to turn a dark shade of green
>just then, a pony in front of you gives you an obnoxious grin while her eyes glow green for a split second
>you swing your weapon in a desperate attempt to put a stop to this
>it makes contact with the pony, easily breaking a bone or two on it's body
>to be honest, you did not expect that to work
>it must have been one of Dyna's allies
>you look around for another one of them, only to be greeted with all the unicorns in the room giving you the same grin
>even though they're all dancing, their eyes look straight at yours
>those green eyes...
>it can't be...
>they're all changelings?!
>a voice his heard around you
>"Gotcha!"
>you ready your weapon and prepare for the worst they have to offer
>all of their gazes still fall onto you while they continue to dance to the music, until one of them takes a step forward towards you
>you do not give it a chance to act upon anything as you slam your dragon tooth onto their head
>that seems to do the trick as it soon stops moving
>the rest of the changelings stop dancing and begin to back off
"You've all lost your nerve? Have at you, insects!"
>they all continue to back off, as though they're unwilling to attack you
>you, however, do not take kindly to their cowardice and dash towards the crowd
>a quick swing from your weapon causes them all to disperse
>even as they run, they continue to snicker and smile at your antics
>they've made a grave mistake, however, as they all disperse, running around the room like madmen
>you equip your greatshield in your other hand and dart forward, focusing on and of the changelings that are by themselves
>a swing here, a smack down there, and suddenly, one of them jumps onto your back
>you jump backwards and allow your body to crush your enemy
>as you get up, you notice it still moving
>you swing your weapon upwards as you pick it up from the ground, causing the changeling to be hit right through a nearby window
>most of these things are now currently spread around the entrance of this room
>you point your weapon at them all
"If any of you wish to see tomorrow, face me now. If not, then accept death!"
>as you finish your threat, a few of them charge towards you with magic emitting from their horns
>your magic barrier is still in effect, so you pay no mind to that
>they fire off some magic as they continue to charge forward
>your barrier makes short of these projectiles as you sweep the area in front of you with your weapon, making contact with every enemy who tried to rush you down
>as they hit the wall, several more of the fake soldiers come forward, but keep their distance from your range
>as you put up an defensive position, you notice your magic barrier wear off, allowing you not only to be open to magic attacks, but to hear the incredibly loud music
>the noises cause you to drop your stance, leaving you open to any attack
>what you got, though, was your weapon and shield to be taken from you by their magic
>oh, its on now
>even as the music causes your ears to almost bleed, you quickly try to notice who took your weapons
>two fake unicorns standing next to each other clearly have their horns holding something
>you start sprinting towards the two and drop kick the two of them, allowing your equipment to be freed from their grasp
>after that little stunt, you catch your fall with your arms, allowing you to quickly get up from off the ground
>sadly, your weapons were thrown across the room, leaving several changelings in the way of your main methods of attacking
>even they seem to notice this as they all run towards you
"You think I'm defenseless without my weapons?!"
>as the one in front jumps towards you, you catch it with a a bear hug
"Never under estimate our opponent!"
>as it struggles to break free, you give the fake pony the hardest suplex you've ever given, easily cracking it's helmet
>while you're on the ground, you kick your feet into the air, causing enough momentum to get you up off the floor
>another one makes an attempt to damage you by ramming you
>a swift kick to his jaw is enough to take him down
>more and more try to take you down without any weapons, most likely trying to restrain you
>a few of them try to fire off some magic, however, you dodge to the side whenever one of them is about to hit you
>some of them jump, you extend your arm to bring them down
>a few of them try to fight you in hoof to hand combat, but you quickly make short work of them with a few attacks
>the battle rages on as their numbers dwindle
>again, they all go back to simply standing near the door
>you're a little glad about that, because your stamina is also beginning to lessen
"Is that... all you've got?"
>just then, the door behind them opens up, revealing a blinding light behind them all
>you close your eyes due to the sheer ferocity of it all
>soon enough, the light stops blinding your vision, allowing you to see what had transpired
>your eyes have a little trouble adjusting to the new light source in the room, but it seems as though the normal lights have been turned on
>even the music ceases to harm your ears any further
>"Sir Havel, what in Equestria have you done!"
>an ear blistering voice sounds the room, but you can still tell who it is
>Celestia sure picked a good time to show herself
>wait... where did those changelings go?
>your eyes finally adjust to the room around you...
>what the...
>there's blood splattered across the room
>red blood, not the changeling's type like you were expecting
>and bodies
>many, many bodies lay on the floor
>they're not changelings...
>you've...
>you've killed...
>"Ha ha! That was awesome!"
>"You! Who are you?!"
>you slowly turn around to see exactly who was laughing
>its her...
>that infernal changeling...
>Dyna
>wait... she looks different
>her horn is missing, and in place of them are a pair of red insect wings on her back
>and her mane is no longer white, but instead, is currently black
>"Havel did an amazing job! Had to make sure no one died... but who cares, he did a super awesome job fighting!"
>at that moment, a stream of concentrated magic envelops Dyna
>Celestia, for obvious reasons, cannot seem to hold in her anger as she continues to bombard the powerful changeling
>after several seconds, the magic finally dies down... to reveal a completely unharmed changeling
>"Wow, is everyone I come across rude?!"
>"How..."
>Celestia's voice is one of disbelief
>this confirms it, this changeling, Dyna, may be...
>no, do not think that
>there must be something
>she made you...
>somehow, they all looked like...
>you let out a battle cry as you leap forward, attempting to punch the changeling with all your might
>all logic is thrown out the window as your fist is about to make contact with Dyna
>however, you notice her mane begin to glow as you dove towards her
>right as you drive your fist into her face, her mane suddenly becomes white as she clearly doesn't even flinch from your attack
>she's back to her original form, with the large horn and everything
>her wings are gone as well
>"...Really?"
>you back off as your fit of rage ends
>"*sigh* Some people never learn... oh well."
>she jumps over you and changes her form again, dawning her black mane and red wings again
>you can see her taunting you as she hovers over the room
>"That was fun as hell, Havel. Until next time, right? Adios!"
>and with that, you see her dart forward, fly out of one of the broken windows, and leave you alone with the Solar Princess
>her speed was incredible
>you've never seen anything move that fast
>"Sir Havel..."
>you turn around to see Celestia, who is currently in tears
>"Why... why did you do this?"
"Celestia, I was under the impression that-"
>you words are cut off from the sudden levitation of your body
>in a flash, you are floating in front of Celestia, who has a clear mix of rage and sadness in her eyes
>"Impression of what?! What could drive you to kill my little ponies?!"
>you are slammed onto the ground and brought back up
>"Anger?"
>*slam*
>"Fun?!"
>*crack*
>"Or was it your hatred of magic?!"
"It was... that..."
>at that moment, a flash of light emits from Celestia's horn
>you aren't left time to wonder what that was as you black out

>You are Havel the Rock
>and you may or may not have been knocked out so hard, you didn't dream of anything
>it felt as though you were knocked out and all of a sudden, you're awake
>you still feel tired, though, almost as if you hadn't had any rest at all
>but if you were asleep, how could this be?
>after this sudden waking, you look around to get an idea of your location
>just from the feel, you know you're on some kind of bed, and from the looks of the injured ponies across from you, this may be a medical center
>why are they all...
>oh, right, you almost took their lives
>damn changelings...
>"Sir Havel."
>sweet chocolate covered stolen sweet rolls!
>when did Celestia arrive onto the scene, and next to you no less!
>"Before anything, I must apologize for my... unnatural behavior earlier. As I've said in the past, war and all the pain that comes along with it may be one of the few ideas I have very little experience with."
>huh, she actually looks guilty
>"Are you alright?"
"Yes I am"
>"Good... I can only hope for your forgiveness over the spell I used."
"Hell to you."
>"*sigh*"
>"Princess, let me handle this from here."
>great Gwyn's children!
>now Solaire snuck up on you?!
"Solaire?"
>"Hello, Havel. Nice to see the spell finally being lifted from y-"
>you don't care what happens, you just really wanted to punch Solaire in the face, even though his helmet will take most of the blow
>"What was that for?!"
"For letting all of this happen, you idiot!"
>he takes a step forward and pushes you back down onto the bed
>"None of us were aware of these events, you twat!"
"Oh, and I'm just supposed to believe that?"
>"There were sound suppressing spell fields placed all throughout the castle, so yes, you're supposed to believe that!"
"...You're kidding."
>"Not in the slightest. Most rooms had this very faint spell, barring a select few bedrooms, including the one you've decided to take refuge in."
>"I'm afraid he is correct. We only recently-"
"You, quiet. Solaire, first things first, what do you mean by 'spell being lifted'?"
>"Yes... about that. I'm sure you're aware of Princess Celestia casting a spell before you became unconscious, correct?"
