Battle of Crystal Hillby The BorgChaptersThe Beginning of a Tyrant (Prologue/Revised)The Threat (Part 1/2)The Threat (Part 2/2)The EnemyThe MillitiaTrainingThe SkirmishThe Beginning of a Tyrant (Prologue/Revised)*Location: Outskirts of the empire, tundra* "Ah, the sun has begun its decent, Celestia has ended another day and I have yet to master this magic of legends!" A pony by name of Sombra exclaims. He stood on a snowy hill surrounded by nothing, crystal towers glinting in the distance as the last of the days light faded away. Sombra looked down, grimacing at a book with no title, opened to a page with runes of a old and forgotten language only few knew. "If I can unlock this degree of power I could make this world in a perfect image, all it will take is a certain amount of control. Not too hard for one like myself." Sombra says as he re-reads the page for the 340th or so time that day. Narrowing his eyes at the text and muttering under his breath as he tried to see what he has missed. "When the light of the sun shines off you pearled eyes, look to north and release all ties." He reads. "What ties?!" He angrily blurted out. His fuming was interrupted however, as a figure that was without a doubt pony walks toward him, a scarf SHE wears flapping with the light wind. "You seem to forget the promise you made me Sombra." the figure says with annoyance. "You said you would come to the castle tonight before the sun could lower." She said. "Must you always impede my progress love?" He says sarcastically. "I'm only doing it for you." He whispered as he walked close to her. He then turned his back "I still have 10 more minutes of day light." He said as he looked down at the book again, face scrunched up in thought "Leave me, I will come when it is over." With a huff the female equine walked away, frustrated and muttering under her breath. Sombra looked up, a slight smile creeping in as she walked away. "Now, I'm sure I have it this time." He then went to spread his hooves, raising his head and summoning his magical aura. A glow rose up from the base to the tip of his horn He sweat from the effort. "Now the hard part." His face melted to one of pain as he summoned the familiar black and green aura to replace his own. Something was different however...As this time it felt stronger. "Finally! All this time was not to w-Wah?!" A sensation overcame him, he felt dizzy and felt something grab each of his legs. He looked down, seeing black tendrils coming put of the ground and holding firm to his legs. "What is this?!" The tendrils turned from vines to a black blanket of sorts, spreading up his legs and underbelly, as it did something formed, shimmering dark armor appeared on his hooves and a chest plate. Very quickly it had consumed his physical body, replaced by a dark garbed pony with a curved and ret tinted horn with the flowing mane of a alicorn, but dark and a endless fall into a cavern type look. However his mind still fought, the presence of pure evil was too strong unfortunately and his mind was corrupted, his old memories and personality pushed to the darkest and small corners of his mind. Replaced by a mace of evil, his own thoughts trapping in a cage at the back while this dark presence held his mind. "The power consumes the master..Fitting, he should not have tampered with the dark arts as he did." Said a deeper, much more sinister voice then the last. A black figure approached the empire. Hovering and unmistakably pony. The figure brought with him a dark-green wave of magic of sorts. As it passed the red crystals surrounding the city as a defense turned black, deep and obsidian. The crystal ponies who saw did the logical thing, run toward the castle and cower. This was not enough however, as the Sombra-turned evil hovered right up the castle, summoning a wall of crystals with his trademark color to surround the cowering populous. "Surrender yourselves without a fight and no one will be harmed." He says in a booming and deep voice. A Pegasus guard steps forward with keen eyes and raises his spear, wings twitching. "Who are you and why do you attempt to imprison and threaten us!" Sombra's eyes narrow at the brave guard. "To take this empire for myself, I suggest you submit..." "N-Not to some monster of magic!" Sombra gave the guard a glare before a dark magic enveloped said guard. Covering him in black ink with a word. "If you want to oppose me as a guard. Maybe you should be a crystal statue." As he said it, the ink disappeared with a flash of light, revealing a black crystal statue of a Pegasus guard. __________________ 10 minutes later Inside castle throne room Sombra walked in with a slight frown on his face as he looked over at the throne, seeing the Nobel in charge of the place currently sitting on the throne surrounded by six or so white armored member of the guards. "You think you can protect yourself with the Pale Hoof?" Contrary to most beliefs, Equestria did NOT only hold gold and black armored guards. There were forces out there such as the Pale Hoof, the Crystal Empire's version of stealthy soldiers, wearing only white. The armor is enchanted to match the color of snow around them, inside the the circle of the empire created by the Crystal Heart the armor resembles a pearl color. "Y-you stay away! You hear?! I won't hesitate to send a letter off the princes-" That's all he could say before he disappeared in a flash of teleportation magic, the shocked guards looking on in horror as Sombra's horn powered down. "Any more objections? Or would you like to go where no pony has gone before?" The guards bowed with haste, anyone with a resolve strong enough to just make a nobel disappear wouldn't hesitate to hurt a guard. "Well, it would seem this overthrow is a success, now if it's no trouble, get away from my throne. And spread the word, Sombra, your new emperor!" The guards scurried away, save one with a white and gold hoof imprinted on the front of her helm. Obviously a captain. Sombra looked at her "Well? Why do you stay? I told you what I want!" The mare gulped before looking him in the eye and steeling herself "You don't understand, a forceful takeover just by making the nobel disappear won't do it! You, I do not recognize. No one will follow some random overly powerful unicorn using....dark magic!" He looked at her lazily "You need not know my identity, my old self does not exist. And I can DO whatever I please, I'm most likely the most powerful being in existence." A hollow, deep laugh echoed from him. "Save the princesses I see in the memories of the entity that held this body last..." He looked down, thoughtful. Bah, the only connection this empire had with then was a protectorate pact. It will be easy to deceive any who wonder where the nobel family went...What of your name?" The mare snapped out of her thoughts "Captain Soaring Dash, pegasus and fastest flier in the empire!" She exclaimed with a puffed out chest. Only then did Sombra notice her messy white and red apple colored mane, sticking out of the back of her helm. "Well met miss Dash, if you were to say keep your captains position. Would you rally the guard as mine?" She sat there a moment, thinking with a scrunched up face, her white colored fur flowing on the breeze coming from the open doors leading outside. "I could, anything is better then a nobel right?" AND THEN EVERYONE DIEED AND I HAD A DED FROM MY BAD WRITING! The Threat (Part 1/2)Sombra was overlooking the Crystal Empire the next morning from the crystal tower's balcony. Could you even call it that? It was more like a fortress...Eh, thought for a later time. Guards and citizens alike milled about. All panicking or walking toward the plaza as armored guards herded them toward the city. The snow if yesterday had melted, Sombra had decided that it was much too cold this far north and had instructed the pegasai teams to clear it out to a summer like feel. They had warned that all the weather was pushed from south in Equestria up here, the storms needed to be put somewhere right? Sombra did not agree, he sent them south again. "If I'm to remove the crystal heart I can't have a snow storm going 24/7." He had said. Today was the day he would announce that they were to be slaves of industry and crystals, he would hide the heart away directly after, no doubt they would follow him as long as he removed the hope it would save them. "Captain Soaring Dash!" Sombra boomed with his magically augmented voice to the captain, feeling a twing of energy shift in his mind unusually when using his power. The captain was currently directing her guards to herd the crowd. "I told you to make the left district go down the side road there y- Oh! Yes sir!" She exclaimed, going over to the dark tinted lord, her wings beating. "Whatdaya need boss?" Sombra almost simply removed her wings as punishment for being so formal, but decided against it. Her attitude would lift his mood if he was ever feeling bored with his new position. "We need to get this moving, I don't have all day to make a speech about total domination. As dark as it is, I have other things to do." The entity now controlling Sombra worked as a realist, if the worst is possible, it will happen. But with its power it didn't need to worry about that right? "Hey! Did you hear me?" Soaring said with a small frown. "We are ready for the whole deal with the speech. But don't expect them to be too happy with a forced takeover by one man who very much literally scared the royal guard into submission." Sombra eyed her a moment "Do I look like I care about the reaction? Nevermind, don't answer that." He looked down at all the eyes of the ponies, some he recognized from yesterday, the ones that had fled to the building he now stood on. "Glorious ponies of the empire. I, Sombra, have taken your nobles and courts from this place. You will serve me as your only true ruler. Resistance is futile." He took a breath, watching the mildly shocked eyes of the crowd. "I am not a Sombra you may have known prior, I am a entirely different entity, the old is dead, gone." A lie, but a lie that the ponies took as true, some in the crowd began weeping. Obviously relatives or friends. Good, that's what this Sombra wanted right? "You will partake in the production of crystals and the such from now on. In retur-" "Wait!" A rather tired looking Pale Hoof guard shouted as he flew in from the north. He was quickly grabbed by he fellow guards mid flight and held there in the air to catch his breath to speak. "M-monsters!" He breathed out before passing out. Sombra's speech was cut short. Location: Crystal Towe-Castle, thinge...Bah "Speak soldier! What monsters?" Soaring was questioning the rather flustered and out of breath male pegasus. He opened his mouth to speak "Black demons! T-they had all blue eyes! Fangs! H-holes in their hoofs and horns, and....Wings! Wings like a dragon fly!" Soaring looked at him a moment before quietly saying "Calm down, that doesn't sound like anything currently documented. Have you had any mind altering spells cast on you lately?" He looked horrified. "I'm not crazy! No, they were real! They were very numerous. It's