Braveheart: The Untold Stories Episode 20: Battle For the Crystal Empire
Battle for the Crystal Empire
I flew through the Frozen North, back to the Crystal Empire. Endowed with dark power, I was ready to destroy the empire. I landed at the barrier of the Crystal Heart’s magic and walked through. The green in my eyes faded, and the purple smoke dissipated. I looked like nothing had changed. I walked through the empire, passing Crystal Ponies left and right. None of them batted an eye. I smiled evilly. I walked into the Crystal Tower and flew up the stairs. I wasn’t looking where I was going for a moment, and I collided with Sunset Shimmer.
“Braveheart!” she cried. “You’re back!” We hugged for a moment. “Are you feeling better?” Sunset asked.
“Much,” I said. “I really needed that. Listen, I need you to get as far away from the Crystal Empire as possible.”
“Why?” Sunset asked. “What’s going on?”
“Don’t worry about it,” I assured. “It’s nothing to worry about. Just please do what I say. Trust me.”
“All right,” Sunset nodded. “Should I tell Princess Cadence and Shining Armor?”
“No,” I said. “Just pack your things and get away. Love you.” I gave Sunset a quick kiss before continuing up the stairs. I suddenly heard Sombra’s voice in my head.
“What are you doing?” he hissed. “No one must live to tell the tale.”
“She’s my wife,” I reasoned. “Don’t worry. Everypony else will die.”
“I hope so,” Sombra growled. “For your sake.”
“Oh, zip it,” I said.
“Just get to the Crystal Heart,” Sombra snarled.
“Yes, my Lord,” I nodded. I took flight up the seemingly endless amount of steps leading to the Crystal Heart. Why Sombra wanted it was beyond me, but I wasn’t going to question my master’s motives. Upon reaching the room with the Crystal Heart, where it had been kept since Sombra’s earlier attack, Sombra left my body and materialized next to me.
“There you are,” Sombra said, smiling wickedly. “I’ve been waiting a very long time for this moment. At last, the Crystal Empire will see its doom, and I will rule.” Sombra reached out for the Crystal Heart, and was suddenly blown back by a magic attack. I whipped around to see Cadence and Shining Armor.
“Braveheart, what’s going on?” Cadence asked. “What is Sombra doing here?”
“We want the Crystal Heart,” I said. Sombra deformed into smoke and flowed into my body, giving my eyes the green color with the eye smoke.
“He’s being possessed,” Shining Armor said.
“Possessed is a rather strong word, don’t you think?” I suggested, my voice in a deep echo. “I prefer saved.”
“Saved from what?” Cadence asked.
“You,” I growled. I fired off a powerful blast of dark magic. Cadence and Shining Armor avoided the attack, which flew out the window. Cadence focused her magic into a powerful beam, and fired. I did the same, and the blasts met, creating a shockwave. We stood our ground, neither of us backing down. The beam-struggle seemed even, until Shining Armor added his magic into the mix. I was failing. I suddenly got a boost of magic, and I easily matched and overpowered the two lovers’ spell. Shining Armor was sent flying out of the tower, and Cadence dove down to save him, leaving me alone with the Crystal Heart. Sombra left my body once more and took form.
“Where was I?” he questioned himself. “Oh yes, the Crystal Heart.” Sombra took hold of the Crystal Heart. The Crystal Heart’s teal glow faded, and was replaced with black. The entire tower faded to Sombra’s black crystal. I looked down from the tower to see the Crystal Ponies running around in a panic. I snickered.
“Quite impressive, my Lord,” I said. “How you’re able to cause an entire city to panic in fear from just the color of your crystal.”
“It’s a gift,” Sombra agreed. “Now that we have the Crystal Heart, we must go. Without their precious relic, the empire will crumble.” Sombra slid the Crystal Heart into my saddlebag and entered my body. I leapt out of the tower and took flight, only to get shot down by a blast of magic. The focused shot tore through my mechanical wing, knocking me off balance. I plummeted to the ground, unable to control my decent. I summoned a pillar of black crystal, which formed into a platform. It matched my fall and slowed down, bringing me safely down. When I had reached the ground, a magic attack whizzed by my head, shattering the platform. I was sent sprawling onto the ground, crystal shards in my back. Sombra healed the wounds quickly. I stood up and was met face to face with a pissed Sunset Shimmer.
“Hey, Sunset,” I said. “What are you doing? I told you to get away.”
“I know that’s not you, Braveheart,” Sunset fumed. “The real you would have told me what’s going on, and helped me get away, instead of leaving me on my own. The real you wouldn’t attempt to steal the Crystal Heart and destroy the Crystal Empire.”
“Enough!” Sombra cried from my voice. “Those who stand in our way must be destroyed!”
“Braveheart, snap out of it!” Sunset begged. “I know you’re in there somewhere!” Sombra took control of me and fired off black crystal at Sunset. She put up a magic shield to protect herself. When the crystals had stopped, Sunset spawned in armor around herself as well as a sword. Sombra summoned his scythe and hit the ground, causing it to become black crystal. Black crystal pikes rose up at the edge of the crystal circle, creating an enclosed arena. Before they sealed us in, Cadence flew in with Shining Armor, donning their royal armor. The black crystal sealed with a rumble, trapping all of us inside.
“You will all regret facing me,” Sombra growled. He flowed out of my body and materialized. I summoned my own set of armor and extended my hidden blade.
“We’ll take Sombra,” Cadence said. “Sunset, you take Braveheart.” Sunset nodded.
