Prologue
Shining Armor stared delicately at the scenery in front of him. The beauty of the Crystal Empire in the morning was always a magnificent sight to behold after awaking from the chambers of his bed. Celestia's sun slowly ascended in the sky, unleashing rays of sunlight upon the Crystal Empire. Its already magnificent beauty was amplified by the morning light. Those already out and about could bathe in the beautiful heat while enjoying a fine morning stroll, or going to meet friends, or even going to work. There was simply no end to just how stunning the Crystal Empire could be. One could only imagine what it would look like when it is in its absolute prime, like when how Canterlot looks during the Grand Galloping Gala. Everywhere from Shining Armor's view twinkled with delight. It was as if the stars had fallen from Luna's night and landed across the landscape of the empire just to bless the morning beauty of the Crystal Empire. Shining Armor slowly inhaled through his nostrils, closing his eyes to combine himself with the bliss of the Crystal Empire's beauty, and exhaled through his move. His eyes opened slowly as the sound of stirring and hooves against marble became apparent. Turning around, he found himself staring at, what he truly believed to be, the most beautiful pony that lives within the Crystal Empire; his wife Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, or more commonly known as Princess Cadance. As they made eye contact, they both immediately smiled as Cadance walked over and pecked her husband on the lips.
"Good morning," Cadance said happily and with a smile. Her husband returned the kiss but held it slightly longer as they allowed their love for each other to sink in. The delicacy of their lips touching in loving passion was something that both lovers cherished deeply and every kiss was a reminder of just how much they cared for one another. That was something that both of them would enjoy waking up to every morning for the rest of their lives.
"Good morning to you too, Cadance," Shining replied after breaking the kiss. Both then turned to admire the scenery down below from their balcony. Cadence leaned into Shining Armor and nuzzled his neck while she looked on at her and her husband's empire. It was times like these where both wished that Equestria would just stop. No worrying about financial affairs, no stress when filling out paper work for the new security that needed to be trained for the Crystal Empire, and no worrying when it came to taxes. All those worries just vanishing out of existence just so that they could both enjoy each other's embrace in peace. But that was not entirely the case. Both Shining Armor and Princess Cadence knew this. "You know I have to leave today, Cadance, don't you?"
"Yes I do, honey. I wish I could be there by Twilight's side. It just pains me to think that I can't be there to support her when she has fallen so ill. It just doesn't make sense. Last week Twilight was as fit as a fiddle and then suddenly she comes down with some unknown sickness. From what we read, doctors in Ponyville couldn't identify the sickness and that Twilight had to be transported to the top hospital in Canterlot. Do you think she'll be alright?" Shining Armor could tell from the sudden change of tone in her voice that she was afraid. He didn't know what he could tell her. He could lie and reassure her that everything would be okay and that Twilight would be herself very soon, even though he was completely clueless himself. Or he could be truthful and tell her that he couldn't provide a reassuring answer which is what she is looking for. But by doing so would only hurt Cadance and make her panic, which is not what he wanted.
Shining Armor remained quiet for a minute or two. After contemplating his answer, he turned to look his wife straight in the eyes with an almighty gaze. His wife returned his gaze. His was filled with reassurance and hope while Cadance's showed desperation and worry. Finally, Shining Armor replied.
"I'm sure Twilight will be fine. She's my little sister, and what I know more than anything about her is that she can overcome anything. Without her Equestria wouldn't be here today. I'm positive that the doctors in Canterlot will take good care of Twilight. They are the best doctors in the whole of Equestria, and not to mention Twilight is a princess and Alicorn after all." The words soothed Cadance's worry, but Shining Armor couldn't help but worry himself. What if he was wrong? What if she didn't get better? He couldn't bear to witness the look of horror on his wife's face if Twilight never recovered and that he had lied to her. But that feeling soon evaporated when Cadance turned to kiss Shining Armor on the lips. As they held their kiss, a knock from the bedroom door, rather loudly, halted them.
