Chapter 1
“We were not the first, and we will not be the last. All that was shall be again, unless harmony reigns in the heart of our lord.”- Teachings of the last Archon.
Far to the north, beyond the sunny lands of Canterlot and Ponyville, and just south the gleaming Crystal Empire, lies the frozen lands. It is a wasteland, a vast white tundra, whose ceaseless blizzards have led many a pony astray. But that is not, however, to say it is empty. If it was, the Alicorns of old would have made it much more suitable for life. No, the frozen lands are far from empty, and it is for this reason that no pony sets hoof in it for long. For in the darkness, there lies many horrors, waiting for their chance to rise up and consume the world once more.
Through the frozen land’s, however, one route stands out. It is the railroad, one of the few structures left from the time of the Alicorns, and the only way to pass through the frozen wastes. It was upon this railroad, in the year 2136 A.C. that the Grand Unicorn Magi Snails made his way to the Crystal Empire, to answer the call of the Crystal Princess, and to embark on a journey which would change the world forever.
Snails starred out of his window on the train, gazing blankly into the snowstorm that raged outside. For two hours, the snow had been the only distraction he had during his journey, and now even this rare spectacle was growing boresome. He sighed, and turned back to the inside of the train.
A slight cough next to him startled the pony, and Snails turned around quickly to see what it was that had disturbed him. By the side if his seat was a young earth pony, with a yellow coat and a bright, red mane. On his thigh was a bright, glimmering, flame shaped cutie mark, which almost seemed to move as fire does. Snails could tell that the mark was quite new, as its color was a fabulous crimson which stood out against his coat, while the cutie marks of older ponies were often duller, despite their magical nature. The colt backed a few trots away, startled, before speaking.
“Um, I so sorry to disrupt you sir,” he said nervously, his voice so quiet it was hard for Snails to hear. “I… well, I’m just a big fan, and I was wondering-”
“If you could have my autograph,” Snails said before the colt could finish. He wasn’t surprised. Once upon a time, the very idea of even one pony asking for an autograph would have made him laugh. Now, it was something he had come to expect.
The colt quickly nodded, slightly blushing in embarrassment. Snails smiled, and quickly scrawled his name down on a piece of scrap paper. The colt eagerly snatched it up, grinning like a madpony.
“Say, what’s your name?” snails asked. The train ride had been a boring one, and a good conversation might do some good.
“Oh, um, I’m Golden C-cinders, sir,” the colt answered, quickly reverting back to his shy state of mind.
“Tell me, Cinders, what made an earth pony such as yourself become interested in myself?
“Well, sir, I’ve always been a big fan of alchemy,” Cinders replied. “My family’s been in the alchemy business since time of Celestia, and I’m no exception. That’s why I’m here, on this train. Coal supplies have been low, so I was hired to use alchemy to keep the flames going longer and hotter than before. Well, anyways, being an alchemist, I really looked up to you as the best of the best. I mean, you’re not just an alchemist, you did a lot more than that, but what you did do for alchemy changed the world!”
“Oh, please,” Snails chuckled. “I only ever invented one useful potion in my entire career.”
“Yeah, but it was the greatest potion ever made!” Cinders said enthusiastically. “Snails’ all-purpose potion: When you can’t think of anything else, just drink it! By Celestia, that’s so cool! You have no idea how many times that stuff has saved my life.”
“Well, young man, I think you may have just made my day,” Snails said, genuinely pleased. “Mind you, that’s quite rare. When you ‘ve lived as long as I have, not many things can bring a smile to your face.”
“I bet. Especially after more than two thousand years.” Cinders said. “Um, I hope you don’t mind, but… how did you become immortal, again? No one talks about it much, and texts on it are really unreliable, being from two thousand years ago and all.”
“Ah,” Sails said mysteriously. “That, my friend, is best left secret. I can’t go around giving away all my secrets, now can I?” He chuckled, though inside he felt slightly uneasy. He was never entirely comfortable with talking about his immortality. Only a few Ponies knew the nature of his long life, but they were only the closest of his friends.
“Listen, I’ve got to go,” Cinders said, smiling brightly up at Snails. “Thanks so much for this, sir, it’s been an honor to meet you.”
“Oh no, the pleasure is all mine,” Snails said. With that, Golden Cinders turned and left the cart, heading towards the front of the train.
