Location: Crystal Empire

Nighttime

Stellar Watcher walked down the hallway towards the part of the castle, which holds the library, observatory, and laboratory for the royal wizard. The guards in the hallway already looked tired, no wonder by the heavy drill the captain put them through.

Still, the crystal pony was happy, that her talents lay in magic, due to being a powerful unicorn and not guard talents. But her job was very fulfilling. Sunburst teaches Princess Flurry Heart and the process of teaching the young alicorn princess was a taxing job. Luckily, she was there to help him, as well as Starlight Glimmer.

The unicorn had been here for a year now, since that day… Stellar just shrugged as she tried to forget the memory. Starlight had been in the Crystal Empire, visiting her friend Sunburst, when the news hit pretty hard. She had been affected by it and decided to stay as if she would return she would have been faced with memories.

Still Stellar was happy that Starlight was here. Sunburst maybe a genius in theory of magic, but sadly he lacks the actual talent, but this is the point where Starlight jumps in, as she brings the muscles (in magical senses) in. The job of Stellar was divided between both parts and Stellar was proud to say she loves her job. The little princess may be a hoofful, but where would be the fun if the job was easy.

A small laugh escaped her and so the nearby guards were pulled out of his comatose sleep. He grabbed his spear tight and regain his guard stance and starred again at a point in front of him. Stellar sniggers again, but walked her way.

In no time she reached her destination, the observatory. She put her saddle bag down and pulled the books she had taken with her out. She studied them for a moment before she opens them and jumps to the chapter she needed.

Before she started she looked in the mirror near her. Her midnight blue coat sparkled due to the crystaling, as well as her platinum mane and eyes, she tends to simply let to hang down. Her glance wandered to her cutie mark, a white star. She glanced at her mirror a moment longer, then she starts with her work.

She pulls out a piece of white chalk and starts to first draw a circle in diameter von 7 ft. Then she proceeds to write protection spells in old runes. She decides had finished the third line in when the doors open and Sunburst and Starlight walkthrough. “Oh, you had already started?” Sunburst said while fixing his glasses with his magic.

Stellar now stands in the middle of the circle, three layers of protection spells around her. She levitates the rest of chalk away. “Instead of bucking each other, I have the time to do some research on the old knowledge. “Was the answer of Stellar. An answer, which caused both Starlight and Sunburst to blush. They maybe are married, still, that other ponies talk about them bucking each other, was still a raw point for them.

“Well… are you sure that is a good idea?” Starlight asked Stellar, trying to avoid to give an answer to that statement. She stood outside the circle and looks at the runes.

“Yes… You remember the night before… When the shock hit us?” Both Starlight and Sunburst nodded. “Magic lines with Equestria are down, so we can’t speak to them through Snow mail or telepathy. “Again, they nodded. “And that using normal magic didn’t change a bit.” A third time in a row the married couple nodded. Now Stellar start to grin. “This is where old runes come in. They open a channel through the magic lines into the between and so in theory, I can bypass the interferences through a magic copy of me and get a look on what happened.”

Starlight studied the runes. “Aha, and that you asked for Sunburst and me to stand beside is just for looking?” she asked.

Stellar still smiled, although the smile shrank. “No, cause the between is a dangerous place… I placed the runes as protection around me, your job would be fail-safe. If I need to pull out fast, then Sunburst pulls me back, while you close the portal.” She levitates each a scroll. “Your spells, please memories them.”

A quick minute and both unicorns nodded signaling that they are ready.

Stellar released a breath, then her horn light up in a platinum aura. She starts to chant the words to create a portal and a magical copy of herself. The words had to be spoken in old runes, but she had translated them so she knows in general what she said. “Open the gate, let the body pass through. Send it in the realm between, the place beyond imagination, let it wander, where once the gods walked.”

Before her, a light bubble appeared, which slowly changed into a copy of her. The copy was nearly identical to her, the only difference was that the copy was transparent. And before the copy a second light bubble appeared, which morphed into a small horizontal cut in the air appeared. The rift grew until it was a vortex as big as a door, it was colorful in the colors of rainbows. The vortex gentile swirl. It was relaxing to watch. The copy moved towards to the rift and in a blink, it was gone.

