Knight of Solas

Chapters

Chapter 1 The silent guardian
Chapter 2 Specter of the Gala
Chapter 3 A cold enigma

Chapter 1 The silent guardian

The Last Knight of Solas

The Lords of Dorcha

Prologue

Many years have passed since the end of the griffin war,years after the mysterious Lasair who defended the daughter of Cacoon, Queen Chrysalis for so many years; vanished off the face of the earth, alleged to have died by the blade, one that he himself knew would inevitably have to meet. Now 7 years after his demise...The knights journey is not over. Time has passed and the last Knight of Solas lives on. I see he is a different colt than the one he left behind, i see it on his face that he is tempered by war; his heart bitter cold and what goodness left inside now slowly rots within, now only held captive by the hatred for the Dorcha and the loss of his precious Ephee who to this day remains to haunt his dreams. The journey of the last knight of Solas is far from over and i question myself...What motivates a pony to do the things that most of us would run away from, is it courage? is it will?...The answer...Is love ...A force so powerful that no tide of adversity can seek to overcome it. I can only hope he finds peace and clarity on his journey and end the Evil that cultivates itself in the darkest and unseen corners of this world, thus he walks on, without any prospect of reward, without any sign of fear or doubt...walks ever-onward through the rich and beautiful land of Equestria...

“What makes a knight, is it the armor he wears, is it the weapon he carries, or even the name he bears, these are not the things which make a knight, what makes a knight, it is the heart behind the armour, and its strength to keep on going, through and through, to the end of all things, For this is what makes a true Knight, A Knight of Solas” +++Golodren, First Knight of Tarnoch+++

Chapter 1

The Silent guardian

Fire Knight walked through the dark foreboding forest, deep within the Everfree, deeper than he’d ever been before. He felt a small but relative degree of security cloaked, as he was, in a coarse, black material which helped to disguise his identity from those that would seek to maim or kill him. He’d been following the dirty mud-brown path for hours, it seemed endless, almost futile, but he continued, relentlessly determined. The natural sounds of the forest invaded his thoughts and somewhat eased the tension he was feeling in the pit of his stomach. The Everfree forest was not a place one frequented without a feeling of trepidation and wary caution. In his mind he could only recall one pony that had braved a similar such journey, her name was Zercora. Zercora also lived, as he did, in the Everfree but he was sure she had never ventured this far, and he wanted to keep it that way, he somewhat treasured his seclusion from society. Fire Knight plodded wearily on until he spotted what seemed like a wooden signpost of some description. As Fire Knight neared he could see it had rotted years ago and ivy and moss had covered almost the whole of the surface, he rubbed the moss and pulled the clinging ivy away and revealed the legend “WELCOME TO PONYVILLE” it read. Fire Knight took to walking off the road forcing his way through thick bramble and foliage until he reached the edge of the forest. The sun was high and exuded a blinding white light, he had to shield his eyes and he could now see the outline of buildings in the distance and he knew he was not far from Ponyville and Canterlot. He knew he could have took the longer more circuitous rout to the village but that would have exposed him to risk and serious danger because it was much used and he did not want to advertise his coming; the deep dark path through the Everfree, he felt, was the right choice. Now he was within a stones throw of his objective.

Fire Knight shook his head vigorously to clear it and shake of the burrs that clung to his mane then, somewhat hesitantly, started down the path towards Ponyville. In his mind, as a first port of call, he had set himself the task of getting access to some ancient books and documents from a pony named Twilight Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle had recently had the title of Princess conferred on her by her majesty Celestia and Fire Knight had already got an inkling that it was Celestia that had, had something to do with the ascension of the deserving filly and it came as no surprise to him. Fire Knight knew that with the title of Princess came much responsibility and serious miscellaneous duties allocated to her by protocol, one such duty, as a young pony it was part of her remit to observe society and be able to spot characters that tried to infiltrate the small community with the soul intention of causing mayhem and disruption to the peaceful day to day life of the village; the title Princess was not because of birthright or bestowed because of royal decree, it was hard earned, the young pony had shown great aptitude in the understanding of affairs of magic and uncanny wisdom in her formative years.

Fire Knight reached the bridge which led down to the main street through Ponyville, when, for no apparent reason, he stopped, something had made his spine tingle, he sensed danger he threw his head back and smelt at the air whilst pawing at the ground in agitated nervousness. Fire Knight suddenly turned back towards the Everfree and now facing the foreboding density of the forest he knew something was really amiss. Gathering his cloak about him as though to ward of the evil that was at work here he proceeded to head back the way he had come but a short while ago. A strong urge drove him to pull his sword that he had kept hidden all the way through his journey in the forest earlier. He turned around to face the Everfree again; he stared directly into the dark shadows just beyond the sunlit path then began to walk towards it. As he neared the edge the sudden frightening raucous sound of screeching birds split the air as they exited the canopy a little way off to his right he reared up in fear then raced into the undergrowth dodging the trees and leaping over bushes until he entered a clearing. The scene that confronted him brought him to a sliding halt. Three Diamond dogs armed with what looked like spears were baiting and stabbing at a small mare; the guttural evil voice of one came to him even though he was still a way off.

“Looks like we got a stray one here, Boss, what do we do, shall we kill her, shall we kill her?” said a skinny slavering hound. With bared teeth, also drooling and wearing a crown made from the bones of another dead creature and carrying a wooden staff with a sharp pointed end which he used to prod the scared filly growled the same the same question and added “oh, lets kill her boss, we haven’t had a kill for days.” They all circled the pony menacingly and took turns to stick her with their make shift weapons.

“Keep her alive I want to keep her for my… ambitions” a large muscular beast with a white streak running the full length of his pelt said in a low sadistic voice. He approached the scared trembling pony cautiously not wanting to be maimed by a flailing hoof and acting as one they began to tighten the circle about the pony all the time getting ready to pounce.

Fire Knight had seen enough, forgetting his mission and the consequences of his actions he ran headlong into the fray and reared up and kicked out at the dogs, his sword gleamed as the only source of light arcing at blinding speed and sliced through the neck of the leader beheading him instantly. It was all so quick the other two did not stand a chance, whilst the body of their leader still stood and the head rolled on the ground Fire Knight kicked out with his back legs and knocked the skinny dog with the crown all of ten feet in the air and up against a stout tree which shook visibly with the impact of the body. The third dog although scared growled his anger and bunched the muscles in his shoulders ready to leap at Fire Knight but in his fear at being confronted by such a formidable foe he had forgotten all about the mare, she came at him from behind screaming her anger rearing high before she brought her front legs down on the head of her would be assassin. The mare then collapsed on top of the dead body of the dog. Fire Knight quickly assessed the situation and saw the deep wounds in the mares flanks inflicted by the dogs and knew she would be unconscious for a while. He turned his attention to the dog over by the tree, it was still twitching so he approached the body cautiously then with a sharp stabbing motion he ran the creature through and the body lay still.

With difficulty Fire Knight picked up the badly wounded mare and managed to secure her across his back. He returned the way he had come and crossed the bridge even more apprehensive now that he had an injured pony to explain away. He reached the outskirts without being noticed and spotted two of the royal guards chatting under an awning of a small house. He could hear some of their conversation “what does she look like and how long has she been missing?” asked the guard, off someone standing in the shadows inside the house. Darkness had fallen and now aided him as he moved slowly ever closer. The colt inside; he presumed it was a colt because of the voice, answered “an earth pony, yellow coat and an orange blaze on her forehead and she has been missing since mid morning. Fire Knight realised this was the house where the pony on his back lived. He slowly passed the distracted guards and whomever they were talking to and made his way to the rear of the property. Fire Knight used his door-opening magic spell to enter the house, fortunately he entered into a room that housed a bed, and he gently lay the pony down on the bed. He was just about to leave when the young mare stirred and moaned herself awake. She turned over and looked up at him with a scared incredulous look in her eyes. Fire Knight indicated that she should stay silent, he pointed towards the front of the house where the voices were coming from. She smiled up at him. He began to walk towards the back door to extricate him from what was becoming a very dangerous situation when he heard the sound of hooves coming towards him.

“Who the blazes left the back door open?” enquired an irate female voice, stamping towards where Fire Knight was ready to depart. He looked over at the window in the room and rushed over to it, swung it open and leapt out into the welcome cover of night. He had only got a few strides from the house when he heard the excited cry of the mother shouting through to the guard and her partner

“Oh, sweet Celestia, she’s home….”

Fire Knight allowed himself a smile of satisfaction as he pulled up his hood again and walked back into the main street, the guard who had recently been at the house viewed Fire Knight walking in the shadows with an expression that was a combination of suspicion and fear. Fire Knight wasn’t surprised by this, because every pony he met in his life were overawed by his height and stature. When it came to it nobody wanted a piece of him.

Fire Knight had a black mane, tail and fetlocks; the rest of his body was as white as fresh-fallen snow. The black cloak, draped and flapping about his withers, gave him a sinister, mysterious, illusional almost ghost-like appearance which heightened the fear factor in strangers, after seeing him for the first time other ponies had said he walked and smelled like the angel of death; they were not far from the truth; Fire Knight was not your average pony, he was in fact one of an elite band of superior warrior ponies. He was one of the select few that are chosen to be in the army of the Golden Warriors, the most deadly warriors in the entire dimension; warriors who have pledged and often sacrificed their very lives in service to the creator, to the brotherhood, in defence of all that is good and the protection and balance of each and every dimension.

Fire Knight is the golden warrior who has seen enough war, terror and blood shed for it all to be second nature to him. A golden warrior who’s spirit is unbreakable and who’s faith is ironclad in it’s unyielding steadfast loyalty to his fellow warriors; he is the ultimate warrior of untold might and unquestionable bravery, who fears no evil, he regards death as the sacrifice he is prepared to pay to remain incorruptible in the pursuit of his duty. The only mantra he indulged was discipline and honour and his pledge that everyday he would always do what is righteous for the glory and good of their mysterious creator. Fire Knight is that warrior.

Fire Knight allowed himself one last look back at the guard who, seeing he was being scrutinised, turned his head abruptly back toward the house nod and then hurriedly walk away, Fire Knight could almost smell the fear and sense the anxiousness of the stallion. Fire Knight shook his head and continued on his way. He focused his attention on the lights of the library and recalled that a pony named Twilight, whom he used to know, lived on the premises. He reached the library and knocked three times on the heavy door set deep into the front portico. He looked about cautiously to see if he was being observed and waited nervously. No answer, he was just about to knock again when the door opened inwards and the light flooded outwards momentarily blinding him. He saw a shadowy silhouette framed in the doorway but he could discern any recognisable features but the cheerful feminine voice that greeted him was familiar to him as it enquired.

“Hello how can help…” the female stopped half sentence startled at the sight of the magnificent stallion before her.

“Can I help you…?

“I’m sorry, were you expecting someone else?” he replied with an air of mischievousness in the tone of his voice. Twilight shook her head vigorously

“What is it that you want at this time of night?” she asked emphasising her tiredness by raising her hoof to her mouth yawning.

“I’m looking for a book” He replied

“Well we have plenty of those” she chuckled pointing to the rows and rows of neatly placed books lining the polished wooden shelves behind her. Fire Knight turned to face them and smiled, impressed at the number of books the library stocked

“What about…?” Fire Knight very nearly revealed his purpose for coming to this place of books but he restrained himself he didn’t know who he could trust yet. He turned back to Twilight and asked.

“I was actually wandering if you wouldn’t mind if I take a look through your collection for myself?”

Twilight looked him up and down while she seemed to be considering his request. The stallion seemed so confident and the use of her given name in such a familiar way warmed her towards him. She did not know who he was, she had seen him a few times in the past and had heard the gossip in the village when ever he attended the pageants which were held to promote new princesses and it was not that long ago that she had become a princess herself. She mused that it was perfectly logical that he would know her name. His awesome presence and size held her spellbound but somehow she did not feel threatened. Twilight concluded he is only interested in looking at some books, who’s that going to hurt

“Sure, why not.” She said. “But don’t be too long, I’m so tired.” She said and started off towards the flight of stairs at the back of the premises. “Call me when you find what you are looking for and I will check it out for you.

Fire Knight, followed her closely to the booking desk where he knew the book index would be, he was not perturbed by her backward somewhat inquisitive stare. He sat down at her desk and began to flick through a card index as Twilight took the stairs two at a time. When he was sure she was safely secure in her room he stood up and began to pace up and down the aisles removing various leather bound tomes and carefully replacing them shaking his head in anger as yet again he did not find what it was he was looking for. This went on for hours until his patience was wearing so thin he was on the verge of giving up his quest.

“Where the hell are you…?” He voiced his frustration at the shelves of thousands of books. It was getting late and daylight was not that far off and he knew Twilight would soon be getting curious to the length of time he was spending in the library. He was beginning to seriously doubt that the legendary books secreted in this place of learning.