a black wave the likes I've never seen before. They didn't see me, but I'm sure they are heading this way from the north." Sombra took that moment to step in, his eyes flashing red. "You speak of a pony being with both wings and a horn? But not a alicorn, a creature resembling a....Vampony?" The guard thought for a moment. "No, like a...bug? No, they seemed sentient. I know I say a monarch of some kind when I was flying back." Sombra's eyes widened. "How long did you fly for? How far are they?" The pegasus quickly held up his hooves "Don't worry too much, they were on foot, I flew at least 4 days with huge rests. They are two or three weeks walk away." Sombra looked at the pony with a thoughtful frown. "Two weeks." He muttered under his breath. His mind was spinning with thoughts of a massive army on the way to his newfound plot of land. How would he handle something like that? He was not all powerful, he had the guards but their numbers were so few that it would be impossible to make a difference. What of the crystal heart, should he tear it out then try to hold off the wave? Keep it in? What to do... "Yo, Sombra, second time today." Miss Dash exclaimed, bringing him back to reality. He cleared his throat, looking around and finding all eyes on him. "Stop looking at me, I'm just...Stop please." with that he trotted off to the throne and sat. "Everyone get out, I need to think, keep the citizenry in the city." The pegasus guard who had been flying stepped forward however. "Exactly who are you?" Soaring quickly scooped him up on her back "Shush! I'll explain in the barracks you little fool." After they had all been off, save two sentinels on either side of the throne he began to think over the possibilities of working with or without the support of the citizens. Should he really enslave them now? With this possible threat? That's when the corner of his mind still holding his old self came out, speaking into the corrupted's consciousness. "Do you really need to enslave them? Do you think it's necessary? Let me free, this power is mine! I worked long for it, you can't just take m-" That's all it got out, this new Sombra was obviously displeased. "Don't talk to me you fool, you sold yourself to me with this spell." He muttered, barely heard by the two guards, who exchanged looks. This new ruler was strange, why did captain Dash say we need to follow him? AND THEN EVERYONE DIED FROM MY BAD WRITING AGAIN, YEAHHHHHHHHHHH The Threat (Part 2/2)Two days after the news of the changeling threat arrival "Is it too much for a red robe to fit over my armor?" Captain Dash looked over at Sombra. "Yes." She said matter of factly. "Now stop whining and go out and make your little speech, only 12 days left and you only care about your image." Sombra snorted, looking at her with narrowed black eyes. "Oh cool your jets stallion, I'm only pointing out the obvious." She says with roll of her eyes. "You've scared the population into submission, you don't need to scare them silly anymore." Sombra muttered under his breath at that. "M'not tryin to scare them." Soaring looked over at him, opening her mouth as if to ask something, but decided against it. "The people are for the most part all gathered proper." She said, sweeping her hoof toward the balcony. Sombra cantered out the door onto the balcony of the crystal....thing, tower....Whatever. He looked down, seeing the thousands of faces gathered looking up with fright. They did see a flustered guard come into the city after his last speech after all. Sombra opened his mouth to speak, but paused when it clicked just how frightened all the ponies looked. It was then the Sombra of old began screaming in the back of the corrupted's thought process. "How do you plan to fight a army of new creatures you know nothing of with a frightened and tired people?" It whispered. "Will you do it alone?" It would taunt. It took a full minute of internal thought before he realized he had not said a word to the gathering. He looked down again. "Hmmm." His horn took the liquid black aura, it also surrounded the city criers stage, pulling it in the air to sit under the balcony on the ground. Sombra then teleported down to stand on the platform, again feeling a twinge, thought painful this time, in the back of his head. What was that? It felt like a squirming snake that becomes active when his magic toll was any stronger then levitation...It became stronger ever time he set it off. Sombra looked up from his thoughts to the now confused audience. "Err, this is a better position to speak when talking to ones people with a level of...respect?" He muttered under his breath when all he got was more confused looks. He finally just gave up on trying to overthink and fuss over it. "Dear citizens of the Crystal Empire, protectorates of Celestia and Luna respectively. Today I speak to you with a urgent matter. A threat was brought to me two days ago." He opted to leave out that it was the guard. He grimaced for a moment, shifting on his hooves nervously before lighting his horn to amplify his voice. "A new, possibly sentient, pony species has been seen on the move. Heading right to our city, I have opted that they are too dangerous for diplomacy, fanged and covered in black shell-" "BUGS!?" A random citizen yelled out from the crowd. Sombra quickly made his voice slightly, but just enough to be noticeably higher. "We don't know what they are possibly hybrids of, calm yourselves before you get worked up." He took a breath. "They are very numerous, and one of my first actions as you emperor is a call to arms." The crowd collectively gasped, a smart alike pony shouting out. "Just let that Pegasus guard out of the crystal statue!" Sombra looked at the crowd, inwardly cringing at the stab. "To put it plainly, I need all the ponies I can get, the guard has agreed to train any who volunteer and I have taken the time to use my powers search for a source of metal for armor and weapons." He then pointed south with his right fore hoof. "Directly 1.3Km's or so south is a deposit big enough for the entire city to be armored, but we need a smith. As it stands we only have one known pony in the city and he is already hard at work with the metal already here. Any who do not plan to fight should work to collect the remaining metals." A unicorn mare from the crowd wearing a light-blue coat of fur and midnight blue mane walked forward, the cutiemark of melting gold on her flanks. "I can help smith, I have studied metals and the magic behind them. I have the proper magical knowledge to even add minor runes of protection. Although I doubt we can have it on all the sets before....Yeah." Sombra looked her over quickly, a small smirk on his face. "All help is welcome, the Crystal Empire is in need, what name does the mare bear?" She shied away a moment before quickly recovering and standing proud and tall. "I am Gold Shine, descendant of the Shine family, partial founders of the Crystal Empire." Sombra nodded, then went to look at Soaring, opening his mouth to speak. "Bring her to the forages and acquaint her with the armor sets and the such if you would." After they were off Sombra looked over the crowd a final time. "The Crystal Empire must live on, and damned if we lose this city to a bunch of monsters from the north! Take up your arms! Train! Think of your relatives and friends in Equestria, if we fall the entire nation is lost!" The crowd seemed to lift their ears, looking at him puzzlingly, he wanted them to fight for him? Didn't he take us over by force? Maybe he knew about the monsters!? Well if he is going to help us then why not? The hoard of ponies began to beat their hooves into the ground in applaud, some of the huskier stallions looked to be heading home to collect things for their training. Colts and Fillies were unfazed by the threat, Mares moving to take their young home, or moving to their stallions. As if asking what they should do to help, mine? Fight? With that Sombra turned 180 degree's and walked back into the Crystal tower....Thing. Fight me, I dunno what it is. When he had made his way inside and was going down the hall toward his quarters Soaring came up behind from the basement, where the tunnel to the forage could be found. Most of the major buildings were tunneled....Except the barracks, Sombra couldn't imagine why. He would need to have that dug... "Nice speech there bigshot." She said with a wink. "Wouldn't mind having such a word artist like you to have around." His face of horrified. With that she dropped the sarcastic ruse, laughing heavily. "Oh *giggle* man the look on your face was worth it!" He stood there red-faced, looking ready to sock her in the jaw. "Don't...Tease me. Yo- Aguh!" As he groaning in frustration due to her laughter he used a simple teleportation spell to get to his chambers, from outside the door he could hear her stop laughing and whine "Awww." No one died this time from my writing, thank heavens! The EnemyThe Changeling Hoard heading south A small whisper of thousands of voices all speaking on the wind met the ears of over a million of scurrying and flying black chiton covered creatures. Every single one holding blue eyes and holed hooves and horns. Moving at a slow but uniform rate. Save for a hulking mass, green eyes and a green flame from the crest of his head. As if a life force, a soul. The creature had not hooves but black, jointless pincers. They curved toward the ground to allow walking on the outside, like a gorilla. It held a dark purple, stringy mane. Among the crowd of monsters were the occasional green eyed ones, sharing a flaming texture to the eyes along with the fire. They swept their gaze and showed more intelligence over their colleagues. The display was that of what some would consider prehistoric, they resembled beasts of a time long past for equestria. They were more rigid then their modern day counterparts. "What of the leftmost brood, Tur'ak?" A voice drifted over the wind from the monstrosity at the heart of the hoard not vocal but as if sending sound brainwaves to its lings in arms. "The brood moves at correct speed with exception of recently disciplined ling, King." It said in a feminine voice, coming from one of the green eyed creatures. The hulk known as king shifted weight while walking, thinking on the news. "Have it sent to healing cocoons for examination." He responded, no reply. Although a yelp from his left over the marching was heard followed by a small ling being carried on to the back of the pack with a green aura. The feminine, green flamed brood-hatcher's horn aglow. The small ling was oozing blue blood from his right fore knee. Obviously painful to walk with. His insect-like wings twitching as he was carried and placed, then sealed into a green tinted cocoon. Another green eyed moving to examine the cocoon. The king looked back forward, mildly satisfied. Until...."Ooohhh! An end to the snowy, cold mountains! We must be no more than a twelve of a sunsky away from the ponies!" A small, overly excited ling cried over the brain communication. The king swung his head 65 degrees behind him, staring right at the ling