Stellar looked through the eyes of the copy and was fascinated by the view, at first it was just colors and no shapes. Then her view changed and the colors start to form objects, she now looked at her real body standing before the portal, with Starlight and Sunburst standing guard.

Stellar was able to lines coming from her horn, as well as Sunbursts and Starlights. “Magic lines…” she said in awe. The Between allowed her to see the lines of Magic flowing all around them. Also, she saw additional lines in more colors. She suspected they represent different aspects, like friendship or loyalty. A pink one stood out. This line comes from Sunburst chest and flow over to Starlight and touch her chest. “Huh… shouldn't surprise me that love creates a line…” She stood a moment and watch the scene, then she notices something.

There wasn’t a single wind in there, still, something moved around the body acting like a gust of wind, trying to lead her towards one direction.

But she didn’t follow the wind. Stellar had studied the old tomes and so she had an idea how to move. Carefully takes her steps and slowly she moved her body through the between and after a while she reached her destination. The view change as the colors start to form things. “I’m in Canterlot.” She said aloud.

Outside the between Sunburst and Starlight look at the real body of Stellar. It was a bit creepy to see her. She sat in a meditation pose, her rump on the ground, the hind legs pressed to her body, while the front legs are pressed together before her chest. She hadn’t moved her body since she created the magical copy body and the rift, the only thing that is moving are her eyes, although there were completely white. So, both bystanders where a bit scared, when Stellar suddenly speaks.

Starlight was the first to regain so much, that she speaks. “Already?... What you see?”

She spoke to Stellar, which heard the sentence, but it was a bit hard to understand, as it sounded as if she had her head underwater. “Time and distance are relative in here. It’s the night yesterday.”

Stellar moved her copy at bit forward and the blurry view starts to sharpen itself. She now looks at Canterlot at night. She saw the royal sisters on the balcony, then something happened. She saw the image of thunder and how the moon starts to change.

It may have been a shocking sight in real life, but in here she saw so much more… she even feels the echoes of the happening… the entire Between start to bend and shift. Sheer pressure applies to Stellar, who feel like a mountain weight her down.

She, or better the copy blinks and the view change to the moon, she saw the cracks and suddenly Stellar understand what happened. “Something passes through the between. What blocked the communication was an invader from the Between.”

“WHAT? INVADERS?” Sunburst cried out.

Stellar ignored his outburst. “Yes. One, two, five, nine presences…. By the Heart… They are powerful…” She stared at what she now saw. The presences moved towards the crack in the barrier. They start to apply more and more pressure on the already weak spot, still, it holds somehow, but then somepony weakens the spot from the other site. A quick glance shows the culprit. “No, it’s the doing of the Royal sisters and the guards. They cast magic on the crack point.”

And then the barrier, which separates between reality and Between, broke up. Stellar just saw in awe and vain, how one by one the presences leave and passes through the breach until it closed. “Equestria suffers an invasion.” She mutters under her breath.

Then her entire being was shocked, until in her soul. Under a titanic effort, she was able to look around and there she saw it. One presence had stood behind… and that presence advances towards her. And to the mountain pressing down on her, came now pure and utter dread.

“Pull me out. NOW. PULL ME OUT.” She screamed in panic and tried to gain distance, but that proven to be useless, as the presence advances towards her and the distance between them, steadily melt away.

Outside Sunburst sprung into action. He may lack the magical talent like Starlight, but for this spell, it’s enough. A quick spell and the Stellar was forced out of the between. And so, the copy shoots out of the portal and hit the real body. In the same second, when the copy leaves the portal, Starlight’s horn light up and she cast her own spell at the portal, which after it gets hit stopped moving.

All three unicorns start to smile, thinking that its over…

…

… but is far from it.

The portal didn’t falter and vanish as planned. It started to move again, but this time the vortex starts to change. The colors are drained and were replaced by darkness. The center starts to blacken, while the edges start to become dark purple and lighting appeared. That was alone terrifying, but the black in the center was the main cause of terror.