Spent the next few hours reading the many newspapers that were available on the train. Unlike most things, Snails found the news to be particularly interesting. Besides, he reasoned, if you’re going to live forever, you should at least keep up with the times. He didn’t want to end up like poor Luna, who had spent centuries catching up with the current lifestyle.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, Snails felt the train come to a stop. He put away the newspaper he was reading, a copy of The Canterlot Times, and exited through the nearest door. When he got outside, he was stunned by the beauty of the Crystal Empire. All around him, crystalline structures stood, looming over him and the other ponies, whose flanks gleamed like diamonds. The sunlight reflected off of the many facets in the Crystal buildings, casting rays of multicolored light all about the empire, each ray of light seeming to drift in a random direction. Snails, however, knew that they served a much more ingenious purpose than simple decorations.
Clearing his mind, Snails focused on where he needed to go. Slowly, a ray of light grew brighter than the rest, until it shone like a laser. Snails smiled, marveling at the wonders of Crystal engineering. The Crystal ponies, in their vast knowledge, had created an ingenious way to navigate through the city. When one though of where the needed to go, a ray of light would shine brighter than the others, illuminating the quickest route to that destination. Snails had always been amazed by such marvels technology, and today was no exception.
Following the beam of light, Snails made his way through the shinning streets of the city, observing his surroundings as he progressed. All around him, the crystal ponies were at play, scampering about and enjoying themselves. Any manual labor that Snails could see was merely done in the form of the artistic works, such as painting and singing, which the crystal ponies did superbly. One of the best things about the empire was that its very way of life revolved around art. Everything productive that was done in the city was done in the form of art, and often the greatest of advancements in the culture was through the mind of a poet, gazing at the moon for inspiration. Snails couldn’t help but feel giddy as he saw all the joy that flowed through the city. Happiness was common in Equestria, but nowhere was I greater than the Crystal Empire.
As Snails continued onwards, still following the light, he entered the music district. The areas was littered by posters for various singers and songwriters, many of which Snails had never heard of. The sound of music rung through the air, making Snails feel as if he was vibrating with sound ever so slightly. One of the posters He saw which he recognized was hanging loosely from the way of one crystal tower. It was advertising a concert for the group the Cutie Mark Crusaders, a punk rock band named after the original trio of Blank flanks who had lived so long ago. Snails thought that the original crusaders would have been happy with the influence they had left on society, seeing as they had always wanted to be remembered, even after they had gained their cutie marks.
Finally, Snails reached where he had wanted to go. He stood in the center of a massive garden, at the center of which was an even larger, taller crystal tower, which reached so high into the air that the upper half was concealed by clouds. This was the Crystal Spire, the center of the empire, and the seat of Princess Cadence’s power.
Snails headed towards the Spire, knowing that Cadence awaited him at the very top. As he grew closer, he noticed the banners hanging by the entrance. They displayed a large picture of Purple alicorn rampant, a crown atop her head. Snails knew this to be Princess Twilight Sparkle, Sovereign ruler of Southern Equestria. She was encircled by three other alicorns, representing the three other princesses, the remainder of which now bowed to Twilight as their superior, as the late Celestia had demanded before she ascended to the realm of her ancestors, in the Lands Beyond the Sun. At the very bottom of the banner were five symbols, each representing the five bearers of the elements of harmony which had accompanied Twilight and her element on her journey to the throne.
Snails sighed as he saw this. It was completely different from the one that had been the standard two thousand years ago, during the age of the two princesses. To Snails, it was yet another reminder of how much the world had changed.
As Snails approached the entrance to the spire, two unicorn guards approached him, their horns glowing with magical energy.
“Halt!” the unicorn on the right said, his voice surprisingly high pitched. “Identify yourself or we will be forced to use… well, force!”
Snails sighed, and showed the guards his cutie mark. They immediately dropped to the ground, bowing before him.
“I-I’m so sorry, my lord,” the unicorn that had questioned him said. “I had no idea who you were. P-please forgive me for my most grievous error.”
“Um… I forgive you?” snails said, or rather asked the guard. “Jeez, lighten up a little bit. It’s not like I’m going to kill you or anything.”
“Oh, thank, my lord!” the unicorn said, and quickly scurried off with his companion back to the entrance, blushing with embarrassment.
Snails rolled his eyes, and passed through the entrance. Once again, he was astounded by the beauty of the building. The main floor was huge, so large that snails were convinced a full grown dragon could easily fit inside the room. The walls were lined with statues, each made of one various metal or another. Each represented a key moment in the crystal empire’s history, from its founding to the latest event of importance. Snails was relatively impressed by many of them, having played a part in some of the events depicted. One, however, made him snicker at how inaccurate the statue was. It featured Princess Cadence, with the crystal heart atop her horn. Above her hovered an amethyst encrusted dragon, its wings spread out and its head arched back in a mighty roar. As Snails recalled, Spike didn’t have wings at the time of Cadence’s coronation. He wasn’t nearly as terrifying, either. These days, however…
A noise behind Snails made him jump. He turned around, annoyed that it was another guard, only to see something entirely different. Before him stood a tall, regal unicorn, with a coat so white it almost seemed to glow. His blue mane was as dark as the twilight sky, and the crown he wore atop his head was a gold more fabulous than anything the statues were made of.
