Chapter 2: The New World

*Start A Lost World-James Paget*

The damp floor of the forest lay under the cloak of the Assassin, the moon shone brightly on the Assassin making him glow. In one hand the apple of Eden fizzed with power, and in the other was a crescent moon pendant. I lay ready to die struggling to breathe. Then suddenly, I gasped. I brought myself up breathing in very heavily, my eyes cleared to see that I was in a forest. The trees were covered with claw marks and the damp smell of dew tingled my nose telling me danger was a foot. I looked at my hands to find the Apple and then a crescent-shaped pendant, the silvery tint made my eyes water, I then realised I had forgotten what happened the past day. I looked at the Apple, the mysterious device created by the Goddess Isu with mystical powers of unknown limits, I stared at it for quite some time when all my memories flashed back at me. Dropping the apple, holding my head, hurt by the memories replaying over and over, etching into my mind. The death of Ash, the betrayal of my brothers and the Black Cross almost killing me, it was almost too much, my head spinning like someone poisoned my drink.

I fell to my knees not knowing what to do, tears running down my face, no longer remembering my humanity. I brought out my hidden blade ready to end myself with no reason left to live for, then the glistening in my left hand caught my eye. The white boned narwhale crescent polished, it shone in my eyes and I brought down my right hand slowly faltering. Not realising that the promise I kept was strongly in this bond, my gift to her on the first night we kissed under the aurora.

I held onto the pendant tightly realising Ash slipped it into my hands, those sneaky hands, I started crying again, the tears rolled down my chest, my mind figuring out what to do, my heart telling me to let go. I couldn’t take it, I punched the nearest tree and kept punching at it, my gloves slowly tearing as I had flashbacks of her. Ash and I sitting on the ledge of a building leaning against each other as we were doing a night patrol but tired out. Me trying to watch Ash trying out to be an assassin, practising to shoot, and climb while I was meant to be talking to my mentor. Me and Ash tag fighting in the tournament for Senior Assassin. It was all too much; my head couldn’t take it anymore.

Bringing out my hidden blade I cut myself across the shoulder, the blood seeping into my cloak. It cleared my head from the flashbacks, but I still felt the sadness in me. The blood splattered on the ground, I then stared at the tree where I punched. It was smoothing out almost like a slate, so I continued punching, my heartache fuelling me. I then brought out my dagger, I struck the tree etching words. Ash Rose, In my heart you will always be there, May your eyes shine my path to a better future. The blood sweat and tears ingrained the tree making it appear like a ghoul was just there but to me it made my heart lift an inch up.

I looked at the Apple of Eden on the floor still sparking with power, I slowly picked it up deciding on what to do with it I then drove it into the burial of Ash. I stabbed my dagger right to the hilt into the tree above the words Ash Rose and walked off, the pendant around my neck and my heart buried under a pile of rubble.

I trudged away still thinking about the times I had with, Ash and me dancing under the moonlight on the ship in the middle of the night, salty air filling my nose and the smile that burned my mind. The times that I saved her, and the times that she saved me, it all happened in a year. It almost made me smile again. I then heard a voice “Silver…” I looked around, hoping to see her again but to my dismay emptiness, the forest winds howling like the wolf and then actual wolves howling. The wound, I laid myself down against a tree, poured some gunpowder around my wound and took out my flint and steel. I prepared myself and sparked the powder, I felt a sensation but that was it, the voices continued, “Silver” the voice said.

I looked up to see a transparent blue Ash staring down at me, her hood up not showing her face, her body telling me she had given up on me. I yelled at her “Stay away from me! You’re not the real one”

“Oh yes I am, and I am ashamed of you,” the spirit said.

“Shut up! Sh xut up! Shut up!” I shrieked and leaped at her. The spirit dissipated when I touched her, and I was on the floor. I stood up and dusted myself to see a lonely perch up in the trees and I launched my rope launcher towards it. I then looked at the horizon of my perch to see a castle blazed alight. I realised that I have no idea where I am and as I pondered about this I fell asleep.

I stood in a black empty background and scenes of the death of Ash were blaring in my eyes. My vision starting to blur looking towards the images of death. I couldn’t look anymore, and I felt like a child to fall and huddle myself until another voice echoed “Hello” sounding lost and scared.

“Who’s there,” I said bringing out my blades, a black shadow moved in the background moving close to me. My eagle vision telling me that someone was approaching, “Stay back” I said holding out my blades. I then saw a weird shape like a horse, it was slowly trotting towards me.

“I am here to help,” said the voice.

“I can’t see you,” I said with a hint of fear, “Could you come out of the shadows.”

“I can’t see thee either,” the voice said.

“Are you speaking old English?” I said, the shadow almost touching me and realising that the voice was female.

“What art thou talking about?” she said.
“Um, Goodbye,” I said and started backing away slowly.

