Reflections

Chapters

Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III

Chapter I

The knight overlooked the frozen tundra below, grateful that he had the foresight to get his armor enchanted before he left.

“Sure is cold out here, isn’t it, M’lord?” the knight’s squire said as he cantered up behind him.

“I am certain that it is,” the knight said, lost in thought. “Make sure to alert me if it becomes too cold for thee to bear, Fancy Feet. I would hate it if thou were to grow ill.”

Fancy adjusted his scarf, barely revealing the blue fur that lurked just underneath. The squire had bundled himself so thoroughly against the cold that he resembled little more than a pile of clothing with legs. “I’ll manage, sir. How much farther do you think it is?”

“I know not. All I know is what the witch hath revealed to us, which, if thou recall, was not much.”

Fancy nodded at that, though his movement wasn’t very obvious through the thick layers that the Earth Pony wore. “‘Follow Igneous until you reach a cave that breathes. There, in the deepest depths, you will find the Hall of Reflection.’ You sure you want to go through with this?”

“I am. We were too weak to overthrow Discord ourselves, and required the aid of two outside saviors to protect us,” the knight said as he drew Oathkeeper. “Not just I, but all of Equestria owes those two demigods a debt of eternal gratitude. Even after we made them our rulers, even if we were to serve them on bended knee from now until the sun dies, we could never repay them.” He took a second to stare at his reflection in the blade, his silvery full plate frosted over in the bitter cold of the north. “My honor demands that I become the bodyguard they deserve.”

“Right. Well, I’m still behind you all the way, sir. Lead on.”

The knight nodded his head at that, then sheathed his sword. “Come. It cannot be much further.”

The two ponies continued their trek in silence, the moon the only witness to their quest, and the star that they followed completely ignorant to their attention. After about three hours, the pair stumbled across the cave that they were searching for.

“Finally! Come on, sir, we can start a fire inside!” Fancy Feet said as he pressed forward. He was stopped, however, by a single, outstretched hoof from his master.

“Hold, Fancy. I do not think that is wise.”

“Why not, sir?”

The knight did not respond at first, choosing to instead draw his sword. “This place is sacred. A way for the stalwart to test themselves,” he said as he took a few steps forward. He then nodded to himself, his decision made. “Stay here, Fancy. I know not what dangers lurk inside, but they are dangers that one must face alone.”

Fancy Feet sighed at this, then took off his saddlebags. “Well, if you get hungry, sir, be sure to come back up for a spell. Don’t take too long, though, we only have enough rations to last us a week.”

The knight nodded again, then strode into the cave, the green aura that encased his sword his only light. “I will try. If I am gone for more than a day, however, I wish for thee to turn back to town.”

Fancy Feet nodded at that, but did not say anything.

At this point, nothing more needed to be said.

* * *

The knight traveled deeper and deeper into the cave, the whistling winds his only companion. He couldn’t make out much in the half-shadows that his aura cast upon the walls, but it was clear that this cave was not natural. The walls had been cut, and the floor was polished until he could see his own reflection. Not only that, but the grand staircases that led deeper into the bowls of the world were a dead giveaway, proving without a doubt that someone had lived here before.

Every so often he would pass a broken pot, or a ruined candlestick, but he would ignore them.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, he found a raised dais, upon which stood a grand, golden-framed mirror. Slowly he climbed the stairs, his gaze locked on the mirror. As soon as he was level with it, he was able to see into its reflection.

He was surprised as to what it revealed. On the other side wasn’t a shadowy reflection of the room he stood in, but the reflection of some grand, brightly lit, circular hall. Positioned all around the circumference of the room were a number of mirrors, each seeming to contain swirling shadows that hinted at teeth and claws.

If there was something in the middle of the room, the knight could not see it, as the reflection of a stalwart, Starlight Pony in full plate mail blocked whatever that part of the room contained.

“What magic is this?” the knight whispered, reaching out for the glass.

Unexpectedly, his hoof seemed to pass through, creating ripples as if the surface of the mirror was water, rather than glass. He pulled his hoof back quickly, almost as if he had been burned.

He was fine, however, and had felt no pain from the experience. It had just unnerved him. “Is this… the Hall?” he asked uncertainly.

As there was nopony around who could hear his inquiry, his question remained unanswered.

“Well, the Spirits favor the bold,” he said with a nervous grin. Without another word, he dashed through the mirror.

It felt like he had dived into a frozen lake, while at the same time his blood turned to fire. The feeling only lasted a second, however, leaving him feeling disoriented and nauseous.

“Ugh... “ he groaned, barely keeping his lunch down. Stumbling a little, he managed to get back on his hooves, only to dodge to the left as a shadowy claw struck out at him.

“Luna’s mane!” he yelled as he brought Oathkeeper to bear. The sword spun in his magical grip, its blade cutting at the shadow’s claw. Surprisingly, the blade severed the limb, causing the indistinct creature to recoil in pain, howling in frustration. The claw dropped to the ground, oddly shattering into a thousand crystalline pieces, which in turn turned into nothing but smoke.

“Good, at least thou canst be harmed,” the knight said as he slowly circled the beast. His elation was short lived, however, when three more beasts stepped out of the mirrors around them. They each had a vaguely predatory form, looking like massive, shadowy beasts that were neither cat or gorilla, but rather something in between. However, any real definition to them was hidden behind the shadows that covered their forms.

The only things that he was certain of, however, was claws and teeth.

“Come now, dost thou not have any honor? A lone knight should be fought one on one!” he said, somewhat exasperated.

If the monsters understood his protests, they did not show it, choosing instead to rush the knight, attempting to overpower him with sheer numbers.

The knight just grinned at that, his horn glowing brighter as he prepared to defend himself. “Very well. Have at you!”