Breaking their kiss, Shining Armor took a quick glance between the door and his wife. She just smiled as she kissed the tip of his muzzle. Snickering, Shining Armor, reluctantly, left Cadance's side to answer the door. Unlocking it, he opened the door casually to come face to face with a Crystal Royal Guard. He bowed his head at Shining Armor. The Crystal Royal Guards didn't dress strikingly different from any other Royal Guard. Although, the fact that their armour was fashionably sparkly with crystals, it gave them their unique appearance and identity. It was a typical helmet of any Royal Guard that started just above the muzzle and extended all the way down to the bottom of their necks. A Mohawk styled hairdo on top and holes so that their ears could fit through. Their chest plates covered most of their bodies. The only exception was the flank which remained exposed but the armour just about covered their cutie marks so that their identities could be kept safe. Depending on the type of guard, certain parts were altered to their appearance. A unicorn guard would have the front of his helmet altered so that his horn could fit through. However, a Pegasus guard would have small holes, one on each side of his body armour, removed so that his wings could fit and that he could use them when necessary. A regular earth pony guard wouldn't have these alterations. As he observed the bow, Shining Armor waited for what the Crystal Royal Guard had to say.
"Prince Shining Armor, the carriage with all your needed belongings is ready for departure for Canterlot, as you had requested yesterday." Shining Armor was surprised. He couldn’t believe that time had already flown by so fast. Of course he wanted to be there as early as possible, but he wished he could spend a little more time with Cadance. Giving his thanks and dismissing the guard, Shining Armor closed the door and walked into the middle of their bedroom. Cadance was busy assessing herself in the mirror. She brought a hairbrush up with her magic and began to brush long strokes all the way down her mane. As he watched Cadance, she noticed him staring at her from the reflection in the mirror. She giggled and winked at him. Laughing, Shining Armor trotted over and buried his muzzle into the side of her neck. Cadance let out a little giggle and stopped brushing.
“You know it’s time for me to leave now,” Shining Armor stated. Cadance’s smile quickly vanished. She levitated the brush back onto the table. Shining Armor moved back so that she could face him. The look she was giving him was an absolute torture for him to see.
“It’s time already? But I thought we could spend a little while longer together.”
“I know. I thought so too. But I did promise Twilight that I would be there as soon as possible. I just wish you could come with me.”
“Well somepony has to be here to run the Crystal Empire. Otherwise the Crystal Ponies will go crazy. You know how they’re still on edge on either King Sombra returning or the Crystal Empire being attacked. To see both of us gone wouldn’t be the best idea right now.” Cadance leaned in and nuzzled Shining Armor. Shining Armor returned with a kiss, long and passionate, which caught Cadance by surprise. Smiling, however, she returned it for a few more seconds.
“Go,” Cadance said suddenly, “and tell Twilight that I wish her the very best and will see her as soon as possible.”
Shining Armor nodded and very reluctantly left his bedroom.
It was nearly noon since the carriage left carrying Prince Shining Armor. They had been watching and waiting for some time now. Along the horizon of the Crystal Empire, almost forgotten by most ponies, and likely completely forgotten by the Crystal Ponies, was a dark forest. It was not deadly as was the Everfree Forest, but there were rumours of ponies that lived in and beyond the forest. Tribes of different Native ponies inhabited the land beyond the forest. The Forgotten Forest was its name by any of those who could remember it. In the Native tongue, it was known as the ‘Long Lost Forest of Shadows’. The forest stretched for miles and miles yet blended in with the horizon. The Forgotten Forest was filled with nothing but thick trees with the thickest leaves and the thickest wood. There was little wildlife in the Forgotten Forest. Why would there be? There was nothing there for them to live and feed on. Only the light from Celestia’s sun meekly lightened a few areas, but even with the light from Celestia’s sun. It was hard to navigate through the Forgotten Forest easily. Shadows formed all around the Forgotten Forest and they even appeared to move on their own. The Native ponies, because of their different tribal beliefs, believed differently on what the shadows represented. Some believed that they were fallen brothers and sisters from their tribe that watch over them and scare away demons and foreigners who might have the intentions on attacking them. Other believed that they were the actual spirits of The Forgotten Forest and they were the ones who made the trees grow and made them a certain colour. They also believed that these spirits were the ones who gifted the food for the Native ponies as well as the poison plants to defend themselves. Nonetheless, it never mattered on which belief was the correct one. Because the only real threat to the Native ponies was themselves.