It was so black nothing was visible… no forms, shapes, colors, even lights…

Starlight and Stellar both shot again the spells at the portal in hope to force it to close, but the spells did nothing, instead of closing the portal started to grow and the former sooth surface trembles in turmoil. “All hope is lost.” Stellar thought and was near crying.

Then it happened... Somepony walked out of the portal. From one moment to another he appeared. Was simply there. The pony was clad in a robe, his face hidden due to the robe.

All three unicorns just stared at him, unable to move a hoof. His entire appearance was something so deep-down freighting, but then he tops that.

In a switch movement, he half turns and hit the portal with a hoof. The portal stopped to move, cracks appeared on it, then it broke like a mirror. The shards fell down of the ground, but before they could touch the ground simply vanish as dust.

Then there was only silence in the room. Sunburst, Starlight and ultimately Stellar didn’t dare to move an inch or breath.

“Who had open the portal.” The question was spoken and pulled all three out of their shock. They look at the hooded pony. “Who had open the portal,” he asked again.

Shanking in fear Stellar raises her hoof, more out of a reflex than a real conclusion. Then it happens so fast. The hooded walked to her and hit her with his hoof in her chest and send her flying. It was only due to Starlight’s quick reaction, that Stellar didn’t end as a splash on the wall, as she cast a levitation spell and caught Stellar before she hit the wall.

Then she turned to the invader and shoot a spell at him. He hadn’t moved, so it hit square in the chest. A small dust cloud appeared and hide him. Sunburst used that distraction to race to the door. It wasn’t due to cowardice, he wanted to call the guards.

Starlight may have advanced power in magic, but she lacks the training of the guards and for Sunburst… he is a theorist for the Heart’s Sake… but if he reaches the door, he could alarm the guards. They can deal with him, also the prince and princess can come to help, that should be enough to defeat him.

But all hope was cut short when something shot past him and embedded itself in the door. Shocked Sunburst tried to slow down, which lead to sliding brake and ended with his snout near inches before the door to the hallway.

Shivering he looked at the object buried in the door. It was an orb, made out of unknown material. The orb was black, with red rune-like marks on it, shining in a disturbing glow. Still shaking he turned around and saw the invader unfazed by Starlight’s spell. His robe wasn't completely burned. Just a few small holes and through these little holes they saw bits of armor under the robe. He stood there in a calm manner but was surrounded by five more of the orbs flowing around him (two of them look like the one he shot into the door, while the other three were silver with golden runes).

“Please wait… If you call the guards, it will end in a bloodbath… Something we want to avoid. Let us explain… we don’t want any harm.” The invader suddenly declares.

This forces a reaction out of Starlight. “ARE YOU BUCKING WITH ME? YOU SAIS YOU MEANT NO HARM, STILL YOU HIT HER SO HARD, YOU COULD TURN HER INTO A WET SPOT ON THE WALL!” She waved with her hooves at the still dazed Stellar and at him.

For a moment the stranger was quiet, then he spoke up again. “We are truly sorry, but her careless dive into the realm of the warp was so prone to catastrophe, that we come to conclusion punishment is in need.” He explained.

“BY KILLING HER?” Starlight screamed.

Sunburst wonders what give in first. “Her voice or the castle walls.” He thought dryly.

“We are sorry. We had overestimated the force in use.” He apologizes, although the tone of it didn’t clearly show that he was apologizing.

While the speaking Stellar regained her conscious. She stood up on wobbly legs, then she looks at the invader. “What … what do you mean with careless. I draw a rune circle, a three-layered even.” She said with weak voice. The hooded stranger looked down at the circle. He touched it with a hoof, then he smeared the lines. Stellar looked with open mouth at him. “Why are you doing this?”

The stranger looked again at her, this time Stellar could see his eyes. They were piercing through her, looking directly into her core. “You did a great number of mistakes. Who taught you this way?”

“No pony… I learned through old tomes.” Stellar feel like in school again, with him being her teacher, who asked her questions, which answers she didn’t know.

