Pearl made way through the castle of Canterlot, silently wondering if anypony had actually found some kind of lead they weren't yet sharing, because she sure hadn't. She briefly focused her attention on the map, deciding on a path that lead to a particularly large room. She had a suspicion what it might be, but she'd hold off on sharing her thoughts for now.

Even if temptations did arise...“Anypony found anything?” Storm sounded downright bored. Nothing new there.

“I found a bathroom,” spoke Swift, “does that count?”

“No.”

“Well I say it counts, I really had to go!”

“Somepony's gotta say it,” began Terra's entrance into the conversation, “this mission is looking like a big waste of time.”

“I concur,” Blueblood added. “Why exactly is Daybreak in charge, again?”

“Because,” began Daybreak, “I know a spell that'll make your bowls let go.”

Silence fell, and Pearl could have sworn she heard Blueblood's voice attempt to break free, but was cut off. Clearly Blueblood had not been expecting that response. Then again, nopony probably did.

Though one didn't seem very surprised. Swift chuckled. “Bet that's handy for getting out of things. 'Yeah, sorry, can't make it. I got a wicked case of the trots'. Nopony asks questions after that.”

Pearl smirked. “Daybreak knows that all too well.”

Though laden with some embarrassment, Daybreak's chuckle was honest. “That is true.”

“Wait...” The wheels were clearly turning in Blueblood's head. “When you couldn't make it to the Commander's speech, you did it to yourself!?”

“In my defence,” not that Daybreak seemed very interested in giving it, “his speeches were always boring.”

Pearl smiled. “Preach.”

Blueblood...was probably not smiling. “...you know, the end of the world wasn't looking so bad. Then I remembered who I'm stuck with.”

“Trust me, Blue, I know your pain.”

“Hold up!” The fury in Terra's voice could scorch the surface of the sun. “When you promised to help me with the Bugbear, you-”

“NO! That time I really was sick, I swear!” Daybreak's sudden terror was only too well founded. “I ate Autumn Breeze's cooking! I wasn't the only one! It took down eight of us!”

“He ain't lying,” injected Swift, “only reason it wasn't more is because somepony spilled the pot.” Pearl suddenly got the image of Swift looking very pleased with himself. ”No need to thank me, I commit my acts of heroism in secret.”

Pearl couldn't help but laugh. “Our ever humble Batmare.”

“Batmare? You implying a stallion can't be a hero?”

“Oh for crying out loud, Swift.” Pearl felt her temples start to throb, memories of a pointless dialogue stinging her mind. “I am not having a discussion like this with you, again.”

“And I'm not listening again.” Terra sighed. “Let it go, Swift.”

♫I am Trotam's darkest knight, the villain's darkest fright, turn on the signal light, for Bat-♫

“SWIFT!”

“What? Don't like the song? I've got more!”

“No you don't!” Daybreak's tone was not to be challenged. “Conversation over! Everypony, get back to work!”

Blueblood's own tone was much the same. “And if Swift starts singing again, somepony buck him!”

With that all conversation ended. Pearl smiled to herself, slightly. Daybreak and Blueblood... not much had changed, really...

With a *clink* accompanying her every step, Pearl was making her way to the Crystal Empire, a fresh batch of crystals her light burden. She had a delivery to make, Crystal University wanted some very specific types of crystals, and her family grew the best around (anypony foolish enough to state otherwise tended not to be concious too long). It was a bit odd to think about, that once upon a time, Crystals had been considered nothing more than the product of magic (used mostly for jewellery), but such a thing was truly hard to grasp. These days, Crystals were the backbone of society in many a way, they were used in so much that made society run, it would be easier to list the things that didn't make use of them in one way or another.

“Hm?”

Darkness, on the horizon.

Strange, it didn't look like a storm. With new purpose in her step, Pearl moved into a gallop, headed up a hill, reaching up to-she gasped.

That was no storm, it was-she didn't have the words. It was a mass of darkness, like a veil covering reality. Beyond the borders of the empire, it spread out, beyond where Pearl's eyes could see. It was making way into the empire, pushing forward against the light.

