Yearning's Ever After

Chapters

Chapter 1: Light's End
Chapter 2:A Stray Shard
Chapter 3: Could Darkness Be My Light?
Chapter 4: The Weeping Heart
Chapter 5: Green Fog
Chapter 6: Untrue Happiness
Chapter 7: Regeneration
Chapter 8: Red and White
Chapter 9: The Citizen's Star
Chapter 10: Back
Chapter 11: Crystal Armor

Chapter 1: Light's End

Author's Note

Warning there is Violence, gore, and cursing

Chapter 1: Light's End

In the mirror, I see an alicorn with a light brown mane and tail that also includes a pure white streak. My wings fade from light purple to pure white. My eyes are a light grass green color. My name is Yearning Silhouette why I have the name I don't know. My flank is blank for my talent is unknown to me. I'm The Princess of the Light Empire and the next ruler after my parents. I have a little sister who has a white mane and tail. She doesn't have her cutie mark either. I also have a friend named Guardian Light who has just recently been promoted to captain of the guard.

I make my way out of my room only to bump into my sister. "Light Melody?" I say confused. I then notice that her mane had changed from a pure white to a dark silver color and her fur had become a dark purple. "What happened to you?" I ask but she runs away in response and I follow. She soon comes to the extremely large silver doors to the throne room. Wait, weren't they almost completely white yesterday? I shake my head and then I see her open and step through the doors. The door closes but is left slightly cracked.

Once I have set a hoof in front of the door I hear her voice. "So is the job done my love?" her voice was calm and cold sounding. Moments later I hear, "Good; next, my sister." my eyes widen pure horror as I slowly view what was now a bloodstained throne room. I knew what she had meant and I knew I had to leave.

I immediately race back to my room. I slammed the door open and covered my wings with my cloak. I then closed my door and using my magic I revealed my hidden path that I used many times to sneak out and view the stars that Princess Luna arranged for those nights. I cast a spell on my room to completely conceal it. My room normally moved about the castle and normally only appeared to me or someone I allowed to enter. Now until my return, it must never be found.

I step through the passage and I'm teleported to the garden that connects with the main road; to the big city of the empire. I moved slowly trying not to get caught. when I was out of sight of any guards I quickly proceeded down the road until I hit something. I looked up to see a red furred and blue maned stallion.

Weeks have past and now I'm sitting here crying. Tear's waterfall down my cheeks. I look in the mirror to see that my pure white streak had turned bright red, the brown was now dark, my fur was now darker and my eyes had also darkened. I had a black eye from the scuffle before with him. He called himself The Subjugglator. He had left me all alone. This is how the days would normally go but today was off. He didn't return at the time he normally would. I took the chance and ran out the door. I spread my wings and was about to fly but something happened...

Chapter 2:A Stray Shard

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 3: Could Darkness Be My Light?

Author's Note

For those of you who have read the past to chapters and made it this far. Yearning is not based off anypony. She is directly from my head. So please don't assume. This story is unfinished at this point so her whole personality hasn't been shown yet.

Chapter 3: Could Darkness Be My Light?

I was brought to a room full of fine furnishings. Then, I was given a note, You may be wondering why I had you brought here. Well, I'll tell you once you clean. There are clothes in the closet and dresser if you prefer. "We are to take you to his highness when you are ready." one of the guards spoke in a strong voice. I nodded my head and they left the room. I opened the door to the washroom to find a bath pre-drawn. Clean white towels had been set aside. The room itself was misted with steam. Once I stepped into the hot water I relaxed. I didn't know I was that stressed. After a few minutes, I wetted my hair and scrubbed myself down. I rinsed off and stepped out. As my horn lit up, I grabbed a towel and dried myself.

Right away, I caught a glimpse of myself in the fogged up mirror. My streak was now a little darker than crimson red, the brown was darker along with my eyes and fur. Once I was out of the washroom I went straight to the closet. When I open the wardrobe, the one garment that caught my eye is a long, low v, dark-gray dress. I grab it and set it on the bed which looked pretty comfy. I then walk over to the jewelry box and open it. What I see is an array of jewels and trinkets. I grab the beaded gold studs and set them out on the desk. Later, I am brought to a grand dining room. A long rectangular table graced the middle of the room. At one end was the gray stallion and the other end was empty.