In a flash of green light, the knight’s sword duplicated itself into three, separate, identical blades. In an instant, the three blades sprung forward, twisting, turning, slicing and thrusting, turning the approaching monsters into nothing more than a fine powder.

His victory was short lived, however, as the knight felt something large and heavy crash into his side, sending him tumbling across the tiled floor until he finally stopped in the center of the room. Shakily, he got back to his hooves, then immediately gasped at what he saw.

Out of each mirror, except the one he entered through, came a shadowy horror.

The knight shook his head as he took up his weapon again, its form having returned to only one blade, his breathing ragged. Why is that? They only struck me once! he thought as his horn started to glow brighter. A glowing field of energy appeared at his rear, guarding him from assault from that direction. I shouldn’t be this tired. Why am I this tired?

The creatures didn’t wait for him to figure out the answer, however, and immediately pressed their assault. Back and forth he dodged, barely staying out of harm’s way as his sword went to work, keeping it in its singular form, since he needed the extra energy to keep his shield going. With a flick of his head, he countered a claw, thrusting his sword deep into the shadowy monster’s gut. His strike was not perfect, however, and had left his flank exposed. With a mighty roar, the creature on his left brought its claws down, tearing a rent in the stallion’s armor and cutting into the flesh underneath.

The knight gasped in pain. Even though the cut wasn’t that deep, it felt like he had been stabbed by a thousand, red hot blades. He screamed as the pain overtook him, causing him to collapse onto the ground as the beasts surrounded him.

No… no, it can’t end like this, he thought as the largest creature reached out and gripped his head. He closed his eyes as it picked him up, ready for what was to come next.

Then, unexpectedly, the whole room seemed to vibrate and ripple, almost as if a drop of water had fallen into a clear, still pond. The room was suddenly filled with the sound of shattering glass, causing the creature gripping his head to let go as it and its fellows screamed in pain. At the same time, the knight’s pain and exhaustion seemed to flee. In fact, the knight felt stronger than he had ever felt in his entire life.

With a cocky grin, he brought his sword up, slicing through the arm that, moments ago, had gripped his head. “I don’t know what that was, but whatever spell thou didst cast upon me hath been undone. Have at you!” he shouted, pressing his advantage.

The demons tried to fend off his assault, but they seemed to lack the same speed and precision that they had had before. In fact, with every passing second, they seemed to get weaker and slower, while the knight grew in strength.

In barely a minute, the knight had made short work of his enemies, leaving their broken forms strewn across the floor, only to quickly dissolve into nothingness.

The knight took a second to examine his surroundings. Of all the mirrors that once formed the walls to this place, only one remained unbroken.

Other than that, the room was empty.

“I guess I… won the challenge?” he said, somewhat confused.

Since no one was there to answer his question, he turned and left. He braced himself for the same, uncomfortable feeling from before as he passed through the glass, but was surprised when all he felt was the cool wind from the cave beyond.

“Huh, odd. I was expecting it to be colder,” he said as he made his way back through the caverns. On and on he walked, until finally he saw light up ahead.

This caused him to stop in his tracks however. When he entered the cave, it had been the middle of the night. At most, he had spent four, maybe five hours down there. Since it was the middle of winter, and he was so far north, the sun shouldn’t be showing its face for at least another four hours. “Hoy! Fancy Feet! Art thou playing a prank on me?” he said with a frown.

No answer.

“Fancy, I wasn’t gone that long, thou couldst have at least-” the knight started to say, but stopped when he exited the cave.

Off in the distance, the sun had peaked its head above the horizon, clearly in the noon position at this time of year this far north. “Huh, the trial must have taken longer than I thought. Hopefully Fancy Feet hadn’t stayed too long before obeying my orders.”

Without another word, the knight began his trek back towards civilization, following the lights in the sky towards the heart of the Crystal Empire.

If he had been a little more observant, however, he would have noticed the mummified hoof reaching out of the snow, perfectly preserved by the bitter cold that surrounded him.

Even if he had, however, he would not have been prepared for the secrets that that body hid.

Author's Note

Well, this idea has been rattling inside my head for a while now, so I finally decided to put it down on paper. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter II

“What is this?” the knight asked as he looked out from his perch on the hill.

From his position he had an unobstructed view of the whole Crystal Empire: Grand crystal arches, crystal houses clustered within the barrier, and of course, the grand palace in the center that housed the Crystal Heart itself. Everything seemed in order.

Except, of course, for the weird trail-like thing that led up to it from the far south. Also, the weird, pink, worm like creature on the trail was a complete mystery. It didn't seem to be moving, so it was probably either not a threat, or not alive. He could see smoke coming from the front, so he guessed that it must have been some kind of dragon.

A friendly dragon at that. He may have been some distance away, but he could still make out the multicolored ponies in the snow around the beast, marking it as either a really deep sleeper, or someone who was a friend of the empire.

“...Something is wrong. I must convene with The Crystal Princess, surely she will know what has happened,” the knight said as he started out towards the distant city.

As he drew closer to the city, certain aspects of the dragon began to resolve themselves, causing him to revise his initial assessment that the thing was a dragon, or even a living creature. After all, it may breath smoke like a dragon, but no dragon he knew of had wheels. In fact, no living thing on Equis had them, making him think for a second that Discord might have escaped. He discounted this thought, though, simply because their wasn’t nearly enough chocolate rain in the sky for that.

The thing's body seemed to be broken up into compartments, like that of a carriage. The glass windows further reinforced this opinion, as did the ponies moving inside. The thing is... some kind of transport... he thought to himself as the thing began to move, making its way towards the far south, puffing smoke while carrying a new load of ponies. It was truly a wonder to behold, and made the knight wonder what artificer was responsible for such an invention.