“Just old tomes? …Fool…” This lone word hits her hard somehow. It hurt her deeply. “You nearly caused a greater breach in the veil between the realms, while you had enlightened a beacon in the warp… a beacon so clear and bright… Simply daring every daemon in warp to come and go through.” He suddenly scolded her in a harsh tone.

“But the tomes…” she was put in defense by the harsh voice.

“First mistake…the circle is insufficient. It only prevents that lesser, lower and weakest middle-class demons could touch you. But it didn’t prevent them from going through the breath. They could pass you and then gained passion over the other two.” He pointed at the smeared circle and continued in his scolding tone. “Second, you used chalk, which has no endurance. Any bit of power would simple vaporizes it. If you want to create a circle… use the ash of burned trees, better etch it the circle with acid into the stone. As soon as a part of the ring became undone, no matter had small, the circle became useless.”

“Third mistake, you had sent a body of light into the warp, while it was attached to a line. In your naivety, you may have thought it was a good idea, as your partners could easily pull you out in case of danger, but every demon can follow the line, so no way to hide.” He pointed his hoof at her.

“Fourth mistake… your biggest mistake… Entering the warp, without being sanctioned in any form. Have you any idea what the consequence could be?” he barked in a daring tone.

Sunburst could hold himself and speak. “Grave consequences?” he asks in an unsure tone.

The hooded pony snorted. “Grave is an understatement.” He starts to walk towards Stellar. “When she used the body, her presence, her soul blazed in the warp. Every demon in there could saw it… There sheer power in your soul…” He was now near inches before her. He looked down at her, as he was a head taller than her. “A radiant sun in there… They couldn't resist. They would have swarmed you. Billions upon billions of demons coming at a powerful, unsanctioned soul. You could even have caught the attention of an elder god” He glared into her his eye piercing her, sending pure dread into her, as his harsh voice continues. “Then you would be grave consequences.”

Then he suddenly stepped back a few steps and continue in a different tone. “Your luck, that we and our brothers traveled through the warp… our own presence was enough to overshadow everything.”

Now silence lingers in the room until Sunburst gains the courage to speak.” Why are you here?”

Now the hooded stranger looked at him. “Please wake up the princess and the prince. We are here as a messenger. We carry good news both need to hear.” With that the orb in the door suddenly shivers, then it shoots back to the stranger and gets in the formation the orbs formed.

Sunburst, Starlight, and Stellar looked at him, then at the door, which was now free to open, then at each other. “Well then let us better do it,” Stellar said and all four starts to move towards the door.

…

Crystal Empire, Royal chamber

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza was in her chamber. She had put off her royal regions and prepared herself for the night.

The day she was busy with royal courts, where she had to deal with the problems, the citizen had broad forward. Small problems, like merchants, who argue with each other over prices of their goods, and bigger problems like taxes… The biggest problem in the court was the interaction with the nobles. The Crystal Empire has fewer nobles then Equestria, still they tend to cost Candance’s nerves.

Then had come the best part of the day, the afternoon, in which she had played with her daughter Flurry Heart. The little alicorn was a hoofful, but Cadance loves her over and over. Both had played some games, she had bathed her, tucked her into bed and read her a good night story.

That were the best moments, but right now in her royal chamber, she let her shoulders down. Uncried tears and sorrow laid heavy on her. She was a strong alicorn and now, that she must put up a strong face so that her people don’t panic, but inside her chamber, she let go of the mask, she wears all day.

She missed her sister-in-law, Twilight Sparkle. She had been there when she had grown up, as she had worked as the babysitter for her. Only because of Twilight she was married to her husband, as she had intervened and discovered the plot of Chrysalis, Twilight had helped to save the Crystal Empire and countless small and big adventures so far and possibly more…

But that wasn’t possible anymore… Twilight was away. Abducted by monsters of another world… it was even a possibility that she was dead.

Cadance stood at her make-up table and looked at her mirror. It showed the crystal alicorn, princess of the Crystal Empire, Protector of the Heart, but all Cadance saw was a mare far too young to be tired.

But she was tired. The spark in her eyes had become dull, she had dark shadows under her eyes, which she hides under waterproof mascara. All in all, the image Cadance saw was the one of a mare near her point of breaking down.