Suddenly, I'm lifted up off the ground. I don't feel very comfortable. Then, I hover over the ground and I'm set gently on the bench right next to the stallion. I blinked a few times and then ask, "What was that for?" He just smirked and gestured for a servant to come over. He whispers something in his ear. He then leaves and comes back with a sky blue mare by his side.

Wait, she looks just like...

Spirit Blue pushes a cart, her teeth on the handle. The cart held two different platters, in which both were covered by a dome of some sorts with a handle. When she passed by me she had brushed up against me gently. I felt something really light land on my lap I looked down and there was a piece of paper. The gray stallion wasn't looking, so using my magic I opened the paper to see;

So you impressed The King Of Shadows right off the bat, eh. Nobody thought that he'd find a mare. Oh! and if you're wondering why I'm here, it's because the last cook attempted to poison The King. Don't worry I won't, even if I'm pressured. ~ Spirit Blue

I stared at the note and then at Spirit. I just blinked in confusion.

"So how did you end up in my minds?" he asked, snapping me out of my trance.

"I remember passing out in the snow and then walking here," I explained.

He rubbed his chin with his now bare hoof, "And what of your name?"
"Yearning Silhouette, and you, your highness?" as I said that, he looked confused for a moment then,

"So Miss Silhouette you don't know who I am?" The servant unveils what was for dinner. I just nod my head in response. "My Name is Sombra, king of the Crystal Empire and the King of Shadows," he says with a little pride. I blink a few times.

Later that night, My dreams decided to spiral downward. I watched the blood of my parents stain the floors of the white throne room. Then, I hear his laughter, the one who killed them, alongside my sisters. At last, I'm pushed into the black abyss of the vivid dream, and I am met with the face of the Subjugglator. I spread my wings to only see them fading away. I looked over and saw now that they were now appearing on his back. This was just a bad memory now.

I quickly spring up, screaming as tears stream down my face. My door then bursts open revealing a tired Sombra. Guards came in after him with their spears pointed in all directions, looking for a threat. Sombra himself looked all around the room and realized there was no threat. He dismissed the guards. As the guards leave the room, He then is standing by my side as he looks to me, questionable. I kept my head buried in my pillow. "Just a bad dream." My voice muffled by my pillow, but he could still understand me.

Someone opens my door again. "Ok your highness, let me talk to her. You just go back to bed. Don't worry." I hear hoofs being dragged across the floor and then the shutting of a door. "Now Yearning, tell me everything." Spirit Blue says.

Chapter 4: The Weeping Heart

It had been a few months since I met King Sombra. I have seen what he has done. He had to have a secret motive behind all this, so I snuck into his archives and read his journal. I learned about Radiant Hope. Sombra doesn't know that I know about her.

We sit atop the castle looking out over the kingdom, his hoof over mine. After living a nightmare a few months back, why all of this? I felt a hoof slide gently over my back causing me to shiver a little. Then, I felt a burst of energy from behind me and a groan of pain next to me also. I looked at Sombra only to see sweat trickle down his handsome jawline. His brows squashed into a pained expression. He bears his teeth, completing the scene before me. "That cursed Heart! Every damn time." his voice cracked a bit as he flinched. He whipped his head around and glared at the Crystal Heart. "It's been giving out a burst of energy like that a lot these past few months," Sombra said his voice almost back to normal.

Right away, the heart releases another energy burst. I watch as a crack appears on his cheek. He then tries to put a barrier around the heart. "Why won’t it work?!" he growled. I stood and walked over to the Heart and began to examine it. After looking at it from all angles, I set my hoof against it only to see the heart darken in color. I immediately pulled my hoof away. I looked at the heart and what I saw was me with my wings but the tips had become a dark gray. Then, I saw a shadowy figure appeared behind me. I looked only to see Sombra. "It shows you what's in your heart." He snarled/explained. I then put my hoof to my heart and sighed quietly.

Right away, I shivered as an ice cold breeze touched my fur. I then watched as snow began to fall. I spotted a snowflake as it fell on Sombra's snout. He snorted but the flake remained on his nose. He looks at the little thing and snorts again but to no avail. I giggled a bit with a smile. "What are you laughing at?" He asked me with a scowl. Then, I kissed his nose and once I realized what I’d done, I just froze. A million thoughts ran through my head. Why I did it, I don't know. All I knew was that we stood there frozen in silence. Well, it was until a guard came and said, "Sir, the mines are under chaos." Sombra nodes his head and said, "We'll have to continue this another time." "Oh, o-ok," I reply.