More importantly, he wondered how it, and its trail, had been built in such a short time.

It took the knight about an hour to reach the edge of the Crystal Heart’s protective bubble. Even though he was close enough to make out specific details about the city from his previous vantage point, the snow was still deep enough to impede his progress. It was with some relief, then, when he stepped through the curtain of light into the climate-controlled area of the Crystal Empire. There were not very many ponies out here, it not having very many buildings due to it being the very edge of the city limits. Mainly, the ponies of the Crystal Empire used it as a sort of picnic grounds, or some form of recreational park. The few ponies that were out here were giving him odd looks, but otherwise they left him alone.

This suited him just fine, however. The knight had business with Her Highness, Princess Bellezza Del Cielo, and could not be slowed down by idle chatter. Now, if he were to meet a knight, or a soldier, that would be something else entirely; a soldier could convey him to the palace faster, or might even be able to answer some of his-

“Hey, buddy! Stop for a sec!” A commanding voice called out from behind him. This immediately got the knight to turn, allowing him to spot a previously unnoticed pegasus stallion trot up to him.

The stallion was wearing armor, clearly marking him as a soldier, but the stallion’s race confused the knight. As far as the knight knew, the Crystal Empire didn’t have any non-crystal ponies in their guard. That impression was further reinforced by the fact that his armor seemed to be of a design that he was unfamiliar with. It was a brilliant gold color, trimmed with blue, with a dark blue brush-like plume on the top of the open-faced helmet. The half-plate design and open helmet revealed a orange coat, as well as eyes that looked at the Knight's visored face with concern.

However, as the pony drew closer, the knight’s practiced eye spotted a number of small, intricate protective runes on the soldier’s armor. Soldier of the Crystal Empire or not, this pony was clearly someone of great importance, if the shear quality of his enchanted armor was anything to go by.

Without even thinking about it, the knight found himself straightening his posture and saluting to the unknown soldier in respect. “Sir.”

This caused the soldier to stop, a confused expression on his face. “Uh… At ease, soldier,” he said uneasily. “Where you headed, suited up like that?”

The soldier’s less formal mode of speech caught the knight off guard, but he didn’t let it show. After all, Sir Kilvern used to talk like that.

At least, up until that giant cupcake ate him.

“I am making my way towards the Crystal Palace, I have business with Her Highness. Pray tell, canst thou convey me there? I have great need to speak with her, as I must commune with the Princesses of the Sun and Moon at the earliest possible convenience.”

The soldier just looked at him, almost as if he were trying to decide if the knight was serious or not. After a few seconds of this, the soldier shrugged and nodded his head. The then turned to make his way towards the palace, all while motioning with his hoof. “Very well, if you’ll follow me, I can take you right to her. Princess Cadence should be holding court soon.”

“Excuse me, but who will be holding court?” the knight asked confused. “Whatever happened to Princess Bellezza Del Cielo?”

The soldier quickly turned at that, his face a mask of worry. “Uh, Sir? Don’t you remember? She was murdered by the Empire’s last king.”

This immediately caused the knight to freeze in his tracks. “M-Murdered? King? What foolishness is this? Where were her guards? Why was the usurper allowed the throne? What has happened?”

The soldier gave the knight another look, one filled with compassion, rather than confusion, then threw a brotherly hoof over the knight’s withers. “Look, buddy, I don’t know where you were, but it’s obvious that you missed out on a few things. The usurper’s been taken care of, so you don’t have to worry about him anymore.”

“No, I do... If I had been there, I might have been able to stop him…” the knight said listlessly.

“Listen, buddy, the royal guards were flattened by this guy. It took the combined might of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna to take him down, so I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t have stood a chance.” the soldier gave the knight a quick look over, before gently pushing the knight towards the palace. “Even if you look like you’re ready to take on the world. Now, let’s get you down to the palace; Princess Cadence will want to see you as soon as possible. She’ll want to explain everything personally.”

“I… I dont… what...” the knight said, barely registering the fact that the other soldier was gently shepherding him towards the palace. “Where… where is Fancy Feet?” he asked, suddenly perking up. “My squire should know what sorcery is afoot… he…”

“A friend of yours?” the soldier asked, cocking an eyebrow at the knight in a curious manner. “Well, if he was in the Crystal Empire when all that went down, we’ll be able to find him again. We should see the princess first, though.”

The knight just nodded, unable to say anything, or indeed to think of anything. He was far too busy trying to collect his scattered mind to even remotely be up to the task. Luckily, there was a soldier there to guide him towards someone who would hopefully help him make sense of this disaster.

* * *

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza was feeling rather perky this morning. After all, not only was she a newlywed, but a week ago her ancestral home had returned, and its usurper king had been disposed of.

All in all, things were looking up, and there wasn’t a single dark cloud on the horizon.

“What does my schedule look like today, Balanced Ledger?” The pink princess asked as she bit into a pastry.

“You’ve got a meeting with the griffon emissary at ten, the minotaur emissary at twelve, an appearance at the jousting range, and a meeting with Celestia later this evening,” the wizened old bat pony answered, flipping through his notes with his nose. “Several of the old guard would also like to schedule an audience with you. It seems like they have some issue with how you will be conducting the empire.”

Princess Cadenza, or Cadence as she preferred to be known, gave a negligent wave of her hoof. “We knew there were going to be some issues there, but it's not an insurmountable problem. They're just stuck in the past. Tell them I will meet with them this Wednesday, and I will devote the entire day to help them transition to the new world.”

Balenced Ledger wrinkled his nose and gave the princess a wry look. “I do believe that that is the exact opposite of what they want to hear.”

“Isn't it, though?” Cadence replied innocently, through her eyes shone with a mischievous light as she brought her teacup up to her lips.