Slowly she walked away from the table and to her bed. Carefully she levitated the covers off and slip into the bed, then she puts the covers back. Then she laid there staring at the empty side of her husband. “I wonder how long he will work this time?” she thought sadly.

To her surprise, at that moment the door opens and a pony walked in and towards the bed. On the way she heard multiple heavy thumps, indicating, that the intruder let loose of the armor he wore. After a couple of more armor pieces falling on the floor, the covers shifted again and a body falls beside her.

“Night beloved,” Cadance said. A muffled grunt followed by snorting sound. She made a snort, then she hit the body with a hoof, earning another muffled grunt. Before she was forced to repeat the process, the body shift and faced towards her.

Cadance looked into the face of her husband, Shining Armor, Prince of the Crystal Empire, Father of the firstborn Alicorn, Captain of the Crystal Guard and many titles more….

What happened a year ago…the thing that nearly broke her, had done far more to him… once he was a proud stallion. Pride was in his eyes and fearless he had stood up to fight against every threat that could harm, his child, wife or sister…

But now this stallion was gone, the spark had diminished and was replaced by sadness and anger. There are times, where she found him crying for hours, only to be followed days of pure aggressive behavior.

He had become short tempered and Cadance must admit that she was ashamed of herself, that the target of his anger isn’t her or Flurry, but the guards. Shining Armor drills them rigorous… some council pony already spoken to her asking for relief Shining from his duty, as the training for the guards under his new regime resembles more torture, then anything else. A small number of guards had already retired, just a few, but the numbers start to rise. When he had been questioned about the reason, why he destroys his own guards he had shouted and raged, threated the ponies who dared to ask such a question.

“THE GUARDS HAD BECOME WEAK AND SOFT. THEY FAILED IN THEIR SOLEMN DUTY. WHAT IF THE SITUATION COMES AGAIN, THIS TIME WITH FLURRY HEART OR CADANCE HERSELF? IF THEY CAN’T STAND THE PRESSURE, THEN THEY SHOULD LEAVE AND DIE HIDING UNDER A ROCK.”

Cadance remembered this moment clearly. The council ponies had looked in shock at him. Cadance had witnessed the whole outrage. She didn’t agree with his way of improving the guard, but she notices that the guard had improved. The totally unfit guards had been fired, while the others are now in better shape regarding endurance and abilities. But he hadn’t only razed through the lower guards’ ponies. He had wiped the higher tiers too and kicked out, who had been unfit and only in position through their influence or political friends. Personally, she was happy about it, as more than one officer she had despised had been such pony.

“Everything alright Shiny?” she asks him in a quiet voice as if she was talking to a frightened animal ready to attack. In the last year, she had found out that this tone was the best to talk to him.

For a moment he was silent, then he grunted. Cadance thought that was all when suddenly he starts to shake. He dove his muzzle deep into her neck and then she feels her neck becoming wet… He was crying.

“A year… a year… since she…it still hurt… so much…” The words were nearly silenced by the heavy sobs.

Cadance had felt so powerless. She may be the alicorn of Love, princess of an empire, mother of the firstborn alicorn and so on, still all the titles, all the magic couldn’t help her very own husband. She couldn’t light up his heart, couldn’t take away his pain, couldn’t heal the wound on his heart and soul. The only thing she could do was do was holding him tight and let the tear flow.

And so, she holds him tight to her chest, allowing him to wet her fur with tears… tears she couldn’t allow herself.

The tender moment between the two was suddenly interrupted as the door to their chamber was violently opened, as a guard’s pony rushed through. “Pardon to disrupt…” the pony tried to say, but the sudden sounds of knives flying through air interrupted the speech.

A sound of hooves clapping onto the ground sounded and Cadance raised in her bed, while Shining Armor had jumped out of the bed, in his magic grab swords he keeps in the chamber near their shared bed. He scanned the body through the door and recognized the guard. “Flare Warden. What is the reason for your coming?”

It may sound strange that Shining asked that a Guards, instead of asking if the Guard is hurt by any of the knives thrown at her.

