“Behold, the Crystal Princess!”
Cadance flew through the evening sky, the Crystal Heart floating directly in front of her. She circled the castle so that all of the crystal ponies nearby could see that what the one pony said was true. Landing in the arena just beneath the castle, Cadance turned to her subjects with a look of fierce determination.
“The Crystal Heart has returned!” she shouted. “Use the light and love within you to ensure that King Sombra does not!”
Cadance hurled the Crystal Heart towards the arena. Two crystal pillars burst through the center—one from the ground and the other from the castle—and caught the Crystal Heart as it flew by. She felt herself wrapped up in an aura of light and then exploded. Looking across the vast sea of ponies before her, Cadance smiled as they, too, burst forth from their own iridescent cocoons before bowing to the ground. She stared up towards the sky and saw Sombra standing atop a jagged crystal.
“No,” he growled. “No! Stop!”
Cadance watched as an aura of light began to wrap itself around him, as well. Let the power of love fix you, she thought as the white light pierced through Sombra’s flesh. Ponies began cheering as Sombra was bathed in light. However, upon closer look, Cadance noticed that the light wasn’t wrapping around him, but was instead ripping through his hooves and fur. She saw Sombra’s eyes widen and his mouth turn up in pain and despair.
What happened next caused Cadance to leap back. Sombra exploded midair and turned to dust, his horn flying through the air into the vast snowfields of the Frozen North. She felt a pair of hooves wrap around her and turned around to see Shining Armor staring into her eyes. His rose aura glowed once more, absorbing the black crystals that Sombra had placed there. All around her, ponies with new sheens of crystal coats began cheering.
“She did it!” the ponies shouted as they rushed the princess. “She destroyed King Sombra!”
Cadance wrapped a foreleg around her stomach and turned back towards the Crystal Heart that now spun effortlessly in between the two spikes. Power of… love? she asked herself as more crystal ponies gathered in the arena.
The shouts of joy immediately turned into shrieks of terror as one by one the ponies gazed upwards towards the sky. Cadance turned around, only to see a small, black cloud hovering where Sombra once stood. A pair of red eyes appeared from the cloud, then a fanged smile, and finally, a red horn. The cloud turned away and flew off. Cadance narrowed her eyes, spread her wings, and took off amidst the cheers of her new subjects.
Cadance soared through the skies of the Crystal Empire so quickly in her attempt to catch up to Sombra’s shadowy form that she felt her muscles strain and her pulse quicken. However, even at the speed she was going, she still couldn’t close the gap between the two. The Sombra cloud reached the barrier and passed through it effortlessly. The moment Cadance reached it, however, everything turned to white. She felt the snow of the Frozen North bite at her fur like teeth and tear through her feathers like knives, and she immediately began to fall to the ground. As quickly as everything had been bathed in white, the world all around her began to turn to black. The last thing she saw before everything disappeared was the nearby clock tower. Eleven o’three, she thought, why is that so…?
Cadance opened her eyes and was greeted by a grey sky. The clouds raced by, sending wave after wave of ice and snow. A dream, she thought as her teeth chattered, another dream. Shivering, Cadance twisted her head back and forth to search for the Crystal Empire, but all she could see was a vast field of white, punctuated occasionally by one or two small, dead saplings. As more snow began to settle onto her fur, she immediately felt the icy chill seep through to her bones. Cadance struggled to get up, but once she did, she felt the wind push even harder against her. She squinted and tried to find her way through the storm, but with each step that fell into the snow, she felt her leg grow heavier. Shelter, she thought, stumbling forward, must get warm.
Cadance continued to trudge onward, though with every passing moment, she felt her limbs grow stiffer. The wind pulled at each feather, sending a harsh pinch down her wings and to her withers. She stubbed her hoof on a rock, and tears began to stream down her cheek. Cadance took a deep breath and tried to flap her wings, but with how cold it was, her wings refused to move fast enough to send her airborn. She tried to concentrate, but the coldness in her body and the headache that resulted made it impossible for her to focus enough energy to generate any magic.
“S-Shiny…” Cadance mumbled as she fell muzzle first into the snow. She wanted Shining Armor to be here for her—even if only to comfort her—but it was only her here in this field of ice. Cadance tried to call out, but no words came to her. Her voice had no more strength to break through the winds that tore through the landscape. She lifted her head once more, but when she saw what was in the distance she screamed as much as her ice-scratched throat would allow.
In the distance, she could see something glowing—something red—that hovered at mane level. Though her vision was hazy, she could tell immediately that it was a horn. As the horn approached, Cadance gritted her teeth as she thought back to the ponies who had placed their faith in her. Let love… heal, she thought as her horn finally began to glow. The magic in her horn burned against the surrounding frigid air, but she pushed through it, unwilling to let Sombra return to power and abuse the crystal ponies once more.
The entity continued, the red aura causing nearby falling snow to glisten. As it drew nearer, Cadance could just make out the grey form of a muzzle and neck. It seemed to float in the air, a disembodied head moving easily through the blizzard, moving relentlessly towards her. Cadance tried to release a torrent of magical love, but her horn flickered out due to exhaustion, and she fell to the ground once more. As the sound of hooves approaching drew near, she cried once more. I tried… she thought as another tear fell, Shiny… She closed her eyes and waited.
A hoof fell onto her mane.
“Cadance?”
Cadance gasped and looked up, only to see her husband standing before her. Shining Armor wore a dark grey mask over his muzzle, and his horn glowed a bright, red rose. She couldn’t see his expression beneath the scarf and goggles, but his hoof felt warm on her fur. His horn glowed even more bright, and as the light enveloped the two of them, Cadance couldn’t help but feel the heat rush from her head to her barrel, and from her body to her hooves.
Cadance leaned against an aubergine stalagmite and watched Shining Armor create a fire for them in the middle of the dank cave floor. All around her, she smelled the acrid aroma of sulfur. She gagged silently as the pieces of wood Shining Armor had collected lit up, creating shadows that writhed against the cave walls. Once he was finished, Shining Armor took a seat on a broken piece of crystal and heaved a sigh. Cadance watched Shine Armor slowly unwrap the scarf from around his neck and pull the goggles away from his eyes. The sweat on his muzzle glistened in the flickering firelight. His eyes were red, and even from across the room, she could see the bags beneath them.
“You haven’t been taking the somnia tonic, have you?” he asked.
“I don’t like it,” Cadance replied.
“This is the tenth time,” Shining Armor whispered without a hint of anger or malice.
Cadance glanced around the room and took note at how the shadows curved in odd, horn-like shapes. She considered telling Shining Armor what she had seen, but decided not to. He didn’t believe me the first nine times, she thought, why would he believe me now?
Cadance flinched when she saw sudden movement from the other side of the cave, but relaxed, if only slightly, when she realized that it was her husband who moved towards her, his head lowered as if in reverence, slowly but confidently. She felt his muzzle come to rest against her cheek, and she took comfort in how warm he felt against her fur.
“Until we figure out what is happening,” Shining Armor started, “there is something I need to show you.”
Shining Armor moved his head towards the entrance of the cave, and Cadance nodded her head. The entrance wasn’t very far away, but the twists and turns of the cave made it appear smaller than it really was. As Cadance followed Shining Armor towards the entrance, she wondered where she was exactly.
“Shiny?” Cadance asked. “Where are we?”
“Fifty-nine degrees north, Hundred-twelve degrees west.” Shining Armor replied, giving Cadance a moment to try to understand what he said. When she didn’t say anything, the stallion turned back to her. “You flew more than a hundred miles away from Crystal Empire City.”
“In one night?” Cadance asked, unsure of how she should feel about the distance.
“Cadance…” Shining Armor said with a sigh. “You know this by now. You always appear somewhere around here.” He waited again, as though the new information would jog Cadance’s memory. “We’re near the Yakyakistan border,” Shining Armor finished.
“I don’t know how it happens!” Cadance shouted. “I have the same dream, I want to do what I can and I—”
Cadance’s worries were stopped by Shining Armor’s lips. The way he kissed her—how his lips and tongue made her feel safe—she couldn’t help but melt into his warmth, even with the iciness around them. Still, the warmth of Shining Armor’s body was only temporary. The stallion pulled away and turned towards the entrance of the cave.
“I need you to remember this cave, Cadance,” Shining Armor said, reaching towards two points of light in the distance. He wrapped the mare into his embrace and used a free hoof to point towards the specks of light. “You appeared ten miles west of this mountain range this time.”