“Don’t thou want help? I only join when thou has a nightmare.” she said. I turned and ran away from this horse creature. I couldn’t understand what was happening in this nightmare, but she called “Come back, I just want talk” and the blackness took over me.
*End Song*

The sun woke me up and I almost fell out of the tree. Well then, that was a weird nightmare I thought, my stomach grumbled in complaint and I needed something to eat. After having my fill of bunnies, I could not help to realise that this forest was confusing. My sense tingled telling me something was wrong with the place I was in, from what I could tell the closest point to civilisation was the castle that I saw in the distance last night, but I couldn’t tell which direction it was in as every time I looked through the canopies and for the castle it appeared in a different direction than last time.

Until I heard laughter and general noises coming from the east. I clambered up the nearest tree to find a simple layout of a normal castle in view. A grand stone castle at the back and villagers in front. I almost fell out of the tree as I realised that they were all ponies, but then I had to really rub my eyes to find out there are unicorns and pegasi exactly like in greek mythology. My head was started to swim as I realised that I was not on the same place that I called home. I could also see knights standing outside of the castle glistening silver armour and holding spears in an odd position. My mind was slowly deteriorating just by looking at the ponies, the idea of ponies as a race that had the functionalities of humans, it wasn’t until I heard two unicorn speak to each other that my mind collapsed on itself.

Meanwhile at the Castle of the Two sisters

(Everfree forest) (Luna and Celestia are speaking in the respective Archaic English because I can’t write Ancient English :P )

“My sister, may I speak to you privately about important matters,” Luna said in the doorway of the dining hall.

“Can it not wait, for I have to begin day court soon, and finish breakfast,” Celestia said.

“No, it cannot wait, it’s about a pony I met last night” Luna cried out urgently.

“Fine, let's speak in my room,” Celestia said as she activated her horn. Both sisters were in Celestia painted white golden encrusted room. “What is it you must speak of, to have interrupted my breakfast?” Celestia asked angrily.

“The pony I met last night was different than all the other ponies I’ve met before that had nightmares” Luna began “Firstly it was a stallion, and I could not see properly with my eyes and when I looked at his nightmare it was filled with torment and despair, no visions though, but I could hear the crying of the stallion. His heart appears the colour black with no joy left in his heart as if someone close to him has died.”

“This seems very serious, we will try to help” Celestia replied, “I need time to think, we can only help so much, it is only up to the stallion to open up if we are to help. Be yourself and try to talk to him”

“I tried Sister” Luna said, “But he kept on running away scared when he should be a stallion and face his fears”

“Now, Sister, some stallions are the gentle type, they cry to let their emotions out rather than bottling up inside of them, it hurts them more,” Celestia said “Well I have no idea now on what to do, but do please tell me if this stallion appears again,” The chimes of the sundial ringing in the background “I have to attend day court now.”

“I understand, Sister,” Luna said still pondering about this mysterious stallion. In a flash, Celestia disappeared and Luna was left by herself to do whatever she wanted until nightfall.

Meanwhile in the Crystal Empire:
Sombra trotted up towards the Pillar Gates of the Crystal Empire, “Today is a good day to take over the crystal kingdom, Mwahahahaha” Sombra said. “I won’t be known as Sombra I will be known as King Sombra the king of all monsters.”

“Um, ok then, state your name and business,” said the crystal guard.

“Did you not hear a word I just said?” King Sombra asked in confusion.

“No, I wasn’t really paying attention,” said the other guard “It’s so boring around here, standing here in the sun all day”

“Well then witness my true power,” yelled King Sombra, releasing the magic that was building up in his horn, the sky darkened to a sickly sulfuric yellow. Black crystals emerged out of the ground, “You have no idea who I am,” King Sombra said as he already charged forward into the guard piercing the armour and killing him instantly. “You will be my new slave,” King Sombra said as his horn glowed with power and blinded the other guard. The dead guard started forming black crystals around him, reanimating his corpse to become an empty shell. The other guard stared in shock to see that his friend was now reanimated as an entirely different being.

“I will not let you past me,” The guard said and charged towards Sombra with his spear. The spear shattered against the armour, a shard piercing the guard's leg and Sombra laughed.

“You are a fool,” Sombra said, looking down at the defenceless guard “I’ll let you live, but send your princess a message, I am coming, and you will not see the end of it until the whole kingdom is enslaved and the crystal heart is mine,” King Sombra growled. The frozen guard quickly scurried away to warn the princess. “This is going to be so much fun” King Sombra cackled as the impending doom appeared.

Princess Amore was not happy, she stared outside the crystal palace window staring at the sky, the smell of darkness seeped towards her kingdom. She knew this was going to come someday from the visions that she had, but she hid the fact that she didn’t believe it would happen. “Oh, why did you choose this path Sombra, your destiny could have created a better world” Amore whispered to herself.

“Princess we are at your service, what would like us to do?” the guards asked as they held their long crystal spears.