“I will inform the Duke of the terrible news, then,” Balanced Ledger said, bowing low to his princess. He then turned to leave, but almost ran into a soldier who had apparently been about to knock on the door right as he opened it. “Ah, Sergeant Battlement, I was hoping to run into you today. I have a few things to go over with you and your fellow guards about the emissaries’ security detail. They have apparently made quite a few requests.”

The sergeant gave the chamberlain a quick semi-bow, though his face was turned down in a nervous frown. “That will have to wait until later. I have something urgent to report to the Princess.”

Balanced Ledger gave a quick bow in return, then turned to leave. “Then I shall find you once your business is done. I have quite a few other things to take care of before the day is through.” Without another word, the chamberlain swept from the room, humming faintly to himself as he closed the door.

Princess Cadence put down her teacup, concern on her face. “What’s wrong, sergeant?”

The sergeant cut a crisp salute, his hoof hitting the lip of his helm with a faint clink. “Your Highness, a stranger wearing full plate and a sword showed up at the outskirts of town a little while ago. Captain Sentry was the first to encounter him, and has escorted him to the palace.”

The crystal pony was very good at hiding his emotions, but not only was the domain of emotion Cadence’s special talent, but she had had far too much experience with her husband Shining Armor, and his poker face was far superior regardless. “Sergeant? Is there something wrong?”

He looked at her for a long moment, then let out a long sigh. “There’s a couple of things that are just wrong about this guy; Something about his voice immediately puts me on edge, he hasn’t removed his helmet since appearing, and he talks like how the nobles talk. He…” The sergeant looked around the room a bit before rubbing the back of his head with his hoof. “From what the captain said, it seems like he thinks this is a thousand years ago. Which would mean he was under Sombra’s curse, right? But…”

“But he came from outside the city,” Cadence said, finishing his thought with a nod. “I understand your concern, sergeant, but if what this pony says is true, than he needs our help as much as anypony else in this city.”

The sergeant shook his head. “I know that, ma’am. And if this were a normal looking pony, I'd be all for it. But-”

“Sergeant, armor doesn't make him different,” Cadence said in a reproachful voice. “You should know this better than anypony.”

“I wasn't talking about his getup, Your Highness.”

Cadence cocked her head curiously. The stallion’s nervousness had seemed to double as the had finally reached the point that he really wanted to talk about. “Then what’s wrong with him?”

Sergeant Battlement took a deep breath, before letting it out in a controlled huff. “Your Highness, the pony doesn't cast a shadow,” the sergeant said, taking Cadence by surprise. “He’s also passed by some of the more reflective surfaces in the palace, and he doesn't cast a reflection, either. Whatever he is, I’m fairly certain he isn't a pony. I'd say be extremely cautious with him, or even to not meet him at all. Probably best to postpone his meeting until Celestia arrives later this evening.”

This gave Princess Cadence pause. While she could see wisdom in the sergeants words, she would not be cowed in her own home. “Thanks for the advice, sergeant, but it’ll be fine,” she said, rising to her hooves. “Please go get Shiny, and tell him everything you told me.”

The sergeant bowed respectfully. “Someone is already on their way to get him.”

Cadence nodded at this, then swept past the soldier and out the room. “Come along, then. Let’s greet our newest guest and try to explain things to him. I’m sure he has a lot of questions.”

* * *

The knight waited patiently in the throne room, his eyes wandering over the delicate-looking crystal that formed the palace walls. It wasn't a new sight to him; right before he had left to follow the star Ignius, he and Fancy Feet had paid the Crystal Palace a visit. The place was still as impressive as he remembered, though it now had a few tapestries that he had never seen before; most of them revolving around some kind of shadowy black figure, a pair of ponies twisted into the shape of a heart, and a single small dragon that seemed to be depicted as some kind of hero.

The knight had never heard of a dragon hero. They tended to be standoffish creatures; rarely fraternizing with anyone outside their race, and the rare times they did interact with the ‘lesser’ races had all been gruff and brutish.

“What did you do, little one? To be hailed as a hero?” the knight whispered to himself, his voice echoing slightly from within his helmet.

“His name is Spike, and he was responsible for returning the Crystal Heart,” a feminine voice said, interrupting the knight’s inspection of the tapestry. The knight turned to greet the newcomer, but was not expecting the sight that met his eyes.

Entering the throne room were two ponies. One was a rather fit unicorn stallion, his white coat and blue hair not really making him stand out much. In fact, the knight barely even registered him compared to the creature that stood on his left.

It was an alicorn, though not any alicorn that the knight was familiar with. She wasn’t as tall as either Celestia or Luna, but she was certainly taller than most mares that the knight had seen. Her light pink coat was immaculate, as was her cascading, tri-colored mane and tail. The knight faintly noted that her hair didn't flutter and move as if alive like Celestia’s and Luna’s did.

That hardly mattered to the knight, however. All he could think of was that there was another alicorn. One that bore a striking resemblance to the apparently late Princess Bellezza Del Cielo.

The second that the knight was able to recover from his shock, he fell into a low, low bow. “I apologize, Your Highness. I was not aware that Celestia and Luna had another sister.”

A faint giggle met him, which caused him to quickly glance up at the princess. She had a single hoof over her mouth and seemed to be trying to keep from laughing. “While I’m flattered that you think so, I’m not related to the two sisters.”

The knight quickly straightened up, his thoughts a muddled mess. "How… what… I am confused. Pray tell, who art thou? And what has happened to thine predecessor, Princess Bellezza Del Cielo? The knight from earlier spoke of an usurper king, but has not elaborated on the subject. How has so much transpired in the few days I have been away?”

