The Shadow King

Previously on 'The Shadow King'

"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."

Twilight looked up at Celestia and nodded.

"Where to I begin?" Celestia smiled.

"By going to meet Princess Cadence and Shining Armor in the Crystal Empire." Twilight smiled and followed the white Alicorn as Celestia headed towards the door.

"My brother is there?" Celestia nodded while saying, "He is. And your pony friends while meet you there as well." The two mares left the throne room and noticed Princess Luna standing outside the door. Twilight shrunk under the blue mare's intense gaze. Suddenly, an intense feeling of uncertainty swept through the lavender mare. She turned to Celestia, her eyes filled with fear.

"But, what if I fail?"

"You won't." Twilight looked down, her mind still roiling with uncertainty.

"But, what if..." Celestia placed a white hoof on Twilight's shoulder, getting her attention, and smiled.

"You won't. But Twilight." Twilight turned to face the princess', waiting as Celestia continued. " It must be you and you alone who ultimately assists Princess Cadence and Shining Armor in doing what needs to be done to protect the Empire. Do you understand?" Twilight nodded and her uncertainty was replaced with confidence.

"Then go. There's not a moment to waste." The doors to the throne room slammed shut. Twilight's confidence faded as she turned and left. As she trotted down the halls, the only sound she could hear was the clopping of her hooves on the marble tiles. The castle doors loomed up in front of her and became cloaked in a deep green aura. Twilight stepped thought the large doors as they swung open, nodding in thanks to the two guards on ether side of the doorway.

Spike was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. He jumped up and started asking what score Twilight got. She just remained silent as the baby dragon kept talking. Suddenly he stopped talking as a horrifying thought struck him.

"Huh, Twilight. Did you... fail?" Twilight looked up, sorrow printed on her face.

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"Um.. prepared for what exactly?"

"Twilight." Twilight looked up and saw her friends running over to her. A gentle smile stretched across her face.

"How'd it go?" Twilight opened her mouth to answer Applejack but was interrupted by a pink face filling her vision. Pinkie backed up and pulled out her party cannon.

"Are we going to celebrate your awesomeness with Princess Celestia?" The cannon fired and Pinkie leapt up with the confetti spray but fell back down as Twilight said no.

"We're going to the Crystal Empire." Twilight smiled as the girls began to act all confused. She began explaining the test that Celestia had assigned to her and within the next few minutes they were on the train on their way to the Crystal Empire'

The train door slide open, revealing a raging blizzard. The girls were instantly assaulted by a feeling of extreme cold. Rarity mocked her friends about the amount of scarves she brought, Spike saying that he hadn't said a word about Rarity's scarf choices. After which he dropped the suitcase of scarves, said case breaking open and scarves blowing away in the wind. Spike ran after the scarves as a shape appeared in the blizzard.

"Twilight!" Twilight squinted into the storm and suddenly recognized the stallion.

"Shining Armor?" The white stallion lowered his scarf and  levitated his goggles on top of his head. A smile spread across his face at the sight of his sister and her friends. His bright blue eyes filled with joy when he saw the six of them.

"Twily, you made it." He  walked up to the group and pulled his little sister into a hug. But as he pulled back, his eyes seemed troubled.

"We should get moving. There are things out here we really don't want to run into after dark." Fluttershy looked at Rainbow Dash and gulped before asking, "What kind of things?" Shining Armor cast a slightly scared look at the girls.

"Let's just say that the empire isn't the only thing that's returned. I'll tell you on the way." The girls followed Shining Armor into the blizzard, making sure to stay close to the white stallion.

"Something keeps trying to get in! We think it's the unicorn king that originally cursed the place!" Twilight's face twisted with confusion at this remark.

"But Celestia said I was being sent to protect the Crystal Empire? If King Sombra can't get in then it must already be protected..." Twilight was about to continue when a howl cut her off. The whole group froze. Fluttershy trembled before she asked the question that was on everypony's minds.

"Huh... that's one of the things, isn't it?" Shining Armor turned to the girls and yelled, "we have to go. NOW!" A black cloud rose up behind the girls. Spike's eyes widened as his face contorted with fear. The top of the cloud had green and red eyes with purple smoke flowing out of the eyes. The girls turned and bolted, Twilight urging them to hurry. Shining Armor looked over the girls and saw that they were getting tired. With out a distraction, the cloud of smoke that was King Sombra would surely catch them. Having no other choice, Shining Armor skidded to a stop and faced the monster. His horn fizzed and a pale purple beam shot out of his horn towards the cloud. Sombra's eyes widened and he ducked the shot before flying down towards Shining Armor.

Sombra's magic wove around Shining armor's horn and made a magic barrier out of dark crystals. Shining Armor screamed as he felt searing pain cut through his horn and forehead. Sombra laughed as Shining Armor's  cape and hood burned off. The dark cloud threw Shining Armor towards the force field and laughed once more.

Shining Armor slid to a stop inside the force field in front of Twilight and her friends. Twilight looked over at him and horror filled her eyes.

"Oh no. Shining Armor, your HORN." Shining tried to channel magic into his horn but only felt a sharp pain in his forehead as the crystals blocked his power. His expression turned to one of worry as he and the girls got to their hooves and headed towards the city. Even the emerald green grass sparkled like jewels. The girls started to chat as they continued walking. Pinkie was the first to see the sparkling city and brought their attention to it by exclaiming, "SPARKLERIFIFC!"