“If you will not surrender, we will kill all of you!” I cried. We ran at each other, ready to fight. Sunset played defensively, because she didn’t want to hurt me. I attacked ruthlessly, swinging my hidden blade at Sunset. The smoke and glow in my eyes intensified as the battle went on, increasing my strength. I swung down, but Sunset blocked the strike. The range of my blades was short, meaning I had to get in close for a killing blow. That enough proved difficult with Sunset constantly moving about, but with her blade, it seemed nearly impossible to land a blow. I’d had enough. I retracted my blade and fired off a magic attack. Sunset blocked the attack and fired one of her own. I summoned black crystal to defend myself. The attack shattered the crystal, and I sent the remains away. I suddenly felt Sombra enter my body, and my dark magic and senses increased tenfold. I noticed Cadence out of the corner of my eye, and I extended my blade, whipping around. I drove my blade into Cadence’s back, causing her to fall to the floor. Cadence tried to get up, but her back was bleeding badly. I raised my blade for the final kill, but was suddenly tackled by Shining Armor. He drove his sword into my gut, impaling me and pinning me to the floor. With me momentarily immobilized, he ran over to Cadence.
“I’m all right,” Cadence groaned. “Just…agh!...get me to a corner.” Shining Armor picked up Cadence and helped her over to a corner of the arena. I tore the sword from my gut and stood up, with Sombra healing the wound.
“There is no escape,” Sombra hissed. “The Crystal Empire will fall!” Cadence used her last bit of strength to charge a magic spell and infuse Sunset Shimmer with a bit of her magic. Sunset’s sword lit up with a teal glow, and she charged for me. I attempted to block the attack with Sombra’s scythe, but Sunset’s blade cut right through the scythe, severing blade from handle. She cut again, the blade cutting through me. Sombra and I screamed in pain, Sunset made another cut to my left, cutting me again and causing Sombra and I more agony. Sunset rose her blade high and came down, slicing through my head and chest. I cried out in pain and fell to the floor, writhing in agony. Sombra left my body and rematerialized, kneeling to the floor, bleeding out. I however, was not. In fact, I didn’t have a scratch on me. I stood up, feeling dizzy and lightheaded.
“Ow,” I moaned. “What happened?” The green tint had faded from my vision, as had the eye smoke. My fangs had gone away as well, and all I was left with was a severe headache and a pain in my chest. Sunset put a hoof around me, and I looked at her. She was smiling at me, but had tears in her eyes.
“Sunset,” I groaned. “Are you OK?”
“I’m fine,” Sunset nodded, crying. “I’m just glad that you are.” We embraced, happy that the other was OK. As we broke the embrace, I noticed a tear running down Sunset’s cheek. I wiped it away, giving Sunset a warm smile. She smiled back. I suddenly heard a squelch, and Sunset’s eyes shrunk. Sombra tore his scythe from Sunset, fury in his eyes and blood on the scythe blade. Sunset collapsed into my hooves, trying to stay alive.
“No,” I gasped. “No, no, no.” I carefully laid Sunset down on the floor. When I took my hooves away, they were drenched in blood. Sunset was about to die. She was gasping for air, trying to keep herself alive.
“Sunset, please,” I begged. “Please stay with me.” Sombra cackled evilly, with the occasional cough from his wounds.
“Braveheart…” Sunset whispered. “Don’t…worry…about me…Just go…stop him…” I was crying, as I knew Sunset wouldn’t hold out for long. I laid down her head as Shining Armor and Cadence limped over. I stood up, crying and furious.
“You can’t win,” Sombra hissed, an evil grin on his face. “The Crystal Empire will fall.”
“I will kill you for this,” I whispered.
“What?” Sombra asked, unable to hear me.
“I will kill you for this!” I said, louder. “I WILL KILL YOU FOR THIS!!!” I was in front of Sombra before he could say another word. I slugged him in the face with my Terminator hoof, sending him reeling back. I jumped up, extended my hidden blade, and came down on Sombra. My blade impaled his chest. I retracted the blade, then proceeded to bash Sombra’s face in. I kept punching away, not stopping. When half of Sombra’s teeth were missing and he had a black eye, I lifted him up with my magic and slammed him against a wall. Brining him close, I picked up his scythe and held it to his neck.
“No…” Sombra pleaded. “I beg of you. Spare me.” I didn’t hear him. I raised his scythe high and swung it down. The metal met flesh with a clean cut, decapitating the tyrant. Sombra’s head rolled for a moment before stopping, then proceeded to bleed onto the floor. Breathing heavily and shaking, I dropped the headless body. The severed neck bled, creating a large puddle of blood. I heard Sunset cough, and I suddenly remembered. I ran over, tears in my eyes. Sunset lifted up her hoof and touched my cheek.
“Braveheart…” she whispered. “You won’t forget me, will you?” I shook my head, brokenhearted at seeing the love of my life dying before me.
“I won’t,” I assured. “I promise you that.”
“Thank you,” Sunset said. A smile was on her face, but tears were in her eyes. I could feel her slipping away.
“I’ll never let you go,” I whispered. I locked lips with Sunset for one last kiss, tears streaming down both of our faces. I felt the kiss break, and I opened my eyes. Sunset gave me one last smile.
“I love you, Braveheart,” she whispered.
“I love you, Sunset Shimmer,” I whispered back. With that, Sunset Shimmer, my friend and my wife, passed away. I closed my eyes, and even through my choked throat, sang a small song for Sunset.
Ask not the sun why she sets
Why she shrouds her light away
Or why she hides her glowing gaze
When night turns crimson gold to grey
For silent falls the guilty sun
As day to dark does turn
One simple truth she dare not speak
Her light can only blind and burn
No mercy for the guilty
Bring down their lying sun
Blood so silver black by night
Upon their faces pale white
Cruel moon, bring the end
The dawn will never rise again