Suddenly, I'm all alone. I watch as a thin layer of snow forms around me. I feel the cold seep through my unclothed hooves. I look up to the sky to see gray and unhappy clouds dropping the snow. This moment was silent until I was slammed suddenly to the ground by none other than Spirit herself. She looked at me with an excited smile. "So how did it go?" she asked quickly. "What do you mean?" I ask. "With the king silly." she giggled. Heat rose to my cheeks as I looked away in embarrassment. "I don't think it was a date, just a friendly outing..." I say. "Oh really. It seemed like it was more with that kiss on his nose." she giggled. "That was just an in the moment thing besides he would like me if he knew what I really am." after I said that I walked away from her.

Once I stepped through the doorway, I felt another surge of power from the heart. I felt its sorrow in that one and it mixed with my own. I was pushed straight into a memory, I crept through the field of flowers slowly. I snuck up on a really light blue pony with a light purple mane. I jumped up out of my hiding place used my wings to stop me in the air and then tapped his shoulder gently. He literally jumped in the air. For a unicorn, he could jump really high. He clung onto a branch of a tree. "I got you Garden Light! ~" I laughed. "That's not funny Yearning." he pouted. The sky was a lovely shade of blue that day. Later we had gone inside the castle. When we passed the war room we heard voices. We were curious so we listened in.
"You know your son general shows just as much promise as you once did." I hear my mother's voice
"Why thank you, my queen, I am very proud of him myself. His mother would be too if...” he paused.
"The council believes that Yearning would bring darkness to the land. Mother’s voice sounded sad.
"What about the youngest?" he asked.
"The council doesn't trust her. The council believes in the legend," she explained
"Why would they believe that the legend is true?" He asked
Before we were able to hear anymore my little sister tugged on my tail. "Big sissy what are you doing?" she asked

I awoke to the ceiling of my room. I sat up only to see both Spirit and Sombra looking at me with worried eyes. "What happened?" I asked. "You don't remember anything?" Spirit Blue asked. "Remember what?" I asked. "The guards found you collapsed on the ground." Sombra had said. I then looked out the window only to see that the crystal empire had become a dark blue. I pointed to the window, "What happened to the empire?" I asked. Spirit squinted her eyes a bit. "What do you mean?" she asked. "The crystal has darkened," I say.

Right away Sombra whips his head around and looks out at the empire. We watch as the orange sky darkens. Green fog like substance begins filling the streets. From where I sat the green fog looked to be extremely dense. I feel as if I have seen this stuff before.

Chapter 5: Green Fog

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 6: Untrue Happiness

Author's Note

Ok since I stopped talking to my editors. I have officially decided to correct it myself.

Chapter 6: Untrue Happiness

I watched as Sombra was banished the last words that I heard from him was that he loved me. I watched as he cast his spell and my memories of him faded.

I started my grayish purple hooves that had gold shoes on them. Why do I feel so down? Something was missing. I could see it in the other ponies around me. A light blue pegasus lands next to me. "Hello I'm Spirit Blue and you are?" she said with a voice full of energy. "I'm Yearning Silhouette it's lovely to meet you miss Spirit Blue," I say dully with a hit of politeness in my voice.

500 years have past and I see that everypony has stayed the same as well as spirit and I. We haven't aged one bit. ya know what was weird I don't remember my parents. I also had a feeling that I didn't want to remember but I had to. "Hey, Yearning I noticed something you walk so gracefully," Spirit says cheerfully next to me. She was the only cheerful one around here. "Thanks," I replied a slight smile on my face. I looked up to the crystal castle that hovered above the village. It seemed so dark and welcoming at the same time.

Suddenly, I felt a burst of energy from the top of the castle. Something was pulling me in and I didn't know what. I resisted the urge to go up there for a 100 more years. I made my way through the castle the corridors so familiar. I stopped at a room that seemed very welcoming. I opened the doors to see a room fit for a queen. On the wall, there was a painted portrait of a dark gray stallion with a black mane and purple smoke like substance coming out of his eyes. He was quite handsome too. I walked around the room examining every inch of it. My heart ached as if it remembered something. I leave the room and continue down the corridor.

