Chapters The Unicorn 3: The Last Legacy of Sombra
Prologue - Start the Game
Chapter 1 - Arrival and Deployment
"Get your lazy hind quarters up, Lieutenant Star Blade! You are NOT being paid to sleep 12 hours a day during guard duty at the Crystal Empire!"
The young unicorn of the Guard blinked owlishly. He yawned, stretching himself awake. "Sorry Captain Stone Shield, Sir. Seriously, Stoney, can you tone down the drill instructor voice? You're giving the Royal Canterlot Voice a run for the money."
The Captain looked somewhat offended, then replied in a somewhat softer tone, "Only if you'll actually see a doctor, Star. You get sleepy at practically a drop of a hat. That's not good for anypony."
"And I keep telling you"- Star Blade replied as he telekinetically got dressed in his guard uniform -"I have a perfectly good reason to be this sleepy all the time. I'm...errgh...just fine with my sleeping tendencies."
Stone Shield grumbled in exasperation, "See, this...this is why you keep getting passed for promotions. When Shining Armor got married and they had to select his replacement as Captain of the Royal Guard, I got selected over your sleepy head. You became my second in command at my request, you know. Having a best friend as your commanding officer shouldn't be something to take advantage of."
Star Blade finished shaking himself awake, then said, "Remind me why were out here in the middle of the Celestia-forsaken arctic north again?"
Stone Shield glared at Star Blade, facehoofing as he said, "You haven't looked out the window, have you?"
Star Blade fully woke up at that point. "Oh yeah, that's right." He looked out the nearest window. Where before there was arctic winds and blowing snow, there was now bright sun and blue sky. Light reflected from nearby crystalline spires and buildings. "We've been sent to assist in the situation with the Crystal Empire."
"That's been solved. We're now playing cleanup, apparently.", Stone Shield corrected, reading from a scroll.
Star Blade blinked. Apparently the situation changed en-route from Canterlot to the Empire. Star began to playfully grouse, "It figures that Ca... Prince Shining Armor would have the situation handled before we even get there. I like he still remembers his old job as Captain of the Guard enough to ask us for help, but seriously... I'd like to get SOME action when we get there at least."
Captain Stone Shield continued reading the from the debriefing scroll, though the information was very lax. "We should be glad this is just a cleanup and assist situation. If he had failed, we would've had to break out the containment spells. Do you really want to try to contain what he had to face?"
"Not on my own, if I could help it.", Star Blade blatantly, and sarcastically, lied.
"Enough with the bravado! We're here.", Stone announced.
The two officers joined the other guardponies as they filed out of the train. Star Blade glanced over and noticed who was getting on the train. He nudged Stone Shield, "Ca...er...Prince's Sister and company at 9 o'clock."
Every guard glanced over at Twilight Sparkle and company. The guards were all unique in that they can say they've observed the behavior, and thus the actions, of Twilight Sparkle and her rather unique friends. They always noted that the stories about those actions grew, shrank, and certainly changed with the telling. Many actually attributed Luna's return and Discord's defeat to Celestia herself, for instance.
Only the changeling's defeat, brought about by Princess Cadence and Shining Armor, was reported accurately...more or less. It wasn't the place for guardsponies to correct the thinking of the subjects, however.
Stone looked up, and nudged back, "Prince at 11 o'clock, idiot. Stand ready!"
Star promptly went into 'guard-mode' along with the others. Regardless of the camaraderie his old troop had with their former captain, they wanted to maintain a sense of decorum and respect to his new station... at least in public. The contingent of guards all saluted the Prince, who returned it. Stone Shield then provided orders to the rest of the guard that had filed out of the train. "All right men. The Prince will further brief the Lieutenant and I on the situation here. Let's commence support and secure procedures to ensure a safe transition to the rule of Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor. Move out!"
Once the rest of the guards started filing off and commencing their patrol, however, Shining Armor promptly shared a private hoof bump with his former seconds in command. "Your trip went well, guys?"
Star replied, "It was a train ride that completely lacked insulation and had no central heat through an arctic wasteland. What do you think?"
Shining Armor said, "You still slept through 3/4th of the ride, didn't you?"
Star Blade shrugged. "Of course."
Stone Shield chuckled, "How exactly are things here, Prince? Your missive wasn't really clear what changed."
"In short, we succeded in truly protecting the empire before you got here. Thanks to my sister and her friends, we finally set it up so that King Sombra was defeated.", he turned to the other two and smirked, "It was kind of cool, actually. We may have set it up, but the crystal ponies THEMSELVES landed the final blow."