“Greetings, Archmage Snails,” King Shining Armor said, his voice the same as it had been two thousand years ago. “Hath thou come to make offerings to our greatness?”
Snails smiled, and bowed low. “Of course, you grace,’ he said, putting a mocking emphasis on the your grace bit.
Shining armor stood still, trying to suppress laughter. Finally, when he could no longer hold back, he let loose his laughter, booming through the hall.
“You look just as stupid bowing to me now as you did when we first met!” he laughed.
“That’s because I never bow to anyone,” Snails said, a wide smile stretching across his face. The two Unicorns hugged, sharing a moment that only longtime friends can experience.
“Thank you so much for coming,” Shining Armor said, genuine happiness in his voice. “We need all the help we can get today, and I don’t think Cadence can hold up much longer without your support.”
“Support? What do you mean?” Snails asked. “I’ve never given any good advice in my life. if you wanted support, you should have asked the Oracle to come. I here she’s quite good at giving advice, despite… well, you know.”
“Yeah,” Shining armor chuckled as the two walked up the seemingly endless spiral staircase. “I thought it would be best if we didn’t invite her. I don’t think Cadence would have appreciated solving riddles on top of everything else she’s had to do.”
“How is Cadence, anyway?” Snails asked. “I haven’t seen her in, what, fifty years?”
“Ask her yourself,” Shining armor said, and pushed Snails forward.
Snails landed on the crystal floor of the very top of the spire. He got up, looking back at Shinning armor, who merely shrugged as if he had done nothing. Snails rolled his eyes, and turned around. The thing he saw made all his agitation disappear in an instant.
In the years she had lived, Cadence had not changed a single bit. She was just as beautiful as she was when Snails first met her, and her coat shone just as brightly. Snails’ mouth dropped open, too stunned to say anything. Cadence chuckled, and hugged Snails.
“Hey there, silly filly,” she said, her voice sounding more like angelic music than actual words. Snails quickly shook himself out of his stunned state, and turned back to Cadence.
“Filly?” he said. “Do I really look that young?”
“Oh, in my eyes, everything looks young,” Cadence said, smiling down at Snails, who was considerably shorter than the pink alicorn.
Snails smiled back at her, glad to see that she was ok. Well, relatively ok. Snails noticed that she looked exhausted. She had dark circled under her eyes, and many times she seemed to stare off into the distance, as if she was dozing off.
“Um, Cadence,” Snails said, slightly nudging the princess. Cadence jolted back to reality, though for a second she looked as if she had no idea where she was.
“Oh, um, sorry,” she said, still slightly delirious. “I was just thinking about something…”
“No, you weren’t,” Shining Armor said, stepping forward and facing Cadence. “you were drifting off again. You need sleep, Cadence, and you need it now. You have barely any energy left!”
“You’re… you’re right…” Cadence said. “Just let me finish speaking to Snails, and I’ll go straight to bed, ok?”
“Ok…” Shining Armor said, still looking concerned. “I’ll just leave you two alone for a moment. I’m sure you have a lot to talk about.”
When shining armor had descended to the floor below them, Cadence turned to Snails and hugged him once more. When she was done, she stepped back, and walked over to the balcony.
“You know,” she said, “there was time when I thought I could manage this all forever. The empire, the citizens, the petty squabbles between rival lords. It all seemed so easy. I guess that’s just because I had the elements of harmony at my beck and call. It all got so much harder when they left.”
“We never could have foreseen what would happen.” Snails said, trying desperately to appear calm. He was disturbed by how hopeless Cadence looked. “What is this about anyway? You never told me why you wanted me to come.”
“I’m getting to that,” she said. “I just feel like I need to explain to you why I need help. The truth, Snails, is that for the first time in over five hundred years, I’m terrified that I’m not going to be able to save this empire again. For the past year, the barrier that protects us from the frozen north has been growing weaker and weaker. Despite the power of the crystal heart, not even the joy of the empire itself has been able to fortify our defenses. I asked the top wizards in the empire as to what might be causing it, but they had no idea. The crystal heart is supposed to be invincible as long as the people remain joyful, and they have. On top of that, scouts had been going missing on their routine patrols. At first, I thought it might be King Sombra, come back for yet another attack on our people. But as more and more and more scouts went missing, and the fringes of winter began to creep their way past the magical barriers, I knew that King Sombra wasn’t the cause. He would have just attacked outright, trying to storm the gates without any hesitation. Whatever is out there is start, and it’s waited to the last second to attack us when we’re weakest. The missing scouts were just bait to draw out more of our forces, and they easily could have given away key information on how to get in!”