that had spoken. The small thing looked terrified as the king spoke. "We are eleven moonrises away from the ponies. Much walking in the snow plains to come. Be thankful I do not rip away your shell that protects you from the cold for speaking." The poor thing was so scared it nearly fell on the ground. The King looked back forward as the group walked. "Infiltrator, report." The speech from the king moving far south to the Crystal Empire. A ling came into view, standing near the Crystal Empires large library. Under the disguise of a pony stallion. He concentrated when he heard the call for report. "The city has been militarized. The ponies move to defend the city. Outland farmers are pouring in, looking to armor up. Large stallion leader has taken leadership. Identified as Sombra. The threat is still minimal by estimates, operation will succeed." "Good." The reply came. Then the infiltrator moved to look for an appropriate pony to take the place of. Looking around with slight interest in the armored guards and strong looking outlanders coming in to be equipped. He spied one in-particular, catching a tidbit of his announcement to some of his fellow countrymen. "...and I, Rooster Hoof, will help lead us to fight off these monsters spawned in the depths of whatever rock they may come from! Y'all should make good n sure to get me as you're militia leader! Think of it, the 1st Armored hay harvester corps!..." He faltered. "Errr... Uh, nevermind the name, we must work to keep our empire safe from any creatures or ponies that would see our lives messed with." The changeling would lick his fangs if he wasn't disguised, that pony looked like the perfect pony to replace. He had a large audience and from what he saw, people thought highly of him. "Prey is in sight." He thought to himself. Walking to follow him wherever he went, until he saw his chance. A hour or so later Rooster Hoof was walking into one of the numerous tents set up on the side of the streets in the city. Mumbling to himself about a lack of new armor sets and the such. "Not enough armor will be made for me and my boys..." He muttered to himself as he opened the black tent flap and went inside, laying down on his makeshift bed. "If I gotta deal with that dumb ol' blacksmith for another..." He fell asleep before he could finish his angry ranting. Snoring loudly. _______________________ A couple minutes had passed from when the infiltrator started to hear the snoring from inside. The ling had been listening intently from the closed flap. "Mhmm.." He hummed to himself, moving his left forehood to open the flap and slid halfway in, dropping his disguise as he went in, causing a faint green flame. Revealing the coal black chiton of his shell, his sharp fangs showing when his mouth lost its disguise. As he moved up to this Rooster Hoof, opening his mouth to bite his paralyzing venom. _____________________ Rooster Hoof was awoken with a start to a faint green light, opening his eyes slightly and looking to the source, seeing a black form creeping into his tent. _____________________ Everyone in the city was awoken by a roaring battle cry from a certain tent. The MillitiaFollowing the last moment of previous chapter. "Graaaaaaahh!" It was a splitting scream coming from Rooster Hoof, the changeling covering his ears in pain at the roaring farm pony. "You think you can get the drop on me?!" He screamed as he punched the unfortunate infiltrator in the cheek, causing a faint crunching noise from his outer shell. The ling fell to the ground, crumpling up in a ball while holding his hit face with his hooves. The heavy breathing from the stallion above him forced him to crack his eyes open to look. The pony was red faced and looked like he was calming down from a fit of rage. "Now look here you litt-" He was cut off "Now!" A loud feminine voice proclaimed as a team of heavily armored guards ripped open the flap, spears pointed inside. Behind the three or so guards was Captain Dash, looking like she was woken up by a dragon roar. It wasn't too far off. "Sir! Out of the tent and on the ground, same with yo-" The captain paused when she saw the black form on the tent's floor. "And err..." She stuttered. "Drag them both to the holding cells ASAP! Restrain the non-pony. That might be one of those creatures coming from the north. Extreme caution when handling both." Some time passes, Holding Cells The holding area was a dark, underground and quite humid wartime dungeon of sorts. Consisting of over 65 cells all put in a crypt layout, it was good for holding officers or other hostile foreign agents. "Are they both in separate cells?" Came a low whisper from the captain. A nod affirming both were secure caused the captain to calm her stance. "Send for Sombra." ______________ "What did you need me for at this unholy hour?" Sombra moaned as he walked down the steps to the cells with the captain. "A stallion screamed in the street, follow by a loud thump. When we opened the tent flap we found an injured creature that fits the description of our to be enemies and a angry stallion." She said with a huff. Sombra looked down with a slight frown. "The creature also has bruising under its shell on the cheek." Soaring added on. "Well let's see the creature first, see if it can communicate." Sombra said, walking down the steps into the lit cell area, holding two occupants in cells next to eachother. But something was up. They both looked like Rooster Hoof. One on the left with a bruised cheek and the other on the right looking ready to bust out of the cell and clobber somepony. "Let me out! All I did was sock the that pony for busting in my tent!" Screamed the one on the right. Followed by the left with the bruised cheek mimicking Rooster's last sentence. "I take it the one on the left is the creature?" Sighed Sombra, obviously tired. Walking up to the left cell he looked close at the fake Rooster Hoof closely. "Drop it, I'll turn you into a crystal statue to be shown off in my garden." Somba said, his horn gaining a black aura. The eyes of fake Rooster's eyes went wide, he was engulfed in green flame. Revealing the black changeling under, his face was open in a silent terror with his cracked shell on his cheek. "I-it, you can't!" It spoke with light voice, obviously it had a better time speaking while disguised. "I didn't mean any harm! I-" Sombra cut him off. "Enough, what are you and how did you take the form of that stallion?" The ling looked terrified for a moment, but then his face scrunched up in concentration as if he were speaking to a third-party. "I am unable to share any information. Release me." Was his response, his face was blank as he spoke. Sombra thought over it a moment before moving to the other cell. "You, what happened in your tent." The Stallion looked at sombra with a thoughtful frown. "Well I was jus sleeping away in my tent when that there black bug walks into the tent. Using some sort of green tinted magic n goin to bite me. So I just punch him right in his cheek there and feel a crunch under my hooves. He falls over in pain and your guards decide to barge in and take us both here." He said with some annoyance. "I don't deserve to be in this cell, I ain't done nothing but attack some creeping spider." Sombra looked at the stallion a moment. "You took it down in one hit?" Rooster responded almost immediately. "Yus sir." Sombra looked over to his guards. "What are you in the city for? Soldiering?" A nod from Rooster affirmed the question. "I ain't gonna have some crazy species come down here and take mah land." Sombra looked back at Rooster Hoof. "Alright then, how about I make you the commanding officer of the unarmed corps? We won't have all the armor ready for everyone so we will have a small unit of 'militia' so to speak." Rooster nodded vigorously, follow by his release and a escort out of the cell area, leaving Sombra and the ling with guards at the entrance. "You won't share any information with me?" The ling stayed silent when Sombra asked. "Fine." Sombra almost chirped out happily "I need something to take my stress out on anyway." That was all the ling heard before magic engulfed him, his shell almost immediately sent messages of pressure to his brain, a 'Fight or Flight" instinct kicked in and the ling began to struggle against the magic. He would have used his horn to stop his shell from being crushed, but an inhibitor ring was currently locked into place on the base of his head where horn met forehead. "Stop!" he screamed out as his shell cracked, extreme pain lancing through his entire body. "You didn't want to tell me anything right? Then your useless and I'll just assume your the race I'm looking to destroy!" He said, laughing as his aura's black tar and green slime color covered his eyes. The ling felt his entire shell ready to break right off as Sombra fell into a evil laughing fit. His mind obviously controlled by the black magic almost completely, a black form shifted in his head at the same time as a lighter, bright form. "Stop!" The shout came from inside of Sombra's head, from the original owner of the body, the light. "Stop crushing him! You can still use him!" The aura around his eyes and horn went away, releasing the ling. The black entity simply went silent, holding control of the body but leaving the ling be. "You are lucky you little worm, I would have crushed you if my circumstances were not complicated." Sombra said aloud before walking up the steps to his quarters, ready to bout in his head with his two "consciences" "Have the little thing studied for weak spots." He said to Soaring upstairs before walking off. Changeling point of view Pain, pain all over was all it could feel. His shell was cracked and couldn't be repaired without a medical cocoon, he was sunk. Captured, bleeding from where his shell had cut skin. And he could almost feel the dark aura from the pony leader. Pure malice and hate for everything around him. He smelled it in the air the second he walked in, changelings had the passive ability to smell strong emotions. But that light he had felt a hint of before the hurting stopped, it obviously wasn't in control of the body at all. But it was there. "The king will be interested to hear of this." He thought to himself before drifting off from the due to his tired state and what had just happened. TrainingFive days after news arrival Rooster Hoof was overlooking a band of inexperienced farmers holding swords and spears in their teeth or curled arms on the handles of either. The ones bearing horns on their heads, unicorns were unarmed. This didn’t necessarily mean they were defenseless. One of the perks of being one was that you had the powers of a warrior, a healer, and a worker all in one little extra horn. “Well boys and lady.” He said to the group of 50 or so consists of all males and a female with a rather bad looking scar under her left eye. "It's high time I introduce myself by name, considering you've been speaking to and of me as 'sir' or 'boss'. M'names Rooster Hoof." He took a small bow "At your service." The ponies whispered among themselves before quickly being cut off by Rooster. "Alrighty then, it's great that y'all are interested in my name. But it's quite time we move onto our training. I had to make it with no armor in mind." They all walked along to a small grassy field with the mountains directly north, a hill in-between mountain and the city. "This here hill is where Sombra plans on making the defense effort. We will be placed along the left bank, where he expect little in regards to hostiles." He looked back at them before turning back around and pointing his hoof at a line of steaks placed into the ground along the whole hill's forward end, pointing toward the mountain. "We are charged with the left bank, so I plant on running us through a formation. I need y'all to......