But Flare Warden was not a mere guard. She was one of the best guards. Evading multiple knives thrown at her was a child play for her. The pegasi with brilliant gamboge coat and Sapphire blue mane stand in the door. In her wings, she holds every knife thrown at her. “Again, Pardon to interrupt, but we need the princess and prince in the throne room. We have a visitor, who… asked in a very demanding tone for your presences.”

Shining already turned around starting to grab a new armor, while Cadance used the moment to speak to Flare. “When he had ad arrived?” she spoke, while she gets out of the bed and grabs her own armor, Shining Armor had ordered for her. It was the same as his with a few modifications, making it fitting for her more slender body and of cause for her wings and it was made out of Crystals, unlike his armor, which was still metal. “We hadn’t scheduled any visitors for the night?”

Flare moved with the knives in her wings, she carefully shifted them until she had all in a bundle and then she placed that bundle in her hoof. “Well… he is unplanned because he had come through a portal. A portal our wizard team had summoned.”

Both royals stopped near her, as soon as she had said that line. “What?” Cadance said. Her husband started to growl, as he throws glances at her, intending to set her at ablaze.

The pegasi mare resisted that glances. “Better see for yourselves… That bastard bucks Tartarus out of me.”

Shining seized his growling. “Are there guards watching him?”

Flare nodded. “Two dozen guards, under the command of my brother Flash Sentry.”

“Double the numbers.” The unicorn ordered, then he rushed through the door.

Flare saluted and handed the majority of the knives to him, as he passed her. She stood still for a moment, then she hands the rest of the knives to Cadance. “You know Flare, most guards just lay on the floor in order to avoid the knives. Only Flash and you catch them out of the air.”

The pegasi mare sported now a cocky grin. Cadance allowed her that, as she likes it how Flare smiles and for the most important fact… the cocky smile isn’t just a bluff, as Flare can and had proof it numerous times, that she has the best reflexes. “Training hones the abilities… also, the knives you throw are far more dangerous, than the ones thrown by Capitan Armor.” Cadance raised an eyebrow. “He throws a large number, trying to overwhelm through numbers, but you princess ... always aims at the vitals.”

Cadance now has a smile on her own. “I don’t know what you are talking about.” And with that she passed the mare, noticing the knowing spark in Flare’s eyes. “What about Flurry Heart?”

Flare had turned and was now at her side. “No loud alarm, so she is still asleep. Her own guards are still with her. Also, double their numbers?”

Cadance nodded and Flare pushes her wing to her right ear. “Command Warden here. All guards up with your flanks. Squads Ruby and Amber to the throne room. Squads Sapphire and Jade to Princess Flurry Heart's nursery.” She spoke in the magic stone embed in there.

A new innovation introduced to the guards after the … incident a year ago was the earstones. Magic stones allowing fast communication in short range. Perfect for the castle and allowed to shorten the time to mobilize the guards.

The ear stone in Flare’s ear buzzed and she gets with “Roger” answers from said squads. Flare turned to Cadance. “All set Princess.” Cadance nodded. Then she placed a hoof on Flare’s shoulder. “Brace yourself.” Was all she gets before Cadance teleported both.

The world vanished in a pink light, but before Flare could handle it, the trip ended. Her vision returned and Flare found herself beside Cadance in front of the door to the throne room, which Candace normally uses if she walks into the throne room.

Cadance turned to Flare and saw that the pegasi mare was green in her face and her breathing was irregular. “Calm down. Take a deep breath, hold it for a moment, then release it.” She said to Flare, who follows her advice.

After a moment she speaks to Cadance. “Princess, next time if you want to do that… leave me back.” She shrugs. “I think my innards are still on the wrong side.”

Cadance chuckles. “The feeling will go away. It happens always if a unicorn/alicorn teleport herself and one more. You get used to it.”

Flare waved her hoof. “I would like to pass that offer. Once in a life is already too much.”

Sniggering the last time, Cadance used her delight about Flare’s demise. Then she drops the smile and set a stern face on. Flare followed her action and puts a similar face on.

With that Flare pushed the door open and Cadance walked into the throne room, ready to face the visitor.