The alicorn’s face became very somber at that moment. “My name is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, though I prefer Cadence. Princess Cielo… was my ancestor.”

If anything, this just confused the knight even more. So much so that he was unable to even form words. The white stallion next to the princess seemed to sense his confusion, and took the opportunity to expound further. “The usurper killed Princess Cielo, and took the empire for his own. Celestial and Luna defeated him, but not before he was able to curse the entire empire, sealing it, and its people, away from the world.” The stallion gave the knight a quick look, before shaking his head. “It would seem that his curse extended to some areas outside the empire as well. You have been gone far longer than a few days, friend.”

The knight sat heavily on his rear, his mind trying, and failing, to make sense of the information he had been given. “I… Is Celestia… Luna… how long…?”

The white stallion’s gaze never left the knight’s helmeted face, though the knight could see pity in that stare. “The curse has lasted for a thousand years, Sir…?”

The knight didn't respond. He couldn't. A thousand year meant that everyone he had known and loved was dead. They had been dead for quite some time. Even the princesses, those beings that he had set out to serve so long ago were naught but dust, their legacy the only thing remaining after all this time.

“Sir, what is your name?” Princess Cadence asked, pulling him from the spiral of despair. “If you knew Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, I’m sure they would love to know that one of their friends from so long ago survived.”

“Wait… the saviors are still alive!?” the knight asked, shock running through his mind.

The white stallion gave a short nod, a faint smile on his muzzle. "They are, though I’m sure they wouldn't care to be called ‘saviors’. From what I know of those two, they tend to avoid ceremony whenever they can. Celestia more so than Luna, Sir…?”

The knight gave out a huge sigh of relief, then reached up for his helmet. “I thank thee for this news. Mayhap my quest was not in vain,” he then removed his helmet and shook his long, dark hair free from its confines. “My name is Sir Sombra. It is unlikely, but perhaps thou might know of my…” The knight started to say, but trailed off when he realized what was happening around him.

Princess Cadence had a look of abject horror on her face, while the white stallion beside her had one of absolute rage. His horn was crackling with arcane energy, while the soldiers in attendance all pointed their weapons at the now confused, and somewhat worried, knight. “Is there something amiss?” he asked, fear creeping into his voice. “Was it improper of me to remove mine helmet?”

Somehow, Sir Sombra had the feeling that propriety had very little to do with his current situation.

Author's Note

Well, it's been *looks at last chapter publish date* HOLY ****, THREE YEARS? I'VE LET THIS SIT FOR THREE YEARS!?

Well, whatever, I'm still getting to my other stories, regardless of how long it's going to take. sorry about that. I've just been so busy with my other story (Cough, cough, The Humanity Within, cough, cough,) being married, getting ready for babies, and moving, that I've had very little time for much else. Hopefully that will change soon here.

Well, another apology for making you guys wait so long. Hopefully you'll see a lot more chapters from my other stories soon!

Toodles!

Chapter III

Princess Celestia woke with a yawn, her jaw clicking oddly as it popped back into place. She didn’t even need an alarm, not really, given that a thousand years of regularly raising the sun had basically set into stone when she would wake.

That’s not to say she enjoyed it. There were days where she honestly wished that she could just sleep in, let the day wait a few hours extra… but her duty, the lives of everyone in Equestria and beyond, depended on her.

So, it was with groggy, stumbling hooves that the Princess of the Sun made her way to the balcony, threw open the window with her magic, and reached up into the sky to take charge of her ancient pledge. She could feel her sister’s magic in the sky, easing the burden, and allowing her to only concentrate on her own half, which naturally brought a relieved, thankful smile to her face.

“It is good to have you back, dear sister,” Celestia said as the sun rose gracefully on the horizon. “Now, about some breakfast.”

Despite the rumbling in her belly, however, it took the Princess of the Sun a while to make her way to the breakfast table. Her mane coursed with the power of the sun itself, and was therefore immune to bed head, but that did not mean that her fur carried the same property. What’s more is that she was scheduled to meet with the Taurian delegation just after breakfast, so she needed to ensure that preparations were seen to before she thought about satisfying her hunger.

So, it was a tired, but prepared Celestia that wandered into the dining hall. Luna was already there, looking spent after her night, but none the worse for wear. “It is good to see you, Luna. How was your duties last night?”

Luna’s mouth opened wide in a tired yawn, before she looked at her sister. “I have had worse. A few nightmares to chase, one that broke into the waking world, but it was easily conquered, with only some minor damage done to Fillydelphia.”

“Was anypony hurt?” Celestia asked as worry bled into her voice as she piled some oatcakes onto her plate.

“Thankfully none, but there was some panic to deal with afterwards,” Luna answered as she took a sip of cocoa from her mug. “I did not think that ponies could possibly become any more skittish than they already were, then I come back after banishment only to find that peace has made them lose their minds at the first sign of trouble.”

“Still, it is good to have you back. Your Night Sentinels have done a marvelous job in your absence, but it does not compare to having a true master of the craft back at the helm,” Celestia comments to her tired sister, causing her to blush with pride.

“As welcome as your praise is, I feel too tired to really appreciate it,” Luna said as she suppressed a yawn. “I could use some sleep, and maybe…”

Whatever Luna was about to wish for quickly trailed off as a wisp of smoke snaked through the open door and rushed to Celestia, before it resolved itself into a scroll. Celestia grumbled a bit as she unfurled the parchment, though her irritation was quickly lost when her eyes began to scan its contents.

“What strange danger or life lesson has your student found out now?” Luna asked curiously as she took a sip of her cocoa.

“It isn't from Twilight. Instead, it's from Cadence,” Celestia corrected her as her eyes went wide. “And it’s urgent. Sombra’s back, and he’s apparently developed an immunity to the Crystal Heart.”