Cadence shuddered, and struggled to keep her balance as she almost collapsed from exhaustion. Snails ran to help her from the ground, now terrified that things were far worse than the princess had made the out to be.
“Snails,” Cadence whispered. “I’ve held up the barrier as long as I could stand to, trying to support the meager energy of the crystal heart. But now, I’m all out of energy. When I rest, the barriers are going to come down. When they do, you and Shinning Armor have to do whatever it takes to keep the city safe from whatever comes from outside the walls. Do you understand?”
Snails nodded, though he had no real clue as to what in the world he could do to protect the cityhe was a great wizard, yes, one of the greatest ever seen. But he was no leader. He knew, because he had tried, any ties in his youth. Those instances never ended well. As if reading his mind, Cadence spoke to snails.
“Shining armor will organize the soldiers,” she reassured him. “All you need to do is lead the troops into battle. Give them something let them know they’re not fighting the invaders on their own.”
“Ok,” Snails said. “I can do that.”
“Good,” Cadence said. “Now… I need…. to rest….”
With that, Cadence slumped over, unconscious. Snails flinched as the gods awful sound of the barriers coming down echoed through the kingdom.
Shinning Armor rushed up the stairs, towards Snails and Cadence.
“What happened?” he asked visibly worried.
“It’s ok,” snails reassured him. “She’s just sleeping. I mean, that’s not necessarily a good thing, considering she was the only thing keeping whatever’s out there away, but you know-“
“Did she give us any orders as what to do?” Shinning aror interrupted.
“Yeah,” Snails replied. “She said to protect the city.”
Shining armor nodded, and quickly grabbed a horn, and with it, he shouted to the soldiers.
“Guards!” he shouted, his voice ten times as loud as it normally was. “Operation Chest Plate has begun! Enter your positions! I repeat, operation Chest Plate has begun!”
Snails looked out over the balcony, and watched in awe as the massive army of the crystal empire gathered into a tight foration along what used to be the edge of the barrier. The Earth Ponies were in the front, spears attached to their sides. Fifty feet behind them, the Unicorns were lined up, horns ablaze with magical energy. From above, the Pegasi troops hovered in the air, holding boulders between their hooves.
“Good,” Shining armor said, pleased at the orderliness of the army’s formation. “Now, Snails, get yourself to the front t of the troops. You’ll be able to lead the charge at whatever comes at us from there.
“What?” snails asked, shaking in fear. He hadn’t expected to lead the charge.
“It’s ok,” Shining Armor said. “Just give the a speech or something so they can be more determined, and then start running forwards. I’m sure you’ll know what to do then.”
Snails nodded, still shaking slightly, as he began to teleport himself to the front of the army. Before he had fully teleported, however, he asked one last question.
“Do we have any idea what’s out there?” he asked.
“Not one clue,” Shining Armor said.
There was a flash of light, and Snails found himself staring at the army, waiting expectantly for him to say something.
“Um… alright, men!” snails shouted trying to appear as calm as possible. “Your Princess has ordered us to protect the city from whatever is out in there in the snow. Now, I know that things might seem uncertain, but I’m sure-”
At that moment, an unearthly shriek pierced the calm air. Snails turned around, to see that the snowstorm from outside had begun to drift into the clear, sunny area. However, that was not what frightened Snails. What frightened him was the creature that Stared out at him from the billowing snow.
It was like a pony, yet there was something terribly wrom with it. It was gaunt and tall, with eyes as blue as the coldest ice. Its coat and mane were not like any color Snails had ever seen, and were more translucent than anything else, blending into the fierce winds. Around its neck was something small and red, pulsing with and unnatural light. It shrieked again, the sound so terrible, that snails swore his eardrums would pop.
One by one, more blue eyes appeared out of the storm, just as terrifying as the eyes of the first creature. When all of them had appeared, it looked as if Snails was staring into a sea of bright, blue stars.
From behind him Snails heard a soldier cry out in fear.
“By the Apologetic One, It’s a Windigo!” the soldier shouted, shaking violently with fear.
Snails turned back to face the opposing army, terrified beyond belief. He knew that if the army stayed still for to long, they would be consumed by their own fears.
With a shout that sounded more like a whimper, Snails rushed forwards, signaling to his companions to follow. Behind him, he heard the cries of thousands of soldiers running with him, following Snails into what he was sure to be the last battle he ever fought.
.