He talked as he continued walking, "Anyway, the crystal ponies have decided to swear fealty to Princess Cadence, and through her Princess Celestia. We need to begin getting eyes out there and others to train new guards here for true stability."
Stone Shield furrowed his brow a little bit, "I don't understand, Shining. If the crystal ponies are happy as you say, are we even necessary? Between the barrier and several other factors, we should be even less necessary here than we are back in Canterlot."
Star Blade replied, "Think about it, Stoney. I've been reading some of Shining Armor's briefing about the events here. This barrier, if it's like the barrier that Princess Cadence set up when she and Shining first showed up, will only protect against obvious evils. That leaves..."
"Lackeys."- Stone Shield concluded distastefully -"Those that actually contributed to Sombra's dark power, and their own... betraying their fellow ponies in the process. It's one of the possible ways Sombra may have beaten the Crystal Heart originally."
"You will also"- Shining continued, irritably interrupting the exposition -"be watching for any leftover spells or monstrosities that King Sombra left behind. That's the literal clean up. You'll be especially protecting the crew that will clean up the remnants and purify the ground where they landed."
"The remnants?", Star and Stone both asked.
They had arrived at the outskirts of the Empire when they noticed that one section was cordoned off. In the cordoned off area, the ground seemed a little strange. There were several plumes of black ...smoke?... that rose from the area. Several ponies in Hazmat suits were watchful of those plumes. Guards that had arrived earlier were protecting some mages that kept the area contained.
Stone Shield and Star Blade, confused, looked at Shining for an explanation. The Prince looked nervous, as if unsure about the reaction of his former subordinates.
"Remember when Cadence and I repulsed the changelings from Canterlot?", they nodded in response, so Shining Armor continued, "Apparently, Sombra was composed of something different...or something fragile. He didn't get expelled so much as...well...exploded from the empire."
Stone and Star stared. "...what?", they said in unison.
Star boggled at the smoke plumes "...so THAT'S coming from Sombra? Or ...the...pieces of him that remained?!"
Shining Armor nodded.
Star Blade turned to his former and current captains, wide-eyed and slightly giggling. "I think we need to hear the whole story of THIS mess. I think I need to know why!... and for that matter how!... How in the name of Celestia do we protect ponies who can do that to someone." Taking a breath, he continued, "And I think we're gonna need a few drinks during that telling."
Without waiting for a reply, he promptly stormed off to ask directions to the nearest watering hole.
The Unicorn 3: The Last Legacy of Sombra
Chapter 1 - The Players gather
Chapter 2 - Entertainment and Discipline
"You're telling me you actually threw your wife?!"
Shining Armor answered Star's boggled expression with an amused grin, "Yep! Only way we could think of. We gambled on the Crystal Heart reenergizing her for a safe glide to the ground, though."
Star Blade's head promptly hit the table for the 10th time, "I seriously do not know what's worse...the fact you essentially weaponized your spouse or the fact that you can plan together spur of the moment things without words."
"We just know what each other is thinking, that's all."
Star sighed, and raised his head back up, "Well, at least this clean up should be an easy one."
"Famous last words," Stone replied as they all finished their drinks.
With Shining Armor returning to the castle to manage things, Star Blade and Stone Shield left the drinks bar to begin coordinating the security and cleanup efforts. After directing some patrol layouts, guard shifts, and a number of other details, Star Blade suddenly decided to turn down an alleyway, his ears perking upon hearing a certain voice. Stone hurriedly caught up, "Do we really have time for this now?"
Star shushed his superior and surreptiously spied on a certain complaining guard.
"Why and how does someone like Star Blade get to Lieutenant? He's supposed to command the Unicorn contingent of the Royal Guard, and all he does is sleep and laze around all the time. Someone should report him for a...a performance review or something. Conduct unbecoming for an Royal Equestrian Guard pony."
Stone Shield facehoofed and turned to Star, "...so how long were you aware of Bright Horn?"
"You know how Shining Armor guessed accurately about how much sleep I got on the train? Rest of the time I was listening to his whiny rump in the next room." He turned to Stone Shield. "He's a newbie?"
"Newbie from a Noble House, at that."
They both sighed and softly stepped behind Bright Horn as he was continuing his tirade to a few other guardsponies.