That immediately got Luna’s attention. “I didn’t think anything of that monster would have survived!” she said as she rose to her hooves, her previous exhaustion all but forgotten. “But to actually develop an immunity to such powerful and ancient magic? This cannot bode well. Did she say how high the casualties were?”

Celestia scanned the letter, then looked at the back, as if searching for something, before shaking her head, a frown on her face. “It doesn’t say,” she said, clearly troubled. “They did manage to get him into custody, though, and they're requesting our presence as soon as we are able.”

“They caught him?” Luna asked, clearly not believing the words coming out of her sister’s mouth. “We’re talking about the same unicorn, right? The one that forsook his knighthood? He who delved into the dark arts and became one of the most powerful and evil sorcerers in history?”

“He hasn’t shown those powers yet, apparently. Cadence seems to think it may have something to do with why the Heart didn’t stop him. That he may be hiding them somehow? She did note that there was something wrong with his appearance, though she did not specify what that was.”

"Well, I think this important enough to put off a few things," Luna said as she stood up, a stern look on her face. "He may be imprisoned for now, but that cannot last, especially given that the Crystal Empire's dungeons were never really made to contain someone of Sombra's caliber."

"At the same time, we have too much work on hoof to really just drop everything," Celestia countered. "The treaty talks with the minotaurs are still underway, and the griffon emperor was planning a ball, celebrating his latest marriage. To snub him for this could be seen as an insult."

"Yes, but at least-"

"And you are exhausted, Luna," Celestia interrupted her gently, even as her sister let out a gigantic yawn. "I will enlist Twilight and her friends, as well as a contingent of both our solar and lunar guards to go with them."

"But what if-"

"It will be fine, dear sister," Celestia said gently as she got up to shoo Luna off to bed. "They were able to handle you while corrupted, did they not? What's more is that I have a feeling that the danger here is not nearly as pressing as it would first appear."

Luna quirked an eye at that. “And what, pray tell, makes you think that?”

Celestia smiled at that, before fluttering the letter at her. “If he were as big of a problem as you are implying, then this letter would never have been sent. All we would have received is a declaration of war before Sombra and his slave soldiers marched upon our lands.”

Luna shivered at that, before nodding in understanding. “You make a good point… Very well. I shall have faith that your student and her friends, as well as the imperial couple, are more than enough to take care of this would-be warlord…”

* * *

Sir Sombra fumed silently inside his prison cell. He had been relieved of his weapon, stripped of his armor, and thrown into a jail like some common criminal, all because some lowlife had thought it a funny joke to steal his identity and usurp the Crystal Empire.

Sombra wasn't an idiot, and even if he was, it didn't take a genius to put all the facts together. How they had spoken of the previous crystal princess's murderer, the shock that had spread through the throne room the moment he had removed his helmet, the whispers of dread that had followed him as he was dragged to his cell. All of that wasn’t even taking into account the information he’d managed to glean from the frightened whispers as the guard switched every few hours. If what they said could be believed, then they all were waiting for the moment when he broke out of his cell, unleashed his foul powers and wrath upon the whole empire and anypony that might stand in his way.

They needn’t have bothered, though. The restraining ring they had fitted and locked upon his horn was more than enough to keep him contained. Still, it was clear that they feared him, and greatly at that. They spoke of him as a monster, and knew with a certainty that, even without his weapon, he easily had the power to kill them all.

He didn't. And even if he did, he wouldn't give the monster who took his face the satisfaction of making his little farce a reality. He'd rather face the guillotine before becoming the monster they claimed he was.

As Sir Sombra mulled on the strangeness of his situation, the door to the prison proper opened, causing him to look up in interest. It was the white stallion that had been in the throne room earlier. The unicorn had a straight, spiraled horn as opposed to Sombra’s own curved one, denoting him to belong to the old day clan of unicorns. He also had a blue mane and tail, with lighter stripes running through both, while a shield with stars was emblazoned on his flanks, the mark of power denoting him as someone with the holy calling of protection. He was clearly someone of some importance, be that as the leader of the princess's guard, the leader of the imperial troops, or the princess's own consort, it mattered not. All that mattered to Sombra was that he treated the stallion in front of him with the respect that he was owed.

"I am at thy service, My Lord," Sir Sombra said as he fell into a low bow, the chains around his hooves clanking merrily as he showed subservience to his captor. "To what do I owe the pleasure of thy presence?"

“Can it, Sombra. We’re on to you, so you can stop it with this ‘innocent knight out of time’ routine you’ve got going here,” the stallion said, his sky-blue eyes boring into Sombra, faintly reminding the knight of his old master. “The only thing that confuses me is why you surrendered. What’s your game, here? What are you planning?”

“I assure thee, tis’ not a ploy,” Sombra said, coming up from his bow and standing at attention. “I honestly cannot recall any of the crimes that thou hast ascribed unto me. I swear upon my honor, and upon the honor of the House of Nocturn, that mine innocence is so assured that I am quite incapable of describing even one of the diverse crimes and evils that mine unruly doppelganger committed in mine absence. However, given the short synopsis from thy knight who received me upon mine arrival, as well as thy reactions in the presence of the Crystal Princess, 'twas trivial to piece together at least a few of them, as well as suppose that this villain also stole my face and performed all of his heinous deeds in my name.”

The stallion stared at Sombra long and hard at that, probably in an attempt to force the knight to lose his nerve, and crack under the pressure, but Sombra was too seasoned to be swayed by such tactics. He had seen the knights of his order eaten by lime-flavored gelatin monstrosities before. An angry stare was nothing compared to that horror.

Besides, there was nothing to crack. Sombra had the truth on his side, so why would he be nervous like a foal who had been caught wearing his father’s armor?