-" Three hours pass "That there is what I call a spear wall! Swordsponies in front be sure to make sure the spear bearers are kept out of direct conflict. Unicorns I want you to volley the mortar magic again." A flash erupted from the back of the group before balls of various colors flew almost directly up before fall down and creating small craters some 150 feet from the forward line. "Perfect! They'll never know what hit em!" He silently thanked the royal sisters that he had found that book on griffon war machines and tactics. Converting magic to duplicate mortars was easy once he had found out one of the unicorns in his band, Sunrise Willow, was a master of spell construction. She was made second in command on the spot, not to mention that scar by her eye! "Commander!" Rooster turned to see a pegasus mare with guardsmen armor flying at a rapid pace toward him. Muttering to himself he quickly called for a dismissal of today's training before running to meet the mare. She collapsed on the ground upon landing, catching her breath. "Sir! The bug-err...creature you caught has escaped! The cell was found holding a guard with a bad looking bruise on the cheek, he was out of it moaning!" What? Are you serious? Did no one think to tell the guards? Oh man. "What is being done with the guard?" he asked the pegasus slowly, making eye contact. "What? He is being taken to medical." A deep breath emanated from Rooster. "That was the bug, it can change forms yo-" He took a calming breath, chanting under his breath "They didn't know" for a few seconds. "Go back to the castle and inform the guards that it's the prisoner! And for all our sake's it better have not escaped yet!" Rooster said as he went to gallop toward the city, pegasus flying ahead to deliver her message, looking out of breath. Rooster thought to himself as he ran toward the city. His head was alight with questions pertaining to that creature. How could it have been in any shape to try an escape after Sombra's little temper tantrum? How did it manage to trick the guards watching it? Ugh, too much thinking for one stallion. But his thoughts were interrupted by one of his men galloping up beside him. "What's the hurry Mr. Hoof?" Rooster cocked his head, looking over to his soldier. "We got a mess of trouble, that creature we captured might have just escaped by making it seem like it escaped. N' I an not in the mood to find it if it's gone." He stopped talking as he finally made it to the city, breathing hard as his fast pace took it's toll. Moving into the castle, calling out for a guard of some sort to take him to the infirmary. It was too late however, when they arrived all they found was a unconscious nurse and a mess of medical equipment littering the floor. "Darn it..." Muttered Rooster as he roused the guards of the city to find the beast. Sombra had apparently locked himself away in his room to take care of "Personal matters" when Rooster went to inform him. The guards barred entrance, forcing the stallion to speak with Captain Dash on the matter. "It slipped under the nose of your guards! Now it's probably halfway to the army it serves laughing back at us." Soaring Dash was looking as Rooster hoof with a sideways frown. "I don't see the big deal, not like it has anything important to report besides that we have a big scary new leader with the power to crush one of them with simple telekinesis." Rooster huffed before responding. "That's the point! These things are obviously good with espionage! They could easily enough send one of their other spies to take out Sombra in his sleep or slowly kill off our leadership, replacing them with fakes!" Soaring Dash laughed, waving a hoof. "Relax big guy, Sombra said he had a research team come up with a spell that could mess with their disguises by a simply examination via horn magic. They'll have it done in a few hours, already got blood samples and the other such to do it from the creature." The conversation ended with Rooster storming off, ranting about how much damage the failure to explain the power of the changeling to one of the guard rotations was a huge misstep. The rest of the day and night was spent searching for a changeling that had already disappeared. The Skirmish*Crystal Tower, 11 days after news arrival.* "-ou mean you saw some coming this way!" Screamed Sombra, cape flaring. "Would you tell me they are three to four days early?" Soaring stood still, seemingly unfazed by the unmistakably angry Sombra. "I'll repeat Sombra, they were a large scouting party, twenty at the most." She said with a air of uncharacter-like professionalism. "Please calm down, I've dispatched thirty-two of my best troops" Sombra paced, his nostrils letting out puff after puff of white air. "You should not have send anyone without my permission." He looked over at her, obviously still displeased, however showing signs of calming. "It's a test of their battle prowess, and you were at least a three minute glide from me when I got the news. If I lost any more time our men would have lost sight of them." She said, muzzle moving quickly as she slid the words off her mouth. "I will not allow them any leeway this soon." *Cutting to the changeling scouting party* "Underqueen Z'rah, report what you have found." A voice carried to the mind of the green flamed mother. "No, difference in status, the city is obviously aware of our presence. It seems they had already done so before our infiltration unit was even inside. My party and I will be heading back toward the pack shortly, however we have become tired and plan on detaining a group of guards as they patrol the outskirts." The voice from the Queen was met with a response almost immediately, with a dark undertone. "What method of feeding?" Z'rah stood sonic-still for a few more moments before responding. "Seduction-Forms will be ineffective. Forced emotion extraction via capture and fangs." The group moved to look over a snow covered bank on the outskirts of the city, the lush green of the field surrounding the city full of tents and ponies moving toe and fro. As Z'rah was scanning for prey that would be easy to snatch away without incident a voice yelled behind her, followed by loud hoof beats. Turning her head, she saw a group of ponies at least twenty-five strong charging her way. Too many! She panicked, barring teeth and sending out a mental call to arms of her party, scattered along the snow bank. Almost as one they all turned, battle stances and furious fangs dripping green visible. The battle was turning for the worst for the guardsmen, many were strewn along the snow bank, bloody fang marks and bruises covered their still forms. Z'rah was fighting with a passion, obviously enjoying some of it as she impaled another foe on her horn while firing a bolt of green out the tip once it had protruded out the poor guard's backside. The bolt flew into the face of yet another guard who had just swiped his sword trough the tough natural armor of one of the lings, red blood streaking down the thin gash in the underskin. The guard barreled back, his face looking scorched but undamaged, when he attempted to continue fighting however, his legs gave out and almost instantly after his face planted in the ground in unconsciousness. The battle had only lasted a mere minute before the victor was apparent. Z'rah allowed a small smirk, looking quite disgusting from the point of view from the remaining conscious guard, laying half-limp on the ground in a small pool of blood. "Y-you can't take this city." Z'rah's smirk of amusement vanished, replaced by a cold face of stone. "Yes we can." With that she sent a bolt of magic into him, he fall limp, noticeably he had stopped bleeding when it hit however. "Retrieve any that were successfully rendered unconscious or are not dead from the wounds inflicted yet. Heal them and bring them with us. We dine tonight." *To the View of Rooster Hoof* "Well....Darn, I didn't think they could be beat." Exclaimed the rather surprised worker-pony as he looked down a slope of snow now stained with crimson in particular spots. Only the corpses of four of the darn creatures were accounted for. The entire guard force save the sizable fourteen bodies remain. The group of other militia members behind Rooster were somber, respectfully quite. "Well uhh.. I don't think we'd wanna chase after them." He said, sucking in a breath after. "Just...Grab one of them black suckers bodies and bring it back to the medical ponies in the city, the rest of you are with me carrying these poor souls back to their families." The group nodded in agreement, making small steps and movements as they went. Obviously shaken by the sight and thought that they had lost with more numbers. "Mr Hoof, we caint beat them if we got less men in the first place." Rooster looked over at the flustered stallion. "Now look here, if Sombra or that captain of the guard were here things would have been different. We got ourselves here notion that this group of them fanged boys had a leader. They had someone helping them in combat. We didn't and I think Sombra is gonna be a might upset that Miss Dash didn't send a leader with em. We'll see soon enough what our men can do when properly ordered in combat." The rest of the talk was small as they made their way back to the city. Met with Soaring who had to fly alongside Rooster to talk. "What's the scoop?" Rooster looked over at her at the strange question. "They lost and you shoulda been there! That's what." The pegasus stopped mid-flight, hovering in place with her jaw open slightly, her white teeth visible. "I ain't gonna even tell you how bad it looked, but more than half the bodies are missing and almost non of the darn enemy died." She swallowed thickly. "Y-y-ou mean they are all gone? Dead or missing? From a scout party?" Rooster looked over his back at her still hovering form before answering with Venomous. "Pretty much. N' you are gonna tell Sombra how it's your fault for not taking them seriously. They obviously had a commanding officer or their version of one anyway." "I didn't think you would fail me on our first engagement Miss Dash, if this is to happen again we will have some choice words. Ending in you as a crystal or the city as rubble because I'm stupid enough for you to get strike three." Was all that was said that night before the training requirements went way up, followed by increased armor production as Sombra slept.