He persisted aisle by aisle, the mystical books of magic lore and spells just had to be here, everything pointed towards this being the place they had been hidden. A thought struck him maybe they were hidden under false titles. He sat down at the desk and looked through the index again and suddenly it dawned on him the one place he had not looked was under children’s titles and there they were under the heading of bedtime stories but beside each of the 3 titles he was looking for was a line of text which read ‘NOT TO BE TAKEN FROM LIBRARY AND NOT TO BE READ BY UNAUTHORISED PERSONEL’ He almost allowed himself a whoop of pleasure.

Fire Knight wasted no time and rushed to the aisle and shelf indicated on the card. There they were, kin plain sight but high on a dusty shelf amid children’s fairy tales. Written in an ancient script which few could decipher the titles ‘Elements of harmony’, Unnatural Events and Dark Magical Entities.’ He took the books to the desk and sat down, excitement rushed his blood through his body he began to madly turn pages of the 2 books cross referencing as he did so and taking notes. He heard the stairs creak as Twilight tried to sneak down and catch him unaware. She was very suspicious as to why he was taken so long. She reached the desk and managed to glace the books before Fire Knight covered them with his cloak and giving her a baleful stare. She was just about to voice her concerns when she spotted the gleaming scabbard emblazoned with a gold crucifix and holding a vicious looking blade only revealed because Fire Knight had opened his cloak to cover the books. Twilight took a step back and regained her composure.

“Did you find what you are looking for?” she asked rather hesitantly.

“Yes, I have. Thank you, you have been of tremendous assistance”

“Would you like to book them out, sir” Twilight said, eyeing him nervously, but masking her suspicions.

“Yes I would” and then used a levitation spell to place the books in front of her he also used a spell to disguise the titles. She proceeded to stamp the books still feeling like she had somehow been duped.

“And can I have your name, sir?” she asked. She wanted him to tell her his name. Her female intuition knew she was missing something. The time he had taken to find the books and the mysterious way he had turned up so late at night. Fire Knight had already secreted the books beneath the folds of his cloak and turned to leave.

“Just a moment, sir…. I can’t let you leave without a name!!!

Fire Knight ignored her pleas and proceeded out the door. It was very much out of his comfort zone to be so rude but he knew time was against him and he could not afford the luxury of dilly-dallying in conversation that was only going to leave her in a more het up state than she already was. He reached the outside and breathed deep of the cold early morning air. It was still dark but only just he could hear the birds welcome the coming of the day. Twilight had used her own transportation spell and reached the outside of the library but she only saw the back of the dark cloaked figure of the stallion galloping off in the distance down the main street of Ponyville.

Fire Knight raced through the night a deep sense of urgency forcing his tired limbs to carry him over the rough terrain on his way back to his home in the foreboding enveloping foliage of the Everfree. He entered his lodge exhausted and blowing hard. He placed the precious manuscripts on his desk and sat down he gulped a glass of cold refreshing water. After a short while he began to examine the books carefully reading opening passages of the ancient text, he began skipping through relevant chapters of both books. Fire Knight slammed the books shut, he felt like he was going round in circles, some of the spells did not make sense, before he knew darkness had come again to the Everfree he did not realise how long he had been reading so engrossed that time had flew. He was worn out and annoyed that he had not found what he was searching for, or maybe I have but not recognised it for it was, he thought. He began to doze where he sat and his last thought before he slipped into a deeper sleep was, Time is against me.

He woke with a start; muscular cramps had made him uncomfortable. He stretched himself to wakefulness and went outside. The bright full moon bathed everything in its magical light. The Everfree in glorious shimmering silver moonlight was a thing of beauty to behold, a spectacle like no other, in all the free world.

It had been a long time since the opportunity to take a leisurely walk through the Everfree and remind himself of it’s wondrous wild beauty, now it seemed the Everfree seemed to somehow call to him and compel further from his home. The gentle rustle and creaking of the trees, the swaying branches seemed to call to him guiding him through its huge labyrinth. It transported back in time to when he was a young colt searching for adventure. Then he saw mystery and wonder in each tree and rock. He snapped out of his reverie, he could not allow himself the time to indulge his memories of good times when there was no danger in the forest. He followed the path that seemed to be preordained allowing himself to go with the follow of his senses. A great ruin reared up in front of him, he recognised it from his youth and even recalled its name.

It was a place of mystery, why had it fallen into such decay; it was called The Royal Pony Sister Castle, it was a place, it was said, where the battle beneath a nightmare moon had taken place. The evil scourge of the Everfree, was defeated by the elements of harmony. A vision came into his head of how it must have been done; he rubbed his fore head as he continued into the centre of the ruin. Fire Knight examined the architecture of the castle in detail marvelling at how nature had reclaimed the space. The massive mason-cut stones that once echoed with the sound of battle but now lay covered in moss, ivy splitting the great stones and bringing them unceremoniously to the ground.

Fire Knight stopped abruptly for a few moments and found himself at the very spot where Nightmare was defeated, she had brought evil to the land and was left where she had fallen, defeat for her had came in a final rush from those loyal to Celestia. Fire Knight looked at the spot and could only feel pity for the mare; she had been deceived by the dark powers of evil. He moved on and looked up at what remained of what was once a tall stone-supporting pillar a part of which had toppled over and lay on the ground. Fire Knight sat down on it and viewed the devastation about him. He took off his hood and sighed his relief at this moments respite from the worlds prying eyes. He actually felt relaxed, yet the visions of the past didn’t cease to intrude on his consciousness and the urgency of his mission seemed not so important, the place comforted him. He was lulled and tiredness washed over him his eyes becoming heavy. He relaxed.

Fire Knight came suddenly awake, he now heard the loud flapping of heavy wings beating the air; they are still some way off he thought to himself. He quickly moved behind one of the remaining intact pillars and looked in the general direction of the growing noise. There they were, hideous changelings, they landed no more than a few meters from where he hid, his heart began to beat harder as he clung to the pillar and craned his head to hear the conversation of the beasts.

“Why did she send us here?” one said in a blood curdling sinister voice.

“Don’t question our queen, fool, do you want to lose your head” said a blue helmeted changeling, seeming to be the one in charge “she sent us here to find our compatriots, sympathisers and all other changelings and get them to regroup for the battle of all battles. You heard her you idiot, or were you not paying attention as usual. She intends to finally defeat those that have opposed her all these years. She will crush Canterlot and then finally reign supreme over all of Equestria.” Saying this he cackled long and loud until the sound echoed through the ruins.

“How is she meant to do that, remember last time she tried” said the other changeling with a bitter tone to his voice.

“ She has already infiltrated Canterlot, you idiot do you think I would be here if she had not. The stupid guards actually invited her into the city like a VIP guest. Now, now she is on her way to do the deed and kill the do good leader of Equestria!” the over zealous changeling said to his companion.

“And who might that be, know all? ”

“CELESTIA, YOU IDIOT!” it spat.

Fire Knight thought a bit about this changeling scheme of theirs, it wasn’t at all like changeling strategy to kill let alone assassinate ponies of interest. It was more like them to infiltrate government through devious means. There was a time when chrysalis played as cadence for a while and feed of ones love until how do they say they become “lifeless husks.”

Still, Fire Knight thought, this assassination attempt was too impressive for the weak mind of a changeling to think up. In warfare changelings used a strategy called gloating as a means to achieve victory and also weight of numbers. Fire Knight moved and accidentally made a noise.

“Did you hear that?” enquired one of the changelings.

“I think it came over there” the other changeling said and began to walk in the direction of Fire Knight. Fire Knight sprang from behind the column and drew his sword.

“WHAT THE...” the changelings words were cut off as they were confronted by the stallion screaming his battle cry and rearing magnificently into the sky his sword swept down in a deadly arc and first disabled the first weaker changeling by severing its wings and then on the backward sweep of the mighty weapon he decapitated the other changeling. The sword flashed through the air glittering the starlight and moons reflections into eyes of the now pitiful sobbing changeling sprawled against the giant stones. Fire Knight placed his blade beneath the sorry creatures chin.

“Have you more to tell changeling, before I end your miserable existence?”

“No….” he sobbed.

Fire Knight removed the sword and turned to leave then in one blinding spinning move his sword stretched out he delivered the coup de grais and the creatures head fell to the ground with a horrible thumping sound.

Fire Knight slowly but deliberately wiped the blade carefully on the chest garment of the changeling and sheathed the weapon,

Now…only but time was his enemy. He had killed two of the messengers of evil and knew their plans. Celestia’s life was in peril and he was the only one who could stop the assassination from taking place. He now knew why he needed the mystical books and it was time to come out of the shadows and do what destiny had decreed he should. As a Golden Warrior he must honour his vows and he had taken first blood.

Chapter 2 Specter of the Gala

Chapter 2

Spectre of the Gala

Fire knight galloped as fast as could to get to the train station, as it was the fastest way to get to Canterlot.

“I have to get to that train, I can’t allow Chrysalis carry out this…assassination of Celestia” he mused while he galloped, furiously through Ponyville under the cover of dark. He then spotted something from the corner of his eye and slowed to a gentle trot and read an advertisement emblazoned in big red and yellow lettering: covering the whole pane of glass in a shop window. It read. **CANTERLOT CELEBRATION** BE THE FIRST PONY TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS You attended The CANTERLOT Celebration for this THE WEEKEND.

TICKETS on sale now OPEN from 9:00 to 10:30.

“Oh! Great its just hit 10, damn my luck!” he cursed under his breathy as came away from the shop, running to the train station. A thought then suddenly crossed his mind; he knew he couldn’t enter Canterlot without dressing appropriately, anypony who were worth his or hers hay would be dressed in rich silks, feathers and suits, peering at himself he considered entering Canterlot with his black cloak was, most certainly, a no no.

He racked his mind, for an answer to his dilemma. The clock on the old tower to his right seemed to be mocking him; the big hand jumped another minute. Celestia’s life was hanging by a thread; the supreme ruler of Equestria was depending on him, Equestria was relying on him, the hand of the great-clock jumped another notch, he looked up and down the street to try to find a solution

“Oh…Come on, where can I get rich pony clothes” he looked around to no avail, however he realised, how could he have been so stupid, It was staring him in the face all this wasted time. He should have thought about it after he killed those Changelings

“Rarities shop of course” he said triumphantly,

galloping towards the shop hastily. He presumed the door was locked so using his magic he spiralled his head horn around the keyhole, to open the door

“Come on… just a few more pins” The door pins then clicked and swung open.

He looked around for Rarity but gathered that she was already at the party and stepped inside. Fire Knight knew that little mare from times he had spent in Ponyville wouldn’t miss a Royal party for the world.

He then walked in, the room was dark and deserted it was clear now that nopony was home. He went to the nearest clothes rack and rummaged through them, looking for something that suited him and the party of course

“Ah this will fit nicely” smiling as picked from the row a nice Black Tuxedo with bow tie.

After he got dressed; his cloak over the tuxedo, he went inside his inside pocket to find a small pouch of gold he then placed the bits on the counter for Rarity. Even if he was a Knight he still lived by his good morals.

He brusquely made his way outside and shut door behind him, locking it again.

He then made it his utmost priority to get that train, Stop Chrysalis and save Celestia.

The train station was now in sight, he was going to make it but that theory drastically changed, as he heard the sound of a low pitch whistle…like a train

“Oh no you don’t!” he uttered from under his fast paced breath, forcing all the energy he could muster to his hooves to go as fast as they could. The train was now leaving the station and was now picking up worrying speed the train conductor shouting

“Last train to Canterlot!” he was now on the platform running beside the train and ahead of him was a nearby bridge. The train was accelerating and Fire Knight was loosing ground with it, he then made the decision run up the bridge, making him level with the escaping train and made one massive jump towards the train’s roof.

CRASH! He landed on the last carriage, gaining a firm hold on the roof of the train.

“Phew” wiping his forehead

“That was close”

Fire Knight was now keeping very low on the train’s roof, his cloak uncontrollably flapping in the icy cold wind. The train itself moved incredibly fast, this must have been due to the driver wanting to get some hard earned rest after a hard days work or the fact he was on top made it seem fast he presumed. The journey to Canterlot taken not so long as he thought as Fire Knight heard the conductor bellow

“LAST STOP CANTERLOT!” However Fire Knight wasn’t out of the blue yet as he looked up to see the entrance for the train to Canterlot pass under; this made security tighter since this allowed guards to easily scan the train for any hitchhikers that could be aboard. He spotted two royal guards standing at opposite ends of the archway, so, to avoid detection he went fully flat on the train roof; pinning his cloak down with all four of his hooves so the guards wouldn’t see him, he waited cautiously for a few worrying moments, the train continued and to his relief he passed through the archway undetected.