Only the Native ponies could navigate the forest and come back in the same day, if they were not attacked by a rival tribe. Living in and beyond the forest for practically most of their lives evolved the Native ponies into adopting unique surviving skills. The Natives ate the different plants, and fruit and vegetables, which grew in the forest and used others for poisoning technique when in battle. Growing their own vegetation depended on how fertile the soil was and how fair the weather appeared to be. Travelling in easily removable wooden huts, they followed the leader of their tribe on where the best areas would be. Because of their adaption to the harshness of wildlife and the forest, the Natives were physically faster and had stronger immune systems than those regular earth ponies, unicorn and Pegasi. Only earth ponies were the race that the Native ponies consisted of. They hated magic. All tribes agreed that magic was unnatural and came from the demons. They also found that being in the air was an insult to the generosity that the spirits provide mostly on the ground with the food and water, which overall led to the distaste of Pegasi as well. Before civilisation thrived to create Equestria, many different Native ponies lived freely across the entire lands of Equestria. But when the three races of ponies, earth, Pegasi and unicorn ponies settled, magic soon evolved into the lands of Equestria which immediate hatred of it among the tribes. Ever since the new inhabitants settled into Equestria, they forced the Native ponies to move, unbeknownst to most ponies today, from the lands that they once called home. They were driven back and forth until they found the Forgotten Forest and quickly settled there. Their lives had been made miserable and exhausting because of the expansion of the modernised settlers. But today was the day the Native ponies would make one of the biggest marks in Equestria’s history.
On the very edge of the Forgotten Forest three different tribes of three different colours waited. Tribes usually looked out for themselves and remained cautious and hostile towards other tribes. However, the elders and leaders of the three tribes came to a compromise and formulated a plan. It was a plan that would require a great amount of warriors to accomplish. These three tribes usually remained away from each other but were not openly hostile towards each other like they were to others. Hence the reason why the elder Native ponies believed the alliance would be successful.
The first tribe was the Assiniboine tribe; they were the ocean and water tribe. Easily recognised by their very light blue coats, they lived and hunted purely around the oceans that existed somewhere beyond the Forgotten Forest. Believing that the ocean was one big god that couldn’t be divided or named, they paid their respects to the ocean by worshiping its beauty and thanking it for its generosity in providing the water to their plants and providing fish as an alternative source of food. They believed that all water was sacred and they’re to become one with each Assiniboine Native pony. The Assiniboine tribe tended to mind their own business when it came to other tribes but were willing to lay down their lives when it came down to protecting their tribe and lands near the ocean. The Assiniboine tribe did trade different spices and remedies from other tribes which they deemed friendly and trustworthy enough. Other tribes wouldn’t be so open to trade for fear of poison being placed within the items traded. While most males on any tribe would have their manes spiked or in a Mohican style, the Assiniboine males never bothered since they would be hunting and swimming in the ocean. Instead they styled their manes by straightening them to flow free, like the ocean drifts freely around and against the Equestrian soil. The females braided their manes into ponytails. One ponytail would show maturity in the Assiniboine females, and that they would be ready to have children, while two showed their youth and that they were still a child. Nonetheless, like all tribes, females were just as highly respected as the males. The only ones who were looked and treated higher on were the elders.
The second of the three colours gathered in the Forgotten Forest were the yellow coated Ozuyesolis tribe. They worshiped the sun and hated Princess Celestia. Well known for their very aggressive and violent behaviour towards other tribes that do not appreciate or respect their tribal belief, the alliance between the three tribes was nearly scrapped because the Ozuyesolis elders and leaders were reluctant with joining the alliance. The Ozuyesolis were not extremely hostile towards the other two tribes since the other two minded their own business most of the time. The Ozuyesolis tribe were one of the biggest tribes in Equestria but were nowhere near as big as they once were thousands of years ago before Equestria became occupied by three different races of ponies. It was particularly the main reason why the Ozuyesolis agreed to the alliance in the first place. The Ozuyesolis hated the inhabitants of Equestria for their invasion on their lands. There is artwork made by the Ozuyesolis that depict their tribal members sacrificing the other modernised ponies to the sun as a way of showing their respect. More importantly for them though was the capture and execution of Princess Celestia. Believing that Princess Celestia was an intruder and imposter to the god of the sun, the Ozuyesolis tribe debated heavily with the other two tribes on attacking Canterlot, or known in their native tongues as ‘The unnatural stones of brightness’ because, as reported from their scouts who spy on the modernised ponies across the land, have described from the distance of the large lights coming from the city and castle. The other tribes agreed that taking the Crystal Empire, also known as the ‘Sparkling fields’ in their language, would benefit them more because it was weak and open. The Ozuyesolis tribe eventually agreed to this and prepared themselves for war. All the males painted war paint over their bodies and face and had Mohicans. Among the Ozuyesolis tribe, the amount of war paint shown across the pony represented how many battles they had thought in and won, and more importantly showed who the best warrior was. This would later show who would become the captain of the tribe. The females were also trained to be aggressive if their camp was ever threatened. Although, the females did not fight in wars and stayed to care for the children and elders. Females were taken as wives for the males when the mother believed that her daughter was mature enough to carry a child. Only the best males received the most beautiful looking females from the mothers.