"...I wasn't asleep, was I?"
>"No, you were simply put in a stasis field. You were basically frozen in time while we could transport you to a safe location. Celestia chose to keep in on until we got to the bottom of this whole thing."
>you look at the princess, who clearly knows exactly what you're thinking right now
>she knows why you're ready to punch her in the face
>but, sadly, you know not to provoke the wrath of these magical beings
>instead, you point two fingers towards your eyes, and then towards hers
>she got the jist of it
"Alright... so you say your rooms were sound proof, right?"
>"Correct."
"Then how did the princess arrive at the fake party in time to put a stop to this madness?"
>"Well..."

>you are Solaire of Astora
>and right now, you are enjoying some quality tea time with the princess in her chambers after a long day of day court
"I must say, ever since that mare Maud arrived, I simply cannot resist her special blend of tea!"
>"Truly, this is one suited for all ponies, royal, wealthy, common, or military."
>you take another sip of this amazing tea
>nothing could possibly ruin such a fine evening
>*smack!*
>...at least, not until something almost breaks the window behind you
>"Oh my Goodness!"
>you turn around to see what this disturbance is
>is that...
>a soldier?
>why is there a unicorn soldier stuck on the window?
>in a flash, Celestia teleports the wounded soldier into her chambers and hold him in her forelegs
>"P-Princess..."
>"Do not worry, you're safe now."
>"Havel..."
"Havel? Is he in trouble?!"
>"No...h-he is the... trouble."
>the solider loses consciousness right then and there
>Celestia gently lays his down onto her bed with her magic and looks towards the window where he landed
>"Solaire, heal his wounds."
"Yes, my Princess."
>and just like that, Celestia vanishes into thin air, no doubt personally to investigate this crisis
>as much as you wish to join her, you will obey her command without fail
>hopefully everything turns out alright
>although...
"Havel... what have you gotten yourself into?"

>You are Havel the Rock
>and you're thankful that soldier you smacked into the sky turned out to be helpful
>even though he's a filthy, disgusting mag-
>stop it...
>"At this point, I can only hope the morale of our soldiers weren't harmed as well."
"Hmm... that would be problematic. I did nearly kill most of their unicorn forces..."
>"It wasn't entirely your fault."
"I know, still doesn't change the fact that they've truly seen what I can do to them."
>Solaire takes a good look at the room around him, taking into the amount of damage you've done to Celestia's army
>"Good point."
"And that damn powerful changeling..."
>Celestia shows a hint of rage in her eyes
>"She will not go unpunished for her manipulation. She will be found and apprehended."
>"Yes, you spoke of a strange looking changeling."
"Dyna... damn thing is invincible. She took every attack I threw at her like it was nothing. Not even Celestia's magic could harm her in the slightest..."
>Solaire looks to be lost in though
>"Yes... it would appear that way. However, we know little of what this enemy can really do. After the princess shared her experience with me, I can't help but feel this 'Dyna' character is not as invincible as she appears."
>you quickly sit up in your bed, wince at the pain and regret of doing that while injured, and stare in shock of what Solaire just said
"You mean you've found a weakness?!"
>"Maybe... or maybe not. I'm still going over what she saw."
>"Hopefully Solaire can find a flaw in her abilities. For now, all we can do is move forward with our previous course of action... although, that might prove difficult."
"You're not wrong there. Your other soldiers may be too afraid of me now."
>"I made an attempt to explain the situation, but I fear that even my reassurance may not help ease their minds."
"...No matter."
>you slowly get up and off your bed and stretch your limbs
>damaged, but not unusable...
>"Please, my friend, you should rest."
"Not while these attacks could happen at any moment. I need to whip these soldiers into shape. Even if they despise me, I must make an attempt."
>your equipment was right next to your bed, so you simply pick them back up and make your way out of this hospital
"Besides, we have no information on our enemy, nor do we know their plans. We have to prepare for anything."
>as you walk away, Solaire puts a hand on your left shoulder
>"Actually... that might not be the case for much longer."
"...and why is that?"
>"After your rampage, while we were working on treating all of the unicorns you injured, we discovered an unconscious changeling amongst the wounded. Needless to say, we isolated it and did our best to help it recover."
>you turn around and face Solaire
"and you didn't tell me this earlier, because?"
>I didn't expect you to get up and leave after all of this."
"Since when do I lay about while there are pressing matters to attend to?"
>"...Point taken."
>"Sir Havel."
>you look behind Solaire towards Celestia
>"I will escort you to the changeling we have in custody, if you so desire."
"That would be lovely, thank you."
>she starts walking towards the door
>"Its the least I can do for accusing you of intentionally harming my little ponies, even though that accursed thing already said otherwise..."
"As you said, you were in distress. If you were more hardened in the art of war, I would be much more inclined to punch you right in the neck."
>"Havel!"
"What? I was trying to comfort her, Solaire."
>"Well you're not doing a very good job!"
>"Please, Sir Havel, you could follow me."
>Celestia seems unphased by this as she begins to guide you towards the captured changeling
>you and Solaire quickly follow her, hopefully gaining something out of this

>You are Havel the Rock
>and good Gwyn, a place in this castle that resembles structures found in Lordran
>you followed the princess to a very low part of her castle
>even before you entered, the area around you felt cold and unused
>but now...
>dreadful looking walls with a dull grey rock formations in spots
>Celestia mentioned that these are the dungeons, only used for housing vile criminals and interrogations
"..And why exactly does this place seem so... filthy?"
>"Celestia hasn't used these dungeons in a few decades, Havel. Until now, she had no reason to even return to this dreadful part of the castle."
"...Lovely."
>she really hasn't been through many wars if this place hasn't been used for such a long time
>decades?
>really?
>if only she was here to actually guide you through this place
>is she really that worried about her precious day court?
>you can't help but think she made an excuse to not see a room she no doubt hates
>finally, you think you've made it, considering the small earth pony in front of a door
>he looks like a normal guard, minus the armor
>in fact, he's wearing a navy blue jacket and some kind of shirt underneath. it manages to also hide his cutie mark, but you have a guess at what that might be
>Solaire walks in front of you and puts his hand out
>"A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
>the earth pony greets Solaire by shaking his hand with his hoof
>"Sir Solaire, I'm Cacatus Ibidem Abjectus, the one assigned to getting information out of our captive."
"Any luck?"
>Cacatus seems a bit surprised at you asking that. In fact, he may be giving you a dirty look
>"Uh... you don't get to bring friends. This is royal Canterlot business."
>you're about to interject, but Solaire beats you to the punch
>"You do realize who I am and who I protect, no?"
>"...Alright, he can stay."
>that's more like it
"As I said before, have you gained any information?"
>"Actually... not really. He's slipped and revealed how he got in, but that's about it. He's not budging on anything else."
"That's really it?"
>"well, if you want my opinion, I think getting caught was part of his plan. He just laughs at most of my attempts to get anything out of him. I'm surprised I got anything at all."
>"That does not bode well."
"Agreed. I've already fallen right into their traps before, meaning they're very crafty. Maybe he wanted you to know how he infiltrated the castle."
>Cacatus walks towards the door and inserts a key to unlock the door
>"Who knows at this point. How about we discuss this somewhere more private."
"More private than a deep, dark dungeon located in a secluded part of the castle?"
>"Hey, I'm in charge here. Just get inside."
>a small chuckle escapes your lips as you follow him
>you and Solaire soon find yourselves in a somewhat spacious room with a table, a few chairs, a large glass window on the wall, and a door next to it
>this doesn't seem all that bad, to be honest
"This is your interrogation room?"
>"Nope, this is just where we discuss any information we gathered."
>Cacatus points towards the window as he scoops up a nearby purple crystal
>"That right there is what you're looking for."
>you quickly make your way towards the window and see what he's going on about
>immediately, you see the changeling you're looking for, sitting in a small room with a small contraption on it's horn
>...why doesn't it look injured?
>and shouldn't he be able to see you?
>luckily, Solaire gives you an answer
>"Before you ask, no, he can't see us. Celestia made sure of that before sending anyone down here."
"Really now..."
>"All he can see is a mirror showing his own reflection."
>Solaire pats you on the back before he walks towards our earth pony friend
>"Catacus, if you would be so kind as to show us what transpired during your interrogation?"
>"That's what I got in my hoof."
>you see him holding that crystal he picked up earlier
"...Come again?"
>"Havel, surely you know of our recent advances in crystal technology, no?"
"..."
>"Right... well, to make things quick, this crystal right here can record any event that took place nearby, so long as it was present."
"That's... actually rather useful."
>"A lot more useful than those... bloodstains found in Lordran."
"For once, you may be right... now how do you access it?"