The train was coming to a halt, so before it could be inspected, he jumped off its roof and landed into the shadow of a nearby alleyway. He disappeared like a ghost and no matter how hard you looked, Fire knight was like a ghost, one with the shadows that lay around him and when he came out of the darkness he was in his pristine black tuxedo his cloak folded up upon his back

“Ahh this should look believable, just hope this works”

He said fixing his bowtie with a small grin; walking beside the train to where 2 guards were standing with sharpened spears and generic golden royal guard armour, more for ceremonial use then actual combat he thought

“Greetings sir to Canterlot if wish to get tickets they are over by that ticket counter over there” one proud looking guard said pointing a steady hoof to where they were

“If you have already bought the tickets the royal palace is at the end of this red carpet” replied his comrade pointing to a velvet red carpet.

“Thanks gentle colts” he replied politely, walking on towards the ticket counter, which to his convenience was just to the left side of where those guards stood.

Dwelling inside was a grim looking pony illuminated by what looked to be candlelight. Fire Knight trotted towards the stand built-in to the hovel, hoping they hadn’t all sold out. He rang the ornate bell on the purple velvet counter and waited for the pony that dwelled inside.

“Sorry were sold out of tickets” explained the colt sharply who sat miserly counting his towers of gold bits next to a dying candle

“Just go home, its not like it’s the end of the world” Stupid miser he thought, if it wasn’t the end of the world, it was definitely the beginning of it.

He walked away disappointed and started walking up the thick already trampled looking red carpet, he sighed for a moment then collected his thoughts, he wasn’t going to give up that easily and besides he couldn’t anyway. He had to find an alternative way inside Canterlot with or without the ticket and that place was locked down tight, its design was made to be impossible to breach but either way he had to get in, one way or another. He followed the red carpet rather hurriedly as time was now against him, he couldn’t afford to waste anymore. After he trotted on a few more hoof steps he finally reached where he wanted to be. At the end was exactly what the guards said, in all its glory was Canterlot palace, abolish with decorations, tall spires and ornate glass windows, truly a sight to behold.

“Ahh now that’s a towering achievement” said an old, weary voice from behind him

“Huh oh yes certainly” Fire Knight replied, jumping slightly

“You here for the gala”

“Yes you could say that” the old colt replied

“What you mean by that?”

“I used to be a royal guard here, I used to stand guard by the throne where Celestia sat” Fire Knight frowned, from the colts tired out voice he could assume that he must have lost the title over something rather…disheartening, weather it be he just wasn’t cut out for it, lost somepony or just got beaten by somepony else, society can be cruel like that he thought.

“Must have been a honour, guarding Celestia”

“Yes it was until one day I was told that I was too old too work”

The old stallion explained.

Age was what caught up to him but in Fire Knights point of view experience was what proved a colt’s worth, not his age; he let the poor, old stallion continue

“So instead of moving up my rank they just told me to pack my bags and go home”

“It seems even in a happy world like equestria bad things still seem to happen”

“Yeah I suppose so”

“Oh sorry, where are my maners, I forgot to introduce myself”

There was no point to keep his name away from this old mare

“My names Fire Knight”

“Sharp spear” they said merrily shaking hooves

Sharp spear was a dull grey pony with white hair who obviously seen better days well… in his younger days that is

“We best get inside before they shut the doors you coming” Fire Knight however couldn’t, he had to get inside so he replied

“I just some time outside for a while but you on inside”

“Okay see you at the party” and Sharp spear walked down the street to where the doors to the party must have been.

Fire knight examined the castle in great detail up and down for any possible entrances like a open window or unguarded passageway but it was as he thought, guards everywhere, and all windows and doors locked and closed. He exhaled rather loudly as he turned to head to the entrance to Canterlot gardens, pacing quite quickly to where he thought the entrance ought to have been but yet another obstacle stood in his way.

“Oh great” he thought out loud

A rabble of a queue of 12 smartly dressed ponies rambling and arguing to get in

“How long is it going to take to get in here!” Fire Knight heard from the line

“Make way commoners for I am prince blue blood” Fire Knight then turned his head sharply towards him, It was the prince himself or at least what he thought he was, Prince Blue blood Celestias nephew, Fire Knight couldn’t hide the fact that this so called prince he heard about was a stallion, who to the very least, didn’t deserve the title he was given, In Fire Knights eyes he was no more then a overly pruned colt who thought himself higher then others, it seemed the title didn’t match the pony atoll. Fire knight got back to what was happening around himself; walking closer to the queue

“Why should we, we’ve waited longer then you” spat a stressed pony

“Why…because I’m a part of the royal family and I have a VIP invitation to see Celestia” bragged prince blue blood

“Show off” commented Fire Knight who spoke a bit louder then he should of and watched prince blue blood turn around to see the culprit, Fire Knight

“Um excuse me” he replied hoping that his title of prince would make the pony that stood in front, fear him

“Pardon?” Fire knight said wittily pretending that he didn’t say anything

“Oh wait your Celestia’s nephew; why sir it’s an honour?” He continued, obviously lying about it being an honour: actually being quite far from it. Fire Knight bowed to this so-called prince, merely pretending to be courteous to Blue Blood and to his luck the oblivious prince obviously was buying it and put a hoof to his chest: clearing his throat.

“Yes I am…why” he proudly said. Fire Knight stood upright

then taking out a single sheet of paper and pen with his magic asked

“Well I have a friend who is an admirer and was wandering if…” Blue Blood looked at the pen and paper, clueless on what to do next, Fire Knight still hovering the two was thinking, he couldn’t be that thick to not know what he was asking,

“Oh…yes you can have a autograph, at a price of course” he given Fire Knight a unpleasant snigger his hoof held out ready to take the cash

“How much?” Fire Knight grunted

“20 bits” He smiled smugly. Fire Knight hated the fact he was paying 20 bits for a stupid autograph,

“Okay, here you go” Blue Blood miserly looked at the pouch of gold bits, but this only left Blue bloods other senses clouded as Fire Knight, when no pony was looking, secretly with his magic pulled from his pocket the VIP Invitation from the off guard prince Blue Blood

“Thank you”

“Ok commoner I have royal business to attend to” and strut inside forgetting about the entire thing, course he didn’t need an invitation, he was a prince after all.

After a long an agonising wait in the queue it was now Fire Knights turn to hoof in his invitation

“You must be an important pony to have that invitation”

Said the doorpony wearing a black suit and shades to go with it

“Well you could say that” Fire Knight replied to the colt who eyes at him suspiciously, Fire Knight remaining calm in response

“All right you can go in, this door pony job’s given me a headache” grunted the stallion wearily rubbing his forehead as Fire Knight walked past him.

He was in, and now in the luxurious Canterlot gardens where he seen groups of chatty and wealthy ponies everywhere, speaking about how well there jobs were going and other aspects of there rich and royal lives, the possibility that Chrysalis was one of these ponies would be very high, possibly trying to blend in amongst the crowds, so Fire Knight trotted around the place doing his best to look for Celestia but more importantly his priority target Chrysalis.

Chrysalis was in the party, disguised as one of the ponies no doubt and after the Canterlot wedding incident; well the guards were doubled and put on high alert ever since it even happened. Whatever Chrysalis was doing she was doing it good, however though Chrysalis was a master at these undercover operations such as this she was not the only pony with such covert skills. Fire Knight was taught in the arts of assassination and stealth in his shadow corps years and was skills in which he was rightly feared and famed for. During those years he was taught one key thing, you must know your enemy to defeat your enemy and Fire Knight knew his enemies very well.

Chrysalis, the queen of the changelings, a mistress of shape shifting and an expert at copying a ponies personality and appearance almost identical to the pony she was imitating, but she had only one flaw, the only thing that brought her down was her impatient thinking but besides that weakness, she was quite the impressive Changeling but against a Shadow corps soldier? This was one pony she weren’t going to fool, he was going to find her sooner or later.

Fire Knight decided it be best to find where Celestia was first hoof as this offered a better opportunity of Chrysalis exposing herself. The well-dressed stallion walked up towards a trio of ponies who both talked about the palaces architecture and history. The two ponies noticed the colt walk up to them and turned to greet the new arrival

“Sorry to disturb you, but its something urgent” he said to a black suited pony with a gold monocle

“What is it?” he replied with a posh, upper class-accent

“Do you know where Celestia might be, I was meant to attend but it appears time got ahead of me?” Fire Knight explained, the pony thought for a while as Fire Knight anxiously looked at the pocket watch that hung from his pocket, the pony then quickly raised a hoof and said

“Ahh yes now I remember Celestia must be touring around the castle with those VIP guests of hers, I think they’re heading towards the throne room, you should head there”

“Much obliged sir, thank you” Fire Knight politely replied to the two well-dressed colts and then left them both trotting up towards a stone bridge which crossed stream, which he presumed, lead to the throne room.

“There it is, Canterlot’s throne room, but where’s…” Fire Knight was cut off as he heard the ensemble of ever-growing hoof steps coming from somewhere to his left side.

As he was about to continue walking over the bridge he seen Celestia, it was absolutely imperative that Celestia couldn’t see him mostly because of his appearance, himself being taller then Celestia would raise the suspicion that he wasn’t just a normal pony and his cover would most certainly be blown.

“Ah crap!” Fire Knight cursed under his breath as he quickly jumped out of sight under the cover of the bridge and waited for them to pass over, toward the throne room. He waited under the cover of the bridge and could feel the cold water that passed through his hooves rather uncomfortably soaking the cuffs of his tuxedo, but he had to stay silent so done his best to ignore it, these materialistic things were un-important compared to some ponies life being in jeopardy. He could hear their hooves walking atop the bridge passing over to the other side as a wise female voice spoke kindly to them

“Now we are heading to the throne room where I speak to my other subjects about Equestria and other politics like keeping everything under control and keeping the peace of Equestria, now I’m sorry but we cant go in because I am slightly busy, I have some work to attend to so please make your way back to the party and have a wonderful evening everypony” Fire Knight assumed this must have been Celestia talking to the ponies above and while she did, he crept sneakily across to the other side of the stream while remaining under the shadow of the bridge, keeping silent.

With some difficulty he reached the other side unnoticed. He slowly peeked his head up looking from behind could see the other ponies walking back to canter lot gardens, he turned his head back to the thrown room door and watched Celestia walk in however Fire Knight noticed one dull brown pony standing a few meters from 2 guards and the throne room door, this was odd he thought and so he continued watching the mare keeping vigilant of his surroundings.

“Excuse me, is there a problem” wandered the 2 royal guards who where standing either side of the elaborate doors

“Yes, there is a problem”

The mare then paused and equally so did the guards

“So…what is it?” The mare began to chuckle; the guards confused why she was.

“The problem well the problem is …you” A veil of green magical light enrobed the mare blinding both Fire Knight and the 2 oblivious guards, Fire Knight forced his head to turn back and seen 2 bolts of green potent looking magic hit the two guards rendering them unconcoius, when the green light vanished, it wasn’t a pony standing there but a Changling, Queen Chrysalis.

“Told you there was a problem” she chuckled to herself as she looked down at the 2 guardsmen who she had just taken care of. She then shape shifted into a identical match of the royal guard that lay on the floor; this being her ticket to get into the throne room and eventually Celestia, she looked back to the unconscious bodies on the floor behind her and turned back to them. With her telekinetic magic she started moving them behind a bush; out of sight to all but her, Fire Knight eyed at her behaviour raising a eyebrow as she walked back to the entrance to the throne room and slowly but carefully opened it. Fire Knight had to admit, to have gotten this far without having being discovered was something that made him quite impressed but the moment he thought about what he just said made him think deeper, was this truly her, obviously it was because she was standing right there but all the actions she done her behaviour it seemed all to well thought out for a changeling to have devised but more like the mind of a Drocha warrior. Fire Knight stopped pandering on his thoughts and jumped from his spot at the bank.

“Danm I cant use the front door!” he cursed yet again

“Nice one Chryssi” he chuckled coldly as he looked around for yet another idea. He turned his vision to one of the royal guards sticking out of the of the bush. he walked towards the unconscious golden armoured body of the colt who had been unluckily beaten by the queens potent magic.

He thought hastily, as the sands of time were starting to run thin. An idea then suddenly popped into his head

“Wait…I can use the front door, I’ll just do what I done to get into Canterlot gardens” he began using his magic to levitate the stallions royal armour and replacing it with his Tuxedo. Fire Knight used yet another disguise this time as a royal guard, well just a fairly tall one at that but at least his coat was white same as theirs.

“I think my luck is changing” he said as he carefully opened the two gargantuan doors entering into the throne room.

Guards were posted at each of the tall-corrugated pillars and banners and the colours of both Celestia and Luna hung from above the marble looking ceiling and reflected below on the glistening marble floor. He carefully started walk past the guardsmen, his helmet being his only chance of keeping discrete, in a funny way he wish he were a changeling, this entire thing would be a hell of a lot easier, that was Chrysalis’s advantage him. He got to the middle of the room, noticing the guards pupils looking away and losing interest of the arrival, which eased the tension he felt as he continued walking to one of the unguarded pillars.

