The Shadow King

Cloud trotted down the hall, looking forward to completing his rounds so he could go home to his wife and one year old filly. A sudden rush of hooves caught his attention. Cloud looked up to see his friend, Sky, racing towards him, looking scared. Cloud ran towards Sky and called out to him.

"Sky! Hey, stop!" Sky skidded to a stop and looked over at his friend, his expression one of pure horror. Cloud walked over to his friend and spread a wing around Sky's shoulders, his worried blue eyes flicking around nervously. Sky was trembling under Cloud's wing, his own green eyes darting this way and that. Cloud sighed and coaxed his friend to sit down.

"Sky what's wrong? Your never this worked up." Sky shuddered and turned to his friend, complete and utter fear imprinted on his face. Finally, he spoke.

Cloud's hooves pounded on the pristine, marble floors, his chest heaving. Once Sky had told him the problem, that the Crystal Empire had returned along with... him, he'd abandoned his friend and shot down the hall, looking for Princess Celestia. Cloud spread his wings and beat them to get a speed boost. The pure white pegasus continued to barrel down the hallway, almost missing the gigantic, golden doors as he shot past them. Cloud slowed and turned, running back to the doors. He slammed a hoof against the doors, causing them to whip open and crash against the walls. Cloud raced towards the large, marble throne, where Celestia sat.

"News from Northern Equestria, uh, your Highness." The princess sent her secretary away and looked up at Cloud. A familiar jolt of electricity ran down his spine. Ever since he'd been recruited into Celestia's royal guard, he'd harbored a secret crush on the white Alicorn.

"Yes?" Even her soft voice sparked something in him. Cloud shook it off and got back to the topic he's come in here for.

"I just wanted to tell you that... it has returned. Shock washed over her face and she turned to Ray, the guard that stood beside her throne.

"Find Princess Cadence and Shining Armor." Cloud ran after Ray as the stallion shot away. The last thing he heard before he left the throne room was Celestia saying, "My dear Twilight, you must come to Canterlot at once."

"My dear Twilight, you must come to Canterlot at once. I have an assignment for you of the utmost importance. I want to give you a test. If you pass, you will be greatly rewarded. Please, try to make it here as soon as possible.

Your mentor,

Princess Celestia

Twilight trembled as she read and reread the letter. The princess wanted to give her a TEST! Twilight shot downstairs to grab study material, yanking Spike out of his bed with her magic. The baby dragon yelped as he was yanked from his bed, his eyes widening. Twilight barreled down the steps, her panic blinding her. Unable to stop as she reached the bottom of the steps, Twilight smashed into the wall, sending Spike hurtling out the door. Spike rolled to a stop in front of the girls.

"Spike. Are ya okay, Sugercube?" Spike looked up at Applejack and nodded. The girls looked up and saw Twilight shooting back and forth in front of the door. Rainbow and Applejack looked at each other and groaned. Applejack led the group towards the library, carrying Spike on her back. Once they got inside, Spike hopped off Applejack and ran to help Twilight.

"Ohhhh, where are all my quills?" Twilight was clearly panicking. She ran over to a shelf, and levitated her quills. The feathers fired like arrows through the air. Spike leapt up and caught the quills in a cloth bag. Twilight shot over to the bookshelves Yelling, "I need the Magical Compendiums Volumes 1-36. WHERE IS IT!?" Twilight started launching books off the shelf until she found a truly massive book. A large grin spread across Twilight's face and she pulled the gargantuan book off the shelf. She levitated the book  over Spike, who reached up. Before being  squashed by the huge book. Spike managed to stand up for a split second before falling back down under the intense weight of the book.

"Flashcards. I should make some flashcards. Spike, I'm going to need you to quiz me on everything I've ever learned. Ever." Spike looked at the two piles of cards in his claws as Twilight complained about how it wasn't enough cards. He put the piles down then said something he would quickly regret.

"Twilight, calm down, it's just a test."

"Just a test?" Twilight ran over to Spike and shouted, "JUST A TEST! Princess Celestia wants to give me some sort of exam and your telling me to calm down because it's just a TEST!" Spike tensed then grabbed pillows and a helmet and strapped them to his body before whimpering, " Um, yes?" Twilight's horn began to fizz.

" Ah think she's handelin' this pretty well. Figurin'" Twilight gave a frustrated shout as a dust outline of the tree flew into the air. The girls as well as a singed Spike stared at Twilight, (glared, in the case of Spike). Twilight grinned sheepishly and laughed. Spike rubbed off the ash on his face and chest.

"Maybe we should just go to Canterlot." Twilight grinned and nodded.

Twilight pushed open the huge, golden doors and cleared her throat, getting the attention of the two princess'. Celestia whispered something to Luna and the blue Alicorn nodded and left, glancing at Twilight as she walked out. Celestia turned to Twilight as the lavender unicorn walked towards her.

"I brought my own quills and plenty of paper to show my work." A scroll fell out of her saddlebags and unrolled down to the princess. Twilight's eyes widened.

"Sorry, SORRY!" Celestia rolled the scroll up and levitated Twilight's bag over to herself.

"This is a different kind of test. The Crystal Empire has returned." Twilight's eyes widened and she levitated some books over to herself.

"The Crystal Empire? I'm sorry, I thought I studied. Oh, I don't think there's anything in any of my books that would..."

"There wouldn't be." Twilight looked up in shock as Celestia continued. "Few remember it ever existed at all. Even my knowledge of the empire is limited. But what I do know is that it contains a powerful magic." Celestia set a crystal on the marble floor and hit it with a burst of magic, creating a miniature city with ponies trotting around. A castle formed in the middle of the city.

"One thousand years ago, King Sombra, a unicorn whose heart was  black as night, took over the Crystal Empire. He ruled without mercy for ten years. However, he was ultimately overthrown, turned to shadow and banished to the ice of the arctic north."

"If the Empire is filled with hope and love," Celestia shot a beam of flowing magic at the crystal that was now levitating in her magic. "those things are reflected across all of Equestria. If hatred and fear take hold." Celestia's eyes turned green while her horn became coated in bubbling purple and green magic. A blast of magic hit the levitating crystal. A black shadow spread over the floor towards Twilight. A pure black crystal grew out of the floor. Two more shadows spread, making two more crystals. Twilight looked at the crystals, her eyes filled with fear. Celestia's eyes then glowed white, her magic destroying the dark crystals.

"Which is why i need your help finding a way to protect it."

"You want me to help protect an entire empire?"

"It is, as I said, a different kind of test. But one I'm certain you will pass."