>"All it needs is a little bit of magic, whether it be earth pony, pegasi, or unicorn magic. Catacus?"
>Solaire places the crystal onto the floor as Catacus stands right above it
>suddenly, the earth pony slams his hoof on it with all his might
>you actually feel a small shock wave emitted from the impact
>the damn crystal must be...
>completely intact and starting to glow
"Don't question this, Havel, just keep watching..."
>"What was that?"
"Nothing."
>soon enough, the crystal's glow starts to fade from within as the lights expand to outside of the crystal
>it's not a blinding light, but, in fact, a soft, purple light starting to cover the room
>wait... you're starting to see images across the room
>you can see the changeling and Cacatus conversing with each other
>this must be the interrogation he spoke of
>now you can see what kind of methods these ponies use
>maybe something your kingdom never thought of
>possibly new means of torture
>...or perhaps your optimism has caused you to be disappointed again
>you recall a quote from a book you've read
>"Expectations... I would keep them low, if I were you."
>maybe you should learn from this quote...
>because you're seeing a pony continuously yelling at a changeling until he gets what he wants
>he doesn't even sound threatening
>just... stupid
>"Who made you attack our castle?!"
>the changeling lets out a chuckle
>"Come on, you know exactly who. Do you not remember our queen taking down your precious princess? Or maybe you want me to mention our leader of this specific operation. At least you already know about her, unless you princess is really that good at keeping secrets for no reason."
>Cacatus doesn't respond as he starts walking around the changeling
>"Tell me about Dyna! Why does she wear the mask?!"
>"Heh heh... safety first before flying."
>you can see Cacatus trying to think of more ways to yell at the changeling, and sadly, it notices his struggle
>"You know, you're really bad at this."
>"Quiet! I talk, you answer."
>"At least work on your sentences. You sounded pretty stupid right there."
>"...Dammit, this usually works."
>"On ponies, maybe."
>yup, he's starting to panic
>"Celestia dammit, you somehow managed to get into the castle without our magic detecting your disguise. Where did you come from?!"
>"From the hive."
>"...This isn't working."
>"Oh hey, you got something right!"
>the pain of defeat is all too clear on his face
>"We're vulnerable to attack from you changelings... and we can't even find where you got in from."
>"I guess not."
>"It must be super secretive."
>"In a secluded place."
>"Somewhere we wouldn't look."
>"Yeah, like underground."
>"Or from the sky..."
>"Or the Royal gardens... oops."
>"Wait what?"
>"What, huh?"
>is this when the changeling accidentally released information?
>"The gardens... that's what you said, right?"
>"Uh... no... I said... the guard's... thingy..."
>"Ah hah, got you! You somehow got in through the Royal gardens, didn't you!"
>"Welp... you got me. Yippie, you actually fooled me."
>"Alright, and I got it recorded!"
>"Good for you, buddy..."
>and right there, the lights fade back into the crystal
>leaving the real Cacatus with a dumb smirk on his face
>"That's how I got info out of him. Pretty smart, wasn't I?"
>you and Solaire both look at each other before responding
>"It was... adequate. You managed to retrieve... some information."
"Why didn't you hit the bastard?!"
>that really got his attention
>"E-Excuse me?"
"This is an interrogation, not a yelling contest. It kept it's secrets because you weren't a threat!"
>"Mister... Havel, was it? We can't hurt a prisoner of war."
"What?! He is no prisoner of war, he is a soldier. He is willing to give his life for his queen."
>"But..."
"No buts! Go back in there and snap his arm or something. Use fear as your weapon."
>"Are you crazy?"
>"Havel, please."
>even Solaire seems to be against you
>he knows the methods of Lordran and yet he wants to peaceful resolution
>this place must be getting to him
"...Give me a knife."
>"Havel!"
"You heard me."
>"...Will you kill him?"
"No, just make him talk."
>Solaire looks at you for a good minute until he finally draws his sword
>"I'll be watching."
>you take his sword from his grasp
"Don't interfere."
>you walk over to the door and let yourself in
>time to show these equestrian peacekeepers how to really make someone talk

>You are Havel the Rock
>and there is a changeling sitting in front of you with an annoying smirk on his face
>you don't like that smirk
>"Oh goody, its the unicorn killer."
"None of them died."
>"Oh, I know, but it adds to your frightening image."
"Lovely."
>while still sitting on his small chair, you notice him stretching his hoof out onto the table
>"Well... *ah* Mister Havel. What fun shall we have today?"
"Feeling comfortable?"
>you hold Solaire's sword out above the table
>"You're gosh darn r-ahhhhhhhhh!"
>you simple dropped the blade and let gravity do it's work
>Solaire always makes sure his blade is sharp enough to cut through any flesh if need be
>you're glad at least some things don't change
>the weight of the blade is all you need to cleanly cut through part of the changeling's foreleg
>only the tip went through it's bug-like "skin"
>the pool of green blood on the table is a sure sign of a very, very deep cut
>"F-for what purpose?!"
"Hmm?"
>"You... you cut right through my foreleg! Chrysalis darn it, this will take so many positive emotions to heal..."
"Good, now I know you can't normally heal."
>"?!"
>you grab a nearby folding chair and take a seat across from the panicked changeling, who seems to be more than fine holding it's injured limb while it stays in it's seat
"You see, I've been given the great privilege of being your new interrogator."
>"B-but... your rules state-"
"Do you really think I'm with Celestia's army? I'm just a simple freelancer for them. I don't abide by their rules, little one."
>"Which... means..."
>you can see the changeling piecing everything together in it's head
>which means any second now, it will hide in the corner and cower in fear
>that's something you don't want to happen
>yet
"Ah ah, I suggest you don't move from your seat. Let's set some rules, shall we?"
>you can tell it's not going to listen
>oh well, at least you can give it false hope
"Hold out your hoof"
>"No way!"
>you take out your chime and show it to the creature
"You know what this is already, so I don't need to explain what I'm about to do."
>right away, you can see it's gaze on your chime, signifying it's knowledge of your equipment
"Now, hold out your hoof."
>the changeling finally complies and puts his bleeding forearm out
>you quickly cast a healing miracle and tend to the wound
>in a flash, it's cut closes and leaves him just as it was when you walked in
>however, you're cautious as to why it doesn't look surprised by all this
>"Is that all?"
"..."
>"You just cut me up and heal me? What the heck will that accomplish?"
"I now know that your kind can be healed like any other race."
>"...And that matters... why?"
"Any information counts. now, for some rules."
>you slam your chime on the table to make sure it's paying attention
"One: you will not leave that seat. Failure to comply will result in me crushing your bones with my own weapon."
>you pick up Solaire's sword and place it by your side
"Two: you will not lie under any circumstances. Failure to tell the truth will end with me hitting you over the head with my greatshield."
>you take off your helmet and place it gently onto the ground while looking directly into the frightened changeling's eyes
"Three: as of now, you will not avert your gaze from my eyes. You will continue to look at me, and the only time you will fail to look into my eyes is when you blink. Failure to do so and I will simply add up a point tally. Reach five points, and I cut you open with this sword."
>even though it's still smiling, you can tell how afraid it is just from it's eyes
>this shouldn't take long to get any information you want out of it
"Do you understand?"
>"I... yes."
"Good, now let's get started."
>as you say that, you flip the table right over it's head and stand up
>it certainly wasn't expecting that one, considering it managed to already stop looking at you for a split second
"One point."
>"What?!"
"I saw you look at the table instead of me. One point."
>you start to pace yourself, making sure the changeling doesn't avert it's eyes
"What did you tell the interrogation pony?"
>"Well... nothing besides where we got into the castle from. That's all that really got by, other than my snide comments..."
>judging by it's voice, you can conclude the honesty in that sentence
"Good. Now, is what you said the truth?"
>"Yeah, it was the truth. There's nothing else over there besides a flaw in the castle's detection barrier."
"hmm..."
>*smack!*
>your greatshield meets it's cranium as you bring down your mighty slab of rock on it's head
>"Ow... why... sweet Chrysalis... why?"
"I said not to lie. I only asked one question, and yet you went on a tangent about the whole thing. You simply don't want me to pry into that subject, so you try to reassure the validity of your previous statement."
>"B-but..."
"Two points now."
>"Oh come on!"
"You failed to look at me when I hit you over the head. Two points."
>"Darn you..."
>again, you start walking around the changeling, always keeping an eye on it
>it turns in it's seat to make sure it meets your gaze
>absolute attention is what you want, and that's what you're getting
"Now then, tell me why you told that guard about your precious infiltration point?"
>"Uh..."
>you lift your greatshield again at it's silence
>"I-its... normally just a point where we get in, but... we have a plan there."
"Oh?"
>"Yeah... I was deliberately left here. It wasn't my choice, but they told me the plan, and I followed through..."