"And someone should bring our current 'Captain' to Celestia's attention too! I mean really, the level of favoritism he shows to Star Blade is blatant and really unforgivable."
Bright Horn suddenly realized that some of his fellow guards were suddenly backing away from him. "What? What are ... oh do not tell me they're behind me!"
"Okay, we won't.", Star caustically replied.
Bright Horn sighed, then turned around to stare at his sneaky superior officers, "Doesn't change facts though. You two have so far shown an absolute lack of discipline bordering on incompetence. Both of you should be replaced by proper officers who can lead with dignity and respect."
One of the veterans visibly bristled, but a glance from Star Blade prevented a vocal reply.
"So how about a contest then, to show the reason I am where I am?", Star replied, "And let's make it interesting. Standard sparring match. If you win, Captain Stone and I will recommend you for a promotion, along with command of your own personal unit. If I win, you clean up this entire block until it shines brighter than every Crystal pony living here."
"I agree to that," Bright Horn confidentally replied, limbering up while Stone Shield proceeded to setup the sparring ring spell.
Star Blade grinned as, with a showman's flair, he addressed the Crystal Ponies who wandered into the area. "Fillies and Gentlecolts of the Crystal Empire! Today, for one day only, we of the Equestrian Royal Guard will host a display of our skill in combat! This will be a sample of what you will witness during the next Crystal Fair!"
The unintentional audience started babbling excitedly about this early preview for a promised performance. Some clamored for a better view, which some of the more idle unicorn guardsponies obliged with by lifing some audience members to nearby rooftops
"Note the dome of light being made right here in this street", Star gestured to the spell being formed by Stone Shield. "It is distinctive in that it will not allow combatants and flying debris to exit the field. Objects, however, can enter the field. Keep that in mind."
He continued, "I will now take the time to point out that we are the ponies who had the privilege to work directly with your newest Prince when he was our Captain. From what I've heard, a number of you witnessed his determination and resolve first hand. You will, however, not see anyone being thrown today. We had enough trouble explaining THAT to Princess Celestia as it is, so we don't need to add to her headaches."
A number of the audience laughed in response. With Bright Horn giving a 'Let's get on with it' look, Star Blade hurried up a little. "Now I'll introduce the combatants. Across from me is Second Class Guard Bright Horn, fresh from the military academy. He enjoys poetry readings, candle-making, long walks on the beach, and yes, he is indeed an eligible bachelor!", he continued past the chuckles and a few whistles, "Bright Horn also excels at horn-fencing and ranged horn combat. He has won numerous awards from various matches and demonstrations of his skill and talents."
While Bright waved at the appreciative cheering and stomping for his name, he stole glance over at Star Blade. Star shrugged in reply, "I read up on all the new recruits... Part of my job, you know?"
He stepped up and resumed his show pony's pose, "I will serve as his humble opponent. I am Lieutenant Star Blade, commander of Unicorn Contingent and second in command of the Royal Equestrian Guard. My awards are few and far between, but my two specialties in combat are..."
"Oh dear Celestia, Shut it!", Bright Horn snarled as he charged with his horn, enhanced with magic to strike strong and swift. He was so focused on the strike that he was surprised to find himself clobbered on the side of his head. He shook his head to clear some of the ringing out and looked up... to see an apple. A damaged apple, obviously from the impact to the side of his own head. Said apple was floating in a yellow-white magic field. Bright Horn glanced over and saw a number of apples, ludicrously floating in a ring around Star Blade.
"As I was saying before being interupted.", Star continued, "My first speciality is in object manipulation. All unicorns are able to manipulate objects with our minds and magic energies. I, on the other hand, take it up beyond the next level."
After floating a chair and a few rocks to him, Star Blade addressed the crowd one last time, "The rules for this engagement is simple. Stay upright! First to three falls loses!" Turning to Bright Horn, he continued, "And that, my dear Brighty Boy, was one."
Bright Horn, irritated at being humiliated, got to his feet and attempted to press the assault. He was used to combat in the sparring area, however, with weapons and spells that were known to most ponies. Star Blade confounded his reasoning, though. While trying to clash and break past the chair, apples and rocks would often strike his sides and legs. Even when he sliced, slashed, and blasted his way past the initial obstacles, new ones were pulled in through the barrier.
Bright Horn had enough when he had to slice an apple cart that was thrown at him. Finally thinking he had an opening, he attempted a charged horn slash.
His whole head was parried and trapped. By the legs of a rather sturdy stone bench. That bench promptly slammed down, pinning his head, and thus his body, to the ground.