The Beginning of a Tyrant (Prologue/Revised)*Location: Outskirts of the empire, tundra* "Ah, the sun has begun its decent, Celestia has ended another day and I have yet to master this magic of legends!" A pony by name of Sombra exclaims. He stood on a snowy hill surrounded by nothing, crystal towers glinting in the distance as the last of the days light faded away. Sombra looked down, grimacing at a book with no title, opened to a page with runes of a old and forgotten language only few knew. "If I can unlock this degree of power I could make this world in a perfect image, all it will take is a certain amount of control. Not too hard for one like myself." Sombra says as he re-reads the page for the 340th or so time that day. Narrowing his eyes at the text and muttering under his breath as he tried to see what he has missed. "When the light of the sun shines off you pearled eyes, look to north and release all ties." He reads. "What ties?!" He angrily blurted out. His fuming was interrupted however, as a figure that was without a doubt pony walks toward him, a scarf SHE wears flapping with the light wind. "You seem to forget the promise you made me Sombra." the figure says with annoyance. "You said you would come to the castle tonight before the sun could lower." She said. "Must you always impede my progress love?" He says sarcastically. "I'm only doing it for you." He whispered as he walked close to her. He then turned his back "I still have 10 more minutes of day light." He said as he looked down at the book again, face scrunched up in thought "Leave me, I will come when it is over." With a huff the female equine walked away, frustrated and muttering under her breath. Sombra looked up, a slight smile creeping in as she walked away. "Now, I'm sure I have it this time." He then went to spread his hooves, raising his head and summoning his magical aura. A glow rose up from the base to the tip of his horn He sweat from the effort. "Now the hard part." His face melted to one of pain as he summoned the familiar black and green aura to replace his own. Something was different however...As this time it felt stronger. "Finally! All this time was not to w-Wah?!" A sensation overcame him, he felt dizzy and felt something grab each of his legs. He looked down, seeing black tendrils coming put of the ground and holding firm to his legs. "What is this?!" The tendrils turned from vines to a black blanket of sorts, spreading up his legs and underbelly, as it did something formed, shimmering dark armor appeared on his hooves and a chest plate. Very quickly it had consumed his physical body, replaced by a dark garbed pony with a curved and ret tinted horn with the flowing mane of a alicorn, but dark and a endless fall into a cavern type look. However his mind still fought, the presence of pure evil was too strong unfortunately and his mind was corrupted, his old memories and personality pushed to the darkest and small corners of his mind. Replaced by a mace of evil, his own thoughts trapping in a cage at the back while this dark presence held his mind. "The power consumes the master..Fitting, he should not have tampered with the dark arts as he did." Said a deeper, much more sinister voice then the last. A black figure approached the empire. Hovering and unmistakably pony. The figure brought with him a dark-green wave of magic of sorts. As it passed the red crystals surrounding the city as a defense turned black, deep and obsidian. The crystal ponies who saw did the logical thing, run toward the castle and cower. This was not enough however, as the Sombra-turned evil hovered right up the castle, summoning a wall of crystals with his trademark color to surround the cowering populous. "Surrender yourselves without a fight and no one will be harmed." He says in a booming and deep voice. A Pegasus guard steps forward with keen eyes and raises his spear, wings twitching. "Who are you and why do you attempt to imprison and threaten us!" Sombra's eyes narrow at the brave guard. "To take this empire for myself, I suggest you submit..." "N-Not to some monster of magic!" Sombra gave the guard a glare before a dark magic enveloped said guard. Covering him in black ink with a word. "If you want to oppose me as a guard. Maybe you should be a crystal statue." As he said it, the ink disappeared with a flash of light, revealing a black crystal statue of a Pegasus guard. __________________ 10 minutes later Inside castle throne room Sombra walked in with a slight frown on his face as he looked over at the throne, seeing the Nobel in charge of the place currently sitting on the throne surrounded by six or so white armored member of the guards. "You think you can protect yourself with the Pale Hoof?" Contrary to most beliefs, Equestria did NOT only hold gold and black armored guards. There were forces out there such as the Pale Hoof, the Crystal Empire's version of stealthy soldiers, wearing only white. The armor is enchanted to match the color of snow around them, inside the the circle of the empire created by the Crystal Heart the armor resembles a pearl color. "Y-you stay away! You hear?! I won't hesitate to send a letter off the princes-" That's all he could say before he disappeared in a flash of teleportation magic, the shocked guards looking on in horror as Sombra's horn powered down. "Any more objections? Or would you like to go where no pony has gone before?" The guards bowed with haste, anyone with a resolve strong enough to just make a nobel disappear wouldn't hesitate to hurt a guard. "Well, it would seem this overthrow is a success, now if it's no trouble, get away from my throne. And spread the word, Sombra, your new emperor!" The guards scurried away, save one with a white and gold hoof imprinted on the front of her helm. Obviously a captain. Sombra looked at her "Well? Why do you stay? I told you what I want!" The mare gulped before looking him in the eye and steeling herself "You don't understand, a forceful takeover just by making the nobel disappear won't do it! You, I do not recognize. No one will follow some random overly powerful unicorn using....dark magic!" He looked at her lazily "You need not know my identity, my old self does not exist. And I can DO whatever I please, I'm most likely the most powerful being in existence." A hollow, deep laugh echoed from him. "Save the princesses I see in the memories of the entity that held this body last..." He looked down, thoughtful. Bah, the only connection this empire had with then was a protectorate pact. It will be easy to deceive any who wonder where the nobel family went...What of your name?" The mare snapped out of her thoughts "Captain Soaring Dash, pegasus and fastest flier in the empire!" She exclaimed with a puffed out chest. Only then did Sombra notice her messy white and red apple colored mane, sticking out of the back of her helm. "Well met miss Dash, if you were to say keep your captains position. Would you rally the guard as mine?" She sat there a moment, thinking with a scrunched up face, her white colored fur flowing on the breeze coming from the open doors leading outside. "I could, anything is better then a nobel right?" AND THEN EVERYONE DIEED AND I HAD A DED FROM MY BAD WRITING!
The Threat (Part 1/2)Sombra was overlooking the Crystal Empire the next morning from the crystal tower's balcony. Could you even call it that? It was more like a fortress...Eh, thought for a later time. Guards and citizens alike milled about. All panicking or walking toward the plaza as armored guards herded them toward the city. The snow if yesterday had melted, Sombra had decided that it was much too cold this far north and had instructed the pegasai teams to clear it out to a summer like feel. They had warned that all the weather was pushed from south in Equestria up here, the storms needed to be put somewhere right? Sombra did not agree, he sent them south again. "If I'm to remove the crystal heart I can't have a snow storm going 24/7." He had said. Today was the day he would announce that they were to be slaves of industry and crystals, he would hide the heart away directly after, no doubt they would follow him as long as he removed the hope it would save them. "Captain Soaring Dash!" Sombra boomed with his magically augmented voice to the captain, feeling a twing of energy shift in his mind unusually when using his power. The captain was currently directing her guards to herd the crowd. "I told you to make the left district go down the side road there y- Oh! Yes sir!" She exclaimed, going over to the dark tinted lord, her wings beating. "Whatdaya need boss?" Sombra almost simply removed her wings as punishment for being so formal, but decided against it. Her attitude would lift his mood if he was ever feeling bored with his new position. "We need to get this moving, I don't have all day to make a speech about total domination. As dark as it is, I have other things to do." The entity now controlling Sombra worked as a realist, if the worst is possible, it will happen. But with its power it didn't need to worry about that right? "Hey! Did you hear me?" Soaring said with a small frown. "We are ready for the whole deal with the speech. But don't expect them to be too happy with a forced takeover by one man who very much literally scared the royal guard into submission." Sombra eyed her a moment "Do I look like I care about the reaction? Nevermind, don't answer that." He looked down at all the eyes of the ponies, some he recognized from yesterday, the ones that had fled to the building he now stood on. "Glorious ponies of the empire. I, Sombra, have taken your nobles and courts from this place. You will serve me as your only true ruler. Resistance is futile." He took a breath, watching the mildly shocked eyes of the crowd. "I am not a Sombra you may have known prior, I am a entirely different entity, the old is dead, gone." A lie, but a lie that the ponies took as true, some in the crowd began