...

Inside the throne room

The first thing Cadance noted, when she entered the room was that Shining was already there… and more than fifty guards are in the throne room, lead by Shining Armor and his second of command, Flare's pegasi twin brother Flash Sentry.

Sunburst the Royal Crystaller, his wife Starlight Glimmer and Stellar Watcher where also in the room.

But the most important thing in the room was the hooded visitor, who was in the middle of the room.

He was a complete mystery for Cadance. He was taller than every pony in the room, easily taller than Celestia, but she couldn’t make out anything as the hood he wears hide much of his body. But Cadance managed to catches glimpses of his armor underneath the cloak. And the glimpse already shows her to much… The visitor is from another world. In her heart fear start to slowly rise.

“The Princess has arrived,” Somepony said aloud. Cadance turned around and look at Flare, eyes open wide in an unspoken question. Flare just shacks her head. She wasn’t the pony who called her out.

A noise of shifting clothes sounded and was followed by the sound of numerous spears shift-ed in attack position. The alicorn looked back at the visitor and her mouth opens in shock.

The visitor wasn’t as tall as she thought, he had somehow levitated. Now as she stands on all of his hooves she saw that he was just as tall as Shining Armor. Still six magic constructs, six orbs, circling behind him. But the fact, that he had used magic and still uses it without her noticing it… this was frightening.

“We send our regards for the Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Prince and Captain Shining Armor. We are pleased that the guards delivered our wish for a meeting. May the Twilight lead to Dawn.” His pattern of speech was strange, as well as his tone, but the fact that he seems not intimidated by the numbers of spears pointed at him, or the numbers of unicorns charged her spells, Starlight included. He just stood there and speaks.

Shining Armor was the first to speak up to him. “Who are you? “he asked him while taking a few steps towards him. With his magic, he had grabbed several spears, all of them pointing at him.

“We are called Shattered Legion, we are a servant of her grace.” He said.

“Who…” Cadance asked him. She knows that she looks intimidating in her armor and in her voice was determination, but deep in her she was frightening. “Who do you refer to?”

The stranger looks directly at Cadance and she saw his eyes. Cadance has the feeling he looks directly into her soul. She raised mental barriers, but still, she couldn’t let loose of the feeling that he can easily bypass them.

He maintains the look for a second longer, then two of his orbs moved. They flowed away from him, towards her but stopped a few feet away from him. For a moment they hovered in the air, then they changed.

At the start, they were just undefinable, but then they take the general shape of a small filly and a teenage pony. At first, they formed only the outlines, but then the forms start to get color and details. The teenage pony starts to grow wings and the shape starts to get color in a pink tone, while a three-colored mane grows. For a moment Cadance was at lost, but as soon as she saw the horn growing on its forehead, she opens her eyes in shock, as she saw recognize the pony.
As soon as she recognizes that dread filled her heart as she knows who the filly is. Meanwhile, the shape of the filly grows a horn too, and get a Pale, light grayish mulberry coat. Cadance closed her eyes, not wanting to see how the filly grew a dark sapphire blue mane with purple and raspberry streaks in it.

She opens her eyes after a moment and stared at the replicas of her teenage self and her filly sister-in-law. For a moment the two replicas stood quiet and motionless, then they started to move.

"Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!" both said in union while dancing the little dance that was part of this song.

As soon as the last syllable fade out, the replicas lost their shape. They become again orbs and fly back to the other behind the visitor.

Silent was the entire room. No pony dared to say a thing and the tension start to grow thicker.

Shining Armor was the first to move and speak. “FROM WHERE DO YOU HAVE THAT?” he shouted, not bothering to hide his rage.

The visitor was unfazed by the shutout. “From her grace itself… Lady Twilight Sparkle… May she protect and led us all into a new Dawn”

These words hang in the air. Suddenly Shining Armor started to charge at the visitor, but Cadance grabbed him and hold him back. “Shining calm, yourself. “She orders her husband, then she talks to the visitor. “What is your history with Twilight Sparkle?” she asked him.

