Her Shield, His Heart

All throughout the Crystal Empire, darkness was sweeping in. It came in the night, slowly, stealthily. An old presence, an enemy long since thought vanquished. The shadow of a fallen king blotted out the stars as the poisoned vapors of his miasma came down the side of the mountains. Every Crystal Pony, from the Empress and Emperor to the lowliest domestic servant, felt it. It poisoned their dreams, twisting and corrupting dreams of grazing in primal valleys into visions of primal terror. Foals screamed as they were awakened in a pool of their own fluids, released as they dreamed of being chased by predators long since gone extinct.

Parents were awakened, sweating and hearts racing, from their own nightmares. In the streets of the city those still awake and wandering felt a chill of pure terror. The night guards shrank back as an unnatural darkness swept through the city. The streets were cleared as the ponies screamed, recognizing this presence. A stampede broke out as horror conquered their minds. The crystal ponies trampled each other and even the night guard wildly ran back towards the safety of the castle.

In the castle, Empress Mi Amore Cadenza, tossed and turned. Occasionally, she whimpered in her sleep. Hideous visions of an insect-like creature leaned over her. Its two-toned voice harshly assaulted her ears.

"I will take everything you have, everything you are." The thing whispered to her as it reached down and caressed her. Rather than a comfort, even its gentle touch felt like a violation.

Then, memories of a lost time came to her. The black king strode in. Her father stood across from him. Cadence and her mother were watching, but she could not tell where. The king laughed, a cruel and mocking sound. Her father, her noble father, was unbowed and unbroken before this tyrant.

No, that was the lie. No, that was the dream.

Sombra reached forward and stabbed her father. Blood flowed down upon the stone floor, a river of blood flowing and covering everything.

Cadence whimpered. Beside her, Shining Armor was tossing and turning. The captain was lost in his own nightmares. It was the last battle of the Roan War. Corpses were strewn all around. The stench of death choked the air making Corporal Armor want to gag. But he did not. This was his finest hour. This was the battle he would become captain. Every second, they gained more and more ground. Arrows blotted out the sun, but still the Equestrian-Mustangian forces advanced. The Roans were falling back, falling at every volley of arrows from the Equestrian-Mustangian forces.

He thought of Cadence as he pushed out his spear, thrusting into enemy lines and slamming a spear into a Roan. The Roan cried out as he fell. Shining didn't even see the arrow that slammed into his leg.

No, this wasn't right.

He sunk.

An arrow struck Gleaming Shield who was at his side.

No, this wasn't right.

Gleaming Shield's lifeblood slowly flowed into the sand.

"Good-bye old friend. See you on the other side." Gleaming Shield choked out.

"Gleaming! Gleaming!"

He reached for him, his hooves becoming stained with his best friend's blood. He was on his knees now and slowly toppling. The Equestrian advance was faltering.

No, this wasn't right!

Everything went dark. A shadow passed before his eyes and he heard a mocking laugh.

I will take from you everything you have, everything you are.

Screams echoed through the palace as both Cadence and Shining woke up. A guard rushed into the room, his spear drawn.

"Your Hignesses! Is everything alright?"

Shining and Cadence adjusted themselves as they sat up on the bed. Cadence held up a hoof.

"Please, return to your post. All is well."

The guard hesitated. "Actually, Your Highness, all is not well. We have been receiving alarming reports all nights. It seems a stampede broke out in the Diamond District. There is much...evening entertainment in that district frequently attended by stallions so it was rather crowded. Several injuries, but no casualties as of yet. However, there have been other, more alarming reports. Riots broke out in the Amethyst and Obsidian Districts."

"Riots?" Cadence asked, standing from the bed. "Over what?"

"Apparently, mass hallucinations causing some sort of general panic. The rioters have been jailed."

"Release them in the morning." Cadence ordered. She could release them tonight, but the streets didn't sound safe. The rioters would be safer in prison.

The guard nodded. "Yes, Your Highness." He did not leave the room and seemed hesitant about something. "There have been reports of ponies seeing Sombra."

"I suspected as much." Cadence sighed. This sort of political dealing was better done in the morning. What could be done about this? "Gather the Sorcerer's Council. Have them cast anti-dark magic charms."

They wouldn't be entirely effective against a mage of Sombra's skill, but something had to be done.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Cadence sighed as he left the room. She should have done that earlier. Part of her had been hoping that Sombra would never return. That her personal nightmare and her realm's collective nightmare was finally over. Tomorrow she would go and activate the ancient shield that was designed to keep out dark magic.