“So what, you expect the entire empire to just forgive you, then? To shrug off the horror you inflicted upon them?” the stallion asked after being foiled in his intimidation attempt.

“I expect nothing more than to be treated as the ruffian who stole my face,” Sombra answered honestly. “Tis’ unseemly to expect anything less, so I am content to subject myself to imprisonment and worse if it will serve my vindication. After all, from what I’ve gathered from the knight who directed me to the palace, the monster is already dealt with, his corpse thrown from the land, and his foul body a feast for the worms. It would serve no purpose, do no pony any good, to escape the hooves of those that only seek justice for past wrongs committed. So, I shall stay as directed, and await thy proper and just judgment.”

The stallion just stared at him for a few seconds, before shutting his eyes, as if in pain. He then shook his head, and let out a frustrated groan. “Okay, let’s say, for the sake of argument, that I believe you. What exactly did you do that led up to you waltzing into the throne room of the Crystal Palace?”

“Thou thinkest I jest, but tis’ the truth. However, I understand thy hesitancy, for if our positions were reversed, I would not be nearly as patient as thou art,” Sombra said, before gently inclining his head, and clearing his throat. “However, before we begin, I would ask thee for a favor.”

The yet unnamed stallion’s brow furrowed at that. “You’re in no position to ask for anything.”

“And it tis’ thy right as my captor to completely ignore my request, yet I must ask regardless,” Sombra said, knowing full well he risked angering his host.

The stallion stared at the knight for a few more seconds, before a rakish smile graced his lips. “Okay, I’ll bite. What do you want?”

“My story involves another stallion, one by the name of Fancy Feet.”

The white stallion raised his eyebrow at this. “A friend of yours?”

“My squire, in fact. Before whatever strange magics took me, I ordered him to return to the empire, and await my return there if perchance the trial I was to undertake extended longer than a day. If the empire truly has been sealed in time, then there is a chance he is here,” Sombra said as worry began to bleed into his voice.

“And he can vouch for you?”

Sombra shook his head at that. “By the sisters, no. If he was here, he would have been victimized by my loathsome foe just as much as the crystal ponies. If anything, the ax he has to grind against me tis far greater than those that anypony else here possesses… That is, if he even survived the villain's reign. Fancy Feet was a valiant pony, and it would not surprise me in the slightest if he lost his life attempting to bring the being he thought his master back to his senses.”

The white stallion’s eyes furrowed at that. “Then why even bring him up?”

“Hope. I still hold out hope that he somehow survived this madness. And if my hope is vindicated, then I would ask that he be cared for, and treated fairly despite the disreputable master he served in the past. He has had nothing but trouble and woe following and waiting for me, and it behoove us to treat him with the respect and honor he deserves. Finally, if he lives, and thou doth manage to locate him, I wouldst ask that thou deliver a message,” Sombra said, his voice clear and even, even as a single tear entered his eye. “Tell him… that I am sorry. For everything.”

This seemed to surprise the white pony, which only further cemented Sombra’s hatred for whomever had worn his face. If they thought he was that much of a monster, then the creature was lucky that it was already dead. If Sombra had gotten his hooves on the beast, dying would have been the least of his worries.

“I think I can do that much for you… If we find him, that is,” the yet unnamed noble promised him. “What does he look like?”

“My squire is a rather short and stocky Earth Pony lad, usually wears a scarf, and has blue fur and green eyes,” Sombra described for his captor. “His mane is a lighter shade of blue then thine own, nearly white, in fact, and cut short. He has a shield and hammer as his Mark of Power, and is as stalwart a companion as anypony could find.”

The white stallion glanced to his left at one of the guards next to Sombra’s cell, at which the guard nodded and immediately trotted out of the jail. The stallion then focused his attention back on Sir Sombra. “Now, you were telling me about how you came to be here?”

“I was, Sir…?”

“Shining Armor. And I’m not a knight. Knighthoods were abolished around seven hundred years ago, and haven’t been a part of the Equestrian Military for that long,” Shining Armor stated flatly.

Sombra’s face scrunched up in confusion at that. “I see. Was our service not pleasing unto the Royal Sisters?”

“Had nothing to do with that. More to do with the fact that Celestia opened the military to the common folk, turned noble titles into more ceremonial and administrative roles, rather than attached to land, and opened the way for the common pony to compete with their leaders on equal footing,” Shining Armor explained. “I’m a commoner, in fact… At least, I was. Marrying a princess tends to change a few things.”

“Ah, I suspected thy role as the princess’s consort, but was not certain of it, Prince Armor. No doubt thou hast won the fair princess’s heart justly,” Sombra said, bowing politely to the stallion. “The common blood is a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. Some of the most stalwart stallions I have had the pleasure to serve with had been of commoner blood. Tis’ somewhat relieving to hear that they might stand with equal footing with us now, both on the battlefield, and in the boardroom. It will take time to adjust, however. There was a certain amount of respect expected of one of my station, and learning that a commoner has married himself to a position above myself is somewhat odd to contemplate, and doth cause unnecessary and unwarranted vexation of my soul.”

“I’m a military pony as well,” Shining said, a note of displeasure entering his voice. “In fact, until I was married, I was Captain of the Royal Guard, the equivalent to a grand marshall in your old knightly orders… A position I earned with every step, I might add.”

“Of course, My Lord, it was not mine intent to insinuate that thine accomplishments were unearned,” Sombra quickly apologized. “I was merely commenting on the strangeness of the era I find myself in. Tis’ not an issue, and will resolve itself in time.”

Shining Armor nodded at that, a certain amount of satisfaction in his gaze as he coughed uncomfortably, as if he just remembered why he was here. “However, that is a bit off track. You were telling the ‘truth’ of how you found yourself here.”