weeping. Obviously relatives or friends. Good, that's what this Sombra wanted right? "You will partake in the production of crystals and the such from now on. In retur-" "Wait!" A rather tired looking Pale Hoof guard shouted as he flew in from the north. He was quickly grabbed by he fellow guards mid flight and held there in the air to catch his breath to speak. "M-monsters!" He breathed out before passing out. Sombra's speech was cut short. Location: Crystal Towe-Castle, thinge...Bah "Speak soldier! What monsters?" Soaring was questioning the rather flustered and out of breath male pegasus. He opened his mouth to speak "Black demons! T-they had all blue eyes! Fangs! H-holes in their hoofs and horns, and....Wings! Wings like a dragon fly!" Soaring looked at him a moment before quietly saying "Calm down, that doesn't sound like anything currently documented. Have you had any mind altering spells cast on you lately?" He looked horrified. "I'm not crazy! No, they were real! They were very numerous. It's a black wave the likes I've never seen before. They didn't see me, but I'm sure they are heading this way from the north." Sombra took that moment to step in, his eyes flashing red. "You speak of a pony being with both wings and a horn? But not a alicorn, a creature resembling a....Vampony?" The guard thought for a moment. "No, like a...bug? No, they seemed sentient. I know I say a monarch of some kind when I was flying back." Sombra's eyes widened. "How long did you fly for? How far are they?" The pegasus quickly held up his hooves "Don't worry too much, they were on foot, I flew at least 4 days with huge rests. They are two or three weeks walk away." Sombra looked at the pony with a thoughtful frown. "Two weeks." He muttered under his breath. His mind was spinning with thoughts of a massive army on the way to his newfound plot of land. How would he handle something like that? He was not all powerful, he had the guards but their numbers were so few that it would be impossible to make a difference. What of the crystal heart, should he tear it out then try to hold off the wave? Keep it in? What to do... "Yo, Sombra, second time today." Miss Dash exclaimed, bringing him back to reality. He cleared his throat, looking around and finding all eyes on him. "Stop looking at me, I'm just...Stop please." with that he trotted off to the throne and sat. "Everyone get out, I need to think, keep the citizenry in the city." The pegasus guard who had been flying stepped forward however. "Exactly who are you?" Soaring quickly scooped him up on her back "Shush! I'll explain in the barracks you little fool." After they had all been off, save two sentinels on either side of the throne he began to think over the possibilities of working with or without the support of the citizens. Should he really enslave them now? With this possible threat? That's when the corner of his mind still holding his old self came out, speaking into the corrupted's consciousness. "Do you really need to enslave them? Do you think it's necessary? Let me free, this power is mine! I worked long for it, you can't just take m-" That's all it got out, this new Sombra was obviously displeased. "Don't talk to me you fool, you sold yourself to me with this spell." He muttered, barely heard by the two guards, who exchanged looks. This new ruler was strange, why did captain Dash say we need to follow him? AND THEN EVERYONE DIED FROM MY BAD WRITING AGAIN, YEAHHHHHHHHHHH
The Threat (Part 2/2)Two days after the news of the changeling threat arrival "Is it too much for a red robe to fit over my armor?" Captain Dash looked over at Sombra. "Yes." She said matter of factly. "Now stop whining and go out and make your little speech, only 12 days left and you only care about your image." Sombra snorted, looking at her with narrowed black eyes. "Oh cool your jets stallion, I'm only pointing out the obvious." She says with roll of her eyes. "You've scared the population into submission, you don't need to scare them silly anymore." Sombra muttered under his breath at that. "M'not tryin to scare them." Soaring looked over at him, opening her mouth as if to ask something, but decided against it. "The people are for the most part all gathered proper." She said, sweeping her hoof toward the balcony. Sombra cantered out the door onto the balcony of the crystal....thing, tower....Whatever. He looked down, seeing the thousands of faces gathered looking up with fright. They did see a flustered guard come into the city after his last speech after all. Sombra opened his mouth to speak, but paused when it clicked just how frightened all the ponies looked. It was then the Sombra of old began screaming in the back of the corrupted's thought process. "How do you plan to fight a army of new creatures you know nothing of with a frightened and tired people?" It whispered. "Will you do it alone?" It would taunt. It took a full minute of internal thought before he realized he had not said a word to the gathering. He looked down again. "Hmmm." His horn took the liquid black aura, it also surrounded the city criers stage, pulling it in the air to sit under the balcony on the ground. Sombra then teleported down to stand on the platform, again feeling a twinge, thought painful this time, in the back of his head. What was that? It felt like a squirming snake that becomes active when his magic toll was any stronger then levitation...It became stronger ever time he set it off. Sombra looked up from his thoughts to the now confused audience. "Err, this is a better position to speak when talking to ones people with a level of...respect?" He muttered under his breath when all he got was more confused looks. He finally just gave up on trying to overthink and fuss over it. "Dear citizens of the Crystal Empire, protectorates of Celestia and Luna respectively. Today I speak to you with a urgent matter. A threat was brought to me two days ago." He opted to leave out that it was the guard. He grimaced for a moment, shifting on his hooves nervously before lighting his horn to amplify his voice. "A new, possibly sentient, pony species has been seen on the move. Heading right to our city, I have opted that they are too dangerous for diplomacy, fanged and covered in black shell-" "BUGS!?" A random citizen yelled out from the crowd. Sombra quickly made his voice slightly, but just enough to be noticeably higher. "We don't know what they are possibly hybrids of, calm yourselves before you get worked up." He took a breath. "They are very numerous, and one of my first actions as you emperor is a call to arms." The crowd collectively gasped, a smart alike pony shouting out. "Just let that Pegasus guard out of the crystal statue!" Sombra looked at the crowd, inwardly cringing at the stab. "To put it plainly, I need all the ponies I can get, the guard has agreed to train any who volunteer and I have taken the time to use my powers search for a source of metal for armor and weapons." He then pointed south with his right fore hoof. "Directly 1.3Km's or so south is a deposit big enough for the entire city to be armored, but we need a smith. As it stands we only have one known pony in the city and he is already hard at work with the metal already here. Any who do not plan to fight should work to collect the remaining metals." A unicorn mare from the crowd wearing a light-blue coat of fur and midnight blue mane walked forward, the cutiemark of melting gold on her flanks. "I can help smith, I have studied metals and the magic behind them. I have the proper magical knowledge to even add minor runes of protection. Although I doubt we can have it on all the sets before....Yeah." Sombra looked her over quickly, a small smirk on his face. "All help is welcome, the Crystal Empire is in need, what name does the mare bear?" She shied away a moment before quickly recovering and standing proud and tall. "I am Gold Shine, descendant of the Shine family, partial founders of the Crystal Empire." Sombra nodded, then went to look at Soaring, opening his mouth to speak. "Bring her to the forages and acquaint her with the armor sets and the such if you would." After they were off Sombra looked over the crowd a final time. "The Crystal Empire must live on, and damned if we lose this city to a bunch of monsters from the north! Take up your arms! Train! Think of your relatives and friends in Equestria, if we fall the entire nation is lost!" The crowd seemed to lift their ears, looking at him puzzlingly, he wanted them to fight for him? Didn't he take us over by force? Maybe he knew about the monsters!? Well if he is going to help us then why not? The hoard of ponies began to beat their hooves into the ground in applaud, some of the huskier stallions looked to be heading home to collect things for their training. Colts and Fillies were unfazed by the threat, Mares moving to take their young home, or moving to their stallions. As if asking what they should do to help, mine? Fight? With that Sombra turned 180 degree's and walked back into the Crystal tower....Thing. Fight me, I dunno what it is. When he had made his way inside and was going down the hall toward his quarters Soaring came up behind from the basement, where the tunnel to the forage could be found. Most of the major buildings were tunneled....Except the barracks, Sombra couldn't imagine why. He would need to have that dug... "Nice speech there bigshot." She said with a wink. "Wouldn't mind having such a word artist like you to have around." His face of horrified. With that she dropped the sarcastic ruse, laughing heavily. "Oh *giggle* man the look on your face was worth it!" He stood there red-faced, looking ready to sock her in the jaw. "Don't...Tease me. Yo- Aguh!" As he groaning in frustration due to her laughter he used a simple teleportation spell to get to his chambers, from outside the door he could hear her stop laughing and whine "Awww." No one died this time from my writing, thank heavens!