I soon stop at a gray door. I open the door to another bedroom that seemed to be trying to make me remember something. Something I had long since forgotten. I step past the threshold of the room. Then a faded version of The gray stallion appeared in front of me. I blinked and rubbed my eyes but he was still there. He began to move about the room checking every inch of it. He stopped and looked at a small box with a note. After a moment he then lay on the bed. I step over to the box and read the note, "I know that our wedding has already been done. The ring I originally gave you, I feel as if it doesn't suit you Yearning. I know this one will compliment you better. Sincerely Sombra."

Right away, I set the letter down and looked at the stallion on the bed. He looked me up and down as if examining me. I stepped to the side leaving a figure. The figure looked like me but the only difference was the gray dress and gold shoes on her front hoofs. The stallion gets up and headed towards the gray dress wearing mare. The moment he kissed her neck they both turned into smoke that seemed to bend and morph as well as vanish. I pulled the small box towards me and set it in my bag. Then, I head out of the room.

Now that I look at it something has drawn me to the throne which is where I now stand. I look up at the large clean cut crystal at the top of the seat. Then, I was filled with the memories of the past 600 years.

Suddenly, I felt a large range of negative emotions fill my heart and mind. Memories of loneliness, anger, and doubt collided within my head. These were memories of the past 600 years. I always kept myself secluded. I was afraid of others and what they would do me. I felt as if I committed a crime worthy of death. Then, for some odd reason, I cast a spell and a door opened up from a ray of dark gray light. The door was a rectangle leaving an opening in the throne room floor. Stars stretched downward. I made my way down and soon come upon another hallway. It was made of some sort of dark crystal.

To my left was a light gray crystal door. I didn't want to go in but I knew I had to. I made my over to the door. When I was close enough the door started to open and when I was right in front of it. It now hung wide open as if it wanted me to enter. I did but with caution.

When I stepped into the room I saw an array of things. There was a mannequin with a pure white dress on it's shoulders. The dress was simple with a bow on the back. A long veil laced with dark crystal sat on the head of the mannequin. The white dress which I now presume is a wedding dress was elegant even without the simple detail. The rough of the room seemed to sparkle as well as the ground. A single wooden stool sat under a simple desk. A closed book lay on top and when I lightly dragged my hoof across it the color got darker. My hoof was now dusty I wiped it off on my bag.

Right away when I opened the book there were dates along with the flow of writing that looked quite familiar. I read the name in the bottom left corner of the cover. "Yearning Silhouette" i said aloud. Then is when I realized that this place was part of me. I read through my journal but still, no memories came. I stuck it in my bag. I looked at the wedding dress and I felt as if I was about to cry. I shook my head and left the room. I had to know more. I followed the hallway and ended up and a long spiral of stairs. There was a door before this but I made it through.

I slowly make my way up the stairs. I walked for awhile until I stop to break. As I did my head started to hurt and the gray stallion flashed past my mind. I shook my head and continued upwards. I finally made it to the top only to see a crystal heart shining. It was spinning. It released a burst of energy...

I kept the journal on me I never let anyone take it. Ever since I had been in that castle 200 years ago I have been trying to understand why I couldn't remember anything. Also Every Time I tried to remember my parents I accidentally make dark crystal. I hear a knock at my door. I open it to see Spirit Blue her mostly straight yet messy hair sitting on her shoulders. It was time I had to show her. I opened the journal to the page with her name. "I had found this in the castle 200 years ago. I don't know why this journal has both our names." I say. She jumps up and down happily.

Spirit and I continued to look through the castle for answers and nothing came to us until the Shinning Armor and Cadance had come to the crystal empire. The moment the crystal heart was returned so were all my memories.

Chapter 7: Regeneration

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 8: Red and White

Sombra and I got lucky and found some cocoa beans in the back of the house. So I decided to make some hot Cocoa for him and I. As I made the drink I didn't realize that Sombra had got a hold of my journal. As I worked on the drink Sombra's eyes scanned the pages. When I finished making the cocoa I turned around only to see Sombra close the back cover. He looks up and asked, "What are you?" He sets the journal on the coffee table we added a few days ago. Then, he takes one of the cups of hot cocoa from me.