Shining Armor nodded his head, beckoning Cadance to follow him. The two stood at the mouth of the cave and looked up. There, at the top of the mountain, were a pair of beacons glowing brightly in the snowstorm.
“Anytime you find yourself out there in the snow, I want you to look for that red light.” Shining Armor hugged Cadance. “I’m worried about you, Cadance. I—”
“I know he’s alive, Shiny,” Cadance interrupted him.
“Cadance, we all saw King Sombra literally explode into a thousand pieces,” Shining Armor stated flatly.
“But I—”
“Cadance, please.” Shining Armor held his head in his hooves and closed his eyes. “You can’t keep on about this.” He opened his eyes and sighed. “We need to take you to a doctor. You can’t run the Crystal Empire in this condition. We’ve been fortunate that nopony has discovered what’s been happening. ”
Cadance saw a single tear form at the corner of Shining Armor’s eye. She bit her lip and turned back to the fire. Why doesn’t he believe me? she wondered, but as she thought more on the situation, she supposed it was a difficult thing to believe. Ponies don’t just regenerate, she thought as she stared into the flames.
“All right, Shiny,” Cadance whispered. “I’ll see a doctor.”
“And the tonic?” Shining Armor asked.
“I promise, Shiny.”
Immediately, Cadance felt Shining Armor wrap his hooves around her from behind. She felt his breath on her withers and heard his horn light up to teleport them back to the castle. Before they disappeared, Cadance peered further into the darkness. If it’s not a vision, she asked herself, then why do I always end up in this cave? Cadance felt Shining Armor’s muzzle against her cheek. When he pulled away, she could see a faint smile on his muzzle.
“I love you,” Shining Armor said before turning away. “You give me hope.”
A flash of white appeared, and a moment later, the mouth of the cave was empty. The wind ripped through, and the newly created fire went out, pieces of kindling scattering about the floor.
A quartet of hooves echoed through the corridors of the castle. In the distance, a series of windows stretched along the hall, bringing a bit of warm sunlight into the room. Still, the clouds that persisted prevented much heat from seeping through. Sergeant Flash Sentry took a deep breath before continuing on his journey, his wings fluttering nervously as he made his way towards the door to Captain Shining Armor’s office. His head tilted in confusion as he reread the lettering on the fogged glass of the door. It took him nearly a minute to realize that Shining Armor had taken off the word PRINCE and simply kept his military title. Flash Sentry waited a moment, steadied himself, and knocked on the door.
“Enter,” Shining Armor called.
Though only spoken, Flash Sentry heard Shining Armor’s command as clearly as though the caption was saying it right to his muzzle. Before the sergeant touched the doorknob, the door glowed rose red and opened telekinetically. Though protocol demanded utmost silence upon entering the captain’s office, Flash Sentry gasped when he looked inside. He trotted forward a few steps and then stood at attention, trying to fight the urge to look around the room once more. Shining Armor scribbled a few notes on a sheet of paper before setting it aside and looking up.
“Sergeant Flash Sentry,” the captain said matter-of-factly.
“Yes sir.” Flash Sentry saluted. “You wanted to see me, sir?”
“First off, where is your helmet?”
Flash Sentry flinched. “I… lost it.”
“Again?” Shining Armor frowned and furrowed his brow. “You’ve been found out of uniform on three occasions over the past… few weeks or so.” The captain pondered for a moment. “This many time usually results in a demotion.”
“I swear it won’t happen again, sir.”
Shining Armor opened his mouth to speak, but when he caught Flash Sentry’s eyes dart back and forth, he stopped and stood up. The captain glanced around the room and then smiled.
“Something interesting about my office, sergeant?” Shining Armor asked with a smirk.
“N-no, sir.”
“Do you really want to lie to your commanding officer after what I just said?”
Flash Sentry’s eye twitched. “Your office looks so…” the stallion trailed off, unsure whether or not he was insulting his superior.
“Organized?” Shining Armor completed the thought for him.
“Yes sir,” Flash Sentry answered, loosening his stance. “Pardon my bluntness, but there have been times that I myself, by order of Her Royal Highness, of course, have had to organize your desk and Princess—”
Flash Sentry stopped himself when he saw Shining Armor grimace. The moment the sergeant saw the spark of anger in the captain’s eyes, he resumed his proper stance of attention. For his part, Shining Armor merely shut his eyes and nodded his head.
“I called you in here today because I have a few questions for you,” Shining Armor said after a few moments of silence.
“Yes sir,” Flash Sentry replied.
“You were assigned the night watch this month, correct?”
“Yes sir.”
“On the same floor as Cadance’s bedchambers?”
“…yes sir?”
“Have you noticed anything peculiar when you made your rounds near her bedchambers?”
The line of interrogation coming from Shining Armor was delivered with a very calm demeanor in his voice, but the questions directed to Flash Sentry were received with a fresh sheen of sweat on the sergeant’s brow.
“Sir, during my rounds, I make sure to stay on point one-hundred percent. I do not deviate from that track,” Flash Sentry replied, unsure as to why his response elicited a sly grin from the captain.
“Trust me, sergeant, I do not suspect any improprieties,” Shining Armor said, giving Flash Sentry a once over.
“Sir, is everything all right?” Flash Sentry asked, finally reaching out to the captain.
“Do you think I’m this lackadaisical with all of the troops, or it is just with you?”
Flash Sentry jerked back to attention. Shining Armor got up from his seat and made his way around the desk. The captain lifted his foreleg up and reached forward, but seemed to hesitate before placing his hoof on the sergeant’s shoulder.
“I apologize, sergeant,” Shining Armor said, giving Flash Sentry a light pat on the shoulder. “I know things have been difficult lately, what with…” The captain’s words trailed off.
“Som—”
“King Sombra,” Shining Armor found his words just as Flash Sentry offered his. “So I have called you in because there is going to be a slight alteration to your guard route.”
“Yes sir?”
Shining Armor threw his head back and began to pace about the office. The glances Flash Sentry sneaked towards the captain as he turned away indicated his confusion over the whole situation. But, rather than offend Shining Armor, Flash Sentry chose the safest option and remained at complete attention.
“We need to increase our security around Cadance’s bedchambers.” Shining Armor tapped a hoof on the floor, then turned around. “Yes, the first few months of a ruler’s reign are always hardest.” Shining Armor tapped his hoof again and turned around. “The castle interior is well guarded, that’s true, but…”
Shining Armor’s words trailed off once more. Now, the only sound was that of armor clunking as the captain passed by Flash Sentry. The sergeant glanced on the desk and noticed that there were a few folders on them that were not of military protocol. He tried to look more closely, but Shining Armor turned again and walked in front of him. A rhythm finally broke through the noise, however, combining the armor’s noise with each hoof step and the pivot.
clop, clunk, clop, clunk, clop, clunk… screech.
“Sergeant Flash Sentry,” Shining Armor commanded as he came to a halt. “Your rounds are going to be updated so that your main concern is around Cadance’s window. She trusts you most among the enlisted personnel.”
“I am honored that she feels that way. I am also honored that you agree, since you have adjusted my rounds to reflect that. Will the night consist solely of flying for the duration of my tour of inspection?” Flash Sentry asked.
“Yes, but should you feel tired, I know that above the balcony to Cadance’s bedchambers is a smaller balcony that can be used as a perch and—”
“Perch, sir?”
Flash Sentry’s eyes widened at his own sudden outburst, but still he stood firm. When Shining Armor stopped what he was saying and turned to Flash Sentry, the pegasus simply cocked his head in confusion and ruffled his feathers. Shining Armor watched Flash Sentry’s wings for a moment as a look of realization slowly grew in his eyes.
“I apologize for that term, Sergeant Sentry. A mezzanine was constructed solely with the purpose for a pegasus guard to keep watch over the royal bedchamber.”
Shining Armor shook his head and retreated to his desk. Flash Sentry remained at attention, but as he noticed the bags under the captain’s eyes, his gaze softened.
“Sir, is everything okay?”
Shining Armor turned his gaze towards the window. Flash Sentry watched as shadows began to play across the captain’s muzzle, and it was only then that he realized how cold the room had become. When he glanced down again, he noticed that the folders on Shining Armor’s desk were actually photos of Cadance and the captain.
“This isn’t something you need concern yourself with, sergeant,” Shining Armor replied without turning away. “You are dismissed.”
“Yes sir.” Flash Sentry saluted and turned to leave. However, before he opened the door, he turned back to Shining Armor. “If it helps, sir, I have noticed that Her Highness’s demeanor is more… detached… than usual.”
