Summer made itself known by early May in this area, even if the air never reached the farfetched notion of ‘warm’. Even to an outsider, a brief stroll in the park would blissful mares and restless stallions occupy the benches they were intent on having to themselves. Yes, in the Frozen North there was no real heat. But in the Crystal Empire, there was still a summer: a summer of Love.
Love didn’t follow the seasons here, it ignored them entirely. Not many intangible concepts can have such a palpable effect on the world around them. These queer, secluded crystal ponies were moved by their relationships with one another. Without companionship and compassion, this civilization would have been smudged text in a buried catacomb.
Pessimistic archaeologists ask: how could a society exist in such unfavorable conditions, away from other strongholds in Equestria and planted right in the center of bitter tundra? There is certainly an answer, but to understand is another task entirely. This purpose of this tale is not to satisfy the latter, but to show how much is tied to it.
One monarch and a large gem held the Crystal Empire together. The ties that bound the isolated territory's citizens were love and simply that. Again the previous inquiries shall be made, and promptly left with no answer.
Only one time in the entire lifespan of the city-state was the one agent of harmony and prosperity removed. Only one time was the outlook of the future bleak. Only one time did the monarch forbade happiness. Only one time did her loyal subjects suffer.
This is that one time. The kidnapping.
Morning came as gentle as the night before it. The rays of the daybreak sun took to flooding the royal bedchamber at promptly seven, as they always did in May. The lovers occupying the master room were quite used to this, but as natural as the golden beams appeared did the duo tuck their heads deeper into the mattress and further squint their long-closed eyes. The masculine half of the couple was the first to awake after the subtle stirring.
Shining Armor untangled his forelegs from their lock around his significant other, who remained in a peaceful sleep after the first ordeal of the day was completed. The blue-maned stallion proceeded to wash up and get decorated for the day. His first meeting wasn’t for another two hours, but he enjoyed peaceful morning walks to stimulate his mind and body. The conferences would not provide exercise nor encourage mental awareness, but unfortunately they were almost never something that the captain of the Guard could simply tune out. Walls constantly needed fortifying against the unrelenting snowstorms bludgeoning them. Wild animals kept the outer Guard on their toes. The court being generally pompous as usual. It was all routine but a necessary evil to run the kingdom. Not that he ran it himself. No, it was the faintly-snoring pink alicorn snuggling the pillow-turned-Shining-substitute that had that wonderful job.
The soldier (no matter how high his rank was, Shining always wished to keep himself level with his fellow Guard; "Some people just have fancier titles" as he usually states in his speeches) couldn't help but feel guilty at this observation. As with all happily married couples - even god-queens and captains - the two would stay up far too late behind locked doors on a semi-regular basis. Shining would always find himself up-and-at-it once his eyes met the sunrise, but wholly sympathized with his loving wife futilely trying to catch up on sleep.
After buying her nearly a full hour, he leaned over and pecked her lightly on the cheek, just enough to alert her. The feminine half of the prospering marriage wasn't due at court until eleven (an unusual occurrence to say the least) but - again, no different from any other mare in Equestria - she still needed ample time to prepare. They whispered sweet 'good mornings' to each other and Shining proceeded out the door.
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A sunny eight-thirty in the park. Every now and then Shining would ponder what the landscape would look like verdant and flourishing. Not that the brisk air and overlay of white were anything to sneeze at, of course. For many, appreciation of a persistent winter-scape was something you gained over time. What is cold and barren to an outsider is sheer beauty to rival the monarch (not that you'd ever catch the current observer saying such blasphemous words).
The cold wasn't even a factor in Shining's mind. It was nearly summer, for goodness's sake. But he did notice that with the sun nearly a quarter of the way across the sky, it should be warmer than it was. Not dwelling on this for long, he continued towards the thick grove. Looking up at the sky, he saw that he still had a bit of time. Those conferences never started with the schedule, anyhow.
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Things were getting stranger and stranger by the minute the further Shining traversed the winding path.
About three minutes after losing sight of the entrance to the green, the world around the captain became enshrouded in a near-blinding haze. Generally, the grove was one of the warmest spots in the kingdom, with the thick canopy of leaves trapping in heat. Where Shining was, however, it was cold. But not the expected temperatures of the region, but an empty, dead sort of cold. One you would associate with a graveyard.
Before him stood the entrance to an underground cavern. He had never seen nor heard of such a place in the Crystal Empire. Something wasn't right. Echoes of moaning could be heard, tracing far into the enigmatic cave. Shining felt drawn to it, beckoned by a presence that may be waiting for him.
Come to me, Shining Armor.
How did you know my name?
Come to me.
The magnetism of the unknown combined with the ghostly (female?) voice spurred him to venture down the staircase, his mind having no time for other matters or even curiosity.
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Shining did have enough willpower to observe the cave as he descended. This was unlike any tunnel he had explored before. No dripping stalactites, no musty air. Just empty. Empty and cold. Death.
He wanted to turn back but he couldn't. Not yet.
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The last grueling steps of the stairway showed an expansive room that seemed to have no ceiling, but did not open to the sky. It was darker than ever, but Shining pushed on. Looking left unveiled a smaller breakoff tunnel with a river (Why can't you hear the water?) which seemed the most promising of venues. The moaning grew louder with each step closer to the "river". He finally reached the edge of the water...but it wasn't water.
Shining yelped as he did a double take. Within what he thought was water was actually specters of deceased ponies. The babbling guard thought he even saw his parents. They were swirling, and crying out in sheer agony. Where in Equestria was he?
Was he even in Equestria?
Eyeing out across the pit, he noticed a small boat commandeered by a hooded figure. Before he could get a good look of it, suddenly
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The entrance to the cave sealed itself and sunk back into the ground. The thick fog subsided to once again fully reveal the forest green. The temperature returned to normal.
Just in time too, because a teenaged couple were merrily trotting along that same path not a minute later.
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his vision began to start going. He was able to see perfectly fine in the low light until suddenly he felt impossibly tired. Slumping to the ground, everything around him went pitch black.
Author's Note
That was a horrible cliffhanger, I know.
In all seriousness, I hope I've got you at least mildly interested enough to following the story! It's the first ponyfic I am proud of.