>you take your eyes off of the changeling for a second to look at the mirror on the wall
>hopefully your friend understands and acts upon this new information as you make more progress
>in the corner of your eye, you can tell the changeling is still looking at you diligently
>you look back to it and continue your icy stare
"And that was for you to give us all the information they wanted us to know?"
>"They didn't really think this through, in my opinion. Although, maybe they didn't think you would get me to talk this much."
"I see... you're being awfully compliant, aren't you? A change of heart?"
>"Heck no! You'll just hit me over the head if I lie!"
>it's not wrong
"Great, then you understand what I want from you. At least we're in agreement on that."
>you pretend to be lost in thought as you think of a new question
>after several seconds of fooling the changeling, you snap your fingers
>as you expected, it flinched at the sound, closing it's eyes
"First off, three points. Second, what were your comrades planning when the Royal guard went to investigate the gardens?"
>"Uh... we... maybe have... had some of our guys hide in wait for people to arrive."
"What for?"
>"I don't know why, but they wanted to kidnap some of the ponies and take them to our hive."
"...And you sure you don't know why?"
>"Hey, they barely tell me anything! I'm a new recruit, darn it!"
>you give it's face a quick jab, hopefully refreshing it's memory a bit
>sadly, it manages to keep it's eyes open, even as the blow connects
>"Come on, I said I don't know!"
>the fear in it's voice is all you need to hear
>it truly does not know the reason behind the potential kidnapping
"Now, I'm hoping you know where these changelings are hiding, no?"
>"Y-yeah... in the bush near the entrance. They'll strike from right there. It might not go well, but-"
>*whack!*
>you can see a crack in the changeling's horn now
"Tell me the real hiding spot."
>"Fine, fine, there's one changeling in each of the rose bushes! We thought no one would look in these places because of all the vines!"
"And you would pluck the ponies from their search, one by one, no?"
>"Yes..."
>you see it close it's eyes as it looks down, getting exhausted from the beating and the fury in your eyes staring it down
"Four points now."
>"Whatever... at least I'll die and not have to live with the guilt of betraying my platoon."
>you let it sit there and avert your gaze for a little while longer
>actually, you decide to let this play out for much longer
>you may have a use for that "last point"
>you may have figured out it's little scheme, but there's still one last piece of information you want
>however, this may require a bit more fear
"I'm glad you've been so helpful in eradicating the rest of the changelings in the castle. Maybe I'll let you live after all."
>it doesn't respond to you
"However... there's one more piece of information I want."
>you grab the seat you used before and sit yourself down a meter away from the changeling
"But... I can't seem to remember what that is."
>that get's it's attention
>"Are you kidding me?"
"Not at all."
>you're lying
"I need to jog my memory... perhaps I should occupy my time by trying to perfect a technique my good friend has learned."
>"W-what?"
>you take Solaire's sword and hold the blade in front of you, making the tip of the sword face the floor
"I do remember my friend being able to perfectly balance this sword on it's tip. I've always wanted to see if I could do such a thing as well."
>you gently let the sword touch the ground and try to stabilize it's balance with one hand
"Its no easy feat, but I'm sure I can manage."
>soon enough, the changeling begins to look at you attempt to do an impossible task
>just then, you let go of the sword and let it fall to the ground
>it falls towards the direction of the changeling, but it misses and passes by it, only inches from possibly doing any damage
"Drat, failed again. I can never get this right..."
>you can hear heavy breathing as you slam your foot on the hilt of the blade, causing it to bounce up and allow you to catch the sword with your hands
>your armor is more than enough to deny almost any damage cause by this sword
>after that, you try to balance the sword again, attempting the same futile goal you pretend to have in mind
"I hope you understand the... gravity... of the situation."
>and just like that, the heavy breathing deepens as it realizes what might happen if you continue
"I'm sure I'll get it in time... but why not try now instead of later?"
>again, you let go, "thinking" you've accomplished your mission now
>sadly, it falls again, this time aiming directly for the changeling's head
>right before the sword makes contact, you reach out and catch it before any fatal harm is done
"Oh my... I've never been able to catch it before it falls before. I doubt I'll be able to pull that off again."
>you take up the sword and repeat your actions, failing on purpose every time and letting the sword fall in all sorts of directions
>after several "mistakes," you snap your finger, getting the changeling's attention
"Ah, that's it! I remember what my silly old question was."
>even though all of this, the changeling has not begun staring into your eyes again
"Alright, changeling, the only thing I want to know is..."
>you truly hope it knows the answer to this...
"What is the secret behind Dyna's powers?"
>"Whaaaaaat?!"
>it really springs to life as the changeling stares at you in utter disbelief and absolute terror
>that's it
>it must know how her powers work
>which means it might know her weakness
"Yes, that changeling commander of yours. Surely you know how your own commander's powers work, no?"
>"I-I-I..."
"I'll take that as a yes. by all means, take as much time as you need. Just remember, if you look away one more time, you will die a slow death."
>sweat beings to drip from it's face... somehow
"In the mean time, I will not give up in my efforts to master this strange technique."
>this is it
>the moment of absolute truth
>you've made up these rules, shown how much you're willing to harm it, and show just how easy it would be to end it's life
>the changeling will break from this pressure of everything going on around it
>it must break
>the changeling is clearly trying to think of a way out of this. The amount of thoughts going through it's head is readable by it's constant shaking, bloodshot eyes showing it;s green blood, and it's breathing starting to sound like the changeling being choked by the air itself
>all the ways it starts to get up from it's seat, only to drop back down because of your rule, trying to maintain it's vision of your eyes, and it trying not to look at your very intimidating sword, which is standing so close it it's body right now
>in fact, you can see it's horn trying to light up, but the tiny magic inhibitor is preventing any use it possibly has
>it has no options
>either talk or die slowly
"Well, are you going to talk or not?"
>"S-s-she... h-has..."
"What's it going to be, changeling? Talk or die, changeling? Talk..."
>you pierce the floor with the sword by a centimeter
>"...or die?!"
>the changeling starts drooling as it tries to maintan what little composure it has left
>it will break in five
>four
>three
>two
>one...
>"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I'll taaaaaaaaaalk!"
>during that shouting session, it tips back in it's chair, breaking it's sight from you, and falls to the floor
>it quickly starts crawling towards the corner and tries to hide it's eyes from you
>that's it
>you completely broke him
>you get up from your seat, let the blade drop to the floor, walk over to the changeling, kneel down, and flick it's horn with your finger
>it barely reacts as it slowly opens it's eyes
"Now... talk."

>You are Havel the Rock
>and its finally time to find out what makes that Dyna changeling so invincible
>"A-alright... you know how s-she's always able to t-take any b-b-blow to her body l-like its nothing, r-right?"
>its stuttering... a lot
>this doesn't seem right
"Yes. There is nothing anyone can do to harm her. Why is this?"
>you can hear heavy breathing as you notice something odd happening with it's eyes
>its seems to be losing any and all color it has
>the blue in it's eyes seems to be flickering between grey and it's original color
>"Heh... there's n-nothing that can k-keep her from d-doing what she d-does... however... *gasp*"
>its... dieing
>it's life is slowly fading away right before your very eyes
>you can't let that happen...
"No... not now... hey, wake up!"
>"*gasp* she's... not c-completely invincible. S-she never is... that armor of hers a-always has a weakness a-at all times..."
>you see it close it's eyes and take one more breath
"Not now! Stay with me!"
>you break out your chime and cast a great healing miracle, hopefully sustaining it's life for a little longer
>as the miracle seeps in, you see it open it's eyes once more, but with more grey than blue now
"What's the secret?! How can we kill that wretched thing!"
>"T-the secret... is... her... form..."
>as he finally reveals that last bit of information, you see the light completely fade from it's eyes, leaving a dull grey behind
>it doesn't even close its eyes as it lies there, breathless
>his last words...
"Her form..."
>*slam!*
>you hear the door behind you burst open
>"Havel!"
>Solaire leans over you and gazes upon the deceased changeling
>"What happened to it?!"
>you stand up and gaze at the corpse in front of you
"It seems it's out of power. It feeds on emotions, no?"
>Solaire immediately crouches down and picks up the dead changeling and holds him in his arms
>"I see... he managed to talk as well. He gave us much needed information. This changeling does not deserve death..."
>does not deserve death?
>did your friend just say that?
>"He needs positive emotions..."
"Don't tell me..."
>Solaire turns to look at you with clear anger in his eyes
>"He does not need to die. Not every enemy needs to face death at our hands, Havel."
"What the..."
>you take a step back and lean yourself against the wall
"It's our enemy, Solaire. I have no doubt in my mind that it would have no problem taking your life to further it's queen's goals."
>"And we must show the same malice intent?"