From what he could see from behind of Chrysalis, she was walking up to the left side of the throne, watching her ever so vigilantly. There the queen stood, standing guard with a small but malevolent grin on her face covered by the shadow of her helmet. Fire Knight walked up to the pillar which to his luck, stood to the left flank of the queen and the throne, Fire Knight eyed at her with the urge to jump in and blow her cover right at that moment, but refrained from the thought as he noticed the 10 other guards in the room, if he got her now he doubted even she wouldn’t change back to her true form and grabbing her in the form she was in: he knew, as did Chrysalis it would look like he’s attacking a Royal Guard as a Royal Guard, not a smart move atoll, no…patience was the key here and so there he stood, waiting in the shadow of the column, ready to take down his target, tracing back to what his teacher told him…Expect everything, doubt nothing, let your enemy make the first move but be ready to redirect it at them.

Half a minute past of watching the queen standing beside the beautiful golden throne and it wasn’t before long that he could hear the hard sound of hoof steps coming into the room. 8 Council members walked in dressed in robes with a print of Celestias and Lunas cutie marks entered and along side them, was Celestia. Chrysalis grinned at her bitter enemy and moved back carefully preparing to do her part as they all sat down around Celestia who was sitting quite proudly on her thrown.

“Right now, lets begin” Celestia said courteously to her subjects before her as they all got out quills and paper ready to write and chat about the matters of Equestria. As they did this, Chrysalis backed away from Celestia a little bit more, she still didn’t have a clean shot and since everypony, apart from Fire Knight who kept a hawk like eye on her, was distracted speaking to each other she started to raise her horn at a totally oblivious Celestia, the green magic started to grow and charge itself for a killing blow, Chrysalis eyes then flickered a unusually red, something that Fire Knight recognised somehow but now was not the time as he watched her then change back to her former self; she started to chuckle madly. Fire Knight had seen enough and from the shadow of his post he jumped with great agility towards her. He knocked her over and nearly got impaled by a mangled horn but luckily thrown her off target. The magic shot against a wall the impact making a small crack: desecrating the smooth surface. Chrysalis stared at him with red slits for eyes and bared teeth turning back to her target ready to fire yet another magical potent bolt of magic so before she could he stood up holding her by the horn.

Celestia and all the other ponies in the room then finally turned round and seen Chrysalis being held by the head horn valiantly by Fire Knight. She twisted and turned, reared and kicked, furiously moving everywhere trying to break free from the hold; Fire Knight refusing to let her go. Every pony including Celestia gasped as they watched the scene before them. Chrysalis now going berserk and let go one of her now fully charged bolts of magic, it hit Fire Knights left side of his cheek; his helm being blown off by the blast leaving a nasty cut; trickling with blood and green sparks emitting from it. Fire Knight let out a small cry of pain but this however didn’t affect his stubborn hold on her, if anything it just made him all the more angry. Fire Knight had enough; with great strength he pulled her up, forcing her up against a nearby marble column with Chrysalis still struggling under his grip.

“YEILD! ITS OVER! YEILD!” he roared but after a closer look at Chrysalis he noticed her eyes were filled with a recognisable blood lust to kill Celestia; her eyes flickering red. She started Sprawling everywhere trying to get free, punching with her hooves at his chest.

“I SAID…YEILD!” Fire Knight said one last time. Chrysalis gaze turned to his and in doing so she strangely stopped struggling weakly dropping her flailing hooves as what she then saw, was terrifying beyond belief, Fire Knights eyes were now replaced with two burning pits of gouging red hot fire; his pupils turned to a pair of blood red slits its white background now black as night and Chrysalis was now staring directly into the centre of its hellish inferno. As Fire Knight stared Chrysalis did the same, it was as though she couldn’t turn away from it, it was like he was looking into her very soul.

“Get…out” he uttered his voice sounding dark and eerily deeper then it was before.

Something then emitted from Chrysalis’s body, a black and red smoke which then burned away and evaporated from existence. Chrysalis eyes turned back to the way they were and Fire Knights eyes too had done the same. She immediately fell unconscious and before she could hit the floor Fire Knight quickly went under her, gently holding her in his hooves. He placed her carefully on the floor before turning slowly round to face the ponies from behind him. Celestias mouth was still gaped wide open but then regained herself as Fire Knights gaze landed on her, she had too say something

“I don’t know who you are or what you just did, but…you saved me” she said graciously

“Not just you” Fire Knight replied looking to the unconscious Chrysalis; Celestia doing the same.

“Right that’s it, I’m calling the guards to get rid of her once and for all!” said an impatient advisor amongst the crowd of astonished ponies.

“NO!” protested Fire Knight who walked in front of her unconscious body in a protective manner

“If any pony to do the job, let me get rid of her for you!” he walked over too Chrysalis and with some difficulty placed her on his back ready to walk out of the throne room and leave what felt was becoming a dangerous situation

“WAIT! I didn’t say I was going to get the guards!” Celestia explained but Fire Knight continued to pace rather quickly to the exit as the two gurardponies both made a X shape with their spears, blocking his way out

“PLEASE! I don’t understand” Fire Knight then stopped and slowly turned his head round avoiding eye to eye contact with the princess. Celestia needed to know something and from this little stunt by what ever it was that was inside the changeling queen was something all to familiar, worrying for both him and from the expression on her face Celestia as well. Fire Knight thought for a moment then considered it would be best to tell Celestia what was going on

“You promise you wont call the guards on me or her”

“Yes” said Celestia releuctantly as Fire Knight turned round to face her and her subjects

“Tell both your guards and your subjects to leave the room, then I’ll talk” Fire Knight said eyeing at guards who eyed back at Fire Knight with fear and distrust. The council then started to bicker and argue

“You must refer to leader of Equestria by her full royal name” said one amongst these politicians and what was becoming a waste of time another said following on from his acquaintance

“And you cant order Celestia around like that either” Fire Knight didn’t like the way they all spoke at him as though he was somepony bellow them, but truthfully it was the vanity in their voices that made Fire Knights blood boil

“Tell me this, what gives you the right to order somepony around and if so, give me one good reason why I should follow somepony as vain as yourself, as for Celestia she didn’t seem effected by what i just said so if you are truly loyal to her then I suggest you do the same” this made all of them stop for while and were now all surprised on how this pony was acting so rebellious against their superior, but really it was how rebellious he was acting towards them, selfish ponies he thought.

“Please all of you go outside, ill be fine” Celestia demanded to all the ponies in the room. Her words were absolute and without question, they all, including guards went outside of the thrown room leaving Chrysalis, Celestia and the Fire Knight to sit and discuss the mater at hoof.

Fire Knight let out a breath of relief and placed Queen Chrysalis with careful hooves on a nearby bench and using his magic levitated a chair to sit by her. Chrysalis stirred moving her body into a better resting position, Fire Knight sighed placing a distressed looking hoof over his tired eyes. Celestia curiously watched him as she came away from her beautiful throne; walking over to him

“Are you going to tell me now who are you and what are you doing here?” there was a long silence as the ambient sound of the throne room invaded their thoughts until he spoke.

“Okay…just be sure not tell any pony else this, not even Twilight otherwise you’ll find a lot more assassins like Chrysalis coming for you” Fire Knight seriously warned her as this was actually would be the case. If she blabbed on about what she was about to tell her the Drocha would find out and same for the merciless Sealgairi brotherhood. Taking a deep breath and turning his head to Celestia he first began with his name and his occupation

“My name is Fire Knight, and I am both a Golden Warrior and a knight of Solas, my duty has forever been too protect the good and eradicate the evil from this world, the reason I came here was because I heard news from 2 Changeling messengers that Chrysalis was sent here, to Canterlot to assassinate you, this however was thankfully stopped, for the time being that is” Fire knight explained and as he did he placed a hoof to where Chrysalis shot that vile bolt at him, Celestia seen where Chrysalis left the bloody gash that had a tint of green in the wound, she grimaced at the horrid sight

“Ha, she got me good, amazing what 4 thousand years can do to you” Fire knight said with a fake chuckle pulling away at the wound drawing more blood, then using a spell he stopped the bleeding with it,

“That should stop the bleeding, ow” he winced little in pain then turned back to Chrysalis.

“Wait a second, does that mean your immortal, living that long?” Celestia inferred, 4 thousand years! How can a pony live that long, it was time that even rivalled her own, probably matching Discords going back to the ancient times to when her mother and farther were still alive From this statement, she was sure that Fire Knight wasn’t just a pony but something more,

“Well to be honest i'm not so sure myself, but i dont see immortality as something to be smiled upon” he explained

“As for the 4 thousand years well, I fought the Drorcha, Celestia I’m not expecting you too understand much of this but” he paused to take another breath, Celestia listening very carefully to what he had to say

“The Drocha are what I fight against and me and my order are the guard against it and those who live in it, including Chrysalis, to perceiver, to protect that was the motto and that’s exactly what I intend to do”

“Just one more thing Fire Knight” Celestia asked, Fire Knight turned his head to her and nodded

“I was wandering what happened to Chrysalis and well” she stuttered a little as she herself was still coming to terms with what she seen.

“What was that thing you did when your eyes set on fire” Fire Knight put a hoof to his fore head tiredly

“Well that is a different matter all together” he sighed as this other part about him, well wasn’t something he quite often didn’t speak about and fir good reason

“Well, I suppose it wont hurt to say this as well; it’s a curse I have that is known as the mortem stare or more commonly referred to as the death stare, it’s a magical ability that cannot be taught it can only be given, it grants the user the power to look into the mind of a pony, once a pony is under its control it then allows me to control them make them think things but in this case eradicate that evil that lurked inside of her” Fire Knight said with slight anger but calmed himself

“So that’s why it happened to Chrysalis” Celestia assumed since from her point of view what could be more evil then that war mongering changeling

“Not exactly, in fact I should told you this first, did you see a black and red mist come out of her body and also see her eyes flicker a red colour?”

“Yes I did” Celestia wandered currioursly on why it was important to know this until Fire Knight given her the answer

“Well, that was the demon inside of her”

“She had a demon inside of her?” gasped the princess bewildered by the fact that this was all true, a demon? Surely not one from Tarturas but she couldn’t help but realise this could be the case as it were where they lived and belonged.

“Yes she did, it must have met her when she was blown away after cadence and shinning armour defeated her last time, it probably given her the promise of hopes and dreams that she could rule over Equestria, but only if she allowed herself to become one with the daemonic entity, she must have been under its control waiting and plotting for the opportune moment to strike”

“So she did it seems” Celestia turning to Chrysalis on one of her royal wooden benches, stirring

“Yes but I don’t think it was intentionally but either way she was greatly deceived, all it wanted was to kill you then its host and knew that if it seceded it then…well… the world would be in chaos, the Changeling kingdom would think that Canterlot killed their queen and declare war on Eqeustria same for Equestria itself and the world would just be in chaos and it would rip itself apart, as for the demon inside of her well its goal was to make all that happen, I denied it that chance” Fire Knight said in a vicious tone

“So how did you get rid of it?”

“As I said before it eradicates evil so the stare burned away the demon and so returned back to its master, whoever that might be” they didn’t speak then for a long while but they still sat around chrysalis ever vigilant for signs of her coming back into consciousness, if she woke up she wouldn’t be pleased to see herself in Cantrerlot and especially seeing her bitter enemy, Celestia, again.

Fire Knight sat motionless; to Celestia it was apparent that Fire Knight was deep in thought about something; his gaze fixed on the unconscious Chrysalis who lay on the bench. He then put a hoof to his fore head and let out a deep tired breath

“Can you do me a favour Celestia?” Fire Knight uttered, not facing the princess who peered inquisitively

“What is it?”

“I have to get the crystal empire and warn shinning armour and Cadence, its possible that another assassin like Chrysalis is after them as well” Fire Knight explained his tone getting more serious with every word; then facing Celestia again said

“Can you look after Chrysalis while I’m gone?” Celestia jumped eyes wide, what a preposterous idea, keeping the Changling queen here in her palace, why, it was outrageous, she thought

“BUT… I…” she stuttered looking for words

“Please, I know you two are the bitterest of enemies but I have no other pony to turn to, I suppose your the only pony I can trust, just look after her until I return that’s all I’m asking, ill take her off your hooves when I come back okay” Celestia paused for a while then sighed, this pony did save her life after all

“Okay… but what do I tell her?” she questioned her saviour

“Just tell her the truth; don’t tell her who I am, only my name but nothing about me, its imperative that you follow what I’ve just said” he told her firmly.