Should have done this, earlier. Get your head in the game, Mi Amore Cadenza! A scolding voice that sounded like her Auntie Celestia's shouted at her. A surge of inwardly directed anger flared up. She called herself a princess and an empress and she couldn't even defend her own subjects. She could barely even keep herself together half the time. A growl escaped her throat.

"Cady?" Shining asked in a weak, small voice.

Cadence went to the bed and slid back under the covers, putting a hoof on Shining's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"No." Shining half-sobbed, resting his head on Cadence's shoulder. Cadence wrapped her forelegs around him as he nuzzled into her chest. Shining was crying. Cadence ran a hoof through his mane.

"Shining, what's wrong?"

"I-I was back in Coltantinople. Gleaming Shield...I saw Gleaming die. Oh, Gods."

He wept into her chest while she held him and stroked his mane.

"The bastard Roans had laid down an anti-magic field so no one could use any defensive shields. Th-that was Gleaming's specialty.  W-we were at a disadvantage, but we still won. Gleaming though...he was shot. Died right in front of me."

She just held him, unsure of what she should say. He had never talked to her about Gleaming's death.

"I'm so sorry." Cadence whispered.

"It doesn't matter. It's been ten years. This shouldn't matter anymore. I rarely even think about it." He said, his head still buried in her chest. She spread her wings and wrapped him in up in them as if he were a foal that needed comfort. Together they fell on the bed. After several minutes, his sobs quieted. She continued to run her hoof through his mane.

"I...I think I'm better now. The dream felt so real. Like I was really back there."

"It was a psychic attack. Nightmare magic, Sombra's specialty."

"Who is this bastard? You've barely told me anything about him. I want to know my enemy."

"Sombra is...a dark mage of unusual skill. Let's go back to bed."

"How did he get in power?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Cadence said as she sank beneath the covers.

"Okay. Goodnight." Shining also sank beneath the covers, deciding that it was just too late to have this conversation. He wrapped his hooves around Cadence, almost clinging to her. Neither of them went back to sleep so they decided to just lie there and enjoy each other's company. Shining could feel the beat of Cadence's heart against his forelegs as he embraced her. It calmed him. Cadence snuggled against his chest and soon fell into a very light sleep.

                                                                                                                                    ...

Light shone through the lace curtains of the imperial chambers. Cadence groaned as the light from her Aunt's sun danced upon her eyelids. Normally, the soft light was a sign that the day had begun and it was time to wake up. This morning, Cadence cursed her aunt under her breath and pulled the covers over her head. Wouldn't it be possible for her aunt to raise the sun at a later time? She tried to go back to sleep, but the room was just too bright.

Her eyes sprung open. It was far too bright for it to be morning, even mid-morning. A string of profanity escaped her lips as she galloped out of bed and into the crystal halls. She cursed some more as she nearly slid upon the very slick material.  A maid was engaged in dusting a statue and hid a giggle at the undignified position of the empress.

Cadence straightened up and tried to remember her itinerary for the day. For that matter, where was her seneshcal? The old, grey stallion had been planning out her schedule for the past week. He also normally woke her up just as she had expressly ordered him to. The only one who could overrule her direct order was Shining Armor. She shook her head. So, he'd decided that she'd needed to sleep in.

He had a point, she acknowledged as she walked down the halls. The maids and guards were stifling yawns or trying not to fall asleep. Her old grey seneschal, Silver Scroll (who had also been her tutor long ago) was napping at a table in the dining hall. She sat down next to him and tapped his shoulder.

He awoke with a start then bowed his head. "My apologies, Your Highness. Emperor Armor ordered that you be allowed to sleep in. If you're wondering, he's training the troops." He yawned.

"I gathered as much." She said. "I take it nopony slept well last night?"

A dark look crossed his face. "There was a psychic attack of some sort, wasn't there? Terrible nightmares."

"That was my fault." Cadence murmured. "When I got here, the first thing I should have done was activate the anti-dark magic shield."

"Those are only to be used as an emergency precaution."

"I should have known Sombra was still out there. I...my powers are based on emotion. I have trouble dealing with darker emotions-anger, fear, worry- so I choose to ignore them. I ignored my worries and my subjects suffered."

"We all make mistakes. It's best to learn from them and move on."