She knew this light, she only ever saw it once a year, but she knew it. The light of the Crystal Heart. It lit the parts of the empire that had not been consumed, but as bright as it was, it was giving ground against the darkness, which only grew closer to the heart of the light, the Heart of Crystal.

The light went out.

Like snuffing out a candle, the light of the Heart was no more.

“No...NO!” She rushed forward, she had friends in the empire, family! She had to save them, she had to-!

She slammed to a halt, as a flash of light appeared before her, joined with a *Thud*. Two stallions had hit the ground, getting to their feet. One, orange with a mane like fire, the other white with blonde mane. Both wore a matching eyepiece over a single eye, and saddlebags on their backs. The orange pony spoke first.

“Dammit! Not even the Heart stopped it! What is that thing!?”

The white stallion took a step forward. “Whatever it is, it wants us.”

“The records don't mention it targeting anypony so far. Maybe we're imagining it.”

“No. It wanted us.” The while stallion stomped the ground. “It's getting us.”

“What are you-?”

“This is Broad Sword,” spoke-wait, was that voice coming from the eyepieces? “Evacuation complete.”

Apparently it was, or the orange pony was talking to no-one. “This is Daybreak. How many were saved?”

“About seventy percent. The rest refused to leave, they thought the heart would defend them.”

“And a lot of good that did them,” he uttered, intending to do so under his breath, but it was quite audible. “Understood, we'll be with you shortly.” He took a step forward himself, looking out at the end of an Empire. “Damn...”

Like a light slowly being extinguished from the world, they watched as the darkness made further way across the Empire. The Empire, without its light, was soon overcome by the oncoming darkness, like a wall of black obscuring the once great Empire from view.

The Crystal Empire had fallen into darkness.

“Wh-what's happening?”

With that, the two were finally altered to Pearl's presence. The white stallion quickly turned away, with Daybreak's expression turning to sympathy.

“Sorry to inform you, but we got a big problem. Something is making way across Equestria, and anywhere it goes, well,” he signalled to the vanished Empire, “that's the result. We haven't found a way to stop it. Hay, we haven't even got a name for it. We're evacuating everypony around these parts, if you got family, we've probably saved them, unless...” He didn't need to utter the words.

The term 'evacuation' quickly came to mind, it wasn't completely too late! “My immediate family lives that way.” She pointed back the way she came. “We own a Crystal Mine around here.”

He turned from her, seeming to shout out to nopony. “Broad! There's a Crystal Mine nearby! Have you evacuated it yet?”

“Negative. The owners are refusing to come, they insist on finding their daughter first.”

“Tell 'em we've got her. She's with me and Blueblood. Hang on, I'll send you a picture.” Daybreak glanced at her for a second, and Pearl somehow felt her snapshot being taken. “Show them that if they have doubts. Daybreak out.” He offered her a small smile. “Don't worry, they're safe. Which may be more than I can say for us if...” He looked out towards mass of darkness, which was definitely a bit closer than just a moment ago. The darkness was coming, or to put it more accurately; it was coming.

Daybreak turned to his partner. “Blueblood, time to go.”

“No.”

“Blue, it's coming this way! We gotta go, now!”

Blueblood took a defiant stride forward. “No! I'm staying! I'm fighting to the end!”

“You better mean that! If you stay it is your end We've lost, Blue! Now we gotta run or we're next!”

Blueblood briefly turned to look at his charge. “If you're a coward, you can run.” He turned away. “I'm going to honor my ancestors.”

“You stubborn mutt!” Daybreak's horn ignited, his saddlebag opening to release a stone-like object, Blueblood's doing the same. The one from Daybreak's bag made way to Pearl, who took it out of the air. She looked down at it, not quite sure what it was, as Daybreak walked up behind Blueblood, Blueblood's on stone making way to him, both it and her own starting to glow.

“Blue, this is an order, you're coming back with me!”

He grabbed Blueblood, as both stones glowed brighter. Blueblood noticed the stone-“You son of a-!”

With a flash of light, the outskirts of the Em-, former Empire changed, becoming the-actually, Pearl wasn't sure, but the walls were clearly made of metal. She didn't have time to ponder, as Blueblood threw Daybreak to the ground, seething wise palpable rage. “Damn you, Daybreak!”