“Take the guard towards the hospital for care and prepare for the siege.” Amore commanded, “I hope we still have time”

*Start Raise the Dead-Tyber Core*
Sombra stared at the pillar gates and laughed maniacally, “What a useless piece of rock” and charged at the base of the pillar. The pillar shook with black magic, the crystals became as black as night then collapsed into small chunks of debris, the debris then suddenly shifted and formed an army of 50 black crystal ponies. “You will serve me and take over the crystal empire” Sombra commanded “I want every pony in chains!” and started trotting towards the crystal empire. The swarm of the black crystal ponies surged forward thundering their way through the empire. Princess Amore all of a sudden felt the heavy dark presence of the shadows creeping up on her, realising that Sombra was coming closer. The dark ominous presence could be felt, the charging of the thundering hooves against the hard cobble floor. The dark crystals appearing like an infectious virus, King Sombra casually trotting, the crystal guards trying their best to stop King Sombra. But the crystals kept on jutting into the bellies of the unsuspecting guards and killing them instantly. The guards bled but the black crystals would form inside them and reanimate their corpses into black crystal ponies.

King Sombra was laughing ferociously as he continued to murder the pony guards, “You are all worthless” Sombra said as he stabbed another guard with his horn. Then a trumpet could be heard as a cannon was rolled towards Sombra, “You think a cannon will stop me, insolent fools,” Sombra said as he waved his horn and a pure wave of destruction crashed into the cannon splitting it directly in half. More cannons appeared to the left and right of him aimed at him, ready to destroy Sombra, the commander crystal guard yelling “Fire.”

A black crystal wall shifted upwards blocking all the strikes, Sombra cackled at the patheticness of the crystal ponies. Waving his horn forward blasting the crystal wall towards the cannons piercing the guards and one by one they became nothing but black shells. Amore could see him, she could not understand why, she had to confront him if they were to live. And then she saw, hundreds of the crystal civilians chained by the army of black crystal ponies. “I must end this, whatever the cost” Amore said as she cantered down from the palace balcony activating her magic towards King Sombra. King Sombra smiled with a sadistic face

“My what a pleasure to meet you, Amore. After so many years appearing and saying I will make a change, and today is that change as the new ruler of the crystal empire,” Sombra said.

“No, you could have made the land a brighter place with the power you possess,” Amore said.

“The power I possess, look at me I am a monster, it’s all because of you that I have to suffer, every crystal fair, you never once come to see if I was alright only Radiant Hope was there for me” Sombra angrily said.

“I know and I’m sorry,” Amore whispered.

“You dare whisper after all the hurt and sorrow that you caused me there are no more chances,” Sombra said as his horn darkened into a sickly pale shade of purple.

“Now!” Amore said cannons blazed and blasted King Sombra, guards charged in with spears after the final blast of the cannon but were met with a black sphere made out of crystals.

“Stand back!” cried Amore, the guards tried to scatter but it was too late, Sombra burst out of the shell killing the majority of the guards and disabling the cannons. Amore created a shield with her magic, but the black crystals were too strong and caused her to be pushed back into the crystal castle. The impact caused a lot of pain, but she still stood, she was not a weak princess.

“SOMBRA that is enough” Amore shouted, her magic releasing pushing Sombra back a metre stopping his kill on a guard. There was blood spilled everywhere, it was hard for Amore to look at Sombra to see that he would do such a thing, gutting his enemies and letting them bleed until the black crystals reanimated the body. Sombra continued to ignore the princess and continued his rampage on the leftover ponies, thrusting forward his horn pierced the soft gooey tissue of a guard, the guard's eyes rolling to the back of his head fainting on the spot.

“Well what a shame,” Sombra said as he now faced Amore “I hope you have no regrets” and charged directly towards Amore. Amore saw this coming and placed a barrier with her magic but SHINK Amore looked down to see Sombra break through her shields, horror-stricken at the fact that Sombra had stabbed her with his horn into her own heart.

“It looks like I win” Sombra laughed as he pulled out of Amore. Amore fell to the ground feeling different as if her body crystallizing *End Song*

“You haven’t won yet” Amore wheezed.

“What do you mean?” Sombra demanded.

“I have sent Radiant Hope to Celestia and Luna,” Amore said wheezing in pain, her whole body becoming black crystals.

“You didn’t!” exclaimed Sombra.

“I sent her when I felt your presence,” Amore said her breath shortening with every second passing.

“You will pay for this” Sombra said angrily “and your whole kingdom will see the end of it too. Bring them forward,” Sombra said, the crystal civilians were all in chains, some tried to fight but sooner or later surrendered to the might of the black crystal pony. The grief looks of the crystal civilians made Amore's eyes widen.

“What have I done,” Amore cried “I have failed everyone” her body turning fully into black crystals.

“Not yet, you haven’t,” Sombra said while bringing up his hoof.

CRASH

Author's Note

Edited: Removed music markers because commentors