Dark Ages

You know, I could make this story begin with "once upon a time, in a faraway magical land, there where a kingdom of ponies that lived in peace and harmony, and where everyone was happy and protected."
But instead, unfortunately, I have to start in this way.

Once upon a time, not so much long ago, there where a kingdom that lived in a precarious state of false harmony, always on the brink of chaos and destruction by some megalomaniacal foe.
But to protect this delicate balance were four princesses and five heroic heroines, and more than once they managed to frighten the plans of their enemies.
One day of several years ago, an ancient necromancer threatened this balance ... and managed to destabilize it.
One of the princesses, the Princess of Friendship, was able to defeat this powerful enemy, but had to use a large amount of black magic.
And that brought her to what it is now.
In a year, she became the new threat of Equestria.
In five, she defeated the Princess of the sun, Celestia, and made her disappear into thin air.
In three, she founded a new empire, dark and violent.

And so began the Dark Ages of Equestria.
And our history.

The cold autumn night had fallen, and the moon was obscured by the leaden clouds.
In the castle which once heavenly towered on Canterlot and Ponyville, the tyrant of Equestria was going through troubled hours.
Her most trusted curators and guards were watching the removal of large crystals that had grown on some left ribs, too close to the lungs.
The tyrant was screaming in pain and struggling, while the covers of her bed were filled with blood, and crystal, violet as her floating mane, were removed, detaching even small parts of bone.
This tremendous event was not so rare, as someone may think.
A disease afflicted Equestria, after the Princess of the sun disappeared and Black Nova, once known as the Princess of friendship, had taken her role.
The crystallization.
The richest and most talented could slow the progression of the disease that afflicted them, but the poorest and the youngest could only groped to live with it until the crystals they had pierced their hearts... or until they decided to end it.
But this was a problem for those who lived in the kingdom of Nova.
Those who lived beyond the Everfree Forest, or simply in the cold Crystal Kingdom , had nothing to fear.

But now, it's better to retrace our steps.

Finally, after two long and painful hours, the curators had removed all the crystals, and the queen could finally rest, watched over by his guards.
Meanwhile, the curators had took the crystals to been examined by Ingenium Demens, the magician-inventor of the court, and the one in charge to find a cure for crystallization.

"Another bad night, I guess ." said Ingenium Demens, half asleep.
" No, worse ," said one of the curators, sounding tired and worried, " ten crystals on the left side ."
" For the Ancestor. The queen is getting worse ."
" By the way, we have the crystals. Here, take them ."

Ingenium took them between his hooves, and laid them on his desk.
He could not help but ask if what was attached on the crystals were pieces of bone.
The curators confirmed, and Ingenium passed a hoof on his forehead, puffing regretted. But now, it was too late for all, and said to the curators to leave.

The next day, some sunshine fended through the dark clouds over Canterlot, and this cheered a little the sad ponies of the city, which almost began to forget how warm and pleasant they were.
But not everyone was happy that day.

The generals of Black Nova were called by her to discuss the situation in the most distant parts of the new kingdom of Equestria and the situation with the rebels of the Hoof of Steel and Thundering Clouds.
One of the generals, Ragnarhog, a being from the distant land across the sea known as Phamine and resembling a giant bipedal warthog, was complaining to one of the equestrian soldiers about his service to the queen, as he headed to the rooms of the tyrant.

" You should bring her more respect, general Ragnahog ." said his sergeant.
" And you should look at the facts, " said in his deep voice Ragnarhog, doing a grunt, " serve a queen sick and dying in the middle of a battle against some miserably rebels ? Unacceptable !"
" But you has to admit that she have a strong tenacity. Staying cool and decide what to do in such conditions... "
" Nevertheless, my King would not approve. And he would not even make a singular appearance if he was sick ."
" Nevertheless, he is an old changeling, and sick too my general ."
" Nevertheless his illness only make him smell like a corpse and is not killing him, my sergeant ."

The two fell silent when they arrived in front of the tall doors of the queen's room.
Once inside, there were already all the other general : the elder Black Blitz from New Cloudsdale, Golden Hoof from Appleloosa and the young Opal Splinter from the Crystal Empire.
And behind them, in her great bed, there was Black Nova, still weak from the night before.

"I believed to having to send one of my guards to get you, Ragnarhog," said sarcastically and in a voice a little shaky Nova, " you're late again ."
" Well, I'm here now ." replied grouchy and grunting the Hog, " So then, of what you wanted to discuss today ?"

The queen sat up, sitting down on the bed and cleaning her throat.
" Better than me you all know the situation we're in. The rebellion of the Hoofs of Steel and the Thundering Clouds is proving to be a real thorn in the side, in recent times, and my people are still sick. Including me. "
" If I could speak, my queen," began the croaking Black Blitz, " may you a plan for the event about the rebellion ?"
" Oh, please you old crow," replied bitterly Golden Hoof, " the rebellion is a problem, no doubt about, but the disease of the Crystallization is something worse ."
" You miserable ... lout! I have more experience than you in terms of war, and I can assure you that the rebellion is the most serious of- "
" If I may interject, my dear fellow ," said a little hesitant the newcomer general Opal Splinter, " I agree with Golden Hoof. A rebellion is a problem, but sick troops are worse. "
" Not to mention a monarch." said to himself, softly, Ragnarhog.
" Did you say something, Ragnarhog ?" asked Nova.
" No, nothing, I only stammered ." replied bitterly as always the Hog.
" So, deal with the disease before rebellion. It is that what you say ?" asked Nova.