Fire Knight then came away from his chair and walked to one of the nearby stain glass windows, he stared aimlessly at the beauty of glass window, with a serious look on his face, it had the picture of a royal guard in the glass and at that he put a hoof to his chin. Celestia wanderd, what he was so interesting about this specific stained window in her throne room, its was just a royal guard and so went over to investigate

“I need too look at the royal guard before I leave” he spoke outloud

“Why?” Celestia asked

“The royal guard need to be told by me in pony of what they are likely to expect and what to do should the time come when they are called in for action” Celestia then thought a little before coming to one conclusion

“Ok then I understand that Canterlot needs a better defensive formation” the tired Celestia said

“You need to bring up the sun in a few hours Chrysalis should be awake by…” Fire Knight stopped speaking as he sensed another pony was in the room

“Uh princess who is….WHA!” it was twilight sparkle eyes wide and mouth open in shock as she seen Fire Knight the pony she given those books to and who escaped her in ponyville. She then trailed her vision to the figure behind him, her face contorted and then jumped back and charged her horn Fire Knight could see it on her face that she still had a hatred towards Chrysalis even after the Canterlot wedding, Fire Knight then quickly grabbed her horn and thrown her off target

“Enough princess Sparkle! Look I know you still have a hate for the Queen but killing her would make the circumstances ever more worse” Fire Knight spoke sternly to Twilight, she then calmed herself, Fire Knight let go looking at twilight in disappointment of what she intended to do to Chrysalis; kill her in cold blood

“Who are you, I demand to know!” Twilight said angrily due to fire knight grabbing her head horn like that

“Look I don’t have time for explanations, Celestia will tell you” Fire Knight said rather hurriedly as he made sure he had everything he needed on him ready to leave the castle to see the royal guard and get to the crystal empire. He then made his way to the door and walked out back into Canterlot gardens.

Chapter 3 A cold enigma

Chapter 3

A cold enigma

Fire Knight closed the door gently behind him, still encased in the royal guard armour and to his surprise the royal guard he took it from was standing purposefully in front of him.

“Excuse me sir, but are you Fire Knight?” the guard asked uneasily, backing away a little due to the size of the golden armoured stallion that stood before him

“So you must be the colt who i stole this armour off” He replied with a small cheeky grin, the colt in response looked back at him with disdain and distrust.

“I’m sorry friend, here… take it” he apologised: using his magic to remove the armour; placing it in front of the colt, re-strapping his scabbard to his torso and putting his black cloak overhimself. The royal guard who stood there also did the same, strapping the armour to him, piece by piece before placing the ornate crested helmet proudly upon his head. The colt turned round and explained sternly to Fire Knight

“This way sir, the royal guard are waiting for you”

He walked with the guard pony into Canterlot gardens and right behind the corner was the revered royal guard, all equipped in their renowned bronze armour along with their daunting long shafted spears, all in formation trying their utmost best to look intimidating, disciplined and un-afraid. Fire Knight looked at them for a few quiet moments; a sight such as this was nothing new to him. After a while of allowing them to collect their thoughts he then finally spoke

“Who’s lieutenant among all of you!” he spoke aloud. Something at that moment reminded him of his days as a Shadow corps sergeant to his own squad of soldiers, but that was a day long gone. Eventually a pony stepped forward breaking away from his comrades in arms; soldiers making way for their 2nd in command to address himself to the cloaked stallion whose wound was apparent to all. Fire Knight peered down at the lieutenant, he didn’t atoll look like the rest of the royal guard, this was made obviously apparent of course by the fact of his armour variation being unique, allowing guards to distinguish the colt from the rest in Celestias army.

The colt removed his helm and revealed underneath the armour that he was a young colt. His coat was dark blue and as for his mane; also blue baring the fact that across it he had a brilliant yellow lightning streak, which made him stand out from the rest of his brothers in the Royal Guard

“What is your name?”

“My name is Blue Star, second in command of the royal guard sir!” Blue Star stated in a disciplinary voice to the pony; finishing with a salute

“As you probably already been made aware, Due to the absence of Shinning Armour, Celestia for the time being has put me in charge of setting up and organising a new more efficient defensive formation around Canterlot, but first lets see what you can do” the royal guard listened attentively, looking at each other slightly confused on what he meant by “see what you can do”

“Show me a defensive stance!” Fire Knight shouted unsettling the guards as they all, including the valiant Blue Star, lifted up their spears and held them out firmly at their onlooker in a threatening way. Fire Knight walked down to have a closer look, their eyes now fixed on the cloaked pony. No doubt, this was the pony that by rumour breached their own defences during the gala, no wonder why he was chosen to make amends to Canterlot’s defences.

He scanned the front line, to see if they were focused and without weakness and there was no question about it, they possessed no such weakness. They stand, all in their defensive stances, all watching inquisitively at the pony, who they call Fire Knight. The guard were rather precautious of him, however there was sense of unpredictability about him that felt as though it had left them off guard. He distances himself from the guard when suddenly! In a moment of absolute confusion He rounds on them, running headlong right for them. “What in the world is he doing, charging at line of spears like that!” Were the guard’s main thoughts as he closed in on them. He was so close to them now and instinctively point their spears at their advancing oppressor. Fire Knight looks to their faces and its clear to him that these guardsmen were flustered by his spontaneous dash to death but nonetheless kept their steel tipped porcupine under control.

Fire Knight stops only inches from the tip of their razor sharp spears and skids around to a safe distance.

“You lot seem to be pretty sturdy to stay in formation under pressure, but the enemy you’ll face will stop for nothing, they will charge at you without any sense of retreat, now defence is what will be what keeps you alive the longest, however defence alone will just drain you of your energy and leave you dangerously vulnerable to getting overrun, So to avoid this you need to attack with efficiency, knowing when to switch between your defensive and offensive stance…I’m sure your all aware that both defending and attacking are tactics which go hoof in hoof but executing them with efficiency, can be a challenge” he explained. It was clear to the guards now that this stallion was definitely not your average pony, yes this Fire Knight was probably some ex-soldier of the griffin wars or some sell sword trying to make some easy money, but still, he had to be pretty damn good to get past them unnoticed. They continued listening to every word he said.

“Now should Canterlot become under attack, you have to be able to set up a line of defense quickly, to avoid the enemy flooding the city, now you will be designated to the tight streets within in Canterlot, while the rest get barricaded by other ponies, this will nullify their numbers and make good use for your spears, but like I said defence will just buy you time, you will need to push your back essentially killing your attackers as you do, but I stress” he then turns sharply at them, a look of great seriousness upon his face

“Your lives are just as important as your orders, don’t be like them and mindlessly give them away jut because some pony asked it of you, guard it, as well as the ponies either side of you…now enough talk show me how the guard makes use of spears, Show me a attack manoeuvre” the guards thrust their spears forward making a war cry that would send a changeling running back home. Their expressions were calm and focused and there was no sign of weakness under their helms, they were strong …but weather they were ranged? Well Fire Knight had ideas for that.

“Good, the lot of you, you all certainly have the potential of being an effective fighting force, but you cant just rely on the length of your spears, you have to be able to pick off targets with ranged capabilities or of high priority, this includes archers, magic users and leaders, so my question is…can you all throw a spear?” he watched them fidget, watching the ponies look to the soldier either side of them. The fact that the royal guard were not really intended to be primed for war and more a ceremonial guard for the Royal sisters Fire Knight knew that if they were attacked by one they could hold against them but against the enemies he’s fought within the past, they wouldn’t stand a chance against such a foe, even he himself found it a formidable task but that was a different story.

When you were in the shadow corps, you were educated by a grizzled war veteran on every type of warfare taught you, this meant sword fighting ranged weapons and hoof to hoof combat for years until being designated to a Shadow corp regiment, with a squad and number. For the rest of those years you would have to fight and survive the gruelling battles against the Drorcha before moving up rank by rank depending if you were still alive of course. Your now probably wandering why such a pony would want to sign up to such an army, well, its because they have nothing to lose, a army of soldiers who fear nothing and deliver death cold to their oppressors. But as time past the Corp. grew corrupt and became infamous for war crimes their own race, Fire Knight however escaped the cruel and corrupt clutches of the corps which was once loyal and noble; the force he once fought for, but now he lived a solitary life in Equestria away from the horrors that was the corps.

He was a knight of Solas, like his farther before him and his teacher Slanthior the scarred, the legendary greatsword wielder of Solastria. All warriors, in service to the creator and to good itself delivering justice, defending the helpless, crushing the enemy with a steel hoof such was the way of his farther, his teacher and the way of a knight of Solas. These royal guards however had families to care about, they had lives which, through his eyes were too precious to lose. He knew deep down that if the time came, there just wouldn’t be enough of them to defend their homeland and kin against the vile horde massing…somewhere in Equestria, all Fire Knight could do was train them, make them as prepared as he could make them to give them hope and raise their morale because sometimes, it was those things that won the day.

Fire Knight walked purposefully down to one of the brave stallions, which stood amongst the many rows of others.

“Pass me your spear for a moment” he said politely, extending a hoof to the royal guard. The young stallion at first seemed rather reluctant to part with his only means of defence but did what was asked of him and passed his weapon to the pony. Fire Knight then began to examine the spear, the guard watched him as he smiled with a faint nod. The guard soon realised he was testing its quality and from the expression he given, the spear he held was a durable and effective one at that. The guards watched him with great interest as he held it with a hoof and turning his vision to behind them; he spoke pointing to behind them

“You see that archers target, behind you…just over there” the royal guards turn around, looking behind them to see an archers target far off, some 40 meters away from their hooves with a 2 meter diameter. All nodding in agreement they stand overseeing the target. Fire Knight taken a few hoof steps back honing his body before charging toward the target, spear held between his teeth. He was gaining speed and using this momentum he stood up on his hind legs and grasped the spear in hoof he had a second to place the shot and threw the spear, using the momentum of both the spear and body to throw the projectile with greater velocity.

The spear went high over the pony’s heads and staring at the airborne threat that was elegantly making its decent to its marked out target. As it fell, they all anticipated its impact; they bickered anxiously as they watched

“Do you think it’ll hit? Its pretty far off” asked a royal guard standing on the front line

“Faust knows, the wind will probably blow it off Target” replied his doubtful friend. Lieutenant Blue Star and the colt Fire Knight who stood beside him were blind to the target due to the guards blocking their view. With a flick of their ears they listened closely, they heard a very faint “plonk” and noticed the guards went silent turning around to the colt who thrown it.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Standing on his hind legs he peered over them and to his amusement there it was.

The Spear had hit dead on its target; the guards staring in astonishment. Oh such a magnificent throw it was, one that even Shinning Armour captain of the Royal Guard would find most impressive, for a pony that looked like a vagabond. Fire Knight landed back on all four hooves, walking back to the bold Blue Star

“Now that’s how I throw spears and soon you too will able to throw your own, but sadly I cant stay here for much longer so instead ill let your lieutenant take my place” He explained as all the guards span round amazed, inspired and eager to try: they faced their on lookers

“Blue Star!” Fire Knight drilled

“Yes Sir!” Blue Star replied, watching the cloaked colt walk to yet another guard and obtained a spear from them and placed it in his hooves.

He looked confused on what he was meant to do with it, he was a unicorn and he could just fire bolts of magic at his foes, why on Equestria would he need a spear? Let alone throw one?

“What do you want me to do with this sir?” he asked

“You see that target about 30 meters where were standing” he explained pointing his hoof. Blue Star reared up to get a good view of his target: Blue Star nodded in response

“Well my friend I want you to throw your spear at that target…if your up for it of course” Blue Star recoiled at such an athletic task, if he had it his way he could of just blasted that damn thing sky high, but he couldn’t didle-dadle in his head for much longer. Guard pony eyes were watching him and didn’t want to let all the ponies watching him down.

Guards shifted aside to make way for their lieutenant, He focused his mind; placing the pear between his teeth and ran. He was using all the energy he could muster, accuracy was definitely his personal strong suit but he couldn’t allow doubt to take hold, he needed to focus and that he did. He reared up going on his hind legs and threw the spear, putting as much force behind the throw. The guards looked above to see the projectile cut through the air as it neared its target. Blue Star immediately landed on his hooves and closed his eyes; he couldn’t bear watching his failure or even more so the humiliating looks on all the guard’s faces. “Plonk” There he stood, awaiting a comical remark by a guard but to his surprise, he was greeted by the sound of gasps from, which was followed by a loud and victorious cheer; he opened his eyes…HE DONE IT! Overjoyed and speechless he arose to see guards from all around run over to praise his amazing throw.

“By Celestia Blue, you actually done it!” cheered a fellow guard pony

“You have to teach us how to do that sir, were all eager to try” explained another. Blue Star then felt himself being lifted high by his comrade’s hooves, laughing along with them.