Shining Armor’s ears perked. “Go on.”
“When she first defeated…” Flash Sentry hesitated to say the name. “Som—”
“King Sombra, yes.”
“Yes. Afterwards, she was always there to help when any of her subjects needed her. But it took a while for them to open up to a new ruler, you see.”
“Have a seat,” Shining Armor said. “I feel you have more to say.”
Shining Armor’s horn glowed. A chair levitated from the corner of the room. As it came to rest in front of the desk, Shining Armor winced, but when Flash Sentry reached out for support, the captain waved his hoof.
“I’m fine.” Shining Armor closed his eyes, rubbed his horn, and motioned for Flash Sentry to continue.
“It was a few weeks ago that I noticed Her Highness’s change in demeanor. I haven’t seen such a drastic change since your wedding in Canterlot, sir.”
Shining Armor reached down and absentmindedly flipped through the folder on the desk. “Are you suggesting she is not who she appears to be?”
“Not at all, sir!” Flash Sentry’s wings ruffled. “I’m saying that before, well, that, she was under a bit of stress.”
“What are you suggesting?” Shining Armor asked.
“Maybe she just needs to spend some time with you,” Flash Sentry replied. “Maybe you two can clear your schedules. She could get the Chancellor Esmerelda to perform the regular royal duties, and you can assign Major Ivory to take command for the day—”
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were staging a coup.”
Flash Sentry began to laugh. “O-oh no sir, I think we both know I’m not capable of that.”
“I suppose not,” Shining Armor replied simply.
Flash Sentry’s laughter stopped immediately, but he kept his smile as rigid as he could. “Sir, just let her have a night to relax. I’m sure she’ll be right as rain if you just let her know you’re still there.”
“Hmm.” Shining Armor tapped his hooves together in thought. “Maybe you’re right.” He smiled. “I can see why Cadance spends so much time with you. Will you retrieve Major Ivory for me, please?”
“Yes sir.”
Flash Sentry got out of his chair, stood at attention one more time, and saluted. Shining Armor nodded and the sergeant retreated out of the office. A red glow surrounded the door and it slammed shut. As Flash Sentry made his way back down the hall, he heard another set of hooves approaching. He looked up and saw a familiar earth pony up ahead and stood at attention.
“Major, sir.”
“Come now, Flash,” Ivory replied as he shuffled the weight in his overstuffed saddlebags. “It’s just us, there’s no need for such formality.”
“Right,” Flash Sentry chuckled and rubbed his hoof against the back of his neck. “I just got out of a meeting with Captain Armor. He actually wanted me to get you to discuss some changes.”
“Oh?” Ivory asked. “I wonder if he’s going to say anything about—”
“Her Highness?” Flash Sentry interrupted.
“You’ve noticed it, too?”
“I have,” Flash Sentry whispered before turning his head to the door and taking a few more steps away. “Whatever is affecting the princess is starting to affect the captain, as well.”
“Now, Flash, I’m sure that—”
“It’s like they don’t even know me,” the sergeant blurted out. “I’ve been Cadance’s personal guard for years and now she just seems to be in her own world. Shining Armor acted like I was some stranger. And it’s not right. I—”
Flash Sentry gasped and held his hoof up to his muzzle. Ivory simply nodded his head and sighed. The stallion gently placed a hoof on the pegasus’ foreleg.
“We will all get to the bottom of this—together,” Ivory reassured Flash Sentry. “Sombra is gone. Her and His Highness are going to lead the Crystal Empire to the new century. We just need to ensure that these next few months are peaceful.”
“I’m an enlisted personnel, sir,” Flash Sentry replied, shaking his head. “It isn’t becoming for a pony to have emotions.” Flash Sentry closed his eyes and turned away from Ivory.
“You think that I am without emotions?” Ivory asked, waiting for Flash Sentry’s eyes to meet his. “Never confuse controlling one’s emotions with getting rid of them. Sergeant, having emotions is what makes us ponies. I know the work you have done for both Her Highness and the Captain. I know this is hurting you. But know that we will get to the bottom of this.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Since you’re here,” Ivory said as he reached into his saddlebag and pulled out a vial. “Here is your energy serum for this evening. I know you’ve been having trouble lately getting used to the schedule.” He waited for a moment so that Flash Sentry could tuck the vial away before reaching into the saddlebag again. “One more thing, Flash.” The lieutenant produced a helmet. “I understand that Her Highness has taken you in as her confidante, so to speak, but this is the third time you have left your helmet on the desk in her Princess Cadance’s bedchambers.”
Flash Sentry’s eyes widened. Nonetheless, Ivory continued unabated.
“Do you realize how lucky you are that the captain has been so busy lately that he hasn’t been on time to his wife’s bedchambers?”
“Sir, I promise it is only because I’m still getting used to the evening shift. And I spend so much time there listening and—”
Ivory held up his hoof, silencing Flash. “I understand you forgetting this because you were tired, but given how many times this has happened, and given the… proximity… of where you left your armor, I am docking your pay for the next pay period.”
Flash Sentry’s shoulders drooped. “Yes sir,” He replied dully.
“You have to realize the importance of situational awareness,” Ivory said, giving the helmet back to its owner. “Maybe now you will see what sort of consequences could come from a simply misunderstanding.”
“Yes sir.”
Flash Sentry nodded and saluted Ivory. Ivory simply waved Flash Sentry off and waited for the sergeant to disappear from view before turning to Shining Armor’s office door.
“Okay, let’s see what we’re up against,” Ivory said to himself before reaching up to knock on the door.
Cadance soared through the sky, staring in awe at the Crystal Heart that floated in front of her. As it spun in circles, she became transfixed at how the relic captured the light and flung it outwards in numerous blue hues. It’s as though the sun were made of sapphire, she thought as she twirled through the air, spinning around as though dancing with the shining object she held in her telekinetic grasp.
“Behold, the Crystal Princess!”
Cadance glanced down when she heard the voice and saw the crystal ponies beneath her. They all stood still—some of them with a single hoof pointing directly at her while others already bowing to the streets—but they are were all like statues, not even moving so much as to blink.
Cadance’s hooves clacked against the pavement as she landed. She craned her neck upward for a moment and saw a familiar black mist as it clung to a piece of obsidian crystal that had emerged from the ground. Cadance heard the sound of a bell ringing in the distance, but she kept her attention towards the black mist. She quivered when she saw the mist take shape and turn into Sombra.
“The Crystal Heart has returned!” she shouted to the ponies who stood still, even amongst the chaos that surrounded them. “Use the light and love within you to ensure that King Sombra does not!”
One by one, the crystal ponies fell to the ground. Cadance watched in horror as, rather than simply feeding their love to the Crystal Heart, each crystal pony simply dissolved into the ground. She watched as their auras soon became one with the relic, which spun faster and faster with each soul that it absorbed.
“No,” she pleaded. “No! Stop!”
Cadance covered her mouth with a hoof and glanced up at Sombra. His red eyes glared directly at her, and it was at that moment she realized she had spoken the same words as he did. Everything around her stood still. All of the crystal ponies had disappeared by this point, and now, there was only her and Sombra. The black umbrum’s fur began to crack as streaks of light infused with him. Cadance watched Sombra stare down at his hooves and howl in pain. No, she shouted in her mind.
Cadance waited for Sombra to explode.
She continued to wait as everything around her froze.
Sombra remained frozen on top of the crystal, the tufts of black mist slowly dissipating as the Crystal Heart shot out beams of blue light all around them. As one of the beams flew past her ear, she heard the sound of one of her crystal ponies crying. She gasped as one of the beams hit Sombra in the chest, causing the umbrum pony to shatter. She watched his horn fly through the air and past the houses into the Frozen North.
Cadance screamed when a pair of hooves wrapped around her. She heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that it was Shining Armor staring back at her. She looked up at his horn and watched as the black crystals disappeared into his horn.
“Shiny, I have to go,” Cadance said as she tried to pull herself away.
“He’s gone, Cadance,” Shining Armor whispered as he pressed his muzzle against her neck.
“Shiny, please!”
“He’s gone.”
“No, he’s not!”
Cadance ripped herself away from Shining Armor’s embrace and began to fly towards the edge of the empire. He’s still here, Cadance thought as she reached the barrier to the Frozen North. The clock tower rang the quarter hour, and she glanced over at the right moment to see that the clock face read nine.