"That's two, Bright Horn", Star Blade said as the crowd erupted in an excited cheer. He skipped back, allowing Bright Horn to recover and get to his feet.
Bright Horn had enough. Rage overtook him, to where all he could care about was winning.
He started countering every object with destructive horn blasts. Every stone, every roof tile, and every object that Star Blade could get his will on, Bright Horn promptly blasted once they entered the ring. Finally, there was nothing in or around the area that could easily be lifted.
Huffing from the effort, he glared at Star Blade. "Well? You've got anything left?" He charged without waiting for a response.
Star Blade's face was unreadable as the light around his horn intensified.
Bright Horn's strike was met with something indistinct, yet it was there. Hopping back, his eyes beheld a transparant sword. Essentially an outline, it looked like a transparant sword with a star on the pommel, wrapped in an aura of Star Blade's particular magic.
"My OTHER specialty", Star Blade continued, "is the creation of Phantom Weapons, or weapons made with what is essentially a magical mental force. All non-lethal weaponry, of course." He demonstrated by smashing the sword into the ground, showing the outline of blunt force the blade made with the street. "I can shape many weapons, but this one is mine. My namesake, if you will."
Bright Horn found it to be immune to blasts. Due to it's nature, it was immune to dispels. With the ring being constrained, he couldn't retreat to see if Star Blade's floating sword had to stay by its summoner. His only hope was to basically out fence Star Blade.
From many a match and many a practice, Bright Horn found he was a good reader of an opponent's ability with fencing. He was, therefore, baffled at what he was reading from Star Blade's technique with the Phantom Weapon.
Bright Horn began to tire. At that point, he knew what was coming next. Star Blade took an opening, one that Bright Horn could not block, knocking him down for the final time.
The crowd cheered as Star Blade reared back to fuel the applause. Then Star promptly dragged Bright Horn up to his feet and gestured towards him. Bright Horn was suprised as the crowd cheered for him as well, thundering and stomping in appreciation of the show that was put on.
As the cleanup from their match began, Bright Horn turned towards Star Blade. "Mind if I ask a few things?"
"Sure"
Bright Horn started with the important one first, "Why aren't you registered?"
Star Blade looked a little confused, "Wasn't what I was expecting your first question to be... what do you mean?"
Bright Horn replied, "Those moves with that...sword... are reminiscint of a grandmaster in the arts of Horn Fencing. There are five grandmasters, and I've fought two of them. You fight like them, but aren't on that list. Why?"
Star grimaced a little, "Technically, what I did isn't Horn Fencing, it's something else. So I don't have to be on that list." He added offhand, "The Princess brought in Edge Walker to confirm that."
While Edge Walker wasn't the greatest of the grandmasters, he was enough to make Bright Horn blink a little. He continued, "So what was the point of that exercise? To humiliate me? To show that you basically earned your officership solely based on your combat abilities?"
Star Blade smiled, "THAT was the question I was expecting. Though can you seriously say you were humiliated with the crowd like that?" He continued, "I do everything with a purpose, you see. Yes, even my sleeping, but I'm not telling you the reason for that one. This thing had several reasons. Mainly, I wanted to give the Crystal Ponies a positive impression of our skill and power. We have an investigation to conduct as part of our efforts here. The Captain and I feel that being on good terms with the general pony public is a positive thing." He glanced over, "You did get our mission briefing scrolls, right?"
Bright Horn, at the very least, had the temerity to look dignifiedly embarassed. "Hadn't read it, though... was sort of busy complaining."
"I noticed. Another reason is over there."
Bright Horn glanced over and noticed some guardsponies talking with a few Crystal ponies. Some young, but mostly adult and even some elder ponies as well. "So what are they doing?"
"Recruiting. We need to make a Crystal Empire battalion of the Guard, after all."
Bright Horn blinked, "You used that match as a recruitment ad?"
"Yes. I figured, that with everything that occurred here, there would by Crystal ponies with a strong desire to protect. Seeing this would drive them to find someone who can answer the question, 'How can I learn to do that?'"
Bright Horn looked thoughtful, "So is Captain Stone Shield...well like you in method? He seems very accommodating of your...eccentricities."
"No, he's a little more by the book. But he's an effective fighter and knows when to give me room to play. Especially when it gets the job done. Like now.", he chuckled, "Though on occasion, I think I've rubbed off on him. Outside of military command, we ARE friends, after all." He glanced over at Bright Horn, "So you understand me now? Just a little?"