Suddenly, my voice was caught in the back of my throat. I took a sip of the cocoa only for it to burn my throat like an extremely spicy food. I sweetened it didn't I? I took another sip only for it to taste sweet. Sombra uses his magic to pull me close. "What are you?" he asked again his lips near mine. I took in a deep breath and said, "I.. I'm a Light Pony." He looks at me confused. I look away but then, I'm forced to look into his eyes. "What exactly is a Light Pony?" he asks me.

"T..There are a lot of things that go to a light pony but most you have to learn in time." I say. Then, I continue with, "Sombra you know the glow that you always see me with.?" He nods his head in response. "W.. well it's almost black now," I say with a frown. "What do you mean it's almost black?" he asked me. "Alight Ponies glow must not fade to pure black or they will either die or turn to stone." I finish. He stares at me in disbelief. "To top off being tainted my sister forced me out of my kingdom the one I was supposed to rule." With that, I run upstairs.

I immediately lay down on the bed as tears cascade down my dark violet cheeks. The dark crystal formed around the bed. My tears continued to get worse and so did the crystal getting thicker and stronger. Things around me started to turn into the monochrome of no color. I hear the door open but I pay no mind to it until. "Yearning!" I hear his yell. "Leave me alone!" I scream. My body trembled as more tears soaked my cheeks. I hear a loud thump on the crystal wall. I continued to cry as more loud thumps hit the wall. I hear my name again but in full but I still cry and bury my face in the now gray pillow. I began to shake uncontrollably.

Suddenly, all I see is black. For a while, that's all I see until a white light appeared far away in the darkness. The light was all too familiar. then, a red light formed next to it and it was also very familiar to me. Finally, the old me with the light purple fur, light brown mane with a pure white streak stood in front of me. Her wing spread across the darkness in front of me. One of the wings sat in front of the white light and the other did the same but the tips were red. "You can continue as you have been but beware that you are the fall of the kingdom if you do. You need to decide now," she says. The light did call me but what if my kingdom shuns me. What if...

Right away, in front of me began to go dark. Then, my sister crossed my mind. My crime can't be worse than hers. After all this time I finally realized that my kingdom needs me to be queen or else it may be no more. I have thrown this fit long enough. It is time to be a true queen. The me in front of me spoke, "You have done well." I felt as if the weight on my shoulders was lifted.

Light fills my vision along with white crystal. White crystal? Wait wasn't this black? I looked down only to see that my main was now light brown again. The red streak was now white. Looking in the crystal My light green eyes had returned. My fur was now light purple after all these years. My wings had still not returned. I heard huffing and puffing from the other side of the wall. I lowered the wall to see Sombra on the ground warn out. I got off the bed and stood next to him. He looked at me and I leaned down. I laid on top of him. He wrapped his arms around me. He fell asleep right there. I lifted him up off the ground gently and set him on the bed.

I go down stares and look at the living room. What I see is white and dark crystal strewn about. I made the white crystal vanish but the dark crystal still remained. The Dark crystal was more of a light gray but still dark. Is he really no I'm just imagining things right? The two Cups of Coca had gone cold. The fire was almost out so I threw some wood on it. I watched as the fire began to roar and it reached for the opening of the chimney. The room warmed up a little more. I looked outside to see the sky had turned almost black and my stomach growled.

After making some food and settle on the couch. My mind began to wander to things like how I was to get my wings back and how to defeat my little sister. Fate what have you gotten me into?

Chapter 9: The Citizen's Star

Have you ever heard of the Citizen's Star? No. Well, it's time to inform you. The Citizen's Star is the heart of The Light Empire. This artifact is fueled by the pure light of it's citizens hearts. It's also fueled by their hopes and happy dreams. Sounds like the Crystal heart right? It's not though. The light Empire was once part of the crystal empire. They had split when one of the old rulers broke the crystal that connected the two. The Citizen's Star was originally used to connect the ponies on both sides of the old kingdom. Now with The Citizen's Star apart from it's sister artifact, it began to form a castle. The kingdom wasn't surrounded by the Star's power but the power of those who had solely loved the now Light Empire. Finally, there was the royal family.