The moment she crossed the border, the icy storm pierced her fur again. The ice was so cold that it burned even her horn. Cadance felt herself lose altitude, and soon, she saw the snow field beneath her grow larger and larger, until all she saw was white. Her insides burned and she clutched to her belly as she writhed through the air.
Cadance landed in the snowbank with a soft thud. She looked up and saw the snow continue to soar through the sky. Even through the thick cloud of falling snow, the beacons Shining Armor had created for her burned through the darkness, the two red lights blinking in the distance. Cadance lifted herself up, steadying herself on her weak forelegs.
Out of the corner of her eye, Cadance saw the black cloud fly off into the distance. She squinted, and if she looked hard enough, she could see the mouth of the cave a few hundred meters in front of her.
Have to get up, Cadance thought as she stumbled through her first few steps in an attempt to gain her bearings. Through it all, she kept her gaze riveted on the mountain ahead of her. As each light blinked, Cadance’s eyes darted back and forth until their patterns matched once again. She grit her teeth and steadied herself, letting her wings balance her flight, and soared off in pursuit of the cloud.
As she drew near, she noticed the crystallized stalagmites and stalactites which grew around the bottom and the top of the cave’s mouth, their sharp points piercing through the darkness behind it. Cadance paused for a moment as she stood mere meters from the entrance and stared up to the top of the mountain. As the wind blew by the mouth of the cave, she couldn’t help but feel that the mountain itself was breathing. Don’t think of teeth… Don’t think of teeth… She fought the imagery from her thoughts as she passed through the jagged rocks.
Now that she was out of the light of the beacons, Cadance lit her horn as soon as she entered the cave. She ruffled her feathers, but some of the snow had already melted into her fur. She watched the water disappear, but was shocked to notice that she didn’t feel cold. In fact, when she held her hoof outside, her foreleg didn’t even tremble as the ice and snow pelted her. She went back inside and stretched her limbs. I’m not even sore, she wondered, looking up just in time to see the black cloud gather in front of her.
“You’re supposed to be gone,” Cadance said, surprised at how confidently she spoke.
The cloud in front of her pulsed, and Cadance felt a sharp pain run up her limbs to her belly. She cried out as she fell to the floor. Outside, the wind picked up, sending a flurry of snow into the cave.
“I sent you away!” she shouted, clutching her stomach. “I killed you!”
The black cloud started to pulse again, but as it did, everything around Cadance began to slow down.
“Enough.”
Cadance’s eyes widened as the black cloud froze in front of her mid-pulse. She looked around and saw the snowflakes frozen in mid-air; one in particular stood still just in front of her, allowing her to see every detail of its hexagonal structure. When she held up her hoof, she saw beads of melted snow and ice on her foreleg, but to her surprise, she didn’t feel any chill. Finally, she glanced back at the black cloud and watched as it slowly took on the shape of an obsidian orb. The orb grew smaller and more translucent. A moment later, it was gone, replaced by a familiar alicorn.
“Aunt Luna!” Cadance shouted as she galloped over to the princess. “I’m so glad it’s you!”
Luna accepted Cadance’s embrace. “It pleases me to see you, as well, dear niece. Though I do wish it were under more pleasant circumstances.”
Cadance’s smile disappeared at Luna’s words. “It’s been happening for almost two weeks.” Cadance felt to her haunches in front of the remnants of the fire she remembered Shining Armor having made. Luna smiled and lit the fire with her magic. Cadance nodded appreciatively. Even if just a dream, she thought, having a fire still feels comforting. Luna took a few steps closer and sat down her to her.
“I know,” Luna replied softly.
“And you’ve only just now appeared?” Cadance asked as she flipped her hoof in the air, where it broke a snowflake with a tiny shattering sound.
“I try not to enter the dreams of friends and loved ones often,” Luna glanced around the cave. “But it wasn’t until recently that I noticed your dreams were paired with instances of somnambulation.”
“Sleepwalking?”
“The laypony term, yes.” Luna’s gaze remained locked on an area of the cave that was darker than the rest. “When you awaken, you will be here again, I am afraid.”
“I know it’s more than a dream, Aunt Luna,” Cadance insisted as she rose to her hooves. “It’s as though I’m getting pieces of what’s going to happen.” Cadance started to pace in front of the cave wall.
“The likelihood of anypony having a vision dream is very slim, even amongst alicorns,” Luna replied calmly. “And even if those dreams are recurring.” Luna’s horn pulsed, and she glanced around the room again. “Perhaps there is something else that you fear besides the return of Sombra?
“Aunt Luna, I—”
Cadance shook her head and turned away from Luna. The moment she looked at the wall, both hers and Luna’s horn pulsed again. The sound of scratches filled the air, and the two mares looked around until they caught movement on the cave wall. Tiny pieces of cave fell to the ground as slashes formed in the crystal walls. Cadance froze when she saw what was now written.
“Hmm…” Luna mumbled from behind. “A collection of tally marks. Am I correct in the assumption that these numbers mean something to you?”
Cadance bit her lip. “It’s nothing,” she muttered as she turned from the wall and made her way to the back of the cave.
As she stared into the darkness, she saw the opening going deeper and deeper into the cave. She felt herself being pulled down, as though the darkness itself was wrapping around her. She jumped when she felt Luna’s hoof on her shoulder, and turned to see her aunt shimmering. All around her, the snowflakes drifted towards the mouth of the cave. A light began to shine behind Luna, and Cadance watched as the alicorn began to fade away.
“Niece,” Luna said as she pulled back, “look for the simplest answer. Seek the fear within, not the fear without.”
“Aunt Luna, I—”
Cadance was cut off once again as the slowly moving snowflakes sped up to normal speed and burst into points of light. The mouth of the cave brightened, the whiteness creeping into the dark. Piece by piece, the landscape around Cadance began to pull away and disappear into the light, until all that was left was the space on which she stood, which soon, too, disappeared.
Even before she opened her eyes, Cadance knew she was on the ice cold floor of the cave. Groaning, she placed a hoof on the floor and tried to pick herself up, only to slip and fall back down. She tried again, and this time her hooves found purchase. She opened her eyes, seeing only darkness, she lit her horn. With how tired she was, she managed only a faint glow. Still, it was enough to see where she was.
Cadance knew she hadn’t been this deep in the cave before, but she at least could feel that the upward incline to the entrance was behind her. Her ears perked when she realized that she didn’t even hear the wind blowing outside. Instead, she could have sworn she heard something hissing. It’s like a thousand tiny voices breathing, she thought as she took a step back. As her hoof hit the floor, she stumbled on a rock. Her hooves landed with loud clopping noises as she tried to keep her balance. The moment she became steady again, she twisted her head around to listen for the hissing again.
Everything was silent.
Cadance suddenly felt the coldness around her. It reached through her fur and clutched at her bones. How can cold burn, she wondered as her teeth chattered. She dimmed her horn as much as she could without engulfing herself in total darkness. There has to be a reason for the hissing to have stopped, she thought as she tried to look further into the darkness.
She felt her shoulders tighten and her neck grow stiff. All around her, the darkness encroached further, inch by inch, until Cadance felt it right on her fur. Even then, her horn’s light continued to fade, as though the darkness itself was pulling the light away from her.
As the shadows wavered on the wall, Cadance noticed a peculiar dark spot. She craned her neck forward and saw an image—a stick figure of a pony—but the glow of her horn was too faint to make out any details.
Behind her, Cadance heard the sound of a fire starting. She looked back and saw that she was a hundred meters from light. Shiny, Cadance thought, smiling for the first time since waking up. She took a step forward, but stopped.
The hissing had started again.
The sound was all around her, echoing through the cave. She turned back to face the darkness, only to see eyes—hundreds of glowing eyes—staring back at her. Cadance bit her lip to prevent a cry from escaping, and she darkened her horn completely. She felt each hoof as she walked backward up towards the light. As she retreated, the eyes continued to stare back, the occasional hissing seeping into her ears. Cadance thought she saw their eyes draw closer and closer. The hissing grew louder and louder until the sound echoed even inside her mind. Her eyes shot in every direction. Shiny’s up there, she thought, Shiny will protect me. Shiny will protect me.
Cadance tumbled, and as she did, a scream tore forth from her lips. The eyes in front of her disappeared. The hissing morphed into loud shrieks and Cadance felt wind flow through the cave once more. She looked around and saw that she was back at the mouth of the cave, the glowing fire now sat beside her. She glanced around the room and saw a silhouette at the mouth of the cave.
“S-Shiny?” Cadance asked as she stood up.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” Flash Sentry replied as he made his way inside. “I was preparing camp to look for you.”