Bright Horn looked pensive, processing the new information. Then he looked around, noting that a lot of the wreckage was being untouched. "Understanding isn't going to get me out of cleaning up this block, is it?"
"Nope." He nodded in another direction, though, "But it might impress the Crystal mares that way"
Bright Horn looked up and noticed two Crystal mares waving and blushing in his general direction. He blushed, then immediately started cleaning the wreckage.
Star Blade walked up to his captain, "Think that was sufficient, sir?"
Stone nodded, "Sometimes I think your discipline method is...unorthodox. But if it gets the job done, so be it."
They started walking to where the rest of the Equestrian Guard was being housed to handle their next tasks. As they went there, though, a First Class Guard intercepted them. "Captain Stone, Lieutenant Star!"
"At ease", Stone quickly said, "Report."
The Guard saluted, "Sirs, situation in the South district." Stone and Star remembered the South district was where Sombra's remnants landed. "The purifying mages were ...attacked, allegedly. Reports are spotty as to what exactly occurred, though."
Stone nodded, "Get a group over there to reorganize things. Now, was there anything stolen?"
The Guard checked his notes and nodded. "Yes. A few spell ingredients. A containment box... and I'm not sure why this is here, but I was told to tell you, 'An Eye, The Heart, The Horn, a Hoof, and a Lock of Black Mane were stolen'. Not sure what that means exactly..."
Star turned to Stone, his face in hoof, "'This clean up should be easy' I really said that at the bar, didn't I, Stoney?"
"Yes, yes you did. And like I said, 'Famous last words'"
The Unicorn 3: The Last Legacy of Sombra
Chapter 2 - The Opening Moves
Chapter 3 - Terror and Piece
Chapter 3 - Terror and Piece.
"So you didn't even see who attacked you, then?", Captain Stone asked one of the clean up mages.
"No it was... it just suddenly got really dark. Which is odd, considering it was still high sun. Everyone started panicking and shouting... ...I felt like I was being picked up by...", the mage started shuddering. He took a deep breath and continued, "A giant octopus tentacle."
Captain Stone noted the mage trying desperately to control his breathing.
After the mage finally started breathing normally, he glanced up at the Captain. "I think it's a variant of an Intense Fear spell."
"How so?", Captain Stone questioned.
"All of us experienced our worst fear brought to life. I remember some of the screams. Some were old teachers, some were specters from past failures....some were terrifying specters and monsters." The mage started shuddering again. "I am deathly afraid of octopi... Anyway, I simply passed out and awoke to find you."
Captain Stone glanced around at the clean up squad. Quite a number of them were either still passed out, woozy, or just plain jittery. The ones who were unharmed were to ones who called for aid from the Guard.
Captain Stone had interviewed them first. They confirmed the mage's theory... and a little more. He remembered the testimony of those unharmed by the spell.
"I saw my son, looking exactly like the day I couldn't save him from the Timberwolves..."
"The whole mass of spiders was bearing down on me..."
"I saw my wife, Dawn Star, telling me she wants a divorce..."
Those people's fears were made manifest by that spell. As far as Stone could tell, the weakness of that spell was when the fear was conquered. Giving in knocked you out. Denying the fear made it stronger. Only those that overcame their fear, through whatever method, came through the spell unscathed.
The father feared he was at fault for his son's death, but accepted that his son was gone, forgave himself for any fault, and found the peace needed to go on.
The arachnophobe roared in defiance, smashing and stomping the illusory spiders.
The husband was unique in that he was wiling to accept the divorce if that was what she wished. However, he declared his feelings for her would never change regardless. That he would fight for her heart everyday, as he had since the day they met. So with an abiding and patient love, he overcame his fear calmly.
Bright Horn approached the captain with the rest of the appraisal. "It looks like the main spell components stolen were salt, a number of crystals, and a lens. Mostly universal components, so we can't tell for what use they'll be for."
As he was talking, he noted that two worried looking mares were speaking to another guard. That guard was taking copious notes.
"Also, they were able to purify most of the pieces. They were either contained afterwards or they disintegrated upon purification. Once that attack hit, those clean up staff that resisted it noticed that the remaining pieces were gone, along with a holding container big enough to hold them all."
Bright Horn glanced, around, "So where's the lieutenant? I thought he'd be interested in something like this."