>Solaire stands up, still carrying the emotionally starved changeling
>"These have taught me very valuable things over the time I've been here."
"Is letting the enemy walk all over you one of them?"
>"No. Back in Lordran, we would always execute any and all who would oppose Lord Gwyn. Even if they were willing to worship him, any man, woman, or child under the rule of another kingdom would suffer a gruesome fate."
"...Yes, and?"
>Solaire forcefully steps towards you and almost clashes his helmet against yours
>"Do you think the ponies here have done the same, exactly like us?! They were not meant to wage war, Havel. Equestria is a land of peace."
"Which means we should let all of our foes live while they cut us down, hmm? You didn't seem to mind fighting back while we were in those canyons."
>"Self-Defense. I fought because I would have been slain if I didn't. That's a natural part of war, and there's absolutely no denying that..."
>Solaire breaks his gaze from you and looks towards the deceased changeling
>"But if we can befriend those willing to listen to reason, or maybe even help our enemy outside of battle, then maybe... we can recruit them onto our side."
"You mean... betrayal?"
>*whack!*
>Solaire punches your helmet with enough force to cock your head back, causing it to bounce off the wall as well
>"You still don't get it! Imagine, Havel, a time when changelings can trot amongst everypony in Canterlot. A possibility of letting them live and allowing them to co-exist with us. Of course, we need to fight for it... but death isn't the only answer."
>you can see some blue energy radiate from Solaire
>"The history of Equestria is full of these moments. The Griffon empire, once a solitary province, even with it's immense greed, still managed to join Equestria with so little bloodshed. Only dozens died as an outcome, but we gained so many more allies through diplomacy and reasoning."
>the changeling begins to glow as well while Solaire seems to burn brighter and brighter
>"I'm not asking you to lay down your weapons, and neither am I going to sheath my sword as I stare into death itself in the form of my enemy... but I only ask for one thing from you, Havel."
"And... that would be...?
>"Hope."
>"*cough* *cough*"
>the changeling in Solaire's arms suddenly springs to life, with it's full blue color back in it's eyes
"How the hell..."
>after it's coughing fit ceases, it looks up at Solaire with confusion in it's eyes
>"How the.. you just... why?"
>"Not everyone needs to die, little one."
>in an instant, the changeling jumps up and folds it's forelegs around Solaire's body
>"Mercy... thank you for showing mercy."
>Solaire looks up at you, not with anger, but with content
>"You hear that, Havel? Mercy."
>Mercy...
>"You might want to use that every once and a while."
"...Yes, yes, that's quite alright. Now that the changeling is alive and well, I need to know more about it's commander!"
>The changeling grips Solaire and tries to hide it's face from you
>"I think you may have done enough as it is. You've learned enough for one day, Havel. Even in Lordran, we would let our captives rest so that we may not kill them before we get all of it's information. Hopefully you can at least understand that."
"..."
>Solaire has changed
>he's no longer about battle, force, and tenacity
>Solaire is an endless offspring of kindness and compassion, comprised of these ponies' natural tendencies of Love and Friendship
>his fighting spirit, and his will to fight with his sword, has become secondary objective in his strive towards Equestria winning this war
>or maybe Solaire hasn't change... maybe...
>war... has changed
>"Havel."
>you snap back into reality as you see Solaire sitting down on one of the chairs as he continues to hold the changeling
>"I will have a talk with this changeling. It still needs more positive emotions, and, from the looks of it, as long as I'm willing to provide, it doesn't seem to be draining me at all."
"And as for me?"
>"I have sent Catacus to the barracks to help really up some of our troops. Both him and Celestia know of their trap, but I think it would be best if you joined them."
>you walk towards your greatshield you left on the floor as you voice your opinion on this
"I do not think its wise to leave you alone down here with that thing."
>"Do not fret, I will be fine. I have little doubt in my abilities to handle myself in case of emergency."
"Well I do. Judging by how conniving these creatures are, they might be able to steal your emotions from you instead."
>Solaire reaches down and points towards a hidden dagger on his belt
>"And I will be prepared for that, now go. It would be for the best if we apprehended those infiltrators now instead of later."
>Soalire's mind is really set on keeping that damn bug alive
>you decide to let Solaire go through with his own request and leave him be
>you know for a fact that once Solaire puts his mind to something, not even a dragon can make him stray from his path
>even though its against your own thoughts, you make your way back up through the dungeons
>maybe killing these changelings will help ease your mind

>You are Havel the Rock
>and you are now standing in front of a dozen or so pegasus ponies
>near the entrance of the gardens
>armed to the teeth with armor, shields, and spears
"So, you're the ones who volunteered to engage the enemy, hmm?"
>they all nod silently as a few of them ready their weapons, eager to fight
"Good, you're all showing enthusiasm. Maybe you won't simply take a magical blast and die after all."
>you turn around and face the large door leading outside of the castle
"I'm sure you all know of the current situation, yes?"
>one of the mares actually speak up
>"A bunch of creepy changelings are hiding in rose bushes and we're supposed to take them out?"
"Correct. Find any and all changelings and kill them off... or maybe even capture them alive. Another prisoner is always welcome in the dungeons... but first."
>you swiftly turn around again and point towards the platoon
"Trot in place right now!"
>they all look at each other in deep confusion
>"Uh... sir?"
"I gave you an order. I... take orders from Celestia, and I will not have anypony here question me. Now, get to it!"
>you stomp your foot on the castle grounds, finally convincing the soldiers to do as you demanded
>although, they don't seem to be trying all that hard to trot in their spots
"Faster."
>again, a little bit more effort is put in, but still not enough
"Faster, damn you!"
>you pull out your weapon and point towards the crowd, really getting them riled up enough to trot in place as if they're running for their lives
>soon enough, you notice them start to sweat and breathe a little harder
"Alright, that's enough. Cease trotting."
>in an instant, they do as you asked, but not without voicing their concerns
>"What the heck was that for?!"
>"Shouldn't we be preparing to fight?"
>"Eww, I'm getting all sweaty..."
"And that's precisely the point."
>you point behind yourself, towards the door
"We can't let them realize we're coming for them. Instead, we need a way to get close to them without scaring them off."
>again, a mare in the crowd questions you
>"Then why did we do all that trotting just now?"
"Simple. You're all going to holster your weapons and walk out there, pretending to be exhausted. Engage in conversation, talk about the 'recent training' you all went through, and wander near the rose bushes in pairs. Its just a little way of taking a walk to ease your thoughts."
>"Uh... then what?"
"I will wait here as you all take your positions. On my signal, you and your partner will take up arms... er... forelegs... and skewer your weapons into the bushes. I will join you all and assist with any other changelings who were not fooled by our plan."
>"No way! That's a terrible plan!"
"Tell me, soldiers, would you all really want to charge in on an enemy hiding, ready to pounce on any threat that shows up?"
>the silence is all you need to confirm their answer
"Then you will abide by this strategy. Now, form up, find a partner, and prepare to fight. Quickly, though. I do not wish for any of you to seem as though you're not fatigued in any way. Best to fool the enemy as much as possible without sacrificing combat potential."
>within a minute, the pegasus ponies line up in pairs of two, ready to march forward
"Ready."
>you get to the side of the door and hide behind it
"Set..."
>the soldiers put on their most casual faces... which don't seem casual at all and try to relax
"Take a walk, rookies."

>You are Havel the Rock
>and you hope to Gwyn that this platoon doesn't blow their cover
>above all, you came across one problem right as they marched out into the field
>you can't watch them get into position without giving your own position away
>these changelings would immediately see you coming towards them, put two and two together, and realize the counter attack you have planned
>you just really hope you can count on these ponies
>"Wow, I suuuure am glad Mister Havel let us WALK in this GAR-DEN without FOL-LOW-ING us."
>"I agree, Tide Swift. We sure did a lot of TRAINING. I don't think I can fight an opponent right now, EVEN if it costs me my LIFE."
>...you've lost all hope in the operation
>this can't go well
>you think deeply for a plan that will make up for your foolish mistake
>how could such a foolish fool foolishly conjure up a foolish plan as foolishly foolish as this...
>"Havel?"
>your thoughts are broken as you stare at an orange pony in front of you
"Oh... good day, Flare Sentinel."
>"Relax, just call me Flare. I was meaning to talk to you about something..."
"Flare, this isn't the best time for-"
>"No, I'm serious! What I said during training a few days ago... I was out of line."
"Flare, I'm in the middle of-"
>"I didn't mean to get so mad... but what you did was just..."
>you reach out and put your hand over his mouth
"Flare. I. Am. Busy."
>you take your hand off, hoping he finally got the message
>"Oh... sorry for interrupting you."
>hopefully he will leave you alone as you try to figure out, at least, a way of getting a good look at the ponies you sent out there without getting seen...