The EnemyThe Changeling Hoard heading south A small whisper of thousands of voices all speaking on the wind met the ears of over a million of scurrying and flying black chiton covered creatures. Every single one holding blue eyes and holed hooves and horns. Moving at a slow but uniform rate. Save for a hulking mass, green eyes and a green flame from the crest of his head. As if a life force, a soul. The creature had not hooves but black, jointless pincers. They curved toward the ground to allow walking on the outside, like a gorilla. It held a dark purple, stringy mane. Among the crowd of monsters were the occasional green eyed ones, sharing a flaming texture to the eyes along with the fire. They swept their gaze and showed more intelligence over their colleagues. The display was that of what some would consider prehistoric, they resembled beasts of a time long past for equestria. They were more rigid then their modern day counterparts. "What of the leftmost brood, Tur'ak?" A voice drifted over the wind from the monstrosity at the heart of the hoard not vocal but as if sending sound brainwaves to its lings in arms. "The brood moves at correct speed with exception of recently disciplined ling, King." It said in a feminine voice, coming from one of the green eyed creatures. The hulk known as king shifted weight while walking, thinking on the news. "Have it sent to healing cocoons for examination." He responded, no reply. Although a yelp from his left over the marching was heard followed by a small ling being carried on to the back of the pack with a green aura. The feminine, green flamed brood-hatcher's horn aglow. The small ling was oozing blue blood from his right fore knee. Obviously painful to walk with. His insect-like wings twitching as he was carried and placed, then sealed into a green tinted cocoon. Another green eyed moving to examine the cocoon. The king looked back forward, mildly satisfied. Until...."Ooohhh! An end to the snowy, cold mountains! We must be no more than a twelve of a sunsky away from the ponies!" A small, overly excited ling cried over the brain communication. The king swung his head 65 degrees behind him, staring right at the ling that had spoken. The small thing looked terrified as the king spoke. "We are eleven moonrises away from the ponies. Much walking in the snow plains to come. Be thankful I do not rip away your shell that protects you from the cold for speaking." The poor thing was so scared it nearly fell on the ground. The King looked back forward as the group walked. "Infiltrator, report." The speech from the king moving far south to the Crystal Empire. A ling came into view, standing near the Crystal Empires large library. Under the disguise of a pony stallion. He concentrated when he heard the call for report. "The city has been militarized. The ponies move to defend the city. Outland farmers are pouring in, looking to armor up. Large stallion leader has taken leadership. Identified as Sombra. The threat is still minimal by estimates, operation will succeed." "Good." The reply came. Then the infiltrator moved to look for an appropriate pony to take the place of. Looking around with slight interest in the armored guards and strong looking outlanders coming in to be equipped. He spied one in-particular, catching a tidbit of his announcement to some of his fellow countrymen. "...and I, Rooster Hoof, will help lead us to fight off these monsters spawned in the depths of whatever rock they may come from! Y'all should make good n sure to get me as you're militia leader! Think of it, the 1st Armored hay harvester corps!..." He faltered. "Errr... Uh, nevermind the name, we must work to keep our empire safe from any creatures or ponies that would see our lives messed with." The changeling would lick his fangs if he wasn't disguised, that pony looked like the perfect pony to replace. He had a large audience and from what he saw, people thought highly of him. "Prey is in sight." He thought to himself. Walking to follow him wherever he went, until he saw his chance. A hour or so later Rooster Hoof was walking into one of the numerous tents set up on the side of the streets in the city. Mumbling to himself about a lack of new armor sets and the such. "Not enough armor will be made for me and my boys..." He muttered to himself as he opened the black tent flap and went inside, laying down on his makeshift bed. "If I gotta deal with that dumb ol' blacksmith for another..." He fell asleep before he could finish his angry ranting. Snoring loudly. _______________________ A couple minutes had passed from when the infiltrator started to hear the snoring from inside. The ling had been listening intently from the closed flap. "Mhmm.." He hummed to himself, moving his left forehood to open the flap and slid halfway in, dropping his disguise as he went in, causing a faint green flame. Revealing the coal black chiton of his shell, his sharp fangs showing when his mouth lost its disguise. As he moved up to this Rooster Hoof, opening his mouth to bite his paralyzing venom. _____________________ Rooster Hoof was awoken with a start to a faint green light, opening his eyes slightly and looking to the source, seeing a black form creeping into his tent. _____________________ Everyone in the city was awoken by a roaring battle cry from a certain tent.
The MillitiaFollowing the last moment of previous chapter. "Graaaaaaahh!" It was a splitting scream coming from Rooster Hoof, the changeling covering his ears in pain at the roaring farm pony. "You think you can get the drop on me?!" He screamed as he punched the unfortunate infiltrator in the cheek, causing a faint crunching noise from his outer shell. The ling fell to the ground, crumpling up in a ball while holding his hit face with his hooves. The heavy breathing from the stallion above him forced him to crack his eyes open to look. The pony was red faced and looked like he was calming down from a fit of rage. "Now look here you litt-" He was cut off "Now!" A loud feminine voice proclaimed as a team of heavily armored guards ripped open the flap, spears pointed inside. Behind the three or so guards was Captain Dash, looking like she was woken up by a dragon roar. It wasn't too far off. "Sir! Out of the tent and on the ground, same with yo-" The captain paused when she saw the black form on the tent's floor. "And err..." She stuttered. "Drag them both to the holding cells ASAP! Restrain the non-pony. That might be one of those creatures coming from the north. Extreme caution when handling both." Some time passes, Holding Cells The holding area was a dark, underground and quite humid wartime dungeon of sorts. Consisting of over 65 cells all put in a crypt layout, it was good for holding officers or other hostile foreign agents. "Are they both in separate cells?" Came a low whisper from the captain. A nod affirming both were secure caused the captain to calm her stance. "Send for Sombra." ______________ "What did you need me for at this unholy hour?" Sombra moaned as he walked down the steps to the cells with the captain. "A stallion screamed in the street, follow by a loud thump. When we opened the tent flap we found an injured creature that fits the description of our to be enemies and a angry stallion." She said with a huff. Sombra looked down with a slight frown. "The creature also has bruising under its shell on the cheek." Soaring added on. "Well let's see the creature first, see if it can communicate." Sombra said, walking down the steps into the lit cell area, holding two occupants in cells next to eachother. But something was up. They both looked like Rooster Hoof. One on the left with a bruised cheek and the other on the right looking ready to bust out of the cell and clobber somepony. "Let me out! All I did was sock the that pony for busting in my tent!" Screamed the one on the right. Followed by the left with the bruised cheek mimicking Rooster's last sentence. "I take it the one on the left is the creature?" Sighed Sombra, obviously tired. Walking up to the left cell he looked close at the fake Rooster Hoof closely. "Drop it, I'll turn you into a crystal statue to be shown off in my garden." Somba said, his horn gaining a black aura. The eyes of fake Rooster's eyes went wide, he was engulfed in green flame. Revealing the black changeling under, his face was open in a silent terror with his cracked shell on his cheek. "I-it, you can't!" It spoke with light voice, obviously it had a better time speaking while disguised. "I didn't mean any harm! I-" Sombra cut him off. "Enough, what are you and how did you take the form of that stallion?" The ling looked terrified for a moment, but then his face scrunched up in concentration as if he were speaking to a third-party. "I am unable to share any information. Release me." Was his response, his face was blank as he spoke. Sombra thought over it a moment before moving to the other cell. "You, what happened in your tent." The Stallion looked at sombra with a thoughtful frown. "Well I was jus sleeping away in my tent when that there black bug walks into the tent. Using some sort of green tinted magic n goin to bite me. So I just punch him right in his cheek there and feel a crunch under my hooves. He falls over in pain and your guards decide to barge in and take us both here." He said with some annoyance. "I don't deserve to be in this cell, I ain't done nothing but attack some creeping spider." Sombra looked at the stallion a moment. "You took it down in one hit?" Rooster responded almost immediately. "Yus sir." Sombra looked over to his guards. "What are you in the city for? Soldiering?" A nod from Rooster affirmed the question. "I ain't gonna have some crazy species come down here and take mah land." Sombra looked back at Rooster Hoof. "Alright then, how about I make you the commanding officer of the unarmed corps? We won't have all the armor ready for everyone so we will have a small unit of 'militia' so to speak." Rooster nodded vigorously, follow by his release and a escort out of the cell area, leaving Sombra and the ling with guards at the entrance. "You won't share any information with me?" The ling stayed silent when Sombra asked. "Fine." Sombra almost chirped out happily "I need something to take my stress out on anyway." That was all the ling heard before magic engulfed him, his shell almost immediately sent messages of pressure to his brain, a 'Fight or Flight" instinct kicked in and the ling began to struggle against the magic. He would have used his horn to stop his shell from being crushed, but an inhibitor ring was currently locked into place on the base of his head where horn met forehead. "Stop!" he screamed out as his shell cracked, extreme pain lancing through his entire body. "You didn't want to tell me anything right? Then your useless and I'll just assume your the race I'm looking to destroy!" He said, laughing as his aura's black tar and green slime color covered his eyes. The ling felt his entire shell ready to break right off as Sombra fell into a evil laughing fit. His mind obviously controlled by the black magic almost completely, a black form shifted in his head at the same time as a lighter, bright form. "Stop!" The shout came from inside of Sombra's head, from the original owner of the body, the light. "Stop crushing him! You can still use him!" The aura around his eyes and horn went away, releasing the ling. The black entity simply went silent, holding control of the body but leaving the ling be. "You are lucky you little worm, I would have crushed you if my circumstances were not complicated." Sombra said aloud before walking up the steps to his quarters, ready to bout in his head with his two "consciences" "Have the little thing studied for weak spots." He said to Soaring upstairs before walking off. Changeling point of view Pain, pain all over was all it could feel. His shell was cracked and couldn't be repaired without a medical cocoon, he was sunk. Captured, bleeding from where his shell had cut skin. And he could almost feel the dark aura from the pony leader. Pure malice and hate for everything around him. He smelled it in the air the second he walked in, changelings had the passive ability to smell strong emotions. But that light he had felt a hint of before the hurting stopped, it obviously wasn't in control of the body at all. But it was there. "The king will be interested to hear of this." He thought to himself before drifting off from the due to his tired state and what had just happened.