Shining looked bewildered at her, but a quick glance from her prevent any outburst. She wanted to know everything from the visitor and she couldn’t have that if Shining loses his temper.

The visitor himself looked unfazed by Shinings outburst. “Lady Sparkle is our grace, our sworn lord. One year in your time she was abducted by for you unknown being. They had taken her through a portal out of your reach. On the other side of the portal, she was faced with terror so horrifying for her… her very soul cried out in pain and despair.” He explained and Cadance feel how Shining start to fight against her grab. “And our brother and we heard the call of her soul. We answered and she accepted it. We became bound by oath, blood, and soul to her. We became her guards and soldier.”

Now Shining calmed himself a tiny bit, not much, but he reduced his efforts to fight against Cadance grip. “And what are you doing here?” he bellows.

The visitor turned to him. “Prior the night our brother and made an outbreak. We killed the abductors, lay waste to their base, released her grace and opened a portal into the realm between. We had taken her grace with us. At the moment she should have arrived near the city called Canterlot.”

Again, the silence was in the room. “Is this true?” Shining growled. Instead of the visitor answer-ing Stellar speaks. “Your Highness… your visitor spoke the truth. I saw them traveling through the warp.”

Now the attention was on her. “What?” came from Cadance and Shining Armor in union.

Stellar gulped then she spoke again. “I used a spell to get into the realm between. I witness their arrival near Canterlot. Our visitor, he preferred to be called Legion, had separated himself from the group. He traced me in the realm and so he ended up here.” She pointed to Starlight and Sunburst. “Both had witnessed it and can confirm it.”

Cadance though a moment over it. “The realm between?” She tried to remember where she heard that before then she came to a conclusion.” The Warp!” She looks at Stellar. “Stellar, what were you thinking? There is a reason any knowledge about it is forbidden.”

Stellar looked ashamed at her hooves, before looking back at Cadance. “I’m truly sorry princess. At the time it looked like a good idea.” But before she could say more, the visitor, Legion cut in.

“We apologize to interrupt, but we recommend to begin preparation to travel to Canterlot.” He said.

For a moment nothing happened. Then Shining Armor jumped into action. “Flash sentry, Flare Warden. I want two squads ready in the morning. Also made the train ready. At 10 o’clock we travel to Canterlot.” Both saluted and started to bark the order in their earstones.

Legion nodded. “We agree with that wise choice. We also shall accompany.”

Shining turned back to him. “Oh no. You get locked down. Guards arrest him.” He waved his hoof at Legion and so every guard start to get closer to him, their weapons readied at him.

“Bad choice.” Was all Legion said, then he made his move. He stood still, but for a mere second, Cadance sensed his magic flaring up. A shock wave emits through the room. Cadance was set back for a moment, then she looks back at him and as soon as she saw the result of his doing Cadance stared with open mouth at him.

Every guard in the room, save Flash, Flare and Shining, as well as herself, had lost their weapons and armor. The remnants of them are just dust at their feet. The armor and weapon made out of magic resistant crystals and enchanted to improve that… simply vaporized, in a mere fraction of a second. And as Cadance realized as she looks at Legion and now saw his face, as he had pulled his hoof back.

She saw the horn on his forehead, his mane hidden under a cloth, with only a few strands visible. His mane and his coat in a black and white color scheme like a zebra have. His eyes so black, that no light could enlighten them, his body looking so frail. The fact that shock her was the fact, Legion’s body may look fragile, but he has magic power… more than her, more than the Heart… and that look in his eyes.

At that moment she realized that Legion has the power to kill everyone the castle in seconds… and he had the will to kill them if necessary. In short, he has the power and cold bloodiness to kill them and that the fact, that the guards are only stripped of their weapons and armors was only due to he allowing them to stay alive.

“You seem to misunderstand a point. We accompany you… and this point is not for dispute.” He said in a flat tone, the threat lingering mere inches beneath.

Author's Note

So surpirse update...

Why the long time between chapters?

First, full-time employment pays well but sucks up too much free time.
Second new games had come out like Kingdom Come: Deliverance and I had played them...

But new chapter hurra and I hope you like it. Please leave a comment, as I like getting those.