>a good way to look without getting seen...
"Wait, Flare!"
>he stops in his tracks and swiftly turns around
>"Yes?"
"There is something you can do to make up for... your heinous actions!"
>"Y-yes?"
>you point towards the gardens
"I need you to tell me if there are ponies out there standing next to some rose bushes."
>"...Why?"
"No time, just do it!"
>"Hey, I'm not going to mindlessly follow orders without some context."
"You insubordinate... We're planning an offensive on changelings waiting to ambush anypony who walks into these gardens. I need to know if my soldiers are in position."
>"Really now... alright, I'll give you the word."
>Flare takes a peek outside, surveying the landscape before finally responding
>"They're in position."
"Truly?"
>"Yup, they're sitting next to those rose bushes without a care in the world."
>you take out your weapons and ready yourself for battle
"Good. Maybe you can help as well, Flare. On my mark, we will rush out into the fields as your comrades attempt to apprehend the changelings. Keep an eye out for anyone struggling and assist them. Understand?"
>"You got it, boss."
>you stand next to the door and cast a simple magic barrier over yourself and your ally
"Now, on my mark. Three... Two... One..."
>you jump out of cover and point your weapons forward
"Attack!!!"
>you sprint forward, ready to run at any targets in your path
>no changeling will leave this-
"What?"
>you feel something restraining you from moving forward
>someone is holding onto your dragon tooth
>you turn around to see... Flare?"
"Flare Sentinel, what are you-"
>you are cut off as you are sent flying backwards and right back into the castle
>soon enough, you eventually land on a nearby staircase with your weapon sent even more behind you, up the set of stairs
>as you try to access the situation, you hear Flare laughing around you
>"Ha ha! Oh, that was too good. I can't believe you fell for that one!"
"Fell.. for what?"
>you see magic circle around his forehead as the doors in front of you shut tightly
"...Magic?"
>"Wait... you seriously haven't realized? Wowie, and I thought you were dumb before! Now... I gotta hoof it to you, you may be smart enough to be a stupid drone!"
>drone
>that tone of voice
>that strength he had...
"Wait... it can't be."
>"Oh screw it, I'll just show you."
>the small green magic that was around him erupts into a vibrant color, circling his entire body
>in a flash, the magic dissipates, leaving behind...
>no
>no no no
>that damn armor and large horn
"You... you!"
>"Ta da! Happy to see me again?"
>the changeling that can stand up to any foe in her path
>the one who can withstand any attack thrown at her
"Dyna..."
>"And don't you forget it! You know, I gotta say, your plan would've worked too! Sadly, I just happened to be passing by when I saw you leaning against that wall."
"It was... a coincidence?"
>she lets out a laugh and begins to walk towards you
>"I know, right? Like, what're the odds! you looked super serious, so I knew something was up. Glad to see you spilled the beans to me! Damn, I'm good."
>the slow hoof steps getting louder and louder invoke a sense you can never get used to
>one you almost never truly feel
>fear
>you reach to your side and look for your weapon, only to remember where it now lies
>in your panic, you hold up your greatshield in a desperate attempt to defend yourself
>"...Really? Come on, are you really out of options?"
>just as you hear the hoof steps stop, a sense of dread falls over you as your shield is lifted out of your arms and levitates over your head
>*wham!*
>the greatshield is forcefully dropped down on you, delivering a heavy blow to your head
>thankfully, your helmet was designed in case of aerial attacks, so the damage was minor
>"You know, I've noticed a pattern. I find you, you're surprised, you try to defend yourself, and I-"
>*wham!*
>"Am left here-"
>*Bam!*
>"Bored!"
>after a few more hits, she scoops you up from the ground with your greatshield and throws you across the room, near the big doors
>you land with your back against the wall, wincing in pain from the fall
>"Actually... this kinda applies to everyone. The Queen made a right choice when she gave me these weirdo powers."
>as you fight through the pain, you crawl towards the doors and try to pry them open
>"Uh... its locked. Why would I leave them open? Those ponies should be fighting my platoon by now, and I can't exactly let them come to you for aid, right?"
>realizing its futile, you get up, run to the windows and throw a good punch to break it open...
>only you nearly crack your fingers as you fail to even put a crack in the glass
>Dyna's laughter wisps through the air at your failed attempt at escape
>"Oh my Chrysalis! I was waiting for that part, and gosh, it was worth it! I was hoping you would dive at the window... but still, hilarious!"
"Rahhhhh!"
>fed up with her antics, you run up to her and deliver a haymaker right to her horn
>"..."
"..."
>"..."
"..."
>"..."
"...Make it quick."
>"Hmm... nah."
>your body is quickly enveloped in the changeling's filthy magic, causing you to float in the air above her
>not even your magic barrier can halt her magic
>wait... is she struggling to hold you up?
"Are you going to continue toying with a man who poses no threat to you?"
>"Well, when you put it that way..."
"Just be done with it, you son of a-"
>just then, you feel magic become concentrated around your throat
>you can't feel air breathing into your lungs
>she cut off your air supply
>"What was that? I didn't catch that last part."
>you gasp for air, paying no attention to Dyna's taunts
>you don't have much time
>soon enough, you will die from lack of oxygen
>"Eh... must have not been that important. Oh well, I'm sure the Queen will be fine with a few less soldiers getting ready to siege the hive."
>your vision is getting blurry
>you're feeling less and less of your body
>you deeply wonder if this truly is the end
>that there's nothing you can do to prevent your death
>in fact, you find this ironic
>in Lordran, you often thought of this as salvation
>a way to beat the curse
>if only that wasn't the case now
>"Sweet dreams, Havel the R-"
>right as you were about to pass out, you are let go of the magic around and within you and fall to the ground
>something must have freed you
>the only thing you were able to make out was some kind of energy in front of you
>...a dark energy

>You are Havel the Rock
>and you are still alive, somehow
>a mass of dark energy must have knocked you loose from Dyna's grasp, you're sure of it
>even with your blurred vision, you cannot mistake that color in magical form
>but, the question is, who could have used it?
>while you are taking deep breathes to make up for the lack of oxygen, you sit up to access the situation
>"Alright, who's the wise guy who hit me with that thing?!"
>"I did."
"?!"
>that voice
>you look in the direction you heard that voice, only to gaze upon the large man walking down the flight of stairs
"Sir Artorias!"
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14gA4R4e-cU
>your savior was none other than the legendary knight who you rescued from impending doom
>however... he does not seem to be in any pain in every step he takes
>and... his left arm.
>he is wielding his greatsword in his previously injured limb
>has he truly recovered from such severe injuries in that short amount of time?!
>"Bishop Havel."
>Artorias raises his right hand, which is currently wielding your dragon tooth
>"Take your weapon back..."
>he throws the weapon in your direction with little effort, allowing you to catch it without fail
>"And prepare for combat."
>you fumble a bit as you stand up straight
"Are you mad?! This changeling is... is... what the?"
>you look towards the seemingly invincible changeling, only to see a small burn mark on it's body
>Artorias... damaged Dyna
>he's done what you thought was impossible
>"We do not cower from combat, no?"
>"Oh, its that nearly dead guy that has helped us oh so much! ...Aren't you supposed to be in a wheelchair or something?"
>she was damaged by magic...
>"And aren't you supposed to be helping your personal army of changelings outside?"
>the changeling said... the secret of her weakness... is in her form
>Dyna bursts into laughter as Artorias finishes his descent down the long flight of stairs
>"R-really? You think those wimps can take care of US?! I mean, come on, you can hear their screams right now!"
>"Are you sure those are the screams or your enemies? You obviously know of me, meaning you know of my trusted companion, no?"
>"...Crap!"
>her form... she withstood every physical attack thrown at her while she was using magic
>Dyna flinches back, but tries her best to keep her composure
>"Meh, I can handle you all without them anyway. Never understood why the great Dyna needed an army. The Queen must have wanted me to train them or something."
>"Such carelessness for your fellow soldiers of war..."
>She's shown a different form, one without her magic, but instead with wings...
>"Fellow Soldiers? Ha! They're a dime a dozen. They don't mean anything to us, so long as they serve our goal."
>"And what if your Queen did the same for you? You are clearly beneath her, so would she not feel the same towards you? What if you were truly left behind to die."
>for once, instead of taking anything you threw at her, she opted to dodge while in that form...
>"As if! I'm one of her most trusted officers! She would never do such a thing to a higher up such as myself."
>"Then you will never feel the pain you've brought upon your own comrades in arms."
>Artorias points his sword and the cruel changeling
>"Nobody such as yourself should ever lead their men into battle."
>magic harmed her while she was using magic herself...
>"Are you kidding me? I'm the best there is!"
