Rainbow is Magic S2: Shadow over the Crystal Empire

Chapters

Chapter 2: The King (Updated/Edited)
Chapter 3: Prisoners
Chapter 4: Broken
Chapter 5: The King, The Empress,The Dragon and Hope
Chapter 1: Cadance's Nightmare

Chapter 2: The King (Updated/Edited)

Rainbow Dash was the first to wake, groaning as she rubbed her aching head. She slowly got up to her hooves as she looked around, attempting to get her bearings. As her mind cleared she realized the train car was now upside down, with the furniture above her as she stood on the ceiling, the other ponies and changingling groaning as they lay on the ‘floor’, while Spike was largely unharmed, though he looked rattled as Rainbow walked over to help him up onto her back first.

“What the hay happened...?” Rainbow wondered aloud.

“Dunno.” Spike answered. “I...it felt like something threw us.”

“Well, we ARE in uncharted territory so it could be anything, like a random monster or maybe even something to do with that magic surge...” the pegasus theorized as she trotted to Princess Cadance’s side to check on her first. “Right now, we need to assess our damage and see if we can continue on this mission.”

Rarity groaned as she got up. “Why does everything feel like ow....?”

Rainbow blinked and turned to her friend. “Hey now, be careful now, we just took a pretty bad fall, I think, so getting up now might not be a good idea.”

Pinkamena shot up like a jack in the box, quickly getting to her hooves. “Meh. Had worse.” She said blithely.

“Fine, ignore me, see how you deal with it when you break your neck because you didn’t make sure you had whiplash or something....” Rainbow grumbled as she gently helped Cadance to her hooves before moving to check on her friends, while Cadance hurriedly rushed over to her wife.

“Chryssie!” Cadance said desperately, looking worried. “Tell me you’re okay!”

Chrysalis immediately hopped to her feet, smiling brightly. “That was a surprise! I thought we were going to die for a moment there!”

“Well,” Applejack said as she got to her hooves and dusted herself off, “none of us seem to be seriously hurt so we can thank our lucky stars but...ummm...Ah don’t wish to, well, distract us but does anyone hear a noise?”

Indeed, as the mares quietened down and listened, there was an incessant knocking against the train’s wall, like one would knock on a door.

“Well, we’re not going to get far just standing here anyway so...” Rainbow began as her wings glowed, and before anyone could stop her she released two waves of magic from her wings, her spell disintegrating the side of the train car like melted butter, earning an annoyed glance from Twilight.

“Hey, ponies worked really hard on...that...” The purple unicorn trailed off as her eyes were drawn by the sight that awaited them from the newly formed hole, she and the rest of the group following behind Rainbow, Cadance and Chrysalis outside...where they were surrounded by a large town with buildings and a street made of gleaming crystal, as well as several curious looking ponies.

No, on closer inspection, the ponies weren’t curious...they were frightened.

“No...No this can’t be right...” Cadance muttered as she looked around. “Celestia was here, she would’ve told us if there were ponies living here...and we couldn’t have been thrown that far....”

“Is it just me, or is it unusually dark around here...” Applejack asked, getting everypony to look above...and see a dark, pitch black sky above, with neither the sun of the day, nor the stars and moon of the night...only black as far as the eye could see.

“Yeah that’s pretty peculiar...” Rainbow said before turning to the populace around them. “Hey, can anypony tell us where we are? We are envoys of Celestia, sent to investigate strange goings on around North. We ARE still in the northern territories right? Cause this place seems...warmer than it should be for a place filled with cold winds and snow....?”

Instead of getting an answer, all that happened was that the ponies quickly withdrew, glancing up at a massive crystalline castle that towered over the city, drawing Rainbow’s attention toward it.

“I...guess that’s where the local government is?” Rainbow said, unsure glancing around at the ponies around them again. “What’s with these folks...? They seem scared of us...”

PInkamena turned to Rainbow. "Okay if something's scaring them, whether it be us or something else, don't you think it might be wise to check on the Elements, you know? Just in case?"