"He is", Stone replied, "But after a quick glance here, he told me he was having a 'Twilight Sparkle' moment. I let him go relieve that itch."
Bright Horn looked at the Captain quizzically, "Is that a eumphemism for something? Also, who in Celestia's name is Twilight Sparkle? And how could that generate an itch?"
"Nice choice of words on that second question, by the way", Stone replied. "I will explain...no there is waaay too much for that. Let me sum up."
At the end of his speed lecture, the Captain concluded, "...and now, whenever anyone in the Guard suddenly gets a fierce craving to read or reseach, we call that a 'Twilight Sparkle' moment."
After Bright Horn received that overload of information, he merely replied, "Huh." He continued the thought, "My teachers could never tell me how a supposed impossibility like the Sonic Rainboom could be done three times over a span of about a few years. They assumed 3 different pegasi. What you say, on the other hoof, perversely makes sense..." He looked up, "So the Lieutenant is at the library, then?"
The Captain nodded, "Seems he's concerned that Sombra had any apprentices, lackies, and the like that could have survived one thousand years. He's searching for journals, Crystal Court documents, anything that has a lead."
Bright Horn shook his head, "Maybe, but he'd also need to look up any journals or notes Sombra wrote on his spells and philosophies. He's also going to need..." He trailed off and looked at his captain. His captain returned the look with a raised eyebrow.
Bright Horn muttered, "Permission to go...scratch that itch, sir?"
"Granted", the Captain laughed in response, turning back to his own task.
Bright Horn later arrived in a rather resplendent library. The crystalline walls and shelves shone with a splendor that was partially marred by several piles of books on the floor. He noted a fussy elderly mare, probably the Head Librarian, directing the efforts to re-shelve the piles.
"Oh dear, how did they mix those up? These recipes should go in the food section, why did they pile them in the autobiographies? Blast it all, they were searching for history! Why would they pull technical manuals, romance novels, and crystal cookie recipes?! Ooh, that should go...and this should go..."
Bright Horn tapped on her shoulder, which elicited a shocked 'Meeeeep!' out of her.
He backed away, raising a hoof to show he wasn't a threat, "Excuse me, but is there anything I can do? Were you attacked just now?"
The librarian blinked and replied, "No, we weren't attacked, it's just..." She sighed, "I love them, those fillies. They came to me, needing a history book. To set up the Crystal Fair, to save us all. So I shouldn't hold it against them. I just wish they could've put those books back!"
Bright Horn took a quick glance at the copious piles, the stacks of books, and the shelves around him, "It's probably because they had no idea where to look... So now would not be a good time to tell you that your system of shelving these books is out of date by about 1000 years?"
The librarian paused, then promptly gave him a very dark look. "No...no it would not." She pointed over to a dark corner, "Aren't you looking for someone over there? Quickly?"
Bright Horn promptly took the hint.
He found Star Blade nearly hidden behind a stack of books. When he looked in at his Lieutenant, though, he found a surprise. Star Blade was visibly struggling to stay awake. "Lieutenant, are you all right?"
Star looked up at Bright Horn blearily, "No, No I'm not." He got up and started pacing to fight the tiredness. "With what happened at the clean up site, I think there's something big about to go on."
He waved over to the pile of books in front of him. "Only thing I got from the top book is his main philosophy that drove his rule. His three points. 'That Darkness should shroud their eyes and chain their minds. That Fear will quake their hearts and make them obedient. That Power be held to ensure your rule'"
Star yawned a little more, "I've been trying to find traces of apprentices, disciples...the kind of ponies that would likely survive 1000 years in one form or another... especially if they were caught in Sombra's 1000 year vanish curse."
Bright Horn looked at his commanding officer and sighed, "Get some rest, sir. I sort of know what to look for."
"Mmm, gotcha Brighty boy", Star replied with crossed eyes. He promptly collapsed on the hard floor and softly began to snore.
He woke up several hours later, with the sun about to go down. Star always found it funny that, even after sundown, there was an ever present glow throughout the Empire. He glanced over at Bright Horn, "Any luck?"
"Some, sir. In fact, I may have found out why those pieces of Sombra were taken.", Bright Horn reported as he finalized writing in a notebook.
"Good, we'll meet back up with the Captain and combine our notes", Star Blade replied as he stretched. Then he took a look at Bright Horn's pile of books, which was much higher than Star's original pile. "Oh dear Celestia, you had an even worse 'Twilight Sparkle' moment than I did! Hah!"