TrainingFive days after news arrival Rooster Hoof was overlooking a band of inexperienced farmers holding swords and spears in their teeth or curled arms on the handles of either. The ones bearing horns on their heads, unicorns were unarmed. This didn’t necessarily mean they were defenseless. One of the perks of being one was that you had the powers of a warrior, a healer, and a worker all in one little extra horn. “Well boys and lady.” He said to the group of 50 or so consists of all males and a female with a rather bad looking scar under her left eye. "It's high time I introduce myself by name, considering you've been speaking to and of me as 'sir' or 'boss'. M'names Rooster Hoof." He took a small bow "At your service." The ponies whispered among themselves before quickly being cut off by Rooster. "Alrighty then, it's great that y'all are interested in my name. But it's quite time we move onto our training. I had to make it with no armor in mind." They all walked along to a small grassy field with the mountains directly north, a hill in-between mountain and the city. "This here hill is where Sombra plans on making the defense effort. We will be placed along the left bank, where he expect little in regards to hostiles." He looked back at them before turning back around and pointing his hoof at a line of steaks placed into the ground along the whole hill's forward end, pointing toward the mountain. "We are charged with the left bank, so I plant on running us through a formation. I need y'all to......-" Three hours pass "That there is what I call a spear wall! Swordsponies in front be sure to make sure the spear bearers are kept out of direct conflict. Unicorns I want you to volley the mortar magic again." A flash erupted from the back of the group before balls of various colors flew almost directly up before fall down and creating small craters some 150 feet from the forward line. "Perfect! They'll never know what hit em!" He silently thanked the royal sisters that he had found that book on griffon war machines and tactics. Converting magic to duplicate mortars was easy once he had found out one of the unicorns in his band, Sunrise Willow, was a master of spell construction. She was made second in command on the spot, not to mention that scar by her eye! "Commander!" Rooster turned to see a pegasus mare with guardsmen armor flying at a rapid pace toward him. Muttering to himself he quickly called for a dismissal of today's training before running to meet the mare. She collapsed on the ground upon landing, catching her breath. "Sir! The bug-err...creature you caught has escaped! The cell was found holding a guard with a bad looking bruise on the cheek, he was out of it moaning!" What? Are you serious? Did no one think to tell the guards? Oh man. "What is being done with the guard?" he asked the pegasus slowly, making eye contact. "What? He is being taken to medical." A deep breath emanated from Rooster. "That was the bug, it can change forms yo-" He took a calming breath, chanting under his breath "They didn't know" for a few seconds. "Go back to the castle and inform the guards that it's the prisoner! And for all our sake's it better have not escaped yet!" Rooster said as he went to gallop toward the city, pegasus flying ahead to deliver her message, looking out of breath. Rooster thought to himself as he ran toward the city. His head was alight with questions pertaining to that creature. How could it have been in any shape to try an escape after Sombra's little temper tantrum? How did it manage to trick the guards watching it? Ugh, too much thinking for one stallion. But his thoughts were interrupted by one of his men galloping up beside him. "What's the hurry Mr. Hoof?" Rooster cocked his head, looking over to his soldier. "We got a mess of trouble, that creature we captured might have just escaped by making it seem like it escaped. N' I an not in the mood to find it if it's gone." He stopped talking as he finally made it to the city, breathing hard as his fast pace took it's toll. Moving into the castle, calling out for a guard of some sort to take him to the infirmary. It was too late however, when they arrived all they found was a unconscious nurse and a mess of medical equipment littering the floor. "Darn it..." Muttered Rooster as he roused the guards of the city to find the beast. Sombra had apparently locked himself away in his room to take care of "Personal matters" when Rooster went to inform him. The guards barred entrance, forcing the stallion to speak with Captain Dash on the matter. "It slipped under the nose of your guards! Now it's probably halfway to the army it serves laughing back at us." Soaring Dash was looking as Rooster hoof with a sideways frown. "I don't see the big deal, not like it has anything important to report besides that we have a big scary new leader with the power to crush one of them with simple telekinesis." Rooster huffed before responding. "That's the point! These things are obviously good with espionage! They could easily enough send one of their other spies to take out Sombra in his sleep or slowly kill off our leadership, replacing them with fakes!" Soaring Dash laughed, waving a hoof. "Relax big guy, Sombra said he had a research team come up with a spell that could mess with their disguises by a simply examination via horn magic. They'll have it done in a few hours, already got blood samples and the other such to do it from the creature." The conversation ended with Rooster storming off, ranting about how much damage the failure to explain the power of the changeling to one of the guard rotations was a huge misstep. The rest of the day and night was spent searching for a changeling that had already disappeared.
The Skirmish*Crystal Tower, 11 days after news arrival.* "-ou mean you saw some coming this way!" Screamed Sombra, cape flaring. "Would you tell me they are three to four days early?" Soaring stood still, seemingly unfazed by the unmistakably angry Sombra. "I'll repeat Sombra, they were a large scouting party, twenty at the most." She said with a air of uncharacter-like professionalism. "Please calm down, I've dispatched thirty-two of my best troops" Sombra paced, his nostrils letting out puff after puff of white air. "You should not have send anyone without my permission." He looked over at her, obviously still displeased, however showing signs of calming. "It's a test of their battle prowess, and you were at least a three minute glide from me when I got the news. If I lost any more time our men would have lost sight of them." She said, muzzle moving quickly as she slid the words off her mouth. "I will not allow them any leeway this soon." *Cutting to the changeling scouting party* "Underqueen Z'rah, report what you have found." A voice carried to the mind of the green flamed mother. "No, difference in status, the city is obviously aware of our presence. It seems they had already done so before our infiltration unit was even inside. My party and I will be heading back toward the pack shortly, however we have become tired and plan on detaining a group of guards as they patrol the outskirts." The voice from the Queen was met with a response almost immediately, with a dark undertone. "What method of feeding?" Z'rah stood sonic-still for a few more moments before responding. "Seduction-Forms will be ineffective. Forced emotion extraction via capture and fangs." The group moved to look over a snow covered bank on the outskirts of the city, the lush green of the field surrounding the city full of tents and ponies moving toe and fro. As Z'rah was scanning for prey that would be easy to snatch away without incident a voice yelled behind her, followed by loud hoof beats. Turning her head, she saw a group of ponies at least twenty-five strong charging her way. Too many! She panicked, barring teeth and sending out a mental call to arms of her party, scattered along the snow bank. Almost as one they all turned, battle stances and furious fangs dripping green visible. The battle was turning for the worst for the guardsmen, many were strewn along the snow bank, bloody fang marks and bruises covered their still forms. Z'rah was fighting with a passion, obviously enjoying some of it as she impaled another foe on her horn while firing a bolt of green out the tip once it had protruded out the poor guard's backside. The bolt flew into the face of yet another guard who had just swiped his sword trough the tough natural armor of one of the lings, red blood streaking down the thin gash in the underskin. The guard barreled back, his face looking scorched but undamaged, when he attempted to continue fighting however, his legs gave out and almost instantly after his face planted in the ground in unconsciousness. The battle had only lasted a mere minute before the victor was apparent. Z'rah allowed a small smirk, looking quite disgusting from the point of view from the remaining conscious guard, laying half-limp on the ground in a small pool of blood. "Y-you can't take this city." Z'rah's smirk of amusement vanished, replaced by a cold face of stone. "Yes we can." With that she sent a bolt of magic into him, he fall limp, noticeably he had stopped bleeding when it hit however. "Retrieve any that were successfully rendered unconscious or are not dead from the wounds inflicted yet. Heal them and bring them with us. We dine tonight." *To the View of Rooster Hoof* "Well....Darn, I didn't think they could be beat." Exclaimed the rather surprised worker-pony as he looked down a slope of snow now stained with crimson in particular spots. Only the corpses of four of the darn creatures were accounted for. The entire guard force save the sizable fourteen bodies remain. The group of other militia members behind Rooster were somber, respectfully quite. "Well uhh.. I don't think we'd wanna chase after them." He said, sucking in a breath after. "Just...Grab one of them black suckers bodies and bring it back to the medical ponies in the city, the rest of you are with me carrying these poor souls back to their families." The group nodded in agreement, making small steps and movements as they went. Obviously shaken by the sight and thought that they had lost with more numbers. "Mr Hoof, we caint beat them if we got less men in the first place." Rooster looked over at the flustered stallion. "Now look here, if Sombra or that captain of the guard were here things would have been different. We got ourselves here notion that this group of them fanged boys had a leader. They had someone helping them in combat. We didn't and I think Sombra is gonna be a might upset that Miss Dash didn't send a leader with em. We'll see soon enough what our men can do when properly ordered in combat." The rest of the talk was small as they made their way back to the city. Met with Soaring who had to fly alongside Rooster to talk. "What's the scoop?" Rooster looked over at her at the strange question. "They lost and you shoulda been there! That's what." The pegasus stopped mid-flight, hovering in place with her jaw open slightly, her white teeth visible. "I ain't gonna even tell you how bad it looked, but more than half the bodies are missing and almost non of the darn enemy died." She swallowed thickly. "Y-y-ou mean they are all gone? Dead or missing? From a scout party?" Rooster looked over his back at her still hovering form before answering with Venomous. "Pretty much. N' you are gonna tell Sombra how it's your fault for not taking them seriously. They obviously had a commanding officer or their version of one anyway." "I didn't think you would fail me on our first engagement Miss Dash, if this is to happen again we will have some choice words. Ending in you as a crystal or the city as rubble because I'm stupid enough for you to get strike three." Was all that was said that night before the training requirements went way up, followed by increased armor production as Sombra slept.