"You're right. Time to move on. The first thing I need to do today is go around the city and activate the shield."

"Won't you need a high mage to assist you?"

"All the high mages are dead. Sombra saw to that, remember?"

"We can have one sent in from Equestria." Silver Scrolls pointed out.

Cadence immediately thought of Twilight. At this point in her career, she had to be a high mage at least. Still, it would take too long to contact her. She would not allow another attack on her subjects.

"I can handle powering the shield myself."

"In the old days, it'd have taken ten high mages."

"I can do it."

"Very well, Your Highness. At least have breakfast first or lunch I suppose."

She ordered a hay casserole. After lunch she walked from the palace and into the city. The multicolored towers gleamed and sparkled in the sun. The ponies that were out were slowly walking. Some had drooping ears or a dragging gait. A few acknowledged her presence with a nod of their head. Cadence strode through the marketplace which was barren with only three of four merchants having set up stalls.

She took pity on the fruit salesmare and bought some crystal berries. There were three points around the city where the shield was to  be activated. It formed a perfect triangle. She first went to the point several miles away from the market and located the seal at the crossroads. It bore the imperial mark, a double-headed eagle.

She placed a hoof on it and chanted the incantation, which she had looked up in a scroll the night before. It began to glow and she felt a rush of power as it flowed into her body and then through the streets of the city. At the second and third seals she felt the same rush of power.

Three waves of energy surged from the ground, forming a swirling tide of power around the city. There was a roar like a hurricane as the waves swirled and rose into the air, crackling like lightning. The crystal ponies gasped and stared in awe as the shield rose up. They recognized it for what it was, a sign of protection.

The three waves met in a sapphire dome that enveloped the city. Cadence's horn glowed the same sapphire color. The pressure of the shield bore down upon her, almost like a weight upon her back. After a few moments of slow, meditative breathing her body began to adjust to the new magical pressure.  She could do this, it wouldn't be any problem. That is what the princess of love thought as she trudged back towards the palace.

The shield shook and Cadence stumbled on the ground. A crystal mare rushed up to her and helped her back up. Again and again, the shield shook as something slammed against it. Cadence had a pretty good idea of what that something was. Each time the shield shook it felt like a physical blow. Calling upon her earth pony magic, she planted her hooves on the ground and drew up strength from the earth. Still, her bones rattled.

"You do well, Little Princess." A voice spoke and the face of a black unicorn appeared over the city. It was cloaked in shadows that twisted all around him, writhing like serpents.

"Leave this place. Leave!" Cadence shouted, pouring energy into the shield. Sombra hissed as the positive energy seared against him. He wouldn't give up, sending tendrils of smoke against the dome. The tendrils dissolved as soon as they hit the shield. Cadence's eyes glowed blue as she continued channeling every bit of energy into the shield.

Her subjects cheered for her as the two monarchs struggled. She drew strength from their love. Sombra hissed as he slammed against the shield. Each time he did, the shield pushed him back.

"Let me in, little one. Let Daddy come in." He laughed, an obscene sound.

"You are not my father! This is not your home anymore! Leave it!"

With this final declaration she poured the last bit of power she had into the shield. It pushed forward and pushed Sombra back.

That was when Cadence collapsed.

                                                                                                                     ...

When she came to, she was in a hospital bed. Shining was by her side, with his hoof grasping hers. Celestia was on the other side of her bed,  holding her other hoof. She sat up and was immediately hugged by both of them.

"Um, this is nice, but what just happened?" Cadence asked, still feeling woozy.

"Magical exhaustion, according to the doctors." Shining said. "You were really brave out there."

"Thanks. How long have I been out?"

"Since yesterday. The shield held. It's taking from your magic stores. You should cut the connection." Celestia told her.

Cadence shook her head. "No, I-"

"That shield takes ten mages to hold." Celestia said.

"I'm an alicorn."

"Just one alicorn. You have a deep supply of magic and that's what the shield is tapping into. If you were a normal pony you'd be dead by now." Celestia continued.

"No." Cadence insisted. "I won't let Sombra harm my people again. Never again."

"Cadence, I've been keeping my distance because the Empire is your domain, to do with as you see fit. I didn't even come out here with you because I was afraid you'd see that as my lacking confidence in your abilities. But you may need to consider calling upon allies."

Cadence carefully considered her aunt's words. "Call up Twilight and the Elements."

"They should be here by tomorrow." Celestia said. "Just let me write the letter."