Great, I'm the New Bad Guy...

[Overlord POV]

As I stepped off the train into the raging blizzard outside I stopped to look up at the empire. While I couldn't see much of it between the black fog, light blue shield, wall and the fact that we were at ground level, what I could see was somewhat stunning. It seemed the girls agreed as they all oooed and awed at the crystal towers that made up the skyline, completely ignoring Spike who was slowly being crushed by the luggage he was carrying, instead talking among each other about something or other, I wasn't listening.

I sent a few minions to help Spike carry his friends shit into the city as we all saw a figure approaching us through the snow. While the girls and minions braced, in case it was an enemy, I knew it was just Shining and instead continued to watch the surroundings. I noticed the fog bunching up near the barrier and since I could guess that this was Sombra preparing an attack I got my minions moving, practically dragging Spike along with them.

Shining had just broke a hug with his sister, saying "While I am glad to see you again so soon sis, we need-" before I interrupted him, finishing his sentence with "We need to move. Now."

I smacked the train, letting the conductor know that we were all off and situated, so that it could roll out of station. Once the train started moving the fog started moving much faster, striking toward us like an arrow. Luckily the girls took notice of this and started sprinting to the gate along side me, all of us covered by Shining's shield. It looked like the time to choose whether or not to save Shining was upon me.

Or at least it would have been a choice, if one butter yellow pegasus hadn't frozen at the sudden danger. The shield was quickly leaving Fluttershy behind, at the mercy of Sombra's magic, and while I wasn't sure what would happen to her I knew it wouldn't be good... So I turned around.

I suppose it would have been better if I could have picked her up in a cradle position, but I needed to run and didn't have time to crouch and scoop her up, I needed to get a good grip and I needed it fast. Sadly this meant that I basically had to grab her by the mane and yank her up so I could catch her in one arm and start running. Her yelp of shock, fear and pain was heartrending.

While I was running, holding Fluttershy in front of myself, I could hear her sobbing but I was too focused on getting back to the group. I could see Twilight and the others at the gate, all looking in horror at Fluttershy and I, and I could feel the shadows behind me. I was worried that I would be taking Shining's place this time until I suddenly felt weightless, seeing that Twilight had grabbed me in her magic and was reeling me in like an oversized metal clad fish I took a moment to check that everyone had made it inside the gates.

It seemed that at some point Shining had tried to run out after Fluttershy and I, as his horn was covered in black crystal, but Twilight had dragged him in as well. Otherwise the others were fine, even Spike and the minions, though they were all obviously shaken by what had almost happened to their friend.

Once we were inside the gate I gently put Fluttershy down, noticing a few of the black crystals in my armor, and stepped back so her friends could swarm her, asking if she was alright, hurt, if she needed a moment to get composed, ect. I was preoccupied with the crystals lodged in my shoulders. While they were dark magic, (obviously) there was something different about them that I wasn't expecting. I thought it would be nothing but pure dark magic meant to harm, but there was something else mixed in that I couldn't identify...

"Oh, thank you for saving Fluttershy, Overlord. I don't know what we would have done..." Rarity tearfully said, hugging Fluttershy who had calmed down somewhat and was now just looking around with wet cheeks, seemingly shell shocked.

"Yea... Uh, Sure, whatever." I said while turning, trying to get a better look at my back, and looking a little like a dog chasing it's tail in the process, hearing a gasp from the girls as they saw mine and Shining's state. "One of you wouldn't happen to know how to get these out, would you?"

"Oh no! Are you okay? Hold on, I think I can get them out!" Twilight, slightly panicking, said while lighting up her horn.

I could see the glow of her magic on one of the crystals in my shoulder and I immediately knew two things.

One, that this was not going to work.

Two, It was going to hurt a lot.

I should get a crystal ball, 'cuz I'm god dammed sicic up in here. Yes, I know that's not how it's said. And?

The moment she pulled, I could feel the crystals breaking my skin and burrowing deeper into me. Let's just say it doesn't tickle and leave it at that. I may or may not have yelped in surprise.

"Twilight, stop!" Shining, to my surprise, yelled out to his sister.

Twilight jumped at his voice, cutting off her magic and no longer driving the crystals deeper into my back.

"We have already had a few cases of this, trying to use magic to pull them out seem's to just make them burrow deeper. We actually haven't found a way to remove them yet, but the most they seem to do is prevent the use of magic and cause a large amount of pain and I'm sure our large friend here can handle that?" Shining explained to the girls before turning to me with the question at the end and a quirked eyebrow.

"I'll be fine. We need to secure the barrier and search for something to harm that cloud outside." I told them all, looking around at what we had to work with.

A fairly low wall, aside from the barrier there was no air defense, and a straight shot from the gate to the palace. Whoever built this place either didn't expect it to ever be under siege or thought that the blizzard would take care of any enemies that showed up.

"That isn't a cloud outside. It's the old king, Sombra." Shining said, getting a gasp from the mares.

Since I already knew that, all I said was "All the more reason to hurry then."