Destined Hearts

Equestria, the land of unmatched happiness and friendship, has always faced the greatest of evils in all of their forms and ambitions. Just as the light of the candle shines warmly and bright in the night, darkness has always surrounded in its quest to engulf everything.

About a thousand years ago, Equestria faced a great evil from the north that threatened to destroy the very foundations from which the kingdom was created. The far north was home to the majestic Crystal Empire which held the greatest weapon against evil second only to the Elements of Harmony, it was this powerful relic that radiated love and happiness across the land. It was when King Sombra conquered the Crystal Empire that the power and light of the Crystal Heart was snuffed out and hidden to make way for untold suffering and evil throughout the land.

As ruler of what was once the greatest symbol of power in ancient times, Sombra set out in a campaign to ravage all of Equestria and the world beyond. It was after years of brutal war that that the royal sisters, Celestia and Luna, used their elements of harmony in a decisive battle to end the dark rule of king Sombra bringing peace and harmony to the land once again.

Little is known about the Crystal Empire and the dark king that ruled it with an iron hoof many years ago until the time the king returned again a thousand years later.

Among such a limited knowledge of those dark days, very few people know that Sombra was not the only dark figure that ravaged the land in darkness. Very few know of Sombra’s masked general who lead the king’s armies to countless victories across the land and laid low the armies of the royal sisters.

As the dreaded General of the north, he led the crystal armies to cleave his way across Equestria with a cleverness and brutality that overwhelmed most opposition. The general’s end was as enigmatic as the true face behind the Stallion’s terrible mask because no one knew what truly happened to the war lord after the decisive victory against King Sombra. As little as people can recall the general to the point of passing him off as the fabled headless horse, no one knows of Sombra’s seed.

.......

Echoes of dropping water sang in a chaotic and un-organized yet beautifully calming orchestra that serenaded a lone figure in the darkness of the dark cave. Naturally formed stalactites doted the ceiling of the cave by the dozens while the water that ran down them dropped into the countless pools of water that adorned the tunnels of the cave. Darkness ruled the countless humid tunnels that seemed to grow into an unforgiving labyrinth with no respite aside from the natural rivers that ran down the caves. In the midst of the sunless purgatory was a shining light that lit what seemed to be the sanctuary or refuge of an individual that had made this part of the cistern their home.

The crude sanctuary that to double as a heaven was surrounded by crystals that poked out of the floor and ceiling to the point of almost replacing the stone stalagmites. The crystals focused the light of the camp fire that warmed the crude residence into rainbows lights that naturally widened the visual light for the resident in the camp.

At the center of the “room” was a makeshift bed made up of stolen blankets and leaves in which sat a pony in deep contemplation. The figure was shrouded in a hooded cloak made of wool that served to warm the lone pony from the humid chill of the cave with only a shadowy but elegant mane flowing from the hood.

In front of the figure was the picture of an individual known all too well throughout the land….King Sombra, the former ruler of the Crystal Empire “daddy,I have lived alone for so long and….I miss you….why did they have to take you away from me?” the cloaked figure spoke in a soft and almost enthralling voice that alone sounded like mesmerizing requiem for the deceased father.

Tears flowed down the mare’s cheeks in silent mourning before silently being interrupted by a figure that hid in the shadows of the cavern, beholding the pitiful sight.

The shadow spoke to the hooded pony with a voice that held weight of importance and bestial power “your father may be dead and your birth right taken from you……it is only logical that you take it back just as he had years ago...Princess Requiam. As the true heir of the Crystal Empire by right of conquest and your father’s legacy, only you can honor his memory by continuing his work.”

Silence filled the cavern as the shadow awaited the response of his princess who raised her head to behold the Stallion that addressed her “after two whole years, we are finally ready to begin taking back what is rightfully ours and you my dear…..you will become the empress of the people” the elder figure finally spoke to break the silence with nothing but violet-red eyes that glowed through the shadow of the hood address him “with the Elements of Harmony gone, this kingdom has lost its greatest weapon but there are those still too powerful to face head on such as the princesses and their pet draconicus” the elder figure spoke softly, the powerful voice carrying with it low growls deep with in every word.

As the figure spoke of the might of their enemies, a slightly crude but durable crystal levitated into the air with a red aura that was presented as if for a demonstration of power “but one can fracture and destroy even the mightiest of things if –“the crystal suddenly exploded into tiny shards that dropped into the rocky floor ease “-you carefully and patiently strike at the right spot.”