Fire Knight from afar was watching the Lieutenant with a proud smile

“You done good colt…real good” Fire knight whispered to himself as he started making his way out of the gardens, there was no need of him to stay any longer. Meanwhile Blue Star was placed down and looked around for the colt that had taught him the art of spear throwing, but to his surprise, Fire Knight was leaving them, more mysteriously when he arrived.

He chased hurriedly after him before he could pass further beyond the gardens

“Sir!” he nearly shouted, but succeeded in stopping him

“Yes Blue, I’m afraid i can’t stay for long, so keep it brief” Fire Knight replied, hastily turning round to face him

“What’s happening in Equestria…what’s going on Sir?” Blue Star asked nervously. Fire Knight reflected for a moment as to weather it was right explaining that his world could be in danger as this would most certainly rise tension in Canterlots royal guard, a tension they couldn’t afford to have, especially when he wasn’t sure yet weather the Drorcha’s presence were even in Equestria but still it would probably be best to tell Blue Star. He let out one long sigh

“Okay, I will, just be sure to keep it to yourself, as it may sound a little…unsettling” Blue Star nodded as Fire Knight inhaled a breath to explain the insidious matter at hoof

“A possible darkness is rising in Equestria; something which hasn’t appeared in this realm for at least a thousand years, going back before even nightmare moon or even Celestia, its my duty and your fellow guards to defend against that darkness, I must go to the crystal empire to warn Cadence and Shinning armour of this” Blue Star shuddered for a moment and this was totally understandable.

Lets face it, being told that a plotting evil force is rising outside the walls of Canterlot and then being told to fight something you have no idea of what or who it is would make anypony shudder at the thought, but as for Fire Knight, he was so use to war from all those so many years ago he became accustomed to it, however did not take pride in that fact. Fire Knight seen it though by his apprehensive behaviour that he was afraid and rightly so, he placed a hoof to his shoulder and to an unsure Blue Star and said

“Listen Blue, fear is something which can take you over if you allow it to, if you have hope and passion in your heart, that you can win, then that fear is nothing, so don’t be afraid, and have faith in not just the ponies around you...but yourself”

Blue Star nodded, taking in his words of wisdom. Fire Knight then used his magic to obtain a scroll from under his cloak, placing the parchment in his hoof

“Here are the defensive plans for Canterlot; don’t let the enemy get a hold of them” he explained before turning to the exit again. Blue Star turned back to his guards when suddenly he heard from behind

“Oh and another thing Blue Star!” In response he turned his head

“Good luck my friend” Blue Star smiled at the kind statement as he peered back at the strange and secretive stallion walk outside of the Canterlot gardens. He stood there contemplating, looking as though he seen a ghost, but eventually turned back to go over with the plans given to him by Fire Knight.

Fire Knight was now at the train station and to his luck he was still under the cover of night meaning no ponies to worry about on the way. Before going embarking, he looked gloomily back at Canterlot palace, like he had left something precious behind which he had great remorse for; something important but he couldn’t allow himself to pander on things like that now he had a mission, a duty and he was going to complete it. So before getting on the train to departure from the beautiful night lit city of Canterlot he said

“I hope you stay safe up there” and with a few hoof steps climbed onto the train as it slowly escalated along the tacks, to the frozen planes of the crystal empire.

Time had past and the moon had descended and sun arisen. The train followed the tracks, which became increasingly unsteady and it was no doubt by the development of ice on the windows that he was on the outskirts of the crystal empire. The weary, sleeping Fire Knight rested himself upon two of the many comfy seats on the carriage and was slowly coming back into consciousness as the train’s tremors became more violent and common. He awoke facing the window rubbing his eyes of sleep only to be faced with yet another arduous task.

He stared grimly at the icy wasteland that was the out skirts of the Crystal Empire and what a sight it was. Such a foreboding and abominable place, a sea of snow combined with a strong and unrelenting wind that simply by even considering going through it, was a dreading thought. He continued to stare rather inquisitively out at the blizzard that seemed to endlessly follow the train without any sense of retreat.

“Well isn’t that a sight” he chuckled rather coldly; as he watched the elements clash with the train. A moment later he started noticing something about this certain storm, which appeared denser and darker then the others surrounding. He peered anxiously closer, instinctively putting one hoof on his sword; he could see something moving inside the blizzard, a dark misted figure within its centre.

“What is that” a split second later he felt the train quake; as what was a normal train ride was now starting to change far from it. The train started screeching along the tracks causing luggage and other miscellaneous objects, falling off the shelves and hitting both him and the floor.

“Not good” he grunted. A split second after he said the words something solid hit the train causing it to spin off the tracks. He felt a moment of weightlessness inside of his carriage until suddenly…CRASH! Fire Knight fades to black

Moments pass and Knight awakes with a jolt

“Argh*cough*what in the world*cough*” was all that was heard in the carriage he was in, apart from the howling winds from the outside world. He started slowly coming back into awareness, finding him flat on the wall of the carriage, buried in luggage and glass

“*Cough*… what the hell done this” he grunted as he began regaining himself; back up on his hooves and oh how his head felt terrible after that, (like the sensation you get after laying on the couch for too long) giving him the sensation of dizziness.

“Creator sometimes I question how I survive these things” he reflects in his mind; sweeping glass and rubble off himself.

He looked around attentively for any signs of life before looking up above to a window; this was his way out. He went on his hind legs and tapped at the window and found it was fairly thick and sturdy, there was no way he could shatter the window with his bare hooves, so looking to his sword he unsheathed the weapon, griping the blade; his hooves wrapped in his cloak and pommel facing up at the window. “Remember…every part of the longsword is a weapon, the pommel, the hilt and of course the blade, use all of this to your advantage and the longsword will never cease to be a versatile companion for all your situations in war” he reminded himself of what Salanthior the scarred had taught him, he treasured those memories. With the pommel he smashed the window, he had to cover his eyes with a hoof to avoid the glass hitting him.

Jumping and grasping onto the window rim, he heaved himself out of the wreckage and landed on the side of the train. He landed with a thud and looked around at the brooding blizzards and the almost seamless desolate snow-covered landscape, which lay all-round him. His Sword was clutched by the red leather handle in his hooves, treading lightly, as he wandered beside following the rest of the train which was becoming rapidly entombed in snow.

“HEY! IS THERE ANYPONY OUT THERE!” He shouted. He had to make sure he double checked every corner as he ventured on, ever vigilant for signs of danger, his sword firmly ready to meet the blood of his foes “Come on! Show yourself, I know your out there…somewhere”

He began to trot to the front of what was left of the train and peered into the Cabs window and strangely… no pony was there, completely deserted without a trace. He backed away and began to speculate, if there was no pony controlling the train then who was? back when he was on the previous train the driver had departed for the night and presumably all the other drivers, meaning this train wasn’t meant to be used at that time, something was incredibly insidious about that thought

“This train wasn’t meant to be on duty…wait…that can only mean…” he was cut off as at that moment he heard the faint trot of hooves on snow behind him. He then span round, to where the sound was coming from and waited anxiously for whomever it was skulking out there.

A moment later he heard the ever-growing sound of speedy hooves on steal coming from on top of the train itself and suddenly! A figure descended and Fire Knight had to block a figure with holes in its hooves and holding a black serrated blade. It was a changeling, wearing a black, red rimmed hood and dressed in a suit of black chain mail, it was clear now, a changeling assassin was here to kill him but there was no time to dwell on the matter, Fire Knights attacker broke speedily away from the block and started to franticly slash with the gladius like blade at his target.

The sound of steel clashing filled the air around them, sparks flying off their blades, spinning and flailing doing all they could to kill the other but to no avail. Fire Knight blocked each of the blows with his agile longsword, waiting for the right opportunity to strike, the assassins rapid manoeuvres making him tired and more prone to attack, however the changeling was also losing the fuel to fight. He held his weapon far back in the effort to make a cleaving cut down Fire Knight but this left him dangerously open to significant harm.

Fire Knight swung his sword in a deadly arc at the assassin’s legs and cut them clean off, his chitin didn’t stand a chance against Solastrian steal. The changeling howled and screamed in its green ; freezing blood still persistently trying to kill him. Fire Knight looked back at the changeling who crawled towards him his fangs out ready to take a bite out of him but was silenced when the blade was plunged ran through his chest piercing his icy heart. The changeling gave one last breath before finally succumbing to darkness.

Fire Knight pulled the blood stained blade out of its chest, the blood almost instantaneously freezing and the body laid to rest in the cold; harsh winters snow. He swiped his weapon; removing the blood, which still stained the fuller and seethed his weapon back in its scabbard. Looking pitifully back at the dead changeling Fire Knight questioned in his mind what was going on, first Chrysalis and now this changeling

“Who sent you?” he uttered before he looked back to the icy plain before him. It was a dangerous and blinding wasteland out there, one that lead to the Crystal Empire. So landing his hooves upon the snow he marched into the cold and bitter artic of the Crystal Empire.

<<<<<< Back in Canterlot>>>>>>>>>

Chrysalis started coming back into consciousness, rubbing sleep from her tired eyes. She slowly opened them but what greeted her was definitely not her Changeling kingdom; it was a familiar place she recognised. She forced her eyes open, Oh no she thought, she was back at the most loathsome place she could ever imagine ever going back too…Canterlot. She rubbed her forehead, trying to think back to what in Tarturas had just that made her end up here. All she could remember was a stallion’s voice, a mare’s and one other hissy, whispering voice, what happened before and why she was there was completely vague to her. She sat up; looking around she noticed she was in yet another very familiar sight, was this one of Celestias personal suites. She sneakily got out of the bed looking around until she heard a knock at the door; oh no she thought as she rounded to the bed and quickly hid under the covers pretending to be asleep while keeping one eye sneakily open like a cobra awaiting its prey.

Chrysalis squinted her vision at the figure coming in; seeing what looked like a purple pastel coloured pony coming into the room her face covered by a book labelled dark magic. The pony sat upon a comfy looking, red-cushioned chair. She sat there reading sifting through the books for a few more moments before putting it down, Chrysalis in response closed her eyes shut, she had to remain calm, charging in would do nothing but get her locked up in some cell beneath Canterlot and was a place she would never go back to ever again.

“Why did that pony save you?” said the pony in the room. That voice, she thought for a while thinking back and suddenly she recognised it, after all those years ago, it was that disgusting stubborn little purple pony…Twilight Sparkle. Oh how the rage inside Chrysalis grew, the memories of that oh so abhorrent day fuelled her rage however…she couldn’t allow her own emotions take control, no she had to play along and then get out of this loathsome abode.

She lay there in the bed, plotting her next move when she suddenly noticed a familiar scent on the air, something that smelt awfully good, were they torturing her with starvation she thought but decided to play along, she groaned a little as she sat up pretending she had just awoken

“Please I’m so hungry” she said in a dramatic tone; putting her right hoof over her forehead

“Get me some food” she could feel her uneasy emotions emanating from her as she raised the book not wanting to make eye contact with her most bitter enemy

“Not until you tell me what’s going on” Twilight said, in response Chrysalis raised a brow, not understanding a word of it and instead realised, what if this were all a cover up, maybe even some sort of delusion spell, why would twilight and Celestia let her stay in this suite, it was to good to be actually true

“Twilight I should have known, come to get me after what I did to your brother?” after saying those words she assumed this would break the illusion, Twilight gave the queen an unimpressed look in response

“I would have if it weren’t for that white stallion” Twilight replied, feeling reluctant to stay with the changeling queen.

Chrysalis then narrowed her eyes at Twilight, a white stallion? What in Tarturas was that supposed to mean but either way the fact intrigued her

“Wait…what do you mean a white stallion” Twilight responded by simply giving her the look that she knew, however she didn’t but did take great interest in this mysterious colt, who was he, why was he here and most importantly what happened before she woke up; she had to know some how

“And who is this white stallion?” Chrysalis was now getting annoyed by how Twilight was hiding all the facts from her and besides what was there to hide? The queen awaited an explanation or at least a vague one considering twilights reluctant attitude

“Celestia didn’t tell me much, his name is called Fire Knight and he’s the reason your not locked away in Canterlot prison” Twilight explained before getting back to her book.

Chrysalis thought about that name, weather she heard it before, but no definitely not and what else did she say, if it weren’t for this so called pony she would have been locked away in Canterlot prison but more importantly, considering it was a pony was very odd, why the hell would a pony stop Celestia and Twilight from her imprisonment, what did he have to gain from all this…it didn’t make sense. She smiled malevolently at the thought of how pointless and unwise this act was and as to the unlucky pony that has done this oh so delicious act of generosity.

“Awww a pony saving a changelings life sounds like a fool” she smirked as she made the condescending remark, however this just aggravated Twilight, she grimaced at the queen in disgust and got back to reading her book, Chrysalis however wanted more answers from the purple alicorn

“When will this Fire Knight pony be back?” Chrysalis asked circling a hoof in the air.