Cadance swallowed the lump in her throat as she looked over the guard. She sighed and looked back at the cave passage she had just tripped out of. The eyes were gone, as was the hissing. All she saw was darkness.
“Your Highness?”
The wind from outside flowed through the cave. Even with the frigid air, however, Cadance didn’t shiver this time. She took a deep breath, turned to Flash Sentry, and nodded. Flash Sentry bowed and took a bottle out of a small satchel.
“Captain Armor advised me to keep this on me at all times during my rounds,” he said, holding out the bottle. “I wasn’t sure why, but now I—”
“Don’t tell Shiny,” Cadance said as she levitated the bottle to her lips.
“I would never betray Her Highness’s trust,” Flash Sentry replied, lowering his head as though embarrassed Cadance even had to ask such a thing.
Cadance finished the contents of the bottle and felt the energy return to her body. She took a step closer to Flash Sentry, who bowed once more. A white light surrounded the two of them, and a moment later, they were gone.
Silence settled once again. In the recesses of the cave, a pair of eyes opened, then another and another, until there were so many that it looked like a sky full of stars in the dead of night.
Day Two: Marechel De Notrecheval
The bookcases of the Crystal Empire Library glistened in the late afternoon light. Each sunbeam reflected off of the books themselves, sending ray after ray of light bouncing through the cavernous room. It was near closing time, and with the exception of the librarian, there was only one other pony still there.
Cadance tapped her hoof against the table and glanced out the window. She stared at the two griffon statues that stood on the steps of the Crystal Empire Library. Why do we have griffons on pedestals instead of ponies, she wondered as she shook her head and glanced back down at the book in her hooves.
“The History of the Crystal Empire,” Cadance muttered as she flipped the page. “Medieval jousting practices, no… farming and sheep husbandry, no… urgh!” She slammed the book shut and placed her head in her hooves. “This is impossible.”
Cadance stayed still for a moment. There has to be something here about Sombra, she thought as she glanced at a bookcase across the room. Her gaze crossed over to each bookcase she had already looked over for any hint about the history of the shadowy figure. As the sun slowly lowered on the horizon, the shadows behind the bookcases elongated until they reached the edge of the wall, where they bent and started to climb up towards the ceiling. Cadance narrowed her eyes but continued to watch, unable to tear her eyes away from the sight.
“You’ve been here all day, Your Highness.”
Cadance yelped and jerked her head back, only to find an elderly mare standing before her. The mare’s eyes widened in shock at having frightened the princess, but she quickly regained her composure. She adjusted her glasses and looked down at the floor.
“I am terribly sorry for having disturbed you,” she whispered.
Cadance wrapped a hoof around the librarian’s shoulder.
“No, don’t be afraid, Missus Maresbury,” Cadance replied as gently as possible. “I was just… caught in the moment is all.” The alicorn smiled as gently as possible, her mind racing with images of her Aunt Celestia giving comfort to her own subjects. Seeing how the librarian reacted, Cadance wondered if she would ever learn how to do it properly. “Thank you for pulling me out of my little daydream.”
“Please, just called me Amethyst,” the mare replied as she glanced over the pile of books Cadance had accumulated. “Still brushing up on the Crystal Empire history, I see.”
“Well, I was actually looking for information about—”
Cadance stopped and mentally slapped herself on the forehead. Of course she wouldn’t know about it.
“Is something the matter, Your Highness?”
“It’s nothing you need concern yourself with, Amethyst.” She attempted her aunt’s smile once more, waiting for the librarian to go away, but she became more nervous as the mare glanced at the pile of books again.
“You’re trying to learn about… him… aren’t you?”
Cadance stammered, but her eyes gave her away. Amethyst closed her mouth and nodded.
“I may be old, and my eyeglasses may be thick, but I can still see what is right in front of me.” Amethyst grabbed the large tome on the desk. “I’ve been watching you all day, if you don’t mind me saying.”
“Amethyst, are you sure you are okay talking about this?” Cadance asked.
“Sombra is gone,” Amethyst replied with a smile. “I saw you destroy him myself.”
Cadance’s lips drew tight at Amethyst’s words. She nodded her head in agreement and hoped the mare didn’t see past her facade. At that moment, her stomach rumbled, causing Amethyst to break into a fit of laughter. Soon, Cadance found herself laughing in chorus with the mare.
“My, my, it seems somepony’s empty.”
Cadance’s smile faded. “I guess I have been here for a while,” she replied after a pregnant pause.
“Let me get some crystal berries from my office, and then I will take you to the archives containing some of the new books I’ve organized from what I’ve managed to find.”
The two made their way to the office, and when Amethyst emerged with a small bag in tow, they continued towards the archives. As they passed by more and more bookshelves, Cadance noticed that they traveled farther away from the main hall and that fewer rays of light reached them. Finally, they reached a large door tucked away in the corner of the library, shrouded in shadows.
“I haven’t finished organizing them yet,” Amethyst said. “But I did manage to find some books dated to the time of Princess Amore.” Amethyst’s hoof reached to the doorknob just as she mentioned the previous ruler’s name. “My, has it really been a thousand years?”
“Amethyst?” Cadance asked.
“So much time filled with empty space you simply cannot retrieve.”
“Missus Maresbury?”
Amethyst shook her head. “I’m sorry dear, I was lost in thought.” She laughed. “Looks like this library does that to both of us, doesn’t it?”
Cadance blushed at the mention of the word dear. The door opened, and Amethyst proceeded into the darkness. Cadance hesitated for a moment before lighting her horn and following the librarian. As soon as the door closed, Cadance heard the sound of a match being struck. Amethyst walked around the perimeter of the room and lit the torches, one by one. Cadance’s nose twitched at the smell of musty books and dried wood.
“Not the most efficient way of lighting the archives, I’m sure,” Cadance said as she glanced at the smaller collection of bookshelves.
“Nor the safest,” Amethyst added. “We did request a grant to update the archives, however.”
“I will be sure to expedite that request.”
“Thank you ever so much, dear.”
“Aunt Celestia used to call me that,” Cadance said absentmindedly.
“My apologies.”
“Don’t be,” Cadance replied, smiling sincerely for the first time that day.
Amethyst returned the smile and turned to one of the bookshelves. “Here, you will find a great selection of books written by Princess Amore herself, detailing her negotiations with nearby nations at the time.” Amethyst turned back to Cadance, the light of the flames flickering on her glasses and obscuring her eyes. “In fact, we had such good relations with the griffons that they contributed a lot of books to us to help start this library. Hence, the reason they stand in front of the library.”
Cadance nodded and glanced over the books. One book in particular caught her attention; it sat on the bottom shelf, its binding beginning to unravel. She lifted it delicately in her telekinetic grasp. She held it to her muzzle and blew off the dust.
“In Regards To Negotiations With The Umbrum.” Cadance looked up to Amethyst, who shrunk back in fear.
“I see you found it,” Amethyst whispered in a hushed tone that could be confused for reverence had Cadance not known the mare was terrified of the contents. “I haven’t had the chance to rebind that one, yet.”
Cadance tried not to raise an eyebrow, though she did suspect the librarian was lying. Amethyst continued to back away until she bumped into another bookcase, causing a book to fall off of the top. It landed with a thud, causing Amethyst to jump back.
“What the?” Amethyst wondered as she bent down to pick up the book. “I don’t remember seeing you. What were you doing up there?” she asked the book as though expecting a response. She brushed off the cover and read the title. “Oh, I see,” she replied to herself with a huff.
“What is it?” Cadance asked.
“Marechel De Notrecheval,” Amethyst replied. “A… contemporary… of Starswirl the Bearded. But whereas Starswirl focused on the practical applications of magic, Marechel trended towards the more… mystical… aspects of it.” She spat out the word as though it left a bad taste on her tongue.
“What’s wrong with that?” Cadance asked as she grabbed the book, genuinely curious.
“What she writes about is stuff and nonsense,” Amethyst said. “blabber and gabble written so that two ponies can interpret it three ways. She had to write this book while exiled in griffon lands.” The mare tapped a hoof to her chin. “In fact, that’s when she changed her name.”
“What was it before?” Cadance asked, earning a shrug from Amethyst.
Cadance looked at the two books floating in front of her. The book written by Queen Amore was bound by thin pieces of wood, but the book written by Notrecheval was bound by—
“Is this leather?” Cadance shouted with a grimace.
