The Incantation

Insane.

       That's the conclusion of the events Storm came to as he fled from the Crystal Empire, having witnessed the atrocities his former client had committed.

       Although he himself was guilty of some horrible crimes, none of which even approached the evil Sombra/Flare was committing and planning to commit.

This client is off his rocker, Storm told himself as the train to Canterlot hurtled along the tracks, cutting through the night. Lost his marbles...

       Storm left, intending to collect his payment along with his two partners, and make his way back to Manehattan. Perhaps what Flare was doing would effect him there, but he didn't care much so long as he wasn't inhibited from doing whatever he pleased, as usual.

       Upon deeper thought, Storm realized this would make all his effort for the mission in vain. He was about to be forced into slavery or death by this crazed, power-thirsty unicorn. Not to mention Sombra had his own ill intentions, surely to be fulfilled without any to rebel successfully.

       The train stopped at the station, and Storm wasted no time getting to the hotel, where his employees waited rather impatiently for their master's return.

       "There you are," Orion complained as Storm strode in briskly. "Where have you been?"

       "The bowels of hell," Storm snapped. "It doesn't matter where I've been. What matters is where we need to be." He began packing his things quickly, throwing them into his saddlebag with little to no care of gentleness.

       "What does that mean? Hell?" Steel poked at his boss, watching him stuff his bags full and snap them shut.

       "What part of, 'It doesn't matter' didn't you comprehend?" Storm asked coldly, glaring at him. "We will all be dead soon if we do not leave. Now." He made his way for the door.

       "Yeah, can we at least get an explanation? We deserve that much, at least," Steel continued, clearly pushing buttons. He and Orion followed Storm out into the darkened hall of the hotel and moved down it

towards the stairs.

       "Our client is clinically psychotic. That's all you need to know."

       They made it to the bottom floor, leaving through the back door and heading towards the train station. Steel carried a large portion of the loot, while Orion carried the rest. It weighed them down, which in turn slowed them. Storm had to keep stopping to allow them a chance to regroup.

       Up ahead, two Royal Guards plodded down the cobblestone paths in the direction of Storm and his men. Storm put on his poker face and tried not to stare at them, but he did eavesdrop on the casual conversation they were having.

       "... I'm glad that guy got caught though. The reward would've been nice to receive. Too bad nopony got it."

       "It's a hefty lump of bits, I'll tell you that."

       "Probably the highest I've ever seen it."

       "At least he's sitting in a cell for his crimes. Serves him right..."

       The guards went around a corner behind Storm and he didn't hear anything else.

So, they apprehended Emerald Rain? Interesting... He thought to himself.

        They approached the train station and immediately purchased tickets, boarding the just-arriving train to Manehattan.

       "So, what are we doing?" Orion inquired of his boss as the train picked up speed.

       Storm stared out the window into the distance. "We are leaving."

       Steel and Orion glanced uneasily at each other.

       "To Manehattan?"

       Storm looked back at them, a grave look on his face. "No, Equestria."

       Fluttershy sat beside a torn and broken Spike as he bawled for his missing friend. Fluttershy was just trying to make sense of things.

Did Emerald do this? Was it one of those crazy ponies or that Griffon? Where is Twilight? Is she safe? Scared? Lonely? There was no telling. With the way things have been going, she wouldn't be surprised if Twilight was...

       No. She couldn't think like that. Twilight is fine, wherever she is. And with the help of Spike and the others, she'd be found soon.

       "Spike, um... I know you're sad and such, but... Will you help me find her?" she asked tenderly, stroking his back to comfort him.

       He sniffled and wiped his nose with the back of a claw. "Yeah... Yeah, of course. Let's go now."

       Fluttershy smiled slightly, her own distress still effecting her greatly. She was by no means over the Emerald incident just because Twilight was missing. In fact, it only made her feel worse. "Okay, Spike, let's go get the others. They'll be willing to help as well."

        He nodded vigorously. "Great idea. Let's go," he said, promptly hopping up on Flutteshy's back, who was only momentarily startled. She walked out the door and into the night, looking for her friends.

       I was nearly asleep when I heard somepony approaching from the darkness of the stairs to my right, which led back up to freedom.

       I stood up from my sad excuse of a bed and went to the bars. I couldn't see anypony, but I could definitely hear them coming down, their hooves clopping noisily on each stone step.

       Slowly, out of the darkness, came something that both confused and frightened me greatly.

       Sombra.

       But not just Sombra... Sombra and somepony else who I thought I recognized, but because the two were fused, I couldn't put my hoof on it...

       "Hello, Emerald Rain. Enjoying yourself?" the strange anomaly mocked me, coming up within inches of the cell and smiling cruelly.

