The Incantation

When the Royal Guards who'd captured me arrived in Canterlot a few hours later, they went immediately to the castle. I was brought without hesitation directly before Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. They sat side-by-side on their thrones, watching as I was dragged in chains in front of them by the two guards.

The corridor was vast, empty, and dimly lit, save for the lights around the Princesses thrones, which gave off plenty of light. The atmosphere added to the already morose mood.

"Thank you, Lieutenant Thundercloud and Sergeant Armor Wing." Princess Celestia gave the pair a quick nod.

They saluted stiffly. "No problem, Your Majesty." They stepped off to the sides.

The Princess turned her attention to me, looking strictly business.

I cowered, not making eye contact with either princess.

"Emerald Rain - your crimes have landed you in Royal custody. You have been accused of robbery, fleeing from justice, and two counts of murder. How do you plead?" Princess Celestia demanded authoritatively.

Was this really happening? Was I really on trial right now for crimes I did and didn't commit? This was a bad dream...a horrible, nasty nightmare that I should wake up from any moment.

But it wasn't a dream.

I peered up at the princesses, who looked back at me, with little emotion in their eyes or on their faces.

"I...I didn't do that," I tried, squeezing my eyes shut. "I didn't kill anypony, I swear I didn't..."

Princess Celestia stood up. "Then who did? Because you were the only criminal on the run on that train."

"In all fairness sister, there are no witnesses present or willing to step forward, nor is there any evidence to prove Emerald killed anypony." She sighed. "Perhaps we should drop those counts?"

"No," Princess Celestia objected. "There has to be somepony to pay for the deaths of those two ponies...Emerald Rain was on the run at the time of their deaths, on the very train they perished from. He is to blame."

"Princess Twilight banished me," I blurted, earning curious stares from both of them. I was hoping that they'd just go with that. At least I'd be free.

"Banished you?" Princess Luna repeated. "From where?"

I sighed deeply. "From...Equestria..."

They were silent for a moment.

"That punishment will not suffice," Princess Celestia said evenly. "I will have to override her authority."

"Be fair, sister," Princess Luna warned her.

"Of course," she replied, turning back to me. "Emerald Rain, you have been accused of these things, yet wasn't it you that saved Fluttershy's life and instead risked your own?"

I nodded slowly. "Uh...yeah, yes...I did."

"And how do you plead on your charges?"

I swallowed what felt like broken glass. "I...I plead..." I looked around the room. There was no way out. "...G-guilty..."

She nodded. "Very well. In that case, I hereby do charge you with the earlier stated crimes, and sentence you to 20 years in the dungeon."

My heart about stopped. "20...years?" My life was officially over. I went from hero - to zero. To less than zero.

Princess Celestia motioned for the two guards to take me away.

I sagged, didn't fight back, but I didn't cooperate, either. All I could do is think...20 years?

I was led down halls, stairs, past rooms, and into the pits of the castle. As we descended into what was going to be my hell on Equus, I heard sorrowful cries, whimpers and sobs echoing through the corridor.

"Spare me," I whispered.

I was dragged to an empty cell, barred with iron and encased with dark gray stone. The two guards tossed me in after unshackling me, and slammed the bars behind. They were gone a few seconds later.

I looked around the darkened, cold cell. All there was was a plain bed, toilet, and a small barred window above my bed, overlooking part of lower Canterlot and some of the surrounding areas, including distant Ponyville.

This was going to be my home for the next 20 years.

I sat on the edge of the bed, buried my face in my hooves...

And cried.

Storm and his team arrived in Canterlot later that night, ready to turn in the crown and reign in the massive reward from Solar Flare. But for some reason, something was bothering Storm. Something wasn't right about their client. As harmless as he seemed, it was clear that he had intentions other than simply collecting an all-powerful crown and the scroll that went with it.

They reached Solar Flare's home soon, knocking on the heavy oak door.

It opened seconds later. Solar Flare was at first unamused, but within seconds, he was grinning widely, like a foal in a candy store.

"Come in, come in," he said warmly.

They all piled in, standing around and waiting patiently for their reward.