Finally, the third tribe were the smallest tribe and recognised by their red coats. They were known as the Keezheekoni tribe. Defined by their name, they worshiped fire and all that it brought. Even though they were small in numbers, the Keezheekoni tribe were the best skilled when it came to fighting. While the Assiniboine were moderate in their fighting and the Ozuyesolis were the most brutal and reckless, the Keezheekoni tribe knew the art of technique when it came to fighting. They would be very stealthy and were known as one of the tribes to mostly use fire arrows as well as normal arrows. The most skilled and worthy warriors among the Keezheekoni tribe would actually master the technique of blowing fire when in battle through the use of a special plant which was sacred to their tribe. The taste of the plant was revolting and extremely spicy which left an excruciating and burning aftertaste. The most skilled Keezheekoni tribal warriors would spend months and even years mastering the technique of keeping it within their mouths and learning to cope and accept the pain as it was a part of the god of fire’s test. Mixed with the unknown juices and continents of the mysterious plant, it would light a flame in the mouth which could be blown out. The males who could do this the most were usually the ones to find the best females as suitable mates. Only in the Keezheekoni tribe did the females chose their mates freely and the males were not allowed to react or disagree. The males had Mohican hair, and the best warriors who could breathe fire had spiky hair in triangular patterns which supposedly represented the image of fire, while the females had free flowing manes.
All three of these tribes eagerly waited on the edge of the Forgotten Forest. Apart from the elders and leaders, what united the tribes together was their common grudge against unicorns, Pegasi and Alicorns with their magic. They especially hated the Alicorns for their control on all things that they believe to belong to nature. Whether that is love, the sun, the moon, all Native ponies believed that they had a life of their own and that life within nature was a god. The Natives believed strongly that Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadance, and the newly crowned Princess Twilight were all imposters. The different Native ponies shared a common language which they all could understand, so they amused themselves while they waited by telling tales of their past victories and battles, and even how good they rutted their wives in bed. A few Keezheekoni tribe members sharpened their arrows and prepared their fire breaths while a few other Assiniboine and Ozuyesolis tribe members sharpened spears on the edges of rocks. They all continued to chatter and work until the three tribal warrior leaders emerged from a bush. It was time. They nodded at each other. The Assiniboine leader stepped forward and spoke in their native tongue.
“It is time. Praise our gods and may they watch over our bodies while we fulfil their wills.”
Enthusiastically, all the warriors snatched their weapons and formed lines along the very edge of the Forgotten Forest. They peeked through the final bushes that formed along the border of the Forgotten Forest. They had the Crystal Empire in their sights and the sun was halfway in the sky. The Natives did not know what was waiting for them on the other side of the Crystal Empire but they were all eager and ready for battle. Whether it was to victory or death, they were all prepared to make their noble sacrifices for the good of their tribes and to please their respected gods. The leaders of all three tribes looked anxiously at the sun. They would strike when the tip of the large castle of the Crystal Empire touched the sun. Their eyes fixed like a hawk and its prey, none of the Natives moved an inch. Only the sound of the whistling wing brushing against the dark brown leaves could be heard. There was a common chill that snaked its way down a couple of the Natives’ spines. Even though they hated everything in the modernised world of Equestria, that didn’t mean that they didn’t fear what was within it. None dared travel close enough to inspect what was happening on the other side and there were only rumours from other tribal members about the things that the unicorns did.
Suddenly, excitement sparked between the frontline of the different Native tribes. The sun was seconds away from touching the tip of the castle. They all counted in their heads. Five: they all grabbed their weapons and attached them to their backs. Four: Each Native looked at each other in agreement as they popped any bones that had gotten stiff from the waiting. Three: the Natives remained still once more. Two: their hearts began to beat in excitement and fear as they waited to charge. One: the Native leaders let out an almighty war cry. The other Natives did the same. The sound was so loud that it was impossible for the inhabitants of the Crystal Empire not to hear it. The leaders were the first to charge out of the Forgotten Forest. The Natives quickly followed in persuit.
The assault had begun.