The glare he received was no less angry. “You wanna go a round, pretty colt!?” That remark was met with a hoof, and Daybreak met the floor. Ignoring the forming black-eye, he leapt up. “You piece of-” Daybreak's insult was cut off, as he ducked another punch, grasping the offending limb in magic and throwing Blueblood over his shoulder. He bucked at his downed foe, finding-”What the-!?” His hooves were caught, and it was his turn to be thrown, across the room by a mixture of physical strength and magic, slamming him against a wall. Blueblood's horn ignited, letting loose a teal beam.

It met a gold shied, to Blueblood's apparent shock. Daybreak glared. “Bad idea, Blue.” Daybreak rushed across the room, a loud roar echoing off the walls. Blueblood grinned, his own horn flaring.

Daybreak vanished in a flash.

For just an instant.

Daybreak dropped from the air, landing right on Blueblood's back. As the blonde-maned pony attempted to throw his foe off, Daybreak's horn let loose what seemed to be a rope. It touched Bludblood's horn, covering it in gold as the rope divided and spread, wrapping up and taking Blueblood down. Blueblood struggled in vain, his horn body completely bound.

“I just saved your idiotic hide! Now shut up and be grateful!” Under the gold, Blueblood's horn briefly flashed. “This day's lost Blueblood! We'll have another. We charge in blind, we fail!” Blueblood's horn flashed again as he struggled harder. “The victorious win before they wage war!”

“Oh, you read Sun Strew now!”

“It applies. Use your head, you know I'm right.”

Blueblood stopped moving for a moment, as if in thought. With a deep breath, he nodded. Daybreak took that to mean he could free his operative. Blueblood got to his feet, and after a few seconds Daybreak finally released his horn. Both suddenly seemed to remember that Pearl was actually present. They both turned turned to face her, Daybreak spoke first.

“Proper introductions are in order.” He smiled. “Daybreak Flare.”
“Blueblood.”

“Pearl Sheen.”

Pearl came before her destination, pushing the door before her open. The room before was-

Whoh.

It was something to see.

Pearl gazed upon the expanse that was the room before her, every window casting different shades of light on the floor. The throne room. Has to be.

Only the scale of the room indicated that. If there were ever thrones here, they had been removed long ago. Pearl made way through the hall, rows of windows on either side, each different, each-“Whoh...”

“Pearl?” came Daybreak's enquiry, “What have you found?”

“The throne room, and the windows,” her sight darted between them, “it's like history written in glass. Take a look.” Sight Share Activated

It was a few seconds before Daybreak spoke. “The Murals. In older times, Canterlot used stained-glass windows to mark monumental occasions.” Pearl's eyes continued to travel between windows, each one showing-“Wait, go back one!” Pearl stopped, focusing on a window with six mares, each emitting light, keeping another mare locked in a sphere above. “That purple unicorn...I saw her, in the chronicle. Though she was Alicorn there.... She was an Element of Magic. I swear I know her from somewhere else... Never mind.” Pearl continued moving between windows as she walked, each one telling another story-“Hey, there she is again. Her group must have had quite some lives, and-Pearl, where are you-? Pearl!”

Pearl was no longer paying attention. Her eyes had fallen upon a certain window. Hers, and five others shared the sight, of a visage that quickly filled their view. The window depicted a battle, a one on one clash between those once revered as divinity.

A battle between Alicorns.

On one side was a black stallion, shrouded in darkness, his opened mouth exposing fangs, in a roar of savage rage that even expressed in glass, one could almost hear. All around was a frozen storm, fuelled by the mighty forces of the warring stallions.

Across from him was a pony shrouded in white, a heart of crystal upon his cutie mark. Their shared gaze expressed intense hatred, and a determination, a promise, to strike the other down, the vow shared between eyes sinister green and glowing white.

“You know these two?” Though enquiring about both, Swift was actually more interested in-“Well, the evil-looking one anyway.”

“Yes, I know him. Every Crystal Pony knows him. We're taught about him as foals.” Among the young and old, from the old to the young, legends were passed. Even now, especially naughty foals were threatened with visitations from him. Even now, his name was one many feared to speak. “The Terror King.”