…..

It was a typical and boring afternoon after a long day at work retyping the documents of lazy work partners and moving heavy things on the office business. Hard apple cider bottles chimed in the back seat of the car as a man drove down the road. Golden honey eyes scanned the road as street lights flashed again and again against his short chocolate brown hair that was domed by his flat cap which made his hair curl into tendril like hooks at the ends.

A gash like scar adorned the right side of his eye wish seemed to complement his beauty dot on his right cheek and his peculiar curving eyebrows that made him look as if he was frowning.

The man looked a handful of ears younger than his actual age as it has always been throughout his life but something seemed lonely about someone that could have probably be married by now. A smile would occasionally crack across the man’s lips at the countless jokes made of him and his healthy features.

“Hola mama it’s me Giuseppe, how was your trip to Saltillo, did you have fun with my auntie?” the clerk spoke on the phone after it has started to ring with an ear peace as his car was soon driving to the driveway of his apartment.

“Hola tesoro, I did and she even helped me find you a gift she was sure you would love. It’s a spooky mirror with a myth behind it and I know how you love this things~” his mother chimed over the phone with an enthusiasm that made her son chuckle.

Closing the car door behind him after getting out with his hard apple cider, Giuseppe hardly heard what his mother was talking about as he pulled out one bottle of cider to examine the peculiar and upbeat logo “Apple Family Hard Cider: true and delicious to the core!” the logo read with as much enthusiasm as the farm girl and her family posing on the bottle with one of her own in hand.

he had drank many spirits in his few years of adulthood but none were as delicious as this farm girl’s hard cider to the point of joking to leave his job to go ask for work there just for the drink. The proposition of working for such a cute girl was tempting but things are how they are….someone as wonderful as her would likely have someone already, they always do.

With a deep sigh of acceptance, the clerk laughed at how melancholy he was getting and soon pushed aside the emotion with the click of the bottle’s cap opening. Loving the odor from the cold mist, Giuseppe took in a smell just as if it was a fine wine and enjoyed every second before noticing that the night sky was particularly beautiful that night.

It was almost like magic that the stars shined in the sky with such detail even near a city that he was reminded of the mirror his mother had brought him “I wander what makes that new mirror so special “the Latino whispered to himself as he raised the bottle to propose a silent toast to the star lit night sky.

There she was again, the girl on the bottle smiled warmly at Giuseppe who could not help but sweetly smile back “such a beautiful night…..to the most hopeful of wishes, cheers …” something in his eye reflected the light of the street light as the young man finally pressed his lips upon the bottle and drank down the sweet cider.

.......

The vivid sight looked almost like a dream when the dark apartment room was lit by a mystical sparkle of the mirror. The frame was made in a Spaniard-Mexican style of masterfully carved wood of two mighty stallions and an arch with a star on top forming the fame of the mirror.

With such a beautiful frame, it was an odd thing that the reflection was by far the most beautiful thing of the mirror as the peculiar craftsmanship made one “see” things when they gave it a close look. With the stars rightly placed in the night sky, something particularly amazing was to happen that night. Something so magical it almost seemed like a dream to Giuseppe who was soon blinded by a flash of light.

With a loud groan, an earth pony with a raspberry coat harshly tumbled forwards into a smoothly polished blue floor that seemed to have been carved from crystal “ugh!!” the stallion grunted loudly as he rolled across the floor.

Dazed, tired and a little confused, the stallion rested on the floor for a minute to regain his strength long enough to comprehend just what had happened to him. Golden honey eyes took in the sight of the strange room as the male began to regain his bearings “i-if I am imagining this because of the drinks, maybe I should take a break from them…” The stallion declared to himself, reaching over to rub the sleep from his eyes with his fingers when suddenly figuring out something was awfully wrong.

What was supposed to be a hand rubbing gently against his face ended up being a hoof, something he clearly did not expect “WOW!....what happened to my hands….w-what happened to my body?!” the Giuseppe shockingly exclaimed at the fact that he was no longer himself or at least not human……he was….”am I a horse?!” the Latino earth pony exclaimed, unsuccessfully attempting to stand up from the crystal floor. It was an amusing sight as the unaccustomed stallion failed at what young yearlings had mastered at their age.

This was a rather peculiar dream he was in but his body and everything around him felt so real, the ex-human looked around the room to understand where he was. Contemplating the dream that felt all too real, Giuseppe’s eyes turned to a set of crystal doors that slowly opened to reveal the shocking truth.