"Glad you noticed. We need to put the books back, though.", Bright replied as he started floating books back to their shelves.
"We don't really...", Star trailed off Bright Horn quickly got in his face.
"We HAVE to put the books back... trust me on this, Lieutenant!", Bright Horn nervously replied through clenched teeth.
Star Blade got the hint and promptly floated the rest of the books back to the shelves.
As they walked back, Bright Horn noticed a number of distressed mares and colts in the library. They had varying degrees of distress about them as they searched about for something...or someone. Some called a name hesitantly, fearfully, or desperately.
They went back to the clean up site at the South District, where they found Captain Stone with a number of other Guards. He was busy setting something up with the guards... and dealing with four other mares who were talking desperately to several guards.
The Captain walked off and jovially met up with his subordinates, "And how are my two favorite eggheads doing?" He turned a little serious then, "I hope you have something for me. The citizens are starting to hear things. I'd rather not have to deal with any riots."
They nodded, with Star Blade starting the report, "I found that soon after Sombra started his overthrow, he had published his basic philosophy about his rulership. His three tenets were Darkness, Fear, and Power, and that they were critical to maintain order among the people. Apparently, a small number of ponies from all classes, noble and commoner, joined his cause. I have a list here of 30 names, but..."- he hesitated as he floated the list in front of him -" okay, I just now noticed a number of these names are crossed out."
"That would be me", Bright Horn interrupted. "Soon after you had started your nap Lieutenant..." - Stone glanced at Star, who could only sheepishly grin - "I confirmed that Sombra started accepting several ponies to be disciples and apprentices. From the notes some of Sombra's apprentices uncovered, they started practicing various arts and means to not only keep the Crystal ponies in line, but also to keep them compliant and submissive. Diverse deviant practices, with torture and brainwashing being the lightest of those practices were done. Necromancy, Involuntary Transformation, and Direct Mental Maniupulation were highlights of their rule."
"All of them also experimented with Biological Constructs and a dark form of resurrection. Based on this, we can see that whoever took the parts wants to either bring Sombra back... or use those parts as a living weapon."
"Some journal entries, mostly from Sombra's side but also those Crystal ponies who refused to give in, tell me that the rest of Equestria moved against Sombra to liberate the Empire. There were reports of battle, of apprentices and allies falling one by one. From what I could tell, the last apprentice, Malosyn...weird name... was the last one alive. That information was current 3 days before Sombra's Vanishing curse against the Empire."
Captain Stone glanced at his notes, "Find anything related to lilacs?"
Bright Horn blinked, surprised, "Actually, yes! It's a favorite flower of his, so he keeps spraying himself with a cologne of it. Why do you ask?"
Stone turned a few pages in his notebook, "Some of those who were attacked reported a smell of lilacs during the fear spell. There's also a building near the East District, overgrown with blue lilacs, that we hadn't secured. The guards we sent to secure it today went missing."
Star Blade looked up, "All right, so now we have who, where, when, and how he did it. We can easily deduce the what as well.", he looked grim at this, "We know Malosyn is making the weapon."
Captain Stone blinked, "How did you come up with that?"
"We know they used fear spells, right? They use fear as a resource and a weapon.", Star Blade replied. He turned to Bright Horn, then looked towards the west, "You noticed it too, didn't you? You noticed what was in the library?"
Bright Horn sighed sadly and turned his head to the west as well, "I was hoping I was wrong. They were here too, as well as the library...but if you've deduced it too, I guess we're not wrong."
Captain Stone shouted, "Not wrong about what?...", he trailed off as he noticed what they were looking at.
The four desperate mares were joined by stallions and mares alike, all shouting in desperation and fear. A line of guards were desperately trying to calm them down. Their cries were growing louder and louder into a cacophany of despair and fear. "...My baby!... Where's my little Jewel?!... What are you doing, my daughter is gone!... Have you seen my son?! ... Help my grandson!!"
Captain Stone's ears wilted in sadness, "Of course. If fear is a tool and resource, then what fear is more potent than the fears of children? They probably all went missing today, I bet." He sighed, "All right, let's go take 20 minutes to calm the populace down. Sooner we get that done, the sooner we move to step 2."
Bright Horn replied, "So step 2 is....?"
Star Blade grimly answered, "We take 7 more guards, storm the building, rescue the children, and beat this son of a hooflicker to the ground! And may the heavens help him if I get to him first, because I'm will not be sharing if I do."