Her general, at the end, almost unanimously nodded.
Nova also agreed their decision. The death of troops in the field at the hands of the rebels was not a very bad scenario, and be able to stop the crystallization would be a great breakthrough.
But while the generals were discussing among themselves about what to do, the queen began to feel weaker, and asked to them to leave the room and be alone with his most trusted guards.
Once out, the generals felt somewhat saddened by the fact. Except Ragnarhog, which was quite annoyed by the fact of serving a "weak" queen, and he didn't miss the opportunity to point it out to the others.
Shortly after, the queen again called them in, and they could finish their discussion.

"Then it's settled. First we deal with the crystallization, and then with the rebels ."

That said, Nova let go her generals to their bases.

"Ah, Ragnarhog, " said Nova, " advises your King a good bathroom ."

The Hog snorted heavily, and then went away.

In the meanwhile, somewhere in a cave at the gates of the griffin's kingdom, the resistance groups had met to discuss too of the situation.
Applejack, commander of the Hoofs of Steel, and Rainbow Dash, commander of the Thundering Clouds, presided over the meeting.
There were all members of the major resistances, from the diamond dogs of the Shattered Diamond, led by Rarity, to the Silent Jesters of Pinkie Pie.
It lacked only one group at a meeting.

"Where are the changelings?" Applejack asked to those present, who responded to did not know.
"Did you think they would come ?" asked ironically Rainbow Dash, " after what happened during the attack of Baltimare, this not surprise me that they have not shown."
" Hold that irritating tongue of your, winged serpent ." said angrily as always Iràscor, spokesman for the changeling, who had arrived, " It's not my fault if a patrol of pegasus put me spears between the wings."
" It's not my fault if you are not able to don't get noticed !" said Rainbow Dash.

Applejack succeeded, although with difficulty, to separate the two, who nearly started a mess.
Once Iràscor settled in its place, around the large table in the middle of the cave, the commanders could start talking.

" Thanks to the information of Pinkie Pie, we know that the queen has weakened greatly in the recent days, and the conditions of her troops are just as desperate."
" So what are we waiting to attack ? It takes is a few well-placed attack and- "
"We die at the hands of his generals, maybe!"
"Please, dear Iràscor, do not get excited ."
" And how do I, Rarity ? Your dear friend wants to send its troops into a damn slaughter ! "
" At least I don't stand in the lines to shake ."

Iràscor slammed his riddled hooves on the table and sat up, coming in front of the muzzle of Rainbow Dash with his eyes spurting wrath.
Telling that he and his people are cowards was too much for him.

" Baltimare has always been a suicide attack, and I've always said it ." Iràscor said through clenched teeth.
" We would have had a chance if you species of cockroaches have helped us !" responded in kind Rainbow Dash.
" Against the Hogs !?" angry shouted the changeling, " It's already difficult to tap out a dozen, let alone a hundred of them . "
" Calm down, you two ." Applejack said, separating them again, " For three years you continue to bicker like two capricious foals with a dirty diaper !"
"Hey !" The two said in unison.

Once re-settled, Applejack said that Iràscor was right, and the latter had, under the iron mask that cover his disfigured face, a smile and a chuckle of derision towards Rainbow Dash.
Immediately, Rarity asked, then, what was best to do.

"Attacking Canterlot, Baltimare or New Cloudsdale is out of question, but I have a plan to recover a part of the Crystal Empire ."

These sighed with amazement the words of the mare.
Probably, the common thought was " this mare have taken too many apples on her head !", and everyone started to whisper and making racket.
Applejack silenced the audience, and began to explain.

" I've sent messages to the yaks of the Glacial Horns, and they agreed to give us support for the attack ."
" Good plan, Applejack dear ."
" See what you can get with just waiting, Dash ?"
" As long we then deliver a part of our weapons and half of what we can take from the victory ."

Everyone began to scream and protest, and the diamond dogs nearly came to blows with the ponies of the Hoofs of Steel .
Even Iràscor and Rainbow Dash had agreed on something !
Rarity, from nowhere, created a very bright beam from his horn, that swept through the cave and the audience fell silent.
Well, except Pinkie Pie, who already was .

" Gentlecolts ! Do not behave like animals and listen Applejack. "

When all they resumed their seats, Applejack continued his speech.

" I know it's a risk, don't you think I wouldn't thought about it, but now we don't have many alternatives. If we take at least part of the Crystal Empire, we can destabilize the army of Twil ... "

Applejack stopped for a moment, because even the thought of having to face her old friend hadn't passed yet from her head.

" I... I mean Black Nova ." Applejack said, lowering his head and with a melancholy tone.

The cave became very silent.
But then, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Pinkie Pie said it was fine for them, and that she will had their support.
Iràscor, however, was somewhat reluctant, as always.

" And then, curved antennae," began to speak Rainbow Dash, " are you in or are you going to do like Baltimare ?"
"... Damn. All right, but if I see that we begin to lose, I'll give the order to my troops to withdraw ! "

That said, and decided what to do, the various groups of the rebellion returned to their dens, to prepare for the assault .