Flare came up to Storm, sipping a cup of hot tea. "Do you have it?"

Storm sighed and nodded. "I do," he answered, reaching into his saddlebag and pulling it out. "Just as you requested."

Flare set his tea down nearby and gently acquired the crown from Storm, holding it up to light. "Excellent..."

Storm cleared his throat. "If you would be so kind as to pay us our due reward..."

Flare gave him a tight-lipped smile. "Yes, yes...of course." He turned and motioned them to follow him to another room, full of countless gems and crates of bits. "Take what you wish."

Storm drew back in surprise. "You promised five million bits."

Flare threw him an irritated look. "Take what you wish." Then he left the room.

Steel and Orion waited for Storm to take an action.

Storm swept the room with his eyes. "Take it all," he ordered.

They hesitated, but did as they were told.

Storm observed them packing up as much as they could for a moment before he went back into the front room. Flare was already wearing his saddlebag, coat, and sunglasses, which the last one struck Storm as odd due to the fact that it was half-past eleven at night. "Where are you going?" Storm asked as Flare opened the front door to leave.

Flare glanced over his shoulder. "If you knew, you wouldn't like it, to say the least." Then he slipped out into the dark.

Storm snorted and looked back at his two accomplices. "Take all the bits and gems to my hotel room. Wait for my return there."

"Sure thing, boss." Orion replied.

Storm flew out the front door to follow Flare.

It was quite the train ride out to the Crystal Empire, Storm noticed. Flare maintained solitude the whole way, not speaking to a single pony. Instead, he kept the hood up on his coat, and looked at nopony as he got off the train and headed...

Out of town?

Storm carefully trailed the unicorn as he trekked up into the nearby Crystal Mountains. As they reached to snowline, Storm couldn't help but wonder what the arrogant pony planned on doing out in the remote mountains of the north.

It wasn't long before they reached a clear, open mesa, wide enough to almost support a small town. It was covered by what appeared to be a glacier, creeping slowly down the mountainside. A thick layer of powdery snow covered it for the most part, with a few exposed areas of ice protruding like little spires above the area.

Flare shuffled through the snow to the middle of the mesa.

"What is he up to?" Storm questioned aloud, keeping hidden behind a rocky bluff.

Flare stood still in the snow for a moment, doing something with his magic.

Storm stepped out from behind the rock to see better.

It began to snow small, needle-like flakes, and the wind picked up, forcing Storm to retreat behind the rock once again.

Out of the distance, he could hear a voice calling out something, something in a language he didn't understand. He peeked around the corner and gasped as he saw Flare glowing brightly, levitating as he spoke those unidentified words.

"...Charta et corona malum totidem sunt, sic verbi dicunt ut aeternaliter regnent..."

Storm's eyes widened. This wasn't any old talking to oneself...this was a chant! A magical chant!

The snow began to swirl around Flare, encasing him in a glowing ball that rose a few more feet before unleashing a pillar of orange light into the sky. Deep blue, purple, and gray clouds descended from above, creeping down like enchanted vines and tendrils, and deep thunderous laughter came from within.

"What is this...?" Storm muttered, keeping out of sight, but keeping his eyes glued to the scene unfolding before him. The snow was being blown around to the point where visibility was deteriorating quickly, and it wasn't long before the boiling cauldron of dark clouds was the only thing Storm could see.

Out of the darkness of the clouds came a loud, bellowing laugh that sent chills up Storm's spine, and a huge pair of eyes appeared in the midst of all the commotion.

It dawned on Storm finally, what was going on. "No...this foolish unicorn has lost his mind!" He turned and blasted down the mountainside, to escape the horrors that were surely soon to come.

He got to the bottom of the mountain, still within the wilderness, but felt safe enough to land and trot back the rest of the way. He was looking back up the mountain as he went, when an icy yet baritone voice ahead stopped him in his tracks.

"Did you honestly think I didn't know you were following me?"

Storm dug his hooves in the ground and stopped, looking back ahead to see who'd addressed him.

It was Flare, wearing the crown, only he wasn't only Flare - he was...

Sombra.

King Sombra.

He'd possessed himself with King Sombra.