Twilight sharply put the book down and looked up at the clock above her, she placed a hoof to her chin; thinking back to how long the journey taken for her and her friends to get to the crystal empire, in a way she missed those days, being a unicorn but now she was an alicorn and on a day like this a unlucky one to have a job such as this

“Fire Knight, from what Celestia’s told me should be in the Crystal Empire by now, probably making his way through the snow” Twilight explained. What did she say? This Fire Knight was in the crystal empire making his way through the snow leaving her to the mercy of these ponies? What was this? She then fell flat on the bed and stared up at the ceiling, making the most of her time alive she thought and also pandering about what exactly had just happened. All she could remember were those three voices: Celestia’s, A colts and one disturbing hissy voice but she presumed it was just her link to the hive that she was hearing but either way it troubled her.

<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>

It had been well over 2 hours that Fire Knight had been walking through the cold and unforgiving tempest that was the snowstorm, which had all of the crystal empire in its grasp under a white veil. Fire Knight walked through the accursed blizzard, which would not cease. As he pressed on through the vile and frigid winds he thought back to when that changeling attacked, it made him wander, who sent it? At first glance the appropriate answer would be Chrysalis being their queen but It couldn’t have been, yes Chrysalis could have used her link to the hive but, she knew not of his location or intentions and killing him would be of little strategic importance, but who else could it be? He made his time in Equestria a very secretive one, making hardly any contact with anypony except only to retrieve imperative things for his home, deep within the everfree forest, who could possibly know of his existence and if so why did they want him dead, it was an allusive thought.

Haooooooooooow! He hastily turned to where he heard the howl; scanning the icy wasteland for any signs of life, it was clear he wasn’t alone. He continued back on his way to the city, treading cautiously with each step he took knowing every moment could be his last. As he trudged through the snow, he felt the ground underneath becoming more ice then snow, his hoof hit a patch and at the sound of cracking beneath, he starting falling into darkness roaring as he descended into an icy chasm.

After a few moments Fire Knights eyes flickered open and found himself beneath a pile of ice and snow, he moved aside the debris; regaining himself. He was confronted by a gargantuan cavern supported by pillars of ice that glistened like crystals and icicles that littering the ground, caused by his so incautious decent into such a wondrous sight of nature. He looked above to see the hole he had made in the roof among was thousands of icicles looming down upon him. He had fallen quite far below the surface of the empire; he would have to find his own way out of this vast cavern.

He put up his hood and turned round to see a steel barrel aimed between his eyes

“WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!” he was greeted by a red cloaked pony, his hood down revealing his red and purple mane wielding an ancient looking rifle

“I would like to know the same thing?” Fire Knight replied, no fear in his voice, the pony given him a look of disdain in return at the cloaked figure who stood before him, brooding weather to shoot him or not. Fire Knight looked back at him; the red pony doing the same, Fire Knight let out a cold sigh before placing his hood down to reveal himself to the warrior who stood before him

“My name is Fire Knight, I come from Canterlot to seek an audience with Crystal Empires leaders…a great shadow looms over this world, help me and I will help you” He explained as the pony listened but kept a firm aim on him

“I don’t believe you” he replied. Fire Knight then heard the trotting of hooves behind the gun-pony

“Put the gun down Red Thunder, were all friends here!” ordered a colt from behind the pony

An orange coloured colt, encased in silver ceremonial armour, that of a high rank guard, the red pony lowered his weapon turning round to face his companion, greeted him

“What happened here…you look as if your hiding from something above” Fire Knight questioned the duo looking at both of them with great interest as they started explain themselves

“My name is Flash Sentry and this is Red Thunder” Fire Knight nodded his head courteously at the two “Red here was also going to the Empire…but then two days after his arrival…something terrible was unleashed onto the city, something dark” he paused as memories of fear started to gnaw at his resolve before continuing with his tale “at first it was just the snow storms, then… those things came, and taken over the city, so me and this pony escaped to the underground crystal caves I learnt about somewhere” Fire Knight speculated, what did he mean by…things, was it more changelings or something much more insidious within the empires crystal walls.

This was most intriguing and need more questions answered

“Can you describe them?” The royal guard shuddered, the mere thought of them putting deep fear within his heart

“I didn’t have a good look because we were too busy running away from them…I would have stood my ground but there were just to many… but I do remember them being enrobed by black aura; with red…soul piercing eyes” Flash Sentry ceased, he could not say anymore about them, it was all too much for one pony to take in, a worrying look was etched upon Fire Knights face, the description of this nightmarish foe seeming familiar to him,

“I understand…but I’m afraid a task lies for me above” he stated with serenity in his voice as he lifted his hood back up ready to depart

“What? Your not considering of going out there are you?” speculated Flash Sentry

“That’s suicide” retorted Red Thunder

“If princess Cadence and Shinning Armour are still within the palace walls, then it is a risk I’m willing to take” Fire Knight replied as he began his journey up an icy pathway towards what seemed to Flash Sentry and Red thunder a death sentence.

They stared in utter disbelief, watching the doom driven traveller walk towards his inevitable death, without hesitation, without fear. In their minds they knew better then to go back to that place but in their good hearts wanted to help this pony complete his righteous cause and help a pony in need, should they help this stranger. Flash looked at his red friend speculating before they both nodded and ran up towards Fire Knight

“I ask merely for the way out, I need not a body guard” he said from under his breath

“You wont last long out there and you will need a guide through the city to the palace itself” suggested Flash Sentry, as he was the palaces valiant royal guard.

Flash was right, his knowledge of the empire was limited and would need a guide through both the crystal city and palace itself and would need aid fighting these hellish monsters of the void.

“So be it; we must hurry if we are to reach them before these dark beings do” and so they set out to help this stranger on his quest to aid the crystal empires prince and princess to help them escape from the vile monsters which now roam the city streets. They make their way, Red Thunder, Flash Sentry and Fire Knight through the dark and icy tunnel network beneath the icy wasteland, of the crystal empire above.

<<<>>>>

Chrysalis was regaining her strength now, feeling her magic and power grow; rejuvenating herself but it was not enough to be a danger to any pony…not yet that is. She sat upright and ran her hoof through her beautiful cyan hair before placing it under her chin. Who was this Fire Knight? What was his purpose? And out of all the mystical creatures of Equestria, why her? She was a queen of the Changelings, a Changeling who has seen enough war, terror and blood shed to last 3 lifetimes over and who has killed her enemies by the hundreds with a heart as cold as ice and with her legendary dark magic residing within her black mangled horn and this pony had saved the most ruthless, most malevolent force in Equestria…Queen Chrysalis, daughter of Cocoon

“When will this Fire Knight pony be back?” Chrysalis she asked

“I don’t know?” replied Twilight sifting through more books creating an even bigger pile then the one she had before

“Don’t you remember anything?” she questioned, raising a brow at her

“Only fragments” Chrysalis replied, surprised herself that she knew not of what happened before but yet another thought struck her mind

“Why should all you ponies care anyway”

“Because he told us too” a voice explained from the opening door.

As the door slowly opened it revealed the sun goddess herself, it was princess Celestia, Chrysalis blood boiled, feeling her heart pump faster with rage, however she knew better then to challenge the alicorn here and now, especially in the state she was currently in. She suppressed her emotions and laughed evilly at her. The thought of Celestia being ordered by a pony was quite humorous to her for if she was in her position, she would have killed the pony in a heartbeat no doubt

“Muhahaha did he now” Chrysalis mocked the princess which aggravated Celestia with each cackle she made

“You should be grateful he saved your life” Celestia said viciously to her old enemy, it would seem after the time they had last met still remained a part her but unlike the changeling which lay in front of her she cared little for vengeance

“A pony saving a changelings life sounds like a fool” Chrysalis stated and in turn Celestia pandered at what she said and couldn’t help but think she wasn’t half right.

If it weren’t for Fire Knights explanation of who he was and why he was there at the convenient place and time, she would have had her either executed or sent to the Canterlot prisons below, and saving her life, being the evil queen she is, Celestia would consider Fire Knight a traitor to his own kind and along with it a fool but after Fire Knight weaved his tale of being the last knight of Solas and this 7 thousand year old Warrior from beyond this world it was clear to Celestia that he was no fool, whatever the reason, she was in debt to him for saving her life, it was a shame that Chrysalis didn’t think the same way as she did

“He told me to look after you until he arrives, I can’t see why he would ask this of me, but I promised I would” Explained the alicorn feeling equally more reluctant as twilight did, to even speak to such an abhorrent character, but deep down knew that Fire Knight knew what he was doing; she had faith in that fact.

Celestia moved aside for a small trolley to be pushed to her bedside by one of her servants. Atop a metal tray lay one bowl of noodles and cup of water. Chrysalis turned to the food and felt a surge of hunger start to gnaw at her stomach; she was oh so very hungry. She used her telekinesis to lift the food closer to her and began to eat contently. Celestia bent her head to twilight while still keeping a firm eye on the queen

“Twilight if anything should happen ill be in my quarters”

“Ok princess” Twilight replied and so the sun goddess made her way out shutting the door behind her leaving her favourite student with her bitter enemy.

A few minutes past and Chrysalis had finished her food now sitting calmly on her bed

“Are you better after that stare?” Twilight asked. What a spontaneous question to ask her but still she couldn’t help but take interest at the mater

“Yes” she replied giving her a speculating look, Chrysalis not understanding what she meant by…stare.

“But what do you mean stare?” Twilight was now growing tired of her questions and retorted back at her

“Don’t you remember anything?”

“No I don’t” Chrysalis replied.

A thought struck Twilights mind and remembered what Celestia explained to her of what Fire Knight actually done to Chrysalis, something that sent chills down her spine as she imagined it in her mind

“Celestia said he stared into your eyes and burned away some sort of dark magical entity, I’ve been trying to look for a book about it for ages” Explained Twilight, hurriedly wafting through the pages of the ancient looking books

“Are you sure you don’t remember” Chrysalis shook her head smiling to herself as she did

“I’m not sure” what in the world just happened and even more this mysterious Fire Knight character. In truth, if what Celestia and twilight say were true, if it weren’t for him she would be dead and her reign and blood line over, but she was a changeling for Equestria sake ponies were their enemies…or was he a pony.

This type of magic sounds to be of ancient origin, an ability possibly going back to the time of her farther and mother, back to when Sombra himself was still learning dark magic, if this was the case it seemed to her he was hiding secrets from the princesses and as for this stare, it sounded far from being purely good.

<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>

In the dark and icy tunnel network beneath the crystal empire, we follow our brave heroes walking through the treacherous tunnels which felt as though the roofs above were about collapse upon them, a grim place to die no doubt which equally made them want to leave such a place. The cave network seemed to go for miles, their hooves starting to ache but yet would not cease walking ever onward. After half an hour had nearly past they found the exit from the crystal caves

“Were finally out…okay Flash you lead the way me and Red will follow, just remember to stick to the storm” Fire Knight suggested Flash turned to face him

“And what if we are spotted?”

Fire Knight given him a serious look one that made his blood cold

“Then you run…understood” Flash Sentry given Red Thunder a specula’s look before nodding

“Okay” they replied

“Okay, lets move” and with fire knights last word they went forth into the cold blizzard that covered the lands.

They pushed themselves through the great and swirling tempest, keeping them at bay from their objective as they continued. Fire Knight squinted his vision and through the blizzard could see a golden gate that had completely frozen over

“DO YOU KNOW HOW THIS ALL HAPPENED?” shouted Fire Knight. Flash Sentry contemplated, he out of everypony should know but, strangely, it seemed to be veiled to him, like it was all a long lost dream, he found him self in a daze and abruptly lifted his head replying

“NO”

“THIS MUST BE THE GATE TO THE EMPIRES CITY” Red Thunder stated

“WHATS THE PLAN?”

Fire Knight turned to flash sentry who replied with a stunned look, before speaking

“FLASH I WANT YOU LEAD US TO THE CRYSTAL PALACE, WELL USE THE STORM TO OUR ADVANTAGE!” Fire Knight again shouted over the blizzards almighty howls and roars.

“WELL BE LIKE A GHOST IN THIS BLIZARD!” Red and Flash Sentry nodded in agreement Red checking his rifle as it made sure it was off safety, aye it was clear now this pony Red thunder was obviously a Equestrian artisan of some sort, a gun smith no doubt

“OK FLASH; LEAD THE WAY!” he ordered

Fire Knight then went closer to the gate, his cut left by Chrysalis starting to sting due to the freezing temperatures. He then turned his back to the gate and bucked it open causing the ice to shatter and gates to swing violently in the wind. With the young royal guard leading the way for the rest of his band to follow. They walked on a bit further before stopping as they heard a foul howling sound on the dreaded air

“WHAT IN CELESTIAS NAME WAS THAT?” Flash sentry reacted his ears twitching agitatedly. Fire Knight looked around at his surroundings too with equal wordiness, what’s worse then a hidden monster, that at this very moment, could be stalking them, with blood lusting fangs and icy cold breath

“SIR!” Flash Sentry panicked looking in all directions

“KEEP CALM… I THINK ITS ICE WOLVES, THEY MIGHT BE SEARCHING FOR ANY STRAGLERS THAT MIGHT HAVE SURVIVED; I JUST HOPE THEY HAVENT CUAGHT OUR SENT YET!” Red and Flash exchanged cautious looks at each other at that statement.