A princess was born from the Star. Her name was Princess Shining Star. The people had given her this name because she shined like the Star itself. Her mane and fur were pure white and her eyes a cool purple so the legends had told. She was loved by all the Empire. She was powerful, gentle and kind. Her wings had faded from white to a light purple. Yes, she was an alicorn but the thing is she had the same amount of life as one of her subjects. Soon, she picked her most trusted subjects to become her counsel. So from then on, they made decisions that were to hard for the now queen to make as well as their descendants after them. Now that that's done let's continue with the real story at hoof.

I woke up with Sombra looking directly at me and he seemed angry. I blinked a few times then he asked, "Yearning what was that last night?" I was confused for a moment and then remembered. "Well, you see..." I continued to tell him how I ran away from my kingdom. He looks at my back in confusion and asked, "You had wings?" I just nod my head. "How did you lose them?" he asked. "I don't want to answer that now." I simply say. Then, I began to feel pain in my chest. It was kind of like when the crystal heart released that energy but this time there was a pain.

Right away, I feel a hoof under my chin. I look up to see Sombra's worried eyes. "I.. i'm fine." I stuttered a bit. "I don't believe you." I feel his hot breath on my lips. The pain hits again causing me to cringe. I also lose my balance and fall onto Sombra. He catches me with his magic which seems to be more green. The greens of his eyes seemed lighter. His red irises seemed to be some sort of brown now. I couldn't help but stare. The pain continued for about an hour or so. Then, it just stopped.

The blue sky had some small clouds. I stood on the top of a guard's tower. I was up here all alone. I loved the feel of the wind in my mane. The tower was made of the same light crystal as the rest of the kingdom's structures were. I looked out-out past the borders of my kingdom. I only saw the kingdom staring back at me. The field was a mirror that imitated the Light Empire. I flew down to the edge of the field. I tilted my head side to side and the field mimicked me. I was about to set my hoof on it but I was stopped by a voice, "Yearning Silhouette it's not time yet. You must wait. The time will come." I blinked in confusion but I pulled my hoof away. I looked around but there was no pony there.I flew over the tower and back to my room.

I lay there on the couch with my hoof up to my chest. Sombra had gone to clean up. I watched the embers in the fire. Them. I spot something above the fireplace. I get up and head over to it. The brick above the fireplace had a line going into it and a dent that looked like a handle. I used my magic to pull on the handle. The brick opened a small door. I looked inside to spot a jewel along with a note. I opened up the note to read, "
Dear Yearning Silhouette,

I know I should have told you before but the council had thought you as the one one who will bring darkness to our kingdom. As your mother, I don't believe them. None of my children could be evil. As a queen, I must believe the council. Yearning I don't see a spark of evil in you. I don't see it in your sister either. Only time will tell when one of you will turn. Yearning I do love you. Always remember that.

Sincerely,

Your mother

Chapter 10: Back

The jewel was a pure white color. It seemed to emanate with purity.

Suddenly, It began to glow. Every second it got brighter until; I only could see white. My back started to feel as if a weight was put on it. The weight seemed very familiar like a really old friend who you hadn't seen in a long while. After a while, the light vanished and the crystal no longer was white instead it had turned to dust. I blinked a few times.

Right away, "What happened and how?" I hear Sombra's voice from behind me. I looked to him and asked, "What do you mean?" Then, he trots over to me and puts his hoof on my back and pulls something away from it. Soon, a wing that was purple fading into white at the tips makes its way into my sight. I stood there speechless for a moment before I said, "M... My wings?" my voice was a bit shaky. Then, I moved something on my body that hasn't been moved any many decades.

At that moment, I squealed hurting the ears of my love. Then, I stretched out my stiff wings. "Oh, it feels good to have them back," I say loudly. I started dancing happily where I stood. Sombra wraps his hoofs around me and I calm down but I'm still a bit bouncy. I then bluntly kiss Sombra. I pull away and stare into his eyes. "F.. foods ready." he pachaly studders. I giggle a bit and make my way to the kitchen.

The next day, I start packing our things. He looks at me confused and asked, "Where are we going?" I stop packing and reply, "Home." I then resume what I had been packing. Once everything was packed up I brought everything downstairs. After breakfast, we headed out. The land around the shack is always supposed to be winter, but we went out the other door and stepped out into summer like environment. "Where are we?" I hear him next to me. "We are home," I say with a smile.

