Rise of The Solar Empire

Chapter 1: Darth Critious

He crept through the gardens of the Crystal Empire’s castle, his dark coloured outfit concealing him fro the royal guards that patrolled the castle at night. The dark brown haired human ran tacitly in the absence of each guard, not alerting them to his presence. He heard one approaching him, and he pressed himself to the wall, not out of fear, as he had none concerning these pitiful troops, but out of not wanting to jeopardize his mission, not wanting to displease his empress. As the anthropomorphic pony neared him, he reached for his weapon, a laser sword, and prepared to extending and attack, but he used his powers of manipulation to divert their attention by moving a rock in another area, allowing him time to slip past the guard. So incompetent they are, he thought, it almost didn’t seem fair, but when had life ever been fair to him?

With each passing moment he neared his target. He knew the guards would be changing shifts soon, and his window of opportunity would be open. He crept into an indent in the wall of the castle, and shrouded himself in his dark navy cape, patiently waiting for the guards to change shifts. I shall soon have my revenge on you, Twilight Sparkle, he thought bitterly, thoughts of the unicorn pony he had one knew permeated his mind, once conjuring up joyous memories, but had long since been ripped away, only to be replaced with bitter hatred and anger. When the guards were about to change shifts, he emerged from his concealment, and began to scale the wall, his hands gripping the rough stone, normally anypony who would have tried to do this would have been deterred by the lack of hand holds, but he was so close to his final vengeance, and he wasn’t about to give up now. He remembered the instructions his Empress had given him for this mission, recalling their conversation.

“You are to go to The Crystal empire, there you will find Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, and Prince Shining Armour.” The dark cloaked Empress said, her face hidden behind her hood, he raspy voice enough to paralyze most, but not him.

“What is it you want me to do with them?” The human asked, kneeling before her.

“Do not let your curiosity get the better of you, my apprentice.” She replied, telepathically sensing his curiosity growing.. “But because I have something very special planned for both, I do not want you to kill these two.”

Now he was interested, she usually sent him places to destroy her enemies, assassinate targets she designated, and remove them from interfering with her plan. “And what, pray tell, my master, is it you have planned for them?”

“I want you to test them, see if they will join my empire, if they do not join, you may pursue your own personal agenda.” She replied, her voice chilling to the bone, but her words warmed his desire for revenge. “After they serve your purpose, you may dispose of them if need be.”

“I will not fail you, my Empress.” He replied, standing up, and walking away, heading to The Crystal Empire.

Hand over hand, he made his way up the wall, passing three floors, normally his acrophobia would have set in by now, but he had long since gotten over that, thanks to his empress. When he reached the fourth floor, he pressed his back up against the wall, and his boots on the other side to hold himself up. Undoing the latch that held the window closed, and while holding the window open with his magic, he swiftly made his way into the castle. The found himself in a large, ornate sleeping chamber, and there he waited for his quarry to arrive. Any moment now, he thought, not bothering to close the window. The wind blew the curtains and his cape. There he waited, shrouded in total darkness, he closed his eyes, and then waited.

He hadn’t waited long, because within ten minutes the he heard the door open, now was his change. He jumped up, surprising the two who had entered, a while male unicorn, and a female pink alicorn.

“Greetings Prince Shining Armour, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. I have something to ask of you both.” He said, ignoring Shining Armour’s question. Extending his red laser sword, he asked, “Where is Twilight Sparkle?”

“Why should I tell you?” Shining asked back.

“I am an old friend of hers, and was hoping to have a little…” He walked towards them, and paused. “Talk, with her.” What he said wasn’t a complete lie. “And you should tell me because, THIS!” He pulled Princess Cadence over to him, and locked her neck in his left elbow, withdrawing his sword, and placing its blade emitter on her throat in one swift, fluid motion, one he had practiced several times. “Because if you don’t, she will die.”

“Shiny, help.” Princess Cadence yelled, struggling, but his grip was too strong to break.

“Your choice, Shiny,” He taunted, “Either she dies, and something much worse will become of Twilight Sparkle when I find her, or you let both of them off live.” He paused, not wanting to fail his Empress. “There is another way to save her, my Empress will come to power and rule over this land, and those beyond it, and she could use a military commander of your calibre.”

He saw Shining Armour contemplate this, but the human already knew what his answer would be. “No.” He said, “I won’t tell you, and I will most certainly not join you.” The human saw a brief flash come from his horn.

“Trying to stall me long enough for you advanced guards to arrive, are you Shining?” He saw the unicorn recoil. “How could I possible have known that? you’re probably wondering, well it’s quite simple, I know all royal guard procedures, standard, advanced, and royal, there is nothing you can do that will surprize me.” Keeping himself there when the guards were coming.

Then several guard burst through the walls, surrounding him. “Freeze!” One yelled.

“Very well. Have it your way.” The human moved the blade, the calm in his voice was unnerving,  and extended it through her chest, not killing her, and he began to attack the guards that surrounded him, killing each one.He jumped back and forth, evading the laser bolts that came from their horns, and even reflecting them back with his sabre. He had let Cadence’s body drop to the floor, Shining ran over to his wife while the human eliminated the remaining guards. when he killed that last the stood there and turned to face Shining Armour. “You can still save her, just tell me where your sister is, and join me, and I will let you get her the treatment to save her, as well as command the greatest military this galaxy has ever seen. I won't stand in your way.”

“No, means no!” The stallion said, throwing a punch at the human, who grabbed his fist, and twisted his arm in a single, well rehearsed motion.

“Bravery, thats one thing I had always admired about you, a pitty your bravery caused this.” The human lifted him up, and threw the soldier prince into the window he had entered from, the glass shattering with the impact, then the human jumped out himself. He landed a few metres away from the prince, who tried to pick himself up, he body badly cut from the shattered glass he had been thrown through. The human grabbed Shining Armour by the throat, picking him up, and slamming him into the castle wall, he extended is laser sword. Aiming it to Shining Armour’s face until it was mere centimetres from his muzzle, and moving his own to him, looking him dead in the eyes. “I truly had hoped it wouldn’t have needed to turn out this way, my empress had held you in such a high regard.” The sabre was illuminating both of their faces with a red glow, Shining Armour’s horrified expression, and the human’s malevolent stare. “And about my name,” He replied, “I am Darth Critious.”

And with that said, he slashed the blade through Shining Armour’s abdomen, killing him instantly. Shining Armour’s lifeless body tumbled to the ground.