The spark of redemption

"Sombra my dear, please come to me." Chrysalis sat on her throne, Sombra was at the bottom of the stairs. He got up and started walking towards Chrysalis. The throne room was the Crystal Empire throne room, except redesigned to Chrysalis' liking. Changeling guards stood at the door, a pair stood in front of the entrance to the throne room, and a pair stood at the bottom of Chrysalis' throne. Sombra got within eye contact to Chrysalis. He would admit, Luna's eyes were a lot more beautiful and attractive than Chrysalis' eyes.

"Yes my dear Chrysalis." Sombra voice was low toned and sort of depressing.

"Oh my Sombra, you have helped me a ton. I trusted you with this power, and in return you brought me the princesses."

"What is your point already." Sombra was getting a little impatient.

"Patients my love." Chrysalis put her right front hoof against Sombra's muzzle, her hoof was full of holes.

"You have what you wanted. You have Luna alive in your custody, you have two other alicorn princesses in you custody. Not to mention the thousands of others in your control, and the Crystal Empire. Wouldn't you say it's time to honor our agreement." Sombra was referring to the agreement she made with Chrysalis, which was the only reason he decided to join her. He didn't love her, nor did he really want to, but he knew if Chrysalis wanted something, she would get it. Even if what she wanted was a kiss from her king.

"Yes, we had our little agreement. If you help me get all the princesses into my custody, I would grant you the Crystal Empire, and the Crystal heart, and I wouldn't use the stone to find out why you want the heart, but i can't help but realize that we are one princess short!" Chrysalis rose from her throne in glory.

"Chrysalis my dear, Celestia was hit with a powerful memory spell no pony has a cure for she will remain clueless forever."

"Well when you put it that way, still, I would feel better if I had her here with the others." Chrysalis turned and walked towards the nearest window, overlooking the ponies congregating for warmth outside. "Sombra, be straight with me, what have you told Luna?"

"What do you mean?" Sombra started to get nervous, he knew if Chrysalis suspected any treachery, she would kill him immediately with the stone.

"I know you two were lovers, I mean, the only reason Luna is still alive is because I want her child, but I also could use the stones magic to make her labor happen within the next day." Chysalis peeked her eyes towards Sombra, she was still gazing out the window.

"I don't know where you're going with this?" Sombra took a step back.

"Oh you will my love." Chrysalis turned her head.

"What do you want, whatever it is, I will grant you you're every wish Chrysalis."

"I want Luna here, along with a doctor or two."
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"Ugh, i'm starving." Flash squeezed his stomach, which was growling.

"Eh, you and me both." Shining Armor was sitting across the fire with him. Shining was filthy. I mean, they all were filthy, but with Shining Armor it was worse because of his white color. Twilight and Cadance were still trying to get Lilly Tulip to stop crying. It has been two days since Chrysalis took Brave Heart.

As the days get longer and longer, the food supply gets lower and lower. The weaker and sick ponies died within a day. Of the thousands that were in-prisoned, now only 400 remain. Most died because Chrysalis would walk outside almost every hour and grab a dozen ponies to be drained of their love and killed. Who knows what happened to Brave Heart.

"This can't be all we have left." Spike unloaded the last basket.

"Thats all i'm afraid." A Crystal unicorn pony mare helped Spike unload what was left, which was only seven baskets of bread, potatoes, vegetables, and fruits.

"Uh, I think we finally got her to calm down a little." Twilight sat down next to Flash, who was her fiancé.

"Well it's about time then." Flash kissed her forehead, but all Twilight could do was frown.

"Well, then maybe next time you can do it professor!" Twilight was a little annoyed by her statement.

"Alright, my bad." Flash surrendered, he knew that even a starving Twilight Sparkle could take him down in a instant.

"We wont last another week with the amount of food we have left Twily." Spike walked up next to Twilight, they were all sitting around a fire within the streets of what remained of the Crystal Empire. For twenty minutes they would sit in quiet and in peace, until a Changeling guard appeared from a portal.

"Were is princess Cadance! Chrysalis demands to know now!" He started looking around for her. There were still hundreds of ponies all around him, so it would be damn near impossible to spot her out.

"Who is asking?" Cadance appeared out of a group of ponies.

"You will come with me so Chrysalis can extract your magic, and then you will be executed tomorrow in the courtyard."

"I beg you pardon? I absolutely will not just give my magic away! I would rather die!" Cadance stomped her hooves. She was weak, and could barely walk. Cadance was not known to be a fighter, but she still had powerful magic, but her magic muzzle prevented from that happening. She stood no chance against the eight changeling guards demanding her come with them.

"We would rather take you dead you pink pussy!" The changelings raised their spears, but before they could strike her, a huge flash coming from the edge of the magic shield blinded all of them.

Everypony fell to the ground in shock. Even the changelings were surprised when the unexpected blast came from nowhere. From the light stood four figures. Three of them looked like ponies, while the forth was some sort of dragon type creature. As ponies started regaining their senses, the figures came to view.

"Its Celestia! We are saved!" Said a pony.