Sombra could hear the quotation marks in Shining’s voice, but he did not call the younger stallion out on it. He was still the prisoner here, after all, and he was not about to try the patience, or the mettle, of the warriors of this new era. “It began a short time after the saviors of Equestria turned the Discord, the God of Chaos, into stone…”

* * *

Shining Armor let out a sigh of frustration as he entered his wife’s parlor, causing Cadence to look up at him with worry. "I know that sigh. Whatever you learned from him, you don't really care for it."

"It's not that simple, Cadence," Shining said, before he collapsed on the couch next to her. "He's a devious snake, one who killed the last princess, conquered the empire, left a multitude of nasty traps around the Heart, injured me in battle, and drove you to collapse."

"...But," Cadence said, prompting Shining to continue as she brushed her hoof through his mane.

Shining let out a sigh at that, before glancing up at her, a despondent look on his face. "Either the stallion we have in custody is a really good actor, or he's not the same Sombra who took over your ancestral homeland."

Cadence suddenly stopped running her hoof through his mane, but before Shining could ask what was wrong, he felt her touch the tip of her horn to his own. There was a rush of power, filling Shining with a burning sensation in his chest, while simultaneously making him feel as if he could move mountains.

"What was…?" Shining started to ask.

"Well, we can rule out changeling, mind control or any sort of befuddling spell," Cadence said as Shining’s eyes met hers.

He just looked at her flatly as he raised his head until he was at her eye level. "You think I'd lie to cover for him, then?"

"No, of course not. Which makes this all the more aggravating," Cadence said as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Was Sombra under mind control, then? Corrupted into a monster by dark powers?"

Shining shook his head at that, before rolling over a little and looking up at her. “I really couldn’t say what happened to him, but I have a few clues. He told me a story of a knight attempting to become a guardian worthy of the Royal Sisters, finding and entering a magic mirror, then fighting demons for a handful of minutes at best. When he left the mirror, the world was changed, and his name and likeness was cursed more than anyone entombed within Tartarus.”

“...And you believe him?” Cadence asked flatly.

“If that was his whole story, then no. I’d pass it off as an unrepentant killer that had been stripped of his power, doing his absolute best to avoid responsibility for his crimes… If it weren’t for the request he made to me before we started,” Shining said as he reached up and gently traced a hoof through his wife’s mane. “You see, he claimed that he wasn’t alone. He left on this quest with his squire, Fancy Feet. I’ve already requested records, and found that he indeed arrived here with a Fancy Feet when he first came to the Crystal Empire, but not when he came back as its conqueror. He seemed to be under the impression that he sent Fancy Feet back to town before delving into the cave with the mirror.”

“He asked for you to find Fancy Feet to collaborate his story?” Cadence concluded for him.

Shining just shook his head, though. “No. He did ask us to find him, but to make sure that he was okay, not to get any sort of testimony. More importantly, he wanted us to apologize to him for the now imprisoned king. Sombra was more concerned with his squire, and what his squire thought of him, than with anything we might do to him.”

Cadence frowned at that, before rising to her hooves and gently stepping over Shining and onto the floor. “You’re right, that doesn’t sound like the monster that my mother scared me with stories about before bed.”

“Thing is, he’s given us an easy way to test his story,” Shining Armor said as he rolled back up into a sitting position. “I’ve already sent a few stallions out to find this mirror. If his story is true, and it does what I think it does, then there’s a pretty good chance we have the source of our Sombra… And the reason why he doesn’t cast a reflection, or have a shadow.”

“That's the rub, isn't it? It all depends on if his tale is true. If it is, then it was probably his shadow that we-” Cadence started to say, easily guessing where her husband's mind had gone, but stopped when a wisp of smoke flew in under the door, traveled up to her, and resolved itself into a scroll.

“Celestia’s response?” Shining Armor asked curiously.

“Sort of. It’s actually from little Twili,” Cadence said as a smile grew on her face. “She said that she had things explained to her, and she and her friends are on their way up here right now.”

“Well, if anyone can figure out what the hay is up with this, it’s those seven,” Shining said as a broad smile broke out on his face. “Though… It probably would be a good idea to send her a letter telling her to calm down a bit. You know how they can get... Might also be a good idea to warn the locals. Spike always makes a big splash whenever he shows up around here.”

Cadence tried, and failed, to hide a snort of amusement at that. “He certainly does. And a letter to Twilight wouldn't be a bad idea, either. I wouldn’t be surprised if Rainbow Dash soared right through the walls and decked Sombra before we could even say anything to her,” Cadence said as she moved over to her desk. “I’ll get right on that.”

Shining Armor smiled at his wife before he got up and trotted out of the room. His sister and her friends could be a little… rambunctious, at times, but when the chips were down, there wasn’t anypony else he’d rather trust with the fate of the world.

That being said, he could only imagine the kind of trouble they’d cause before they actually solved the problem at hoof.

Author's Note

Hey, all! I know it took forever and a half for me to get back to this, but I did! I also have an announcement to make:

My new book, Nightmare of the Past, is out!

You can buy it right now, from the link above, at Amazon in both E-book formats, as well as softcover. If you don't have a kindle-capable device, you may also buy it, as well as its prequel, What I've Become, on Google Play or Google Books. You can find the link to both of those below as well.

What I've Become: Google Edition
Nightmare of the Past: Google Edition.

As for what I have planned for this story, coming back to it has reminded me of the potential here, and I'm really going to buckle down and get more of this done. However, first I need to complete a promise I made. I promised I'd update all my stories once my book was done, and that's what I'm going to do. Just decided to start here, since this is where my muse led me. Anyway, hope you guys stick around for the ride! It's going to be a doozy!