>Dyna's form shines brightly as red wings erupt from her body as her horn dissipates into nothing
>"There's no changeling more suited for the job! I don't care if you're using your stupid magic, I can't lose to any living creature in all of Equestria!"
>she needed to dodge your physical attacks while she possessed no magic at all...
>"Then what are you waiting for? If you truly wish to kill us, then what is stopping you?"
>"Grrrrr... you're just asking for it, aren't you?!"
>that's... that's it!
>the secret of her powers are...
>as Dyna continues to become more and more agitated by Artorias' words, you charge at her without any fear in your heart, ready to finally test your theory
>you swing your mighty weapon as hard as you can, attempting to knock her clear across the room
>sadly, just as your weapon is about to connect, she jumps right over your attack
>you expected this as a possibility, however, as you use the momentum of your swing to wind up a devastating punch to her body
>miraculously, the attack actually made an impact, sending Dyna a few meters away from you and right onto the ground
>you... damaged Dyna
>you figured it out
>"What was that for?!"
>as Dyna struggles to get back up, you bring your weapon over your shoulders and point at the area to damaged
"Here I thought you were an entity that knew no harm. An invincible foe who knew no limits. The mark left on you is now a permanent reminder of one very important aspect about you."
>Artorias walks up to you and stands proudly next to you, ready to fight along side you
"You are just like the rest of us. Magic will still burn you, as will my weapon succeed in breaking your bones."
>"Heh heh... and how to you know that?"
"Because, Dyna, I've finally figured you out. Your forms of combat, be it horned or winged, may only protect you from one type of attack at a time. To harm you, we need to use your own strength against you. In other words, fight fire with fire."
>"You... you can't be serious!"
>"So all we need to do is change our tactics based on her abilities?"
"Correct. You are obviously capable of dark magic, no?"
>"I hate to admit it, but yes."
"Then I will rely on you for your magic."
>"Wait..."
>Artorias takes out his talisman and starts channeling a strange incantation you've never seen before
>"Hold out your weapon."
>you comply with his request, allowing his talisman to make contract with your dragon tooth
>within seconds, your weapon begins to glow with dark energy
"Hmm... thank you."
>"Get ready, our foe seems ready to fight."
>you hold your newly strengthened weapon tightly as you gaze upon Dyna, who's anger is clearly strung across her face
>"No... I'm Dyna. The changeling who can't be killed. I'm not going to let some dumb monkeys think they're better than me."
>you see her take flight and hover high towards the ceiling
>"I'm going to have fun killing you two!"
>she starts to swoop down and go for an attack
>"Die!"

>You are Havel the Rock
>and STRIFE
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V8l_jY0edo
>the enraged changeling flare's its wings in an attempt to cut right through your armor
>you shield, however, says otherwise
>jumping towards Dyna, you push your shield forward and stop her descent onto you two
>upon impact, she quickly recovers and grabs hold of your defensive weapon
>you and Dyna struggle with it, until she uses her gift of flight to start lifting you into the air
>"Let go!"
>as you continue to hold on, you see a shadow cover the both of you
>you look above, only to see Artorias spring into action, quite literally, and swing his sword downwards onto the both of you
>just before impact, a flash of light signifies Dyna's change in form
>you both fall to the floor, and upon landing, Artorias' greatsword makes a direct blow to Dyna, but to no avail
>"Ha, gotcha, you big, stupid-"
>a burst of dark energy erupts from above you, blasting the changeling off of you, allowing you to get back up
>as you ready yourself again for combat, you see Artorias give pursuit to the changeling
>Artorias' talisman glows with an awesome power as orbs of dark energy form around the legendary knight
>you give chase to the two fighters, but as you get closer, those glowing orbs begin to rush towards the newly recovered changeling
>she quickly changes forms to deflect the blow, but Artorias sees right through her plan and swings his sword with incredible speed
>the orbs connect, and just as it seems Artorias was about to cut her in two, she ducks, letting the sword go right over her
>without hesitation, the knight swiftly swings his sword downwards in another attempt to end the changeling's life
>sadly, she rolls out of the way, but not before his blade makes a large cut on her left side
>during all of this, you've finally caught up to them and catch Dyna finishing her little roll, and ending up almost right next to you
>you ready your dragon tooth, grip it with both of your hands, and swing with all of your might
>somehow, she didn't see it coming, allowing your attack to make direct contact with her body
>a satisfying crack is heard as she gets sent flying towards the wall
>however, Artorias is quick to react as he sprints towards where she will make impact and thrusts his sword forward, ready to impale Dyna
>sadly, just as she hits the wall, she changes forms again and Arotrias' greatsword simply bounces off the physically immune changeling
>as you rush in to assist, Dyna's horn lets out a huge burst of magic, hitting Artorias in the chest and sending him a few meters backwards
>Dyna starts to charge another blast, but you manage to catch her attention as you swing your mighty weapon down on her, causing her to dodge and interrupt her channeling
>your weapon makes contact with the floor, emitting a small wave of dark energy
>upon seeing this, you suddenly get an idea
>as you wind your weapon back up, you take out your chime and hold it forward as you start channeling a miracle
>Dyna starts to chuckle as she changes forms to block the inevitable magic attack
>you finish channeling your miracle and let it loose, showing her the immense power of...
>your Great Magic Barrier
>you notice a look of confusion on the changelings face as she tries to figure out what just happened
>swiftly, you capitalize on this by swinging your weapon forward, hopefully making contact with her body yet again
>just as its about to hit, however, she changes forms yet again to block the blow
>...and that's exactly what you wanted
>as your weapon connects with her armor, the force of the impact does not phase her
>however, the magic coming from your weapon has a different story to tell
>the darkness seeps into her armor and clearly starts to burn from within, making a few burnt holes across her attire
>your victory is short lived, however, as her horn begins to channel with her normal green magic and... a familiar type of magic
>the same magic Artorias currently uses...
>Dyna turns her head and points that infernal horn in your direction
>*crash!*
>in an instant, a wave of green and black energy washes over you, searing your armor and forcing you against the wall next to the door to the gardens
>after several seconds, the magic ends, leaving you damaged
>if it wasn't for your magic barrier, you would have surely perished
>"Alright! I've had enough of you, dammit!"
>you look up and see Dyna in her winged form, charging at you with incredible speed while showing an incredible amount of anger on her face
>seeing this attack, you attempt to pry yourself from the small hole you made
>much to your dismay, you lack the time needed to do so, and instead opt to withstand the force of the upcoming blow
>you were expecting Dyna to cut through you with your wings, however, she rams into you head first instead
>it must be due to a fit of rage
>"Why?!"
>she removes her head from the dent she made in your armor and starts to punch your chest
>"Why won't you die?!"
>the immense power and speed coming from each blow starts to chip away at your armor
>even the wall behind you begins to crack more and more
>"To Tartarus with your armor, your weapons, and all of your meddling!"
>her swift attacks become even more and more violent, causing you to cough up some blood
>"To Tartarus with the Queen's orders!"
>she finally stops, but only to wind up one more attack
>"And most of all, to Tartarus with y- Ah!"
>the only thing you see in your vision at the moment is the tip of a sword about to make contact with your head
>after a few seconds, the blade backs off, giving you vision of Dyna
>"Your evil deeds end here."
>"Why... you..."
>Artorias currently stand behind her, using his sword to hold Dyna in place with a clean stab through her body
>"I do believe this fight is over."
>"Not yet... I have not... come this far... to die now!"
>you muster up any and all willpower you have to begin removing yourself from the wall
>as you free your arms, you see Dyna change forms while still hanging from Artorias' sword
>"No... I'm not the one... who's going to die here!"
>you see Dyna's horn begin to glow a dark aura, clearly drawing in an immense amount of power
>with your greatshield still in your hand, you cover yourself, bracing for impact
>"Burn!"
>in an instant, you feel yourself get pushed back, breaking the wall behind you
>after seconds of "flight", you land on the ground, noticing dirt fly into the air around you
>you're almost baffled at how you're still alive
>your Great Magic Barrier has saved your life far too many times at this point
>taking the shield off first, you lift your body up, allowing you to gaze upon the damage done
>a large portion of the castle walls have been decimated, leaving an injured changeling in the middle of the rubble
>you can see dark energy radiating off of her body, showing just how much power she truly holds within her
>"Sir!"
>you look to your left to see several of the ponies you gave orders to before all of this
>some of them are covered in green blood
>"Are you alright, Sir?"
>"We got them all, sir! That dog really helped us out."
>"What happened to the wall?!"
>you look back at Dyna, who finally looked up at you, giving you a gaze that could kill someone
>the sheer anger within her eyes...
>and its all pointed at you
>"Whoa! Is that a changeling?!"
>"Sir Havel, we'll take it from here!"