"It's the god of chaos himself!" Said another. It was Celestia, with Discord standing right next to her. Along with them was Captain Royal Shield, and sergeant Nightcore. Standing behind them was one hundred elite royal guards.

"Fear not my subjects, for you will suffer no more." Celestia was the first to enter the Empire. Using her magic she destroyed the shield. Celestia was ironically the only pony who knew about the stones magic, and she knew it's weaknesses.

"Oh my dear Celestia, you're right back in the mayhem aren't you?" Discord rested his head onto Celestia's back, Celestia did not appreciate that.

"Discord for heavens sake stop and help us our I will fight you myself!" Celestia had enough of Chrysalis' and Sombra's evil plans.

"RANKS GET READY!!!!" Captain Shield turned towards the rows of armored elite stallions, blood thirsty and battle ready.

"INTO THE FILITH, NO TURNING BACK, NO SURRENDER, BLOOD TO BE TAKEN, BLOOD TO BE GIVEN!" Yelled hundreds of dark and menacing voices of angry stallions in armor.

"Contact Chrysalis immediately! We are under attack!" The changeling commander turned to his servants.

"Right away sir!" Two changelings turned and raced toward a portal and walked into it.

"There is going to be a fit here, we need to leave now!" Shining Armor realized that they were in the worst possible position. They were in between a horde of changelings, and a hundred of angry elite stallions and a enraged immortal alicorn princess, they had to move.

"Everypony quick, hurry! Run to the ruble! Hide in the ruble!" The ruble form the destroyed Crystal Empire homes was the only cover they had. Then rows of golden armored stallions armed with spears and swords crept over the hill entering the Crystal Empire. The exhausted prisoners took cover under ruble while the battle would go on. The magic shield was destroyed by Celestia's magic, for she was the only pony who knew the magi stones magic. Also the illusions were immediately destroyed, and now the Crystal Empire had only one true appearance

Under the palace where the magi stone rested crept a magic portal, but this one was very different, it was huge! It must have been thirty feet wide, and ten feet tall, and from the portal came out an army of Changeling soldiers, willing to fight to the death to defend the stone. Celestia knew that if she was going to return the Crystal Empire to normal, she needed to find the Crystal heart.

"Discord remember! You are to find the Crystal Heart! Captain Shield, you will find the princesses and ensure their safety!"

"Got it your highness!" Captain Shield saluted in respect and was off.

"And what about you my dear Celestia?" Discord asked before he left.

"I will lead the charge, now go before you piss me off more Discord!" Celestia stomped her hoof, causing some dust off of the cold ground to levitate. Then it begun. Hundreds and hundreds of Changelings charged while on the other side one-hundred stallions including Celestia charged their direction. It was mayhem in the Crystal Empire. The two armies finally collided, the streets of the Crystal Empire were full of blood and violence. At first, the stallions held their ground, they were the better fighters, but then the exhaustion of fighting never ending hordes of changelings started to set in. Even though the royal army was getting tired, they still were making progress, but the changelings just kept coming. Bodies of stallions and changelings hit the ground, some had missing limbs, some were bleeding so bad it would seem that they were painted red. Unicorns drove their horns deep into the sides of Changelings. Earth ponies used their overpowering strength to knock changelings down, and stab them with their spears, and pegasi were flying, launching spears and arrows from above.

"Princess Twilight?! Is that you?!" Captain Shield came to yet another pile of ruble with survivors inside.

"Yes it's me! Who are you!?" Twilight got up from the dark hole.

"I am Captain Royal Shield, I have been sent by Celestia to ensure your safety. You are all to remain out of sight until the battle is over."

"But we want to fight?!" Twilight wanted to fight, but Celestia was wise to instruct her not to. She and the other survivors were way to weak, they would be cut down like grass upon a lawnmower.

"Sorry, but it's princess Celestia's orders. Where is princess Cadance?!"

"I am here Captain, with Twilight! I got the memo, we will stay." Cadance put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder.

"Very well, has anypony seen Princess Luna? Is she here?"

"Princess Luna? I have no idea were she is?" Twilight put her hoof against her muzzle, wondering were in the world the princess of the night was.

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"Ugh, i'm so tired, but this stupid cell floor is so uncomfortable." Luna tried her best to get some sleep, she was very weak, and hungry, which didn't help. She had finally managed to close her eyes, when suddenly she heard a loud crash coming form outside. "Oh great, another mysterious crashing sound, I wonder whats happening this time."

"Something beyond our power." The cell door opened, and out came Sombra, and two other changeling guards.

"Sombra? Whats going on?" Luna lifted her head and got up.

"Celestia is here, their is a fight outside, but Chrysalis wants you now. You will follow me or your legs will be snapped and we will drag your broken body to her." Sombra's voice seemed more aggressive than the last time they talked.

"What does she want this time? Is this more torture? Or is this something else?"

"Congratulations, you will be giving birth tonight, then you will be tortured, and you will die a death so excruciating death and pain itself will flee from your rotting corpse."

"But Sombra? You told me that....."

"Yes." He cut her off mid sentence. "The dark King of Equestria will cease to exist."