       It was only then that my eyes wandered to the top of his head - and I noticed the crown.

The crown.

        I watched him carefully and replied, "Who the hell are you?" I backed up from the bars a few inches.

        The guy snickered. "I'm the new ruler of this land. The rightful ruler, that is," he said, then smiled ruefully.

        I backed up a little further. "Where did you get that crown? What do you mean 'New ruler'?"

        He turned away. "Perhaps you don't understand the implications of your actions regarding the thievery of my crown. At first, you only pissed me off, but when I realized that I could easily obtain all the things I needed to activate the crown, I strived to recover my precious artifact from you. Storm and his team are and were expendable. Now that I have what I need, I don't need them." He paused for a second, then turned back to me, appearing nonchalant. "I don't need anypony, actually. But, as evil as I am, and with the knowledge that many ponies will die in the coming few weeks, even later, I can't stand to let you rot away here for something that really only spiked my desire to fulfill my desires. So," with a flick of his horn, the bars in front of me melted to a puddle of rusty brown liquid. "You're free."

       I stood there in disbelief. It hadn't been three hours and the bars that would have held me for 20 years melted. Just... Melted.

       I shook my head. "You can't just free me. Celestia placed me here."

       "Oh, don't worry about them. They won't be a problem at all anymore, nor will the Elements of Harmony," he said with surety. It was unsettling to see this deformed unicorn/Sombra fusion. And disturbing.

       "So what am I supposed to do? Go be a lonely bum, struggling to survive in a world that hates me?"

       He shrugged and turned away again, heading for the stairs. "None of my concern. You'll probably be dead soon anyway. The fall of Equestria is at hoof, and I am the rightful inheritor of the throne. Now, if you'll excuse me..." He disappeared into the darkness of the stairwell.

      I went after him, not satisfied with his answer. "Wait! I..." As I went up the first few steps, I heard and saw nothing. He was already gone somehow. Without a trace.

       I sighed unhappily and went back to my cell.

       "Don't do that. You have a chance now. Go kid," a gruff voice echoed through the cells.

       I slipped off the bed that I'd just say back on and ventured out into the middle of the cell block.

       "Right here, kiddo," the cell two over from mine to the left called out. I trotted over to it to see an old, saggy, sad-looking stallion staring back at me through the bars.

        "Um... But how can he let me go like this? Princess Celestia put me here. I can't just trot out willy-nilly." I sighed. "I deserve this..."

        The old guy snorted. "I've seen evil of his kind before, that stallion. He's likely telling the truth about the princesses being unable to help anymore. If I were you, I wouldn't be questioning freedom. Just go with it."

        True. Very true. "Still, how can I live with myself? I hurt a mare. I hurt many friends. I lost them all. I lost..." I almost teared up thinking about her. "I lost the most beautiful mare in Equestria..."

        "No, not lost," the stallion said sternly, sitting on his bed and picking up a book. "Just misplaced. I don't know what you did, I don't know this mare, but you haven't lost them. You sound like you've got a good head on your shoulders. Don't let a mistake ruin the rest of your life. You have a chance to right your wrongs. Now take it." Then he started reading, squinting heavily.

       "Part of me just wants to go die somewhere, be forgotten and lost... maybe I can do tust way up north... But... That's not the right decision... " I sighed. "Yeah... Alright. I'll just... Go out and... Win her back?" "After I go mourn far, far away from all this madness..."

      He looked at me from the corner of his eye. "Is that a question, or a statement?"

      I get it. "It's a statement..." I spun around and half-heartedly marched up the stairs and into the main entrance to the castle. The guards, princesses, or any pony, for that matter, were nowhere in sight. It was dead silent.

       "Weird..." I whispered to myself as I went out the front entrance and down the stone steps to the cobblestone paths that wound through Canterlot.

       I wandered around town, not really going anywhere. I couldn't even think right. I was still shaken from losing my friends and lover. I couldn't dare face them now. The old guy had a good point, but I'm far too lost to make that effort. It'd be a waste of time. They're gone from my life. I had my chance, and I blew it.

       Then there was that pony who showed up at my cell, freeing me and revealing he'd done something to the princesses, who were clearly not around to oppose him or myself, but also the Elements. What did he mean by saying what he said? Did he mean...?

       My heart skipped a beat. Did he hurt Fluttershy? Was she in pain?

       Oh, Celestia, if he'd touched her in any way...

       What about the others? Where were they? Were they okay as well?

       My curiosity was strong, but I doubt I could do anything about it. They didn't care for me anymore. I was nothing. My chances of helping them were slim to none.

       I sighed deeply and made a turn toward the train station.

      I wasn't going to Ponyville. I was going north.

     I was going to the Frozen North.