>they all march in front of you and point their weapons towards the enraged changeling
>they don't stand a chance, especially with her being in her magic form
>you have to stop them
"No... stay back..."
>you don't think they heard you at all
>your voice was too weak
>right now, you may be to weak to fight...
>"Come on, you stupid bug! Come get some!"
"Please... do not throw away... your lives..."
>you see Dyna's horn begin to shine with green energy
>at that moment, one of the soldiers in front leaps forward, spreading her wings and points her spear right at her head
"No!"
>it was too late
>Dyna had fired a green blast of energy, enveloping the naive pegasus in an intense green fire
>she landed on the ground, motionless as the fired slowly consumed her
>you let someone on your watch die in front of you...
>"Sweet Celestia! What as that?!"
>"It just killed... it killed..."
>"Hey, we can't let that changeling get away with this!"
>you can't let another soldier lose their life in front of you
>you grab your dragon tooth and try to lift yourself up into a standing position, leaning against your weapon for support
"Everyone, get back!"
>you see two more pegasi take flight, coming at Dyna from both sides
>the enraged changeling, who doesn't even move a muscle, quickly charges up another magical attack and fires and orb above herself
>it lays there, motionless as the two soldiers go in for the kill
>as they draw near, the orb shines for a second until it splits into two, shooting off towards both the pegasus ponies
>just like last time, the two catch on fire, quickly losing their lives as the fires consume their bodies
>more of them died on your watch...
>Dyna just stays there, menacingly, as her eyes stay locked onto yours
>"How in the world?"
>"What is this thing?!"
>without hesitation, Dyna, yet again, fires off a green blast at the soldiers in front of her
>more are going to die!
>with renewed vigor, you pick yourself up and dash towards your soldiers
"Move!"
>you manage to make it in time, hitting away the blast with your weapon before it hits a pegasus, who is in shock of what's happening right now
>"S-sir?"
>you look back at them and point your weapons at them
"Live..."
>two more blasts shoot out, but you block them both, protecting these ponies yet again
>"W-what?"
>you slam your weapon on the ground in front of them, snapping them into reality
"Live! That's an order!"
>the one in front of you seems to finally get the message
>"Retreat! Everyone, just fall back!"
>all that was left of the soldiers behind you take flight, going in the opposite direction of the powerful changeling
>as they fly away, Dyna fires off numerous green projectiles
>swing after swing, you deflect them from their path, flying into nearby bushes, the castle walls, or into the air, eventually dissipating
>your body is screaming at you now, the pain of your injuries finally taking their toll
>but you can't give up now
>you still have a changeling to defeat
>soon enough, an incredibly large blast is sent at you
>you ready your weapon you hit it away like all the others, but...
>weakness consumes your body, leaving your grip loose
>as your dragon tooth makes contact, although the blast is sent in a random direction, your weapon flies right out of your hand, landing several meters away
>you fall to your knees at that point, unable to keep fighting
>is this it?
>her horn charges up one final attack
>...but that's not the only channeling you see in front of you
>you see dark orbs floating behind Dyna
>she didn't cast those
>they stay in place, not moving a centimeter
>he must be waiting for something...
>for something to happen...
>you think you know what he's planning
"What are you waiting for?"
>the changeling remains silent
"Do it..."
>she still channels power in her horn
>you can tell she's ready
"DO IT!"
>you see her eyes twitch as her horn emits all that stored up energy
>however, behind her, you see someone charge
>the orbs that were floating in place fly forward, ready to strike their target
>not only that, the legendary knight Artorias, who seems heavily damaged by the dark magic that struck him, drags his sword with him, about to swing it upwards at the changeling
>at that very moment, you feel as though time slows down
>Dyna turns her head to see what was behind her, which changes the direction of her blast at the last second
>the shot bursts from her horn, coming right for you, but not in the desired direction
>the blast dips slightly to the right, just scraping part of your helmet
>as the blast flies passed you, Dyna leaps from her position, changing forms in the process as blood gushes out of her body
>her form pays no mind to the magical orbs making contact with herself, but the sword strike just misses her body, failing to even put a scratch on Dyna
>you thought all hope was lost at that moment
>the two of you are badly wounded
>she managed to dodge what was probably the last ditch effort on both of your parts
>its over...
>until you saw a shadow loom over Dyna
>you look up to see a familiar canine swoop down from a rooftop and open it's mouth
>the surprised changeling has no time to react as her body falls in between the teeth of Sif, Artorias' companion
>the giant wolf bites down with every bit of strength he has, having no trouble piercing the body of Dyna's winged form
>she fails to even let out any screams of pain as all the blood from the changeling's body seeps out of her body
>Sif doesn't let up as he chews on his food, making absolutely sure his prey is dead
>as the gory mess continues you can't help but gaze upon her eyes, who still manage to be locked onto yours
>even at death's door, she still wants to see you dead
>after several seconds, you finally see the light in her eyes fade away, leaving no life left within her body
>as Sif enjoys his meal, you come to the realization
>you've won...
>Dyna has been defeated

>You are Havel the Rock
>and you're in lots of pain right now
>you don't even want to fall to the ground
>simply staying the way you are is enough for you
>even though the battle is won, many questions still linger
>Queen's orders?
>was that the reason the death rate was low?
>why did she possess dark magic?
>...and how will you repair your armor?
>"Havel! Sir Artorias!"
>you hear Solaire's voice come from somewhere, although where exactly is not known to you
>soon enough, you feel Solaire grab hold of you shoulders
>"My friend, what happened here? Was the ambush truly this massive? Did any of them escape?"
"Solaire... one question... at a time."
>your friend takes out his chime and quickly channels a miracle
>"My apologies. Here, this should help greatly."
>soon enough, Solaire's healing miracle gets absorbed by your body, fixing up most of your injuries
>sadly, it does nothing to help your fatigue
>still...
"Thank you, Solaire."
>"It is of no problem. Now, what exactly happened here?"
"Their ambush... we successfully suppressed them, but... their commander found me."
>you and Solaire look towards Sif, who seems to be somewhat enjoying his meal
>"I'm guessing he was taken care of?"
"She... is dead, yes. Go check on Artorias. He should be behind that... wolf."
>"Sir Artorias?! He engaged in combat despite his condition?!"
"You'd be surprised how much he's recovered... however, I fear that may no longer be the case."
>Solaire gets up and quickly runs over to where Artorias should be
>"By Celestia's grace... what were you thinking?"
>"Sir Solaire, you cannot keep me from battle."
>"But your condition-"
>"Has improved since I've had time to rest. Although my skills are in need of practice, I took it upon myself to put my revitalized self to good use."
>"And you knew of Sir Havel's plans?"
>"Actually, I planned to find a place to train, but I stumbled upon Sir Havel with a platoon of soldiers. I sent Sif off to assist his men...er, ponies."
>"I'm glad you were there to help, but you must be more careful. Who knows if you were completely healed or not."
>"Would you prefer the death of your dear friend?"
>"..."
>after some time, you see Solaire and Artorias walking towards you
>even after all of this, the legendary knight can still walk as if nothing happened
>"My friend, can you walk?"
>you try to move, but you can't even manage the strength to move your legs
"I may need... a little help."
>Solaire grabs your right arm and helps you stand up
>before you collapse from your own weight, Solaire puts your arm over him, allowing you to maintain your balance
"Thank you."
>"Come, let's get you to the infirmary."
>Artorias makes his way towards Sif, who just completed eating what was left of Dyna, and hops onto his back
>"Bring Sir Havel here. I will escort him with haste."
>Solaire nods his head and slowly walks you towards Sif
>you notice him survey the battlefield, however
>"Were there any survivors?"
"Several... but a few died on my watch."
>"Havel, you can't save them all. You know that."
"I watched them die. I could have done something."
>"This is nothing new."
"Even so... this hasn't happened in some time. The last time this happened..."
>Solaire stops momentarily and lets out a small sigh
>"I remember what you told me. I understand now."
>you and Solaire finally reach Sif, who is current sitting down to let you his back
>Solaire tries to pick you up, but fails to lift the weight of you and your armor that high
>Artorias seems to notice this and grabs your armor, lifting you up onto Sif's back
>"Thank you for the assistance."
>"You're welcome."
>Sif gets up and is about to head off, however, you need to ask Solaire one question
"Artorias, wait."
>"Hmm?"
"Solaire, what happened with that changeling?"
>your friend stops to think for a moment before responding
>"He's currently still in his holding cell. Although he's more cooperative, we must take precautions."
"More cooperative?"
>"I will explain later. Please get some rest first."
"Very well..."
>Solaire begins to walk towards a pair of unicorns who seem to have arrived onto the scene
"Let's go."
>Artorias doesn't even need to give Sif a signal as he dashes off into the castle