“Towards the end of her life, Marechel became a bit… touched in the head, so to speak,” Amethyst said before pointing to the book. “I know I’m going to regret telling you this, but her quatrains in the later centuries focused on shadows. Some ponies even said it predicted the rise of—” Amethyst stopped speaking and grimaced.
“I’d like to check out both of these books, if you don’t mind,” Cadance said.
“I figured as much,” Amethyst heaved a sigh as she started blowing out the torches. “If I may ask, Your Highness—puff—given the subject matter you have become fascinated with—puff—is there something your subjects should be concerned with, dear?” With each puff of breath, another light went out. She reached the final torch and blew it out, and the room was engulfed in darkness. She stood at the entrance, her silhouette lit by the remaining rays of evening light that shone behind her.
Cadance shook her head as she reached the door. “Think of it as taking precautions,” Cadance said as she placed her hoof on Amethyst’s shoulder again. “I want to know what he was so that I can ensure that history does not repeat itself.”
Amethyst closed the door to the archives and rummaged through her bag. She pulled out a few crystal berries and offered some to Cadance, who smiled, lit her horn, and plucked a few from the assortment. As they began to walk back to the main room, Amethyst opened her mouth to speak, but stopped herself on a few occasions.
“Your Highness?” Amethyst asked.
“Yes?”
“Is the prince doing all right?”
Cadance’s eye twitched. Her horn flickered for a moment, and the books dropped a few inches before she caught herself and saved the tomes from falling to the floor. She looked the elderly mare over and found herself drawn to the librarian’s smile. Just like Auntie’s, she thought, maybe it’s an age thing. Cadance thought back through the past few months. Ever since that day. She shook her head. No, she thought, you are the princess of love. She glanced over one more time and bit her lip, her resolve deteriorating the more she saw Amethyst’s careworn features.
“Amethyst, I—”
The clock tower in the distance rang just as the sun finally sank below the horizon. The two reached the front desk just as the bell finished its sixth chime. In the main area, the torches began to light automatically as the darkness touched each sconce.
“I need to be going, Amethyst,” Cadance said. “But thank you so much for the books.”
Amethyst glanced over the rim over her glasses, considered the princess for a moment, and then closed her eyes and sighed.
“Don’t mention it,” Amethyst. “If there is anything you wish to talk about, I am here.”
Cadance mulled over the words for a moment, but before she could say anything, Amethyst spoke up once more.
“Lazuli used to be like you,” she said.
“Who?” Cadance asked.
“My husband,” She glanced up and shook her head, as though thinking back. “He used to always be in his head.” She sighed wistfully. “But that was a long time ago, before…” She waved her hoof in the air. “We always find pieces of those we love in others. No matter how briefly a pony is in your life, they will always be a part of it.”
The two mares jerked their heads at the sound of a door knocking. Cadance’s horn glowed and the door flew open, revealing her personal guard. Flash Sentry walked into the library and bowed to the princess.
“Your Highness, you requested me to arrive once the library was closed.”
“Yes, thank you.” Cadance turned to Amethyst. “And thank you for the books… and the advice.” After checking out the books, Cadance turned back to Flash Sentry and looked behind him. In the distance, the castle jutted out against the horizon like a mountain. The moon began to rise just behind it, giving the illusion that the moonlight itself caused the castle to rise.
“I do believe that tonight calls for a walk back to the castle.”
The princess and the guard headed out, and as soon as they were on the steps, they heard the door behind them shut and the lock click closed. The pair made their way towards the castle, their hooves echoing through the empty streets.
Shining Armor levitated a lit match and brought it to each wick on the table and nearby vanity. The kitchen staff had already brought in the dinner he had requested, and it sat beneath the dome of a silver serving dish. The stallion levitated a knife in front of him and narrowed his eyes at his reflection when he saw a small spot on the utensil. He looked down at the table, levitated a cloth napkin, and polished the knife before setting both back down.
The sound of hooves outside their bedchambers caught Shining Armor’s attention. He nodded, glanced towards the corner of the room, where a phonograph stood. He focused his concentration, and the key twisted around and around, setting the record in motion. The needle inched over and came to rest on top of the record, and the soft notes of the violins began to rise through the room. He took a deep breath, turned to the door, and gave a small grin as it opened.
“I’m sorry I’m late, Shiny,” Cadance said softly as she walked into the room. “I just—”
The princess stopped in her tracks and looked around the room. When she glanced at the table, she saw an old photograph of the two at their wedding reception. As Shining Armor lifted the dome off of the platter, Cadance sniffed the air as a smiled crept up her muzzle.
“Spiced carrots and penne with tossed spinach.” Shining Armor smirked as he set the cover off to the side. “I thought you would enjoy something familiar.”
“Oh, Shiny,” Cadance cooed as she trotted to her husband and gave him a peck on the cheek. “I can’t believe you remembered.”
Shining Armor held Cadance’s cheeks in his hooves and kissed her. Cadance shivered at his touch, and Shining Armor slowly traced his hooves down her neck. When she tilted her neck to the side, he took it as an invitation to continue his kisses along where his hooves once were. He started nibbling on her fur, but the moment he did, Cadance gasped and pulled away.
“I… I’m sorry,” Shining Armor said.
“No, don’t be,” Cadance replied as she took a step back and rubbed a hoof on her neck. “I just—I just need to freshen up a bit, is all.”
Cadance gave Shining Armor a faint smile before shrugging off her saddlebags and heading to the bathroom. The moment the door closed, Shining Armor went to a nearby sidebar to pour himself and Cadance a glass of wine. His horn glowed, and the cork slowly came undone, popping off of the bottleneck and falling to the floor. He rolled his eyes and bent down to pick it up, only to noticed that Cadance’s saddlebags were slightly open. He glanced towards the bathroom door and shrugged his shoulders as he lifted the flap. Shining Armor scowled the moment he saw what was inside.
One the other side of the door, Cadance splashed some cold water on her face and checked her reflection in the mirror. Wow, she thought, I do look tired. Above the din of running water, Cadance could hear the music as it floated through her bedchambers. Even though the door was closed, she could still smell the aroma of the freshly cooked food her husband had brought for her. As Cadance washed her hooves, she felt her wedding band on her hoof. I can’t believe he still remembers, she wondered, thinking back to their honeymoon.
“Welcome to Falls View,” the hostess said with a gentle smile. “Is this your first time dining here?”
“We’re here under the reservation for Armor, Miss Charm,” Shining Armor replied, glancing down at the mare’s name tag.
Charm’s eyes widened as she glanced at Cadance’s wings. “Oh, of course!” she exclaimed. “How could I not have known. Of—of course! Please follow me.”
The newlyweds were seated in a secluded part of the restaurant. Cadance looked out the panoramic window and took in the sight. Neighagra Falls towered before them, sending torrents of water tumbling down below. The lights reflected off of the waterfall, giving the appearance of a wall whose paint was continually moving.
Moments later, a waiter came by with their meal they had already ordered. As soon as Cadance saw the meal, she squealed with delight.
“Spiced carrots?” she asked. “And penne with tossed spinach? Shiny, how did you remember the meal we had on our first date?”
Shining Armor shrugged and gave a smirk. “I remember everything when I’m with you.”
“Like how nervous you were when you first said ‘hi’?” Cadance asked, laughing when Shining Armor blushed. “I love you, Shiny.”
“I love you, Cady.”
Shining Armor reached out his hoof. Cadance smiled and reached out her own, but the moment her hoof met his, it felt like she had touched fire.
Cadance gasped and shook her head. She looked around and realized she was still in her bathroom, staring at her own reflection. The faucet’s hot water was still running and a steady stream of steam flowed over her hooves into the sink. Cadance pulled her hooves away from the scalding water and blinked and few times before using her magic to turn the knob off. As she set her hoof on the floor, she winced as the burned hoof touched the cold tile. Once the aroma of the food on the other side of the door filled her nostrils again, however, Cadance smiled and headed out. When she opened the door, she saw Shining Armor standing at the balcony door, staring off into the distance and sipping from a wine glass.
“Shiny?” Cadance asked.
“You didn’t take your Somnia tonic last night.”
Cadance took a step back and glanced over to the table, where she saw the vial sitting next to the opened bottle of wine. Her eyes widened when she saw a pair of books on the other side of the bottle. She tried to force herself to speak, but nothing would come out.
“Those books aren’t going to help, you know,” Shining Armor continued as he took another sip of wine.
“Shiny, there is something going on,” Cadance replied. “I know it.”