Ice wolves, the predators that roamed the cities farthest outskirts now hunting in their beloved crystal city. A dark threat was looming over it seemed, one that to Fire Knight seemed all too familiar. Still they shoved any negative thoughts aside turning back now would be hopeless. It felt as though death lurked on every corner and the only thing they had against relenting was the hope that they could get out of this…alive (A more just reason then any, no)

The 3 brave ponies went further and through the blizzard could start to see the walls of houses and the remnants of wagons along with their load buried beneath a forever snow. The entire crystal Empire seemed a ghost town, its once prosperous ponies gone leaving only a deserted and eerie world constantly being eroded by the elements. Fire Knight suddenly stopped and looked above, vaguely seeing a tower of some sort, one that could be used to spot the crystal palace and a place of refuge.

“COME ON LETS FIND SOME COVER FROM THIS STORM I THINK I SEE A BIULDING WE CAN USE TO FIND WHERE WE ARE!” Fire Knight pointed out to them but stopped again. He made a gesture with his hoof causing them to stop.

A foul voice is heard whispering on the air uttering words in a strange dialect in rapid secession. They look around franticly, all ducking low trying to remain calm. There it is, a black enrobed creature, purple ethereal mist emanating from its body and its eyes…those pair of blood filled eyes stared back at Fire Knight, it moaned almost in pain or even grief as it slowly floated towards him, a avatar of fear made manifest.

Fire Knight stared back, moving back as it moved closer

“Its them things” Flash said quietly, his fear staring to get the better of him

“Stay here” was Fire Knights reply as he unsheathed his sword and stood on his hind legs moving closer to the dark spirit

“What does he think he's doing?” said Red Thunder to flash who immediately retorted

“Shhhh stay quiet”

Fire Knight stopped and waited for the spirit to come to him. The spirit groaned louder as it revealed a set of serrated teeth, which gnashed ready to take a bite out of its prey. Fire Knight remained sturdy holding the sword held above his shoulders.

“Any second now” The spirit then roared as it lunged at him, he then swung the sword and watched as the creature fell to the ground, its whispers left silent and its corpse becoming quickly consumed by snow. He sheathed the blade and landed on his hooves, walking back to them.

“Was that really necessary” Flash said

“These things are neither alive nor dead, they are shadows of ponies left behind, spirits if you will of crystal ponies long ago, but these spirits to have been…desecrated by some pony or even something” Fire Knight spoke out

“How do you know and if their crystal ponies why are they attacking us?”

“I can fell their anguish and hatred towards the old king of this place…I forget his name” they continue walking through the snow as they listen to him

“As for their reasons for why they’re attacking us? I cant really say” They were now at the tall building Fire Knight was on about “Here it is…let me go in first ill make sure the coast is clear then you come in after me!” Fire Knight spoke loudly

“GOT IT!” they replied watching the stallion slowly open the door and walk inside.

The natural lighting from outside dimly lighting the room he entered, the windows surrounding were cracked and cob webs littered the place growing in abundance as the darkness grew. Was there anyplace left unscathed, apparently not by the looks of everything. However He seen a spiral stair case, still intact and in reasonable condition, which must have lead to the ramparts of this tower.

“Its clear, you can come in now, just watch your step, there’s cobwebs everywhere” he said turning back to the door watching Flash sentry and Red thunder walk in to find themselves in the bottom floor of the tower

“Right…lets get to the top of this thing; Red, watch our backs we go up, alert us the moment you spot something” Fire Knight told them. They both nodded, they had to admit, they felt safer in numbers then by themselves, but still had a sickening uneasiness as they made their way step by step up the damp, dark tower, it was definitely not a place for the faint of heart.

<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>

Chrysalis lay there confused, annoyed and hungry for love, yes it was true she had just eaten a few minutes ago but food could only sustain her, she needed love, being the only thing that could keep her alive. It nourished her, made her strong and without it? She was powerless, left with two of her most hated enemies she’s ever encountered. Oh if only she had her case of love elixirs which were back in her kingdom.

They were an alternative to feeding off love and emotions made by the most skilled changeling alchemists in the kingdom, how they made it was rumoured to be made by victims captured by the hive and drained of all emotion; condensing it into a literal elixir of emotion. Being the queen, she could afford such expensive anomalies; she could last without it she assumed.

Chrysalis so Bored of this pointless waiting and as much as she hated Twilights mere voice, she needed to find more answers to this enigma

“What’s that you’re reading?” she questioned, in an attempt to the truth out of her

“I already told you I’m trying to look for a book which might explain about this dark entity Celestia told me about” Twilight retorted, frustrated by being constantly distracted by one of her worst enemies, Chrysalis didn’t need to even tap into her emotions to know that she bared a hatred which after all these years still remained alarmingly strong, but mind you she was a killer, a murderer even, she wasn’t surprised that she did

“Is there anything I can read or are you afraid I might wreck your precious books?” she said mockingly which just annoyed twilight even further.

Twilight, who currently was keeping the peace in the room, followed the queens wishes, using her magic to levitate a book from her messy pile if books over to her lap

“There you go” Chrysalis swished her back to take a closer look at book cover. It read “Ancient Equestria” and by the looks of it, the book in itself looked ancient, its cover feeling rough and dirty. Still left out a troubled sigh. She was starting to contemplate again about this Fire Knight, she just couldn’t get the ridiculous thought out of her head of that one foolish pony who saved probably one of the most wanted, infamous despots in all Equestria.

Thoughts raced through her evil mind, plotting what she could do when she was out of enemy’s sight, the possibilities, the strategic advantages she could get from all this, even use this pony to help her and it was perfect…well for the most part. Chrysalis no doubt had gained much experience from her time in war and she was not only a queen but also a feared leader in a vast army. Her training too also paid off, considering she too was taught in the art of magic but this type of magic was unheard off, even Celestia didn’t know and if Celestia, twilight and no other pony knew what the hell this magic was, made her think deeper.

Fire Knight…Fire Knight, she repeated in her head as she pandered. “Okay his name is Fire Knight, well obviously he must be a knight of some kind as if that weren’t obvious enough and as for Fire…well I guess he’s a colt who has an affinity with fire…but what an absurd name, what type of pony calls their son Fire Knight, peh…though it does sound like royalty, but as for this dark magical stare now that’s interesting, he must have a connection with the darker side of magic to have used such a skill, hmmm, very interesting” it intrigued her still, that this Fire Knight, this stranger would help her so. She then opened the book and started sifting through the pages until she found something worthwhile to read. She landed on a page about ancient orders gone by and so began to read, who knows the answers could be in this book…or most likely not.

<<<<<<<>>>>>>>

The towers spiral staircase was sickening them with the fear of what might be above; with each hoof step they looked vigilantly around being wary not to trip.

“Were nearly there, just a few more steps” he told them. Flash Sentry looked ahead and could see the light from outside again and what happy sight it was when they all got to the top of the forsaken place. The top floor was made entirely of steel and a windshield, which from the cold was starting to crack over time.

Fire Knights eyes then fell upon a metallic contraption

“Oh…well that’s convenient” a telescope attached to a tripod, what luck. They had a roof over their heads and had a means of observing the area around them

“Flash…you think you can use that thing to find a safe way to the palace?” Flash Sentry nodded and hastily went over to the contraption.

“Red keep that rifle of yours loaded and watch those stairs, if one of those dark spirits is moving down there don’t hesitate to shoot” Red thunder nodded and walked over to the landing, loading his rifle with fresh rounds and aimed it down the stair case.

Fire Knight walked over back to Flash Sentry who was peering through the eyepiece.

“Hey I think I see the crystal palace from here but wait a second” he paused lowering the telescope to ground below. There was a horde of at least a dozen, stalking in the shadows.

“There’s groups of those things, everywhere down there, covering the only way into the crystal palace” Flash then came away to let Fire Knight have a look

“Yeah I see them, but that cant be the only way into the palace”

He swivels the telescope in a hope to find another entrance.

Fire Knight reviewed the landscape in his mind

“Okay, flash said the only way into the palace is through the front door, damn it…think, there must be another way…wait a second… the balcony! If Flash Sentry and Red Thunder fly over to the balcony they can save the, no, no… the blizzard, they wont be able to fly through it, its too strong...hmmm” he contemplated even further

“That door is the only way and that horde down there is pretty big…out of all the palaces this one really is a pain to breach”

“Okay…looks like simply walking through the front door is out, but then again…” he sighs as he swivels the telescope down to the underside of the palace where the dark spirits roam

“What? You see another way?” said Flash Sentry

“Yeah…but its not gonna be pretty” Fire Knight turns to them with a doubtful look

“One of us will have to go up to that horde and lure them out of there while the rest of us storm inside, it’s the only way” he explained. Flash Sentry immediately raised a hoof; this job was fitting for a royal guard like himself

“I will” Flash said, boldly stepping forward his spear in hoof ready to take the steps necessary. Fire Knight nodded, as did Red as they turned to the stair well and began their journey back down the tower.

After they reached the exit and back out into the city streets they walked head long, perilously through the storm. The winds here seemed colder then the ones they had recently went to and as they walked further on its ferocity grew and the cries and moans of the dark spirits along with it; a foreboding place indeed however something about this place reminded him of another place, but that memory was vague to him now, his mind only held captive by the hate for the Drorcha and the pursuit of peace on this so wearisome journey.

They then stopped and ducked their heads, the palace doors was in sight but that troublesome horde surrounded the resting place of the crystal heart

“There it is, okay, you got the plan right?” Fire Knight asked

“Got it” He replied confidently as he began to walk further towards the horde. Flash looked behind him, his breathing quiet and his mind focused as he closed in on the dark spiritual beings

“Okay Flash, time to draw their attention” his mind spoke and thus reared up and…

“(Whistle) HEY! YOU GUYS! THIS IS ONE PONY YOU AINT GONNA GET!” He roared at the top of his lungs before the dark spirits moaned with much more ferocity and ill intent. Flash felt his ears drop, waiting for his doom to come to him. The ethereal beasts turned around to face their foe with blood red eyes glowing bright; their ailing moans thirsting for souls of the ponies who dare dwell here, sensing the life that, through their eyes, shone brightly within him. They all lunged to take their prize moving to the shaking Flash Sentry

“Time to go” was Flash’s last words and ran for dear life as they started to chase him.

Meanwhile Fire Knight heard the quite humorous battle cry from his position close to the palace.

“Well that colt knows how to pick a fight” said red thunder turning to Fire who replied with an amused smile

“We better get to that door, quick before they come back!” he stated as they galloped through the storm and to the crystal hearts pedestal. But wait a second, the crystal heart, where was it? Red Thunder was already at the door trying to break it open when he noticed Fire Knights anxious look.

“No, no this can’t be, the crystal heart, its gone!”

“Ahem…if you don’t mind lets focus on opening this damn door” interrupted Red. Fire walked to the door and began bucking at the door.

“Okay on three!” suggested Fire Knight through gritted teeth.

“One...Two... Three….” and before they were about buck the door right open

“OPEN IT ALLREADY!!!” screamed Flash Sentry as ran headlong into the door. The sheer force of all their hits smashed the door wide open and they ran quickly inside.

“OW, damn that hurt, where am I…OH SWEET CELESTIA!”

The monsters were only a hoof throw away but before they could catch him a red hoof grabbed him

“GET IN ALLREADY!” shouted Red Thunder pulling him through the door and slamming it shut. SLAM! They heard the monsters hit against the door the impact nearly breaking the lock of this sturdy door.

Fire Knight placed the steel bar down on the door so they couldn’t get through.

“Remind me never to do anything like that ever again, because sweet Celestia if it weren’t for that damn blizzard I would of flew sky high!” uttered Flash Sentry. The two ponies looked back at him and watched Red snicker a little Fire Knight exposing a small grin. Flash was unimpressed

“What’s so funny?” Red couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing

“Colt…HA that distraction is one for the record books...Haha! Oh and that scream how can any pony ever forget that!” The royal guard eyed at the red pony, before eventually laughing at himself, Red was right, he galloped at least 5 blocks before running towards the place doors, screaming like a maniac through the streets of the crystal empire, he wouldn’t hear the end of it but thanks to his little act of so called heroism, they were inside the palaces great crystal walls, standing atop a thick, glistening, crystal stair case.

The difficult task was done, now the hunt for Shinning Armour and Princess Cadence…was on.