Darkest Before Light

This was proof; undeniable proof that the kingdom of Griffalia has ended talks of peace.They craved war just like the roaring mass of Crystal Ponies flanking the left side of Sharp Quartz’s red coat, green maned body. As much as they pride themselves on being better than the griffins, I can honestly say that they act so much like one another.

Death happens.

It’s what you grow to expect when you’re a Crystal Sentry. A normal stallion would be mourning the loss of a friend he knew for three years. I am by far, no normal stallion!

I am now a stallion who has to step up, who has to tell Princess Crystalia that her way is ineffective at removing the griffin menace. As much as I believe in tranquility and general serenity for all things, I am not blind enough to not notice when it has become useless.

Tranquility is a fool’s dream now, and I believe the lucidity of Princess Crystalia will yield unfavorable losses in terms of soldiers.

As I’ve stated before, I will protect this kingdom no matter the cost!

Even if it means discharge from my position for defying the princess.

“Why is there a dead stallion in the city!?” The shrill cry of a mare brought my head from looking at Sharp Quartz’s body and to the mare who just yelled. She was a shining dark-green, whose crystalline indigo mane was done up into a tight bun. A trend as of late, or so it would seem for most mares of this kingdom.

Still, she- and the body of Quartz -is creating massive unrest with the denizens of this kingdom. I will not stand for a divided nation.

“Return to your homes! You will be safer there than out here where the body was found!” I yelled at the mare, but I was addressing the entire gathering as well.

She scampered off with a scared visage, occasionally throwing a glance towards the sky in worry.

“NO WAY!!! WHAT’S TO STOP THE GRIFFINS FROM DRAGGING US FROM OUR HOMES!!??” The burly voice of a huge stallion boomed as he thundered forward from the mass of crystal ponies, mashing his face against my helmet and making me strain my neck muscles in order to hold him back.

“GET BACK TO YOUR HOUSE, SIR!!!” That was a Sentry’s voice, but that’s not what caused my eyes to widen in fear.

It was the battle cry that came afterwards. It was the cry of outraged citizens and the roar of once-stoic Sentries. Following those cries were the sounds of colliding armor and flesh, pained grunts and pulverizing blows. I instantly teleported out of the oncoming wall of death, appearing near the Crystal Heart itself. I couldn’t believe what was happening...

It was a riot in a time of pre-war. It’s what any enemy general dreams of. And we were delivering it on a silver platter to whoever was manipulating us.

This means one thing and one thing only...

There is an enemy general. War is here.

Negotiations have failed...

“PRINCESS!” The sentry’s voice startled me from my evening glass of tea as I sat on the throne, contemplating how well my treaty was received. She charged into the room, and I had to do my best not to wince at the huge bang that accompanied the thrown-open doors.

There’s only one mare in the Crystal Sentries, and it takes a lot to unnerve her.

“Major Blood Diamond!? What has you so frazzled!?” I asked the mare with a black eyepatch accompanying her silver Sentry-issued headgear. Unlike the other mares of the Crystal Kingdom, Blood Diamond’s mane was a solid fuschia like mine, but it was done in an unkempt style that made her look like a stallion more than a mare.

“It’s a madhouse out there, your majesty! The ponies are rioting against the sentries in the Crystal Centre! Commander Shade Sovereign was caught in the middle, and I couldn’t see him after things got hectic!” Blood Diamond exclaimed with worry on her face, an emotion that’s seldom seen at all.

I grew worried...increasingly worried.

I rose from my throne, snapped my wings open, and took off towards the circular window overlooking the throne room behind the throne, using my magic to open it as I soared from its confines.

My eyes went to work in scanning the bleeding horizon, the sound of rioters roaring louder than any blazing inferno. Sentries poured from their posts, heading towards different sections of my kingdom as they worked to detain and quell the rioters at the root.

I felt tears come to my eyes as I turned my head to the left, noticing the Crystal Centre practically shaking with the force of a thousand hooves and bodies crashing against one another. Spear butts were used to swat unruly citizens, leaving nasty welts and bruises as my Sentries used non-lethal tactics to fend off my ponies.

This was horrible....

“I need to get down there!” I emboldened myself, shaking the tears from my eyes as my people basically fought one another to the brink of civil war. Diving towards the Crystal Centre, I easily made out Shade Sovereign standing near the Crystal Heart, glaring at me as I approached his position.

I swallowed a lump in my throat for some reason...

Pulling up as the ground came to meet me, I effortlessly came to hover before landing and folding my wings.

“Welcome to the Crystal Kingdom, Princess Crystalia...” Shade seethed as he turned around and charged his horn up, a vicious looking green aura coming to it as he snarled at the oncoming storm of ponies.

“This is not my kingdom, Commander Sovereign!” I rebuked harshly, but he didn’t acknowledge my rebuttal as he fired a loud beam into the air, thunderous enough to rival a challenge from a dragon! The Sentries and crystal ponies halted their blows against one another, both of them looking towards the sky with scared faces.