Nothing has really changed except for the fountain with a statue that looked oddly familiar. As I got closer I recognized my old childhood friend. He was the son of the general who served my parents before me and now he has been tasked as the current general. I don't know why he was encased in stone. I started up a spell with my horn and freed him. After he turned back he looked to me and said, "Princess You have returned home." He then looks around him and then asks, "Queen Light Melody where is she?"

I stood there and remembered when I left. I then looked towards the castle off in the distance only to see that the castle was now gray instead of white. The kingdom didn't glow as it once did all those years ago. "Ray, did she cause this to happen?" I ask him. "After you left she began draining the power from the land and kingdom. She hasn't stopped." He explained. I looked towards the kingdom and then beyond it only to see that all color was slowly draining from the land. "Well General, I have returned and I am ready to fix everything," I say as I turn my head towards the young General.

Suddenly, Ray Looks towards Sombra and asks, "Princess who is this?" Sombra steps forward and answers, "I am Sombra." I giggle and say, "he is my husband." Ray bows his head and says, "Forgive me Prince Sombra." Sombra was about to say something when the sky turned gray and rain started to pour. Ray mumbles under his breath but then says aloud, "follow me."

Chapter 11: Crystal Armor

~A few days ago In the Crystal Empire (Goast Crystal)~

Something is off with the crystal heart. Their color has a dark mix of gray added into its usual blue. Their light has dimmed too. My job is to guard the crystal heart and the hair to the throne but I feel as though I am unable to do my duty to the Crystal Empire. We stood there looking at the sick gem. "So what are we supposed to do?" asked Melody Sparkle. She is one of Princess Twilight Sparkler's twin children. "Mama, papa what's going on?" Princess Flurry Heart asks. She was only 5 years old. "Flurry Why don't you go your room and play for a bit." Princess Cadenza comely says as a maid comes and takes Flurry Heart back into the castle.

Twilight Shine suddenly's bursts out of one of the doors carting a book. He is Melody's older brother. He passes the book to The Princess of the Kingdom. He opens to a page and says, "Look Ant Cadence." she reads and her jaw drops. She then reads allowed, "The crystal heart was once stronger. Ponies couldn't make it near the heart until one day when a powerful mysterious stranger with a horn broke the heart in half. This created The Citizens Star and The crystal heart we know today. Over time both halves created their own kingdoms. The Crystal Kingdom holds the Heart and The Light Empire holds the star. When one is sick the other feels it and shows it with a dark color." "So it's not the heart itself." I say with a relieved sigh. "but be warned if one falls the other fallows." She finishes and worry fills me once more.

Right away, all I could picture was the heartbreaking down the center and fall to many pieces. I started having a mental freak-out. I calmed down and then asked her for the book. I took a look and saw that there was a way to the Light Empire. There was a riddle that told it's location.

Go deep into the forest
A pillar of light waits for you
The light will then guide you

There was no more to it. What did it mean by A pillar of light and the light will guide you? Princess Cadenza Turns the page only to see some sort of crystal forest. A passage was written, "On the far northern outskirts of the Crystal Empire lies a forest of crystal. This forest changes color based on how the Light Empire is ruled. If it has been ruled with a pure heart the crystal is pure white. If the Empire is ruled with a cruel heart the crystal turns gray. The only outsider is the garden of the heart." She closes the book and pauses for a long moment before saying, "Goast Crystal we need you to go and help out the sister kingdom. It is you and you alone who may do this." I bow my head and say, "Ass you wish Princess."

By night I had set off. It took almost a whole day to find the crystal forest. Once there I began searching for the Piller of Light. By night I was greeted by a monk pony who was pure white. The was no color in him. He spoke, "Dear, Traveler how is it that you have come to find this place?" I gulped down the spit in my mouth and said, "I am here to help the light Empire in any way that I can." he smiled and said, "So you must be the Garden of The Heart. Follow me." He makes his way over to a crystal tree and pulls back the bark. There was a beautiful wooden door. She makes her way over but the monk spoke up, "Be warned Garden there is a great battle about to take place. Be on your guard and help guide her home." I nod my head and step through the door.

There was a cabin and it had gone cold. There were signs that somepony had been there. I was curious so I went up the stairs to find a comfy looking bed made and ready to go. I spotted a twinkle in the corner of the room. As I got closer I used my magic to pick it up. It couldn't be. Dark crystal was my father's doing why is it here? I make my way down the stairs and make my way out the opposite door I came in.