The way Shining Armor’s head twisted towards Cadance made her jump. The moment her forehooves landed, she grit her teeth. Shining Armor set down the glass and made his way towards her.
“Let’s at least have dinner,” Shining Armor suggested. “We can have a conversation while we eat. You need to eat, Cadance.”
Cadance nodded and looked down at the food in front of her. Just like at Falls View, she thought as she levitated a fork. She smiled as she took a bite. It’s gotten cold, she thought as the smile left her muzzle, how long was I daydreaming? Still, her stomach rumbled, so she continued to eat. As she finished her plate, she finally noticed that Shining Armor had been watching her intently the entire time.
“You were in there for a while,” Shining Armor commented.
“Shiny?” she asked, not quite hearing what he said.
“I agree with you that there is something going on,” Shining Armor said, ignoring his previous statement. “And I want you to be honest with me.”
“What?” Cadance asked.
“Look,” Shining Armor sighed. “I know you must be going through a lot right now.” He took a seat in front of his plate. “Running an empire is not easy, especially in the beginning.”
Cadance leaned back in her seat. “You think that is why I’m worried?” she asked. “Have you been listening to a single word I said?”
“King Sombra is not in those mountains, Cadance!”
Shining Armor clenched his eyes shut and prepared to slam his hoof onto the table. He froze with his hoof inches from the surface and gasped. He opened his eyes and looked up pleadingly at Cadance. Shining Armor glanced down at his hoof and cradled it in his other hoof.
“I found a doctor,” Shining Armor continued as he composed himself. “He knows about discretion, so we won’t have to worry about this getting to the citizens.”
Cadance felt her stomach turn. Her eyes darted back and forth, unable to tell for sure whether what she was seeing was real.
“Why won’t you believe me?” Cadance asked.
“Because it’s not possible,” Shining Armor replied. “We both saw him explode that day and—”
“But umbrum regenerate, Shiny.” Cadance levitated the books over to her as Shining Armor sat dumbfounded. She flipped the books open and began to read. “When Princess Amore wrote In Regards To Negotiations With The Umbrum, she mentioned specifically about how difficult it was to defend the Crystal Empire in the early days due to the ability of the umbrum to regenerate. They had to be defeated by pure light.”
“Cadance,” Shining Armor asked. “Isn’t the energy from the Crystal Heart pure light?”
“I thought so, too,” Cadance said, glad that her husband was finally listening. “But if you look at Marechel De Notrecheval’s works, you get a prophecy, and—”
“Prophecy?” Shining Armor asked, unimpressed.
Cadance knew was losing him. She could see the way he rolled his eyes and shook his head. Please, Cadance prayed, please, just listen for a while longer.
“She divided her quatrains by ‘ages’.” Cadance slowly opened the leather-bound book. Shining Armor glanced over to the potion, then back to her. Cadance reached out to grab his hoof before he turned away. “Please?” she begged. “Just hear what I have to say.”
The last part sounded like the whimper of a dying animal. Shining Armor frowned, closed his eyes, and slowly nodded. Cadance smiled weakly and turned back to the book.
When thine heart’s pure light is broken
Even the shadow’s smallest thorn
Shall one day find a way in
The shadow shall be reborn
Cadance looked up from the book, her expression hopeful. However, the moment she saw Shining Armor’s expression, all of the hope faded. Shining Armor’s expression was cold as he stood up from the chair and made his way to the door. The doorframe turned red as he began to open the door with his magic.
“I’m getting the doctor,” he said.
The aura around the doorframe turned blue; the door slammed shut. Shining Armor turned around and saw Cadance glaring back at him, her horn aglow.
“No,” she replied, he face unflinching.
Shining Armor’s gaze narrowed. The doorframe turned red again.
“You need help.”
“Then why aren’t you helping me?”
“I am helping you!”
The voices grew louder as their horns grew brighter and competed with the music that continued to play. The door behind them continued to shimmer from red to blue, the wood creaking with each change of color. Cadance saw the door begin to bend, and knew that the two of them were loud enough for anypony outside to hear, but she no longer cared.
“Fine!” she screamed. “If you won’t help me find Sombra, I’ll find him myself!”
The moment she shouted the last word,cracks of light splintered the door and it burst into a thousand pieces. Shards of wood landed on her fur, piercing her skin. She started to scream but felt Shining Armor’s hooves wrap around her and pull her away. She landed on the bed and gathered herself just in time to see Shining Armor’s horn glow once more as he let go of her. A small, rose-colored bubble formed around her. She reached out to tap the bubble her husband had just made.
“Shiny…” Cadance begged. “Shiny, please.”
Shining Armor galloped to the ruined doorway. Before he left, he turned back to her, tears streaming down his muzzle.
“I’m doing this for your own good, Cadance.”
Shining Armor galloped away, leaving the princess sobbing on the bed. Cadance looked over to the table at the plate of uneaten food that Shining Armor had only picked at. The two books now lay sprawled out on the ground, pages missing. Maybe I am crazy, Cadance thought, sniffling into her hoof.
Next to the bed, the phonograph’s music began to fade. For a moment, everything was quiet. Cadance glanced around the room, noting the wreckage once more—dinner plates lay shattered on the floor, pieces of wood wound along the tile, missing pages with words now devoid of context—and her lip quivered. She glanced towards the open balcony door. At that moment, the next song began to play. The strings echoed mournfully throughout the room, and she slowly turned to the phonograph.
Shades of night are falling, and I’m lonely…
Cadance’s ears twitched as the mare’s contralto voice began to waft through her bedchambers. There was a sound at the balcony, and she twisted her head back just in time to see something cross along her vision just outside. Her body shook the moment she realized what had just passed by.
Guess I’ll wind up like I always do, with only…
Me… and my shadow…
“S-Shiny?” Cadance whispered, wanting desperately to move, but for some reason, was unable to do so. She tapped against the bubble, praying that it wasn’t a soundproof one. “Can anypony hear me?” Cadance pounded on the bubble. “Please?” she cried. “Please, please, please!”
She saw it again. It was just another flash, but she knew what it was—it was a shadow.
But when it's twelve o'clock… we climb the stair…
We never knock… cause nopony’s there…
She stopped pounding on the bubble the moment she saw the shadow return. It edged along the balcony, the darkness slowly seeping into the room until it touched the end of the bed. The moment the shadow touched Cadance’s tail, a tear fell from her eyelid and a cry broke from her lips. She glanced at the doorway to the hall once more, wishing desperately for her husband to return before the shadow fell upon her. As the shadow’s form edged inevitably near, Cadance finally closed her eyes. Why couldn’t you have just believed me? Cadance wondered as she sobbed into the bedsheets.
Just me and my shadow…
All alone and feeling blue…
Cadance heard tapping on the bubble. She opened her eyes and saw Flash Sentry standing at the end of the bed, his face stricken with worry.
“Your Highness,” the sergeant said. “Stay calm.”
“Y-you can hear me?” Cadance asked.
Flash Sentry nodded as he checked the perimeter. His helmet rocked back and forth with each shake of his head. “It’s muffled, but I heard you while on my first round.” The stallion looked down at the floor and took note of the destruction. “What attacked you?”
At the mention of the word attack, Cadance grew still. The moment Flash Sentry’s gaze met hers, her eyes glistened and she turned away. Cadance heard Flash Sentry pick up some of the broken plates and set them on the table. He sighed and made his way back to the balcony.
“I shouldn’t be here,” he said as he spread his wings to fly away.
“Don’t go!” The sergeant froze and turned back to the princess. Cadance sighed. “Sergeant Flash Sentry, what I tell you cannot leave this room.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
She pointed to the books. “I have reason to believe that Sombra is alive.” The pegasus’ eyes widened. “I can feel him inside, drawing near.” As Flash Sentry nodded, it only served to remind Cadance even more of her husband’s look of disbelief. As she continued, she felt tears begin to stream down her cheeks. “I have to get to the bottom of this, but I cannot do anything while trapped in here—I am defenseless. So please, stay.”
Flash Sentry nodded again, but when he did, his helmet nearly came off. Cadance watched as he struggled to keep his saddlebags balanced and narrowed her eyes when she heard a familiar clinking sound.
“If you must, you can leave your supplies on the sidebar,” Cadance suggested.
Flash Sentry emptied the pockets and set the flashlight, hoof knives, and the energy serum next to the books. He paused, turned his face up in disgust when he realized what bound the pages together, and then turned back to Cadance.
“Is there anything I can do?” Flash Sentry asked as he glanced around the room.