Heavy breathing alerted me to the growing anger of my favorite Crystal Sentry, my face contorting into fear as his grey-brown fur flashed ash-grey for a moment or two.

Slowly, the heads of everything turned to face the body of Shade Sovereign, who was panting with his head down. His mouth opened and closed in time with his inhales and exhales.

And then he stopped breathing altogether.

I never expected what came next.

“ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!”

A large shockwave of green and purple exploded from Shade’s mouth, rocketing towards the first wave of ponies like a cannonball. They didn’t know what hit them as they all gave pained grunts and hollers, the vocal blast sending them flying like a murder of crows into buildings and stalls alike.

It didn’t stop there....

Anything that came into contact with that wall of nigh-invisible force was sent packing into the sky, later crashing in harmful positions and with yells of pain. Houses struggled against the hurricane-like wall, trying their damnedest to stay rooted.

But as quick and as far the vocal blast came did it go away. Many ponies were crying in agony as bones and the like poked out from their bodies. Most were impaled on wood and crystal, their bodies becoming stiff as blood dripped fr-

I emptied my stomach.  The sight was too much for me. So much destruction and death...

All caused by Shade...

“YOU SHOULD HAVE LISTENED!” Shade’s voice called out as I continued emptying my innards as the flashes of bodies traversed my mind. Their lifeless eyes and bleeding bodies would stay with me until the end of time.

I panted, raising my head as some of my flowing mane filtered in front of my face. Using my magic to move it, I came face to face with a pair of eyes that would forever scar me to this day.

And they belonged to my crush...

“Princess!? Were you harmed!? Are you alright!?” Shade asked frantically as the color of green polluted his eyes completely, purple wisps of some unknown energy flowing ethereally from the corners.

“NO,” I yelled angrily, even going so far as to slap him in the face with my hoof. He caressed the smacked part with a look of intense shock, his eyes and coat reverting back to normal instantly. That was NOT the Shade Sovereign I’ve developed feelings for, “There are ponies who were just mortally wounded with that absolutely barbaric spell you just cast, and you ask if I’m alright!?”

“...I did what I had to...” Shade breathed out, shocking me thoroughly as he leered back into my eyes. This was no longer the Shade Sovereign I’ve come to love, but I’m not gonna give up on him!

“It was wrong, Commander!!! There was a more peaceful plan in the works before you did...THAT!” I yelled at him, thrusting a forehoof out to indicate the completely destroyed Crystal Centre. It’s a wonder how the Crystal Heart wasn’t swept away...

Shade spaced out as he looked at the damage with a face of indifference, making me grind my teeth in frustration.

“I see ponies who gave their lives for the greater good of a nation that’s about to enter a war with itself and Griffalia,” His explanation made my eyes widen in fear for a little bit before lowering them in distaste as he turned his head to look at me for once, “They made the ultimate sacrifice in trying to persuade you.”

He........He poked me......in the chest.....

“Now you see how ineffective that treaty was, right? Can we finally do this my way?” Shade pressed, making me shake my head rapidly before snarling at him.

“Report to your office and await me there, Commander Sovereign. We must have words....” I hissed angrily for the first time ina while.

 Shade continued to look at me for a while, as if debating whether he should follow my orders or not, before simply walking off towards the castle. My eyes followed him as his form became hard to track against the gaining distance.

I could, however, see the form of Major Blood Diamond slow from her frantic running in order to look at Shade Sovereign in confusion before running towards me again.

“Was that...Shade?” She asked as I quirked an eyebrow up at her rather disrespectful addressing of a superior.

“Indeed it was, Commander Shade Sovereign.” I responded, hoping she’ll get the humor.

“Huh? Oh, yeah! Sorry about that, your highness!” She dipped her head, the scratchy, tom-coltish voice coming out in an embarrassed manner. She even looked back to the disappearing form of Shade, her face contorting into a lecherous grin as she saw something she liked.

I cleared my throat.

“Oh! Right, right,” I forgot to mention that she's a bit of an airhead sometimes, “You’d be glad to know that the riots have been quieted in all other sectors without too many injuries! Pretty sweet, huh!?” Major Diamond explained as he placed a hoof on her lined chest plating and raising her head up with a smug smile.

I was in no mood for that kind of happiness, however.

“Very good, but now I need a favor to be done.” I replied with a serious face.

“Anything for you, Princess Crystalia.”

“I need you to monitor Shade Sovereign closely. Don’t let him catch on to the fact that you’re spying on him. What happened here is inexcusable, and I have to know what’s happening with him.” I explained while walking past Major Diamond, jerking my head to indicate the Crystal Centre.

She saluted before turning around to view what I was indicating.

The sound of regurgitation filled the air as if on some type of cue.