(Crystal Empire)

Throughout the city, In little beds, slept little foals (and their parents on somewhat larger beds). All were dreaming innocently, unaware of the disaster that was about to occur.

Tomorrow would be the day of the quinquennial Crystal Fair, celebrating the defeat of the tyrant, Sombra(1). After the festivities, the Crystal Heart would be brought out, and love would flow throughout the land.

This would also be a big day for many of the foals, as they would experience their first crystallization, and would gain their luster.

Unfortunately, for many of those, this was not to be. Among them, little Winter Fields.

Invaders had come to the Empire, intent on taking slaves.

The guard were on duty, patrolling the perimeter of the little kingdom.

But they wouldn't be able to track the enemy... underground.

Shadowed figures burst from the ground, breaking large rifts in the bedrock of the city. They spread throughout the city, capturing who they could. Mostly the tender young, as they learn quickly, live longer, sell high to the right buyer -ESPECIALLY Crystal Ponies-...

And are more easily broken.

By the time the invaders' entrance was discovered, over thirty young had been taken, the invaders leaving just as swiftly as they came.

Thoughout the city on the morrow, parents would cry bitter tears of despair and rage.

Princess Cadence and her husband, Shining Armor, swore that they would find out who or what did this and make them pay dearly.

And they WOULD find them if it was the last thing that they ever did.

(Unknown Caves, Winter's perspective)

"Hey. Wake up." a voice whispered harshly.

"Huh?" I awoke, looking around in panic. "Where am I? Where's my mom and dad?"

The voice's owner's expression softened. "I am sorry to tell you this, but you've been taken as a slave. Some Gem Gnolls. Another Diamond Dog clan rubbed their few braincells together, apparently. Like as not, you -nor any others who are here- will never see your parents again."

I took a moment to cry and the one who was talking to me just let me. At length, they lowered down to just above my level. "I know this isn't right or fair, but that's how it is, around here. I am Osmia, and these things I have learned firstpaw. Yes, I am a Diamond Dog too. No, I am not your enemy. In fact, I want to help you. There's something about you. Enough. Now, we need to get you outfitted. I brought you a uniform."

I looked beside me and could barely make out a small pair of saddlebags, filled with little trinkets.

Suddenly, my right forehoof started to glow. Instinctively, I touched one item after another, following what came naturally.

"Let''s see... This protects against ex-p-lo-sions. This clears bad air. This has a... dur-a-bil-ity spell on it." I continued, stumbling over a couple of long words

"Quite a litle loremaster, aren't you? And at such a young age!" the other voide said appreciatively.

Shortly thereafter, I was decked out in some frankly rather cool looking armour, fit as much for mining as fighting.

The voice said, "Good. You look the proper miner now. Come along. Do as I say, and you might not get whipped today."

"W-Whipped?!" I jumped slighutly in place, quite surprised. "What?!"

"Eventually they'll try to break you, ensure that you'll do what they say. They believe that only true pain will convince their victims of their non-freedom. They even did that to me, with a much harsher whip." The figure showed scarred limbs, angry red scars threaded across them.

"What must I do?"

"You must dig. If you find any gems, a victory for the Gnolls and Dogs, and they like you. Find no gems and you get to take a round in the torture chamber. Sound like fun?"

"No." I admitted, flatly

"Good. Then let's dig."

The days went by in relative silence, the report of pickaxes hitting stone was the only sound. Gems were found. Pain was spared for some. Unfortunately, our good luck couldn't last forever. Eventually my teacher and I ran dry.

Sure enough, when the biggest of the gnolls came to tally up what each slave had earned, we still hadn't found anything. That Gnoll made to take me by the scruff of my neck.

"Leave her alone!" my teacher tried to defend me, only to be cuffed on one side of her head, knocking her aside.

"Was going to have some fun with this one someday. Bad luck for her."

"She isn't even five yet!!!"

"Not my problem." was the reply, as I was carried to my doom.

A much shorter and thinner Gnoll with an offensively thick accent said, "Well, well. I see we 'ave today's losah, don't we? You know what that means, dontcha?"

I nodded shakily.

"Gooood. That's less 'splainin' for me. An' that's always good. Bruiser, you know what to do."

The named Gnoll selected a wicked looking whip (but not NEARLY the worst of the bunch) from the wall. I shrank back in fear for a moment.

That was nothing compared to the pain that came with the first lash. Pain flooded my every thought. Another lash brought me to what amounted to my knees. A third lash. A fourth. A fifth. But I figured that as long as I was taking this cruelty, nopony else was.

Miracle of miracles, I was able to keep my screams as silent ones.

I wondered briefly how many Ponies had been in this chamber. How many had endured this senseless cruelty. How many had DIED before the Gnoll decided to stop?

But then something snapped. A hair-thin tether that had held the sword of Damocles. But now that sword was falling.

And Butch over here was well and in its way!

"You shouldn't have done that."

Desperation Move learned

Red hues started to dominate my vision. My coat and the hide underneath hardened to an almost diamond-like hardness. It still had no luster, and was black as the rocks i'd been digging through this whole time... but that hardly mattered to me. I ran toward the big Gnoll with fire in my eyes, letting out the loudest roar that I could before leaping at the torturer and proceeding to use my increased weight to beat him senseless.

Black Wrath of Vengeance

After that, I rounded on the one who i presumed was the ringmaster behind this whole operation. I advanced slowly, breathing harshly. I had no control of my actions. "YOU!" some dark influence inside me said, "YOU are the one at fault for this, are you not? How many have endured this treatment?"

He drew something from a pocket and fired it at me. But since I was still in rage mode, this did little to dissuade me from my course.

"How many have died in here?"

Bang!

Nothing.

"How long has this been going on?"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Nothing.

"How DARE you!?" whatever was controlling me roared, causing everything that wan't essentially nailed down to sway or rattle.

Many more Gnolls rushed through the other door, attempting to stop me. I am proud to say that whatever was controlling me was able to pummel seven of them into submission before my disadvantages(2) took their toll and I fell unconscious.

"Lock 'er up! Starve 'er for th'next week! Maybe tha'll teach her better'n to defy me!"

As the troops still standing did just that, the thin Gnoll put his paws over his head.

"Wha'n Ta'arus 'ave I gotten meself inta?!" he thought aloud.

The sword still loomed over his head. He knew that it would soon fall. It was only a matter of time.

Author's Note

Think of this as the OC Tale for Winter Fields.
1: They had no way of knowing that Sombra's presence was a double-edged sword. Yes, he was cruel and vicious, but his presence discouraged other threats from entering his territory. Without the mad Unicorn, they were no longer held at bay.
2: Being really young, having only accessed this power for the first time and superior numbers on their part.