“He's mentioned in the Chronicle. A true monster.”

Pearl nodded. “He was the most evil pony in history, nopony began to compare. He enslaved my ancestors, he kept them under the fear of his shadow until a great Dragon delivered the Crystal Heart back to the hooves of the Crystal Ponies, and they vanquished him.” She ran her hoof across the Terror King's darkness. “They thought so anyway. His soul broke free of its prison, and rebuilt his body.”

“'His soul'?” Blueblood wasn't the only confused one. Luckily, Daybreak had some enlightenment to share.

“Pretty sure that's poetic licence. Some interpretations read 'his other half'. I studied at Crystal University, I know the legend. Don't ask what 'other half' means though, I don't know, I've skipped that part. I do know what came upon his resurrection. His siege against Equestira was the darkest in history. Well, except perhaps this one.” Pearl's gaze shifted, just slightly, to her right. “The first Crystal King.”

“He wasn't a King before this battle, he was just another pony, one brave enough to fight. He went out, into the ice and snow to face the Terror King alone. In that battle, he showed his resolve to protect the empire, and all within it.” She looked at his mark. “The Crystal Heart chose him as King. The battle scars never left the land, my dad took me out to see them when I was younger.” She gazed up at a true king of the crystal empire, who reigned in an age she was not fortunate to have been born in. “We could use somepony like him.”

“Maybe, maybe not.” Daybreak was in 'pondering' mode, a familiar mode indeed. “The power it has, is different from any faced before. Besides, they don't make 'em like that anymore.”

“Maybe we could get one...” A full history of Swift's ideas were a mixed bag at best, so everypony was ready to reject whatever he said. “Daybreak, you got a spell to go back in time? Bring somepony back?”

Daybreak sighed, that was not actually a particularly bad idea... “No. Time Travel was outlawed long ago, all research on it was locked away. Even trying it these days carries the death penalty.”

“Whoa, really?”

“Yeah, the butterfly effect is too much a concern, especially that far back.”

In Daybreak's ideal world, this would be the moment everypony “ahh”ed in understanding. Instead, all he got was silence, and silent confusion.

Almost silent. Luckily, one pony needed to have a mute button installed one of these days. “I don't like butterflies either.”

…

…

…*THUD*

Somehow, they all knew Daybreak's face just met the cover of the Chronicle.

“Don't worry,” spoke Terra. “I'll buck him later.”

“Thank you, Terra.”

“But, um, seriously though, what's the Butterfly effect?”

*THUD, THUD* “Mares and Gentlestallions, Fillies and Colts, and anypony unspecified, I give you Equinity's last hope.”

“Hey!” came the voice of a scandalized Swift, “Quips are my thing!”

Pearl walked on, as Daybreak got to work on giving himself a concussion. She made way to the end of the room, drawing closer and closer to a painting that spanned the entire wall. Upon it, two alicorns were depicted, one before the sun, sky and day, the other before the moon, stars and night. The two sides, they met in the middle, like a circle, a cycle of day and night. Even in painting, even so still, they were the visage of grace, of might. A lot went into this painting. Not just the colors, a lot of emotion went into it. It was more than just a painting, this was a remembrance.

“The two sisters.” That was weird, something like reverence in Blueblood's tone. Pearl didn't like something so bizarre. “They ruled in ancient times. In this very castle, back in the days of monarchies. The land was still recovering from a few bad rulers before they stepped in. The reign of Celestia and Luna was a good age for Equestria.”

“Ohhhhh, so those were their names. I never knew.” Swift wasn't the only one, but he was the only one to-“I just used to call one of 'em 'Sunbutt'.”

As much as Pearl was... she'd had to put a name to whatever this feeling was later, but as much as she was that, she had to know....“What about the other one?”

“They used!” Blueblood's tone briefly went up a few decibels, “to raise the sun and moon, before the Solar and Luna Corps were founded to replace them in that duty. Their reign was almost as good as it was long. Thousands of years of almost complete peace.”

“Wait, thousands of years? How they'd manage that?” Luckily for her, Pearl had an encyclopaedia of information at her eyelid. “Daybreak, explanation please-and in Equestrian!” Memories of his “laypony's summery” of Cutie Mark Alteration came to mind.