“Keep watch as I try to break through this defensive bubble,” Cadance replied, shutting her eyes.
In the darkness, the rhythm of Flash Sentry’s hooves grew even louder. Still, Cadance focused all of her energy on finding a weakness in her husband’s defensive magic. As she focused, she suddenly realized how tired she had become after so many sleepless nights. The hooves seemed to soothe her, and she felt her consciousness waver back and forth, as though she herself flew in between a dream not yet made and a memory not quite recalled.
“Would you like to repeat that, Cady?”
Cadance and Shining Armor sat on a picnic cloth atop a hill in near the borders of the Crystal Empire. In the distance, Cadance pointed to a family of crystal ponies watching over a flock of ewes. A mare and a stallion watching on—as did Cadance, in secret—while a small colt bounced up and down next to the ewes, pretending to bleat just like they did. The family shimmered in the afternoon light, hues of pink, blue, and green refracted off of their fur.
“Do you think they can really learn to love me?” she asked.
“Why would you even ask that, Cady?” Shining Armor asked as he leaned in and nuzzled Cadance’s neck.
Cadance leaned in. “I want them to know that I love them. I don’t want them to run away.” She frowned and looked down at the grass. “It’s just I always wonder if they truly love me or if they’re just glad I’m not Sombra.”
“Well,” Shining Armor replied with a cheeky grin. “I’m certainly glad you aren’t Sombra.” Shining Armor wrapped a foreleg around Cadance and leaned in to whisper in her ear. “I’m not exactly on board with the idea of chains.”
Cadance’s eyes widened. “Shiny, you stop that talk this instant.”
Try as she might, however, his reply sent her into a fit of giggles. She shook her head and glanced back out into the distance, but gasped when she saw the family once more. The mare’s and stallion’s fur had lost their luster, and the colt’s fur had grown dark. Cadance felt frozen when she saw the colt’s eyes stare back at her. The pupils began to grow, eating up the irises and expanding into the white, until all that was left were two black holes.
“Cady?” Shining Armor asked.
Cadance looked down at the foreleg wrapped around her shoulders and tried to suppress a scream when she saw that her husband’s once white fur had now turned to grey. Trembling, she turned to Shining Armor, only to see a pair of red eyes staring back at her. The stallion snarled, revealing a row of pointy teeth and a tendril-like tongue.
“What are you doing here?” Shining Armor shouted.
Cadance leaped up and opened her eyes in time to see Shining Armor charging through the room towards Flash Sentry.
“What are you doing here?” the captain asked again.
Cadance could see through the translucent bubble as Shining Armor stomped closer towards the pegasus. Though Flash Sentry tried to remain in as strong a stance as possible, it was clear from the slight tremors of his helmet that the stallion was shaking. The look of anger in Shining Armor’s eyes caused Cadance’s chest to burn. The sensation traveled down to her gut, releasing a heaviness that caused her to nearly vomit the dinner she had just eaten. As the anger grew inside of her, Cadance could see the cracks begin to form on the defensive bubble.
“Flash Sentry is here…” Cadance could feel herself growling in the depths of her throat as more cracks appeared. “Because… I told him to.”
“While performing my rounds, I found Her Highness incapacitated—”
“She was not incapacitated, sergeant,” Shining Armor replied, his eyes narrowing. “She was safe within my defensive magic.” He stomped a hoof. “Now, explain your—”
“Shiny, let me out!” Cadance shouted, as the bubble grew faint.
“After she advised me of the return of Som—”
“No!” Shining Armor bellowed. “No, stop!” the stallion turned his furious glare towards Cadance. “I told you that we had to keep this information a secret!” He pointed a hoof at Flash Sentry. “Why would you tell him?”
“Because…” Cadance shouted through gritted teeth. “He listened to me!”
The moment she shouted the last word, the bubble around her popped. Both stallions leaped back at Cadance’s outburst. Shining Armor backed against the table, sending it sliding across the room. Another plate crashed to the floor. Flash Sentry hit the nearby wall with a grunt. His helmet fell off, clanking against the tile floor and finally rolling over to the sidebar. The force was enough to send the phonograph needle sailing across the record with a screech.
None of the ponies moved. Outside, the wind from the Frozen North picked up speed, while inside, the sound of the needle at the end of the record emitted a tick every few seconds. Shining Armor finally broke the silence.
“Sergeant Sentry, return to your post immediately.” Shining Armor said coldly.
“Y-yes sir.” Flash Sentry stood at attention and saluted. He galloped to the balcony and prepared for flight.
Shining Armor looked down and noticed the helmet near his hooves. “Sergeant Sentry, your—” the captain paused for a moment as he levitated the helmet midair. His eyes darted back and forth and his eyes narrowed. He took a few methodical steps forward. “You forgot your helmet.”
Flash Sentry gasped and galloped to the captain to grab his missing piece of armor. He pulled it out of Shining Armor’s magical aura, but the captain didn’t move. Instead, he tightened his lips and turned his head slightly towards the sidebar. The vial rose through the air via his telekinetic grasp and levitated over to Flash Sentry.
“Your shift is only just beginning,” Shining Armor said. “And it’s getting colder out there.”
Flash Sentry saluted and immediately flew away into the night, leaving the royal couple alone once more. Shining Armor sighed, shook his head, and walked slowly to the phonograph. Rather than use his magic, he simply lifted the needle with his hoof and set it aside. He didn’t speak for a while, choosing instead to simply stare at the wall.
“I’m going back there,” Cadance said as she made her way to the books and placed them into her saddlebags. She waited for the demands to stop, but when Shining Armor didn’t say anything, she glanced behind her. “Aren’t you going to say anything?”
Shining Armor slowly turned away from the wall. His shoulders were hunched and his head hung lower than usual. Rather than look directly at her, Shining Armor’s gaze was cast to the side, in the direction of the balcony.
“…You don’t have to go, you know.” Shining Armor said in almost a whisper.
Cadance shook her head. Of course he still isn’t listening.
“Yes, I do,” She said as she flew out the window.
As Shining Armor watched his wife disappear into the night, a gust of wind blew into the room. An orange feather flew up from the floor and across the bed. His withers trembled. Shining Armor took a hesitant step towards the table, but stopped when he heard a crunching sound at his hoof. He looked down and saw the picture frame he had placed on the table, now with a deep spiderweb of cracks.
Shining Armor’s gaze grew dark. He took a deep breath and willed his horn to light. A bright white flash appeared, and a moment later, he was gone. Another gust of wind blew through the room. The photograph was pulled out of the picture frame. It flew in ever tightening circles around the room before the wind sucked it out through the balcony window, where it fluttered down the castle tower.
Flash Sentry made another pass around the perimeter of the castle. The wind was picking up, and as the pegasus squinted, he swore he could see a few stray snowflakes fluttering in the distance.
“It’s too early in the year for snow inside the empire,” he muttered to himself as he banked left.
As he approached the mezzanine just above the bedchamber windows, he swore he saw a flash of light coming from inside. He bit his lip, but invariably shook his head as he landed on the small platform above the balcony. Flash Sentry ruffled his feathers and swished his tail back and forth, brushing away the errant dust and dirt that had managed to collect on the mezzanine before he took a seat.
Flash Sentry took in the cityscape vista before him: the buildings glistened in the moonlight, the streets ran black and empty, and in the distance, the clocktower face glowed as bright as the moon itself.
“Just about one-thirty,” he mumbled to himself as he struggled to suppress a yawn. “Still another six and a half hours to go.”
Flash Sentry waited another moment before standing to his hooves. He reached into his saddlebags and pulled out his vial of energy serum. A breeze blew by, sending a chill up his spine as he unstopped the cork and drank the potion in one gulp. He set everything aside, readjusted his armor and helmet, and took to flight.
As he scanned the ground and the air, Flash Sentry smiled as the warm liquid ran through his system. The wind must have stopped, because he no longer felt its biting cold on his fur. The crystal buildings began to glow even brighter, their edges glistening like stars. The moon, too, continued to grow, until it’s pale, white light took up all of his vision. A gentle breeze ran through his feathers, and Flash Sentry started to laugh softly at the sensation. His hooves tingled, and as his eyes began to close, he swore he could feel himself being wrapped up in the wings of Luna herself.
The clock tower rang the two chimes to signify the half-hour. At this time of night, there were no other ponies around to see the orange pegasus fall to the ground like a piece of amber. The second chime’s echo finally silenced. The only other sound in the night was that of a heavy thud as Flash Sentry’s sleeping body landed on the road.
