Who am I?

Cold, that was one world used to describe the frozen north of Equestria, and they had every right in describing it like that. There was nothing but snow and wind as for as the eyes could see. But not this time, in the middle of the snow covered ground lay a black coated unicorn pony stallion, unconscious.

"Who am I?" he moaned.

Promise me...promise me that you'll protect us from all the evil in the world. Promise me that you'll never change.

The pony shot awake from that fleeting memory. A memory of long ago, a memory unfamiliar to him now. He slowly got up on his four legs and looked around; nothing but snow covered horizon in all directions.

"HELLO?!" he yelled.

No answer.

"HELLO??!!" he yelled again.

Still no answer.

His black mane waved in the cold air as the realization of his situation set it. He was lost, alone, and exposed to the elements.

He quickly came up with a plan, he needed to know which direction is south so he could escape this frozen desert. He looked at the sun, to see it slowly set. He knew the sun sets in the west so he turned to his left, face the direction he assumed was south.

"Better then nothing." he mumbled as he began his long walk.

"Take a detour through the frozen north...you'll there quicker my rump!" complained a unicorn mare as she prepared he usual meal of roasted pine cones. "This is the last time Trixie takes directions from a crystal pony!" she angrily exclaimed.

Trixie's life had been going downhill since her humiliation a long time ago in Ponyville. Her shows had been attracting a smaller and smaller audience each time as her reputation greatly preceded her. She was so strapped for cash at one point that she took a job at a rock farm. It was either that or sell her body. She shuddered at the thought of doing the latter.

She quietly ate her meal without saying a word. She preferred a home baked beignets than pine cones, but she had no other choice.

Suddenly, the sounds of desperate knocking ringed across her carriage. "What the?"

Curious, the unicorn cautiously opened the door with her magic, only to her horror, see a random black coated stallion collapse in front of her.

"What the buck?!" exclaimed Trixie in shock.

Crystals~

The stallion slowly stirred awake and look around to find himself in a cabin or carriage of some sort.

"Good morning stranger." said an incredulous voice, the stallion turned to see a blue unicorn mare sitting on a chair next to the bed.

"Uh...good morning...uh..." the stallion greeted, trying to get a name.

"Trixie, the Great and Powerful, and you are?"

"My name is...uh..." the stallion realized that he doesn't remember his name. "...uh...I don't remember."

"Typical...you should be lucky you managed to find me, nopony dares wander the frozen north in the dead of winter." explained the mare.

"Then how did you end up here?" asked the stallion.

"Misleading directions from a crystal pony."

"Crystals~" A strange voice echoed inside the stallion's head.

"Did you hear that?" asked the stallion.

"If you're referring to something that is not the wind howling outside, then no." answered the mare.

The black stallion decided to drop the subject. "Where are you going if I may ask?"

"Whatever is on the other side of this frozen wasteland. Possibly Neighpon. Anywhere that's as faraway from Equestria as possible." explained Trixie as she used her magic to make herself some tea. "So...how about you? Tell me your story."

"Well...I actually don't know how I ended up here...the first thing I remember was waking up out there, with no memories of who I was or who I am." explained the stallion with disappointment.

"A bad case of amnesia huh?" stated Trixie as she eyed the stallion. Not bad looking...he probably does a lot of cardio or climbing to be that toned.

"I think so." agreed the stallion.

"How about Trixie takes you with me to Vanhoover? It's the closest major city in Equestria to the frozen north so Trixie could drop you off there," offered the mare.

"That will be great, thanks." the stallion got up from the bed to stretch his legs.

Trixie's eyes go wide as she got a good view of his rump. My goodness! You could bounce a bit off of that thing! she exclaimed in her mind. The mare quickly regained her focus. "Anyways...get some rest tonight, we'll be off first thing in the morning, make yourself comfortable." stated the unicorn. "Good night." she then trotted off to her bed.

The stallion stretched his limbs out before climbing back on the bed. "Nice mare...a bit too egocentric for my taste." he mumbled to himself before he closed his eyes to sleep.

Promise me...

Suddenly, images of crystals and chains flashed before his eyes. A loud booming laugh rang out in his head and more images of ponies suffering continue flashing by.

"No!"

Your reign of terror ends today!

NEVER!

He is more shadow than stallion now. Especially after dark forces corrupted him.

But you promised me that you would protect us!

"NO!"

Crystals!

Suddenly, the images stopped, as he saw nothing but darkness.

"Ma'am."

"What is it?" stated a confused Cadance who was in the middle of a meeting with her chief advisers.

"It's the Crystal Heart, ma'am, you should see it for yourself." explained the guard.

The guard immediately took Cadance to the Crystal Heart, only to see to her horror, that it is now a dark shadow color, the same color as the infamous shadow crystals. "How long has it been like that?"

"Since this morning ma'am." explained the guard. "What does it mean?"

"He's back!"

Author's Note

Welcome to the first chapter of the last story I'll start in a LONG while.

Hopefully, this story will turn into a huge epic, so fingers crossed.

Hope you like it.