Thankfully, this topic was much more simple. “A pony's magic can extend their lifetime if it's strong enough. The sisters were both immensely powerful, so they bought a lot of time. So long past, and they just kept going, it was thought they were immortal.”

“But?”

“'Nothing can defy the hooves of time. You can evade them a while, but time will take you eventually'.”

Blueblood sighed. “Who are you quoting now?”

“A Foreteller, former one anyway. Yet another thing we lack these days.”

“Probably wouldn't have helped. We all know what they'd have said.” Despite this, Swift felt the need to state it anyway. “'Yeah, guys? Just looked into the future; we're all screwed. Yeah, sorry. That'll be twenty bits.'”

Pearl frowned. “Jury's still out on that one, Swift.”

“Until the barrier fails anyway.”

“Okay, we're not entertaining that thought!”

“I did,” uttered Daybreak.“and he's right, that happens, we're screwed. So why are we sitting around talking?”

“Oh, I know, I know!” If Swift wasn't jumping up and down like a colt at his desk, Pearl would be surprised. “Because you and Blueblood love hearing yourselves talk!”

“...I'm not dignifying that.”
“Nor am I.”
“Back to searching, everypony.”

“Look, Storm! They do it too!”
“Awesome! We should have a contest-”
*Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzz*
“We'll be good!”

Sight Share Deactivated

With that, all conversation ended, leaving Pearl alone in the room, and with her thoughts, and the gentle clopping of her hooves. She quietly sighed. All around her, were stories of times Equestria faced immolation, but a capable vanguard had always stood against damnation. Now, well, the less that was honestly said, the better. In a room dedicated to true defenders, Pearl found her own group's worth wanting. This was a hall of heroes, and they, well, they were a rag-tag bunch at best. Hey, when the end of the world was at hoof, you took who you could. The fact that they alo-...that they made it this long without fading to black had to count for something.

Pearl let her eyes briefly settle on a window, upon a victory closer to now, but still a long time ago. A group of ponies on no other widow stood atop a hill, a fallen foe at the base of it. Equestria had clearly been through some dark times, as the window did everything it could to emphasize Equestria had re-found its glory, with a bright open sky, clear rivers, and apple trees. A visage of Equestria saved, would such a thing be seen again?

With a heavy heart, she made way in the direction of the door. Every window at odds with the world beyond. Her eyes fell on yet another mural, with that purple-huh, Alicorn in this one, with her fellow bearers, inside a rainbow. A Centaur was depicted too, an immense one, but it was clear even it was powerless before this might. That rainbow, that must have been them, the Elements of Harmony at work. She could only hope the Elements still held their power, and that power could defend Equestria, and the world, one more time. If not, then both were truly out of options.

She stopped.

Before she left, there was something she had to do. She turned around, making the short distance back to a familiar window. Pearl stopped before the window of the former king again. Did you ever find yourself in something like this? Looking at such a visage of might, of mission, it was easy to feel her own shortcomings. What Pearl would do for such unbreakable resolve...

Pearl placed herself on her hindquarters, clasping her fore-hooves together, closing her eyes, letting the sound of silence envelop-

“Pearl,” Blueblood's voice invaded her moment. “I'm reading you as still in the throne room.”

“I'm still there.”

“Why, exactly?”

“I'm,” she thought about, but decided against lying, “I'm asking the old king...for strength.”

“You are kidding me, right?”

Maybe she should have lied...“Not one for prayer, huh?”

“I'm a realist.” Short translation: 'No'. “If you've got to pray you've got time to actually be doing something. If somepony was going to come down from on high and save our hides we wouldn't be in this mess to start with. Now kindly stop wasting time.”

“I'm with Blueblood on this one,” spoke Daybreak, “get off your plot and keep searching.”

With a quiet sigh, she got to her hooves. What one could want to say for their tones, well, could be said, but they were right. She had to get moving, for history, and future. If they were not victorious, then history itself ended here. She raised her hoof, placing it on the long-past king's image.

If you're out there somewhere, please, help us.

Author's Note

Author's Notes: If you get the specific Batman series I referenced in this chapter, you are officially beyond awesome.