Rainbow blinked, gasping. "Right! Darn, I totally blanked on that sorry..." she trotted back into the ruined car, searching through the rubble, she and Spike both gasping audibly for some reason before returning to stand with friends, the small bag holding the gems wide open as Rainbow gazed at it uncertainly. "Guys...uhh...what do you make of this?" Spike, sitting upon her back, for his part looked puzzled and slight unnerved himself

The other ponies, and changeling, moved in closer for a better view and saw the elements were completely grey instead of golden, their gemstones jet black.

"W...what the...?" Pinkamena tilted her head, dumbfounded.

Applejack looked ready to faint. "What happened to them!? they were so beautiful...but now they're so....dull and...lifeless!"

Cadance frowned worriedly. "Lifeless is right...I can't sense any magic from them. Something's left them inert..." She looked towards Rainbow. "Do you feel anything...?"

The pegasus frowned and shook her head. "No....not at all...do you think this has something to do with the Dark Magic the Princesses sent us to investigate...?"

"I'm not sure...but I suppose we can't rely on them either way if they're in this state..." Cadance added, dismally.

"Great..." Pinkamena bemoaned dourly. "Just great. The most powerful objects in Equestria, the things that are the whole REASON we're here in the first place, are now useless paperweights for reasons we do not even KNOW. GREAT."

"What else could go wrong...?" Twilight wondered aloud worriedly as Rainbow closed the bag and hooked it to her side.

Spike's eye twitched as he glared at Twilight. "Why. Why did you do that? Is this gonna be a THING with you know, tempting fate so something worse can show up at an inconvenient time?" As he said this loud noises greeted their ears, the dragon throwing his arms in exasperaton. "CASE IN POINT!"

The group steeled themselves as the noise grew louder, soon being revealed to be the marching of nine ponies wearing black metal helmets that covered their faces entirely as well as matching black armour covering their hooves and baksides, trotting down the road towards them before standing at attention in front of the group. “Follow us, the King wishes to speak with you.” They spoke harshly, robotically and without any emotion.

“Oh, a king rules here?” Cadance asked, half to herself. “I’ve heard of kings myself but never really met one before, what is this king like?”

Rather than answer, the helmeted ponies turned and started trotting off, Rainbow looking at her friends who each shrugged in puzzlement, confusion and, in Pinkamena's case, indifference, Rainbow sighing as she looked ahead. "I guess this King of theirs might be able to help us figure out what's going on around here..." Rainbow said hopefully, glancing at the bag at her side nervously for a brief moment before focusing on the ponies ahead of her. "Come along everyone. We might as well just follow along." Rainbow's friends, teacher and casual awkward acquaintance trotted along beside her in a row as they followed the armoured ponies in front of them at a steady pace.

“Sooooo...” Rarity began, trying to strike up conversation as she stepped closer to one of the helmeted ponies while they walked. “You must be the local royal guard, huh? Sooo, one thing, why’s everypony acting so....WEIRD?”

“Rarity we mustn’t judge other cultures like that!” Twilight scolded.

“But look at them!” Rarity said defensively. “They’re so...well...they’re acting like we’re like bad guys or something!”

“We DID just fall into the middle of their city inside an upturned train car, who knows how that makes us look to them.” Cadance replied. “I’m sure once we speak to the king we can clear all this up and get started on returning to our mission, and we’ll see what these ponies are like.”

Rarity nodded. “So yeah, why’s everypony so WEIRRRD?” She insisted, pressing close to one of the guards.

None of them responded.

“Umm, hello, I asked a question here?” Rarity waved a hoof in front of a guard’s face, earning no response. “Ummm...anyone else creeped out?”

“Rarity, they’re probably just ignoring you so they can focus on their job.” Rainbow said with a sigh, flashing a smile at the guards. “Sorry about that, she isn’t usually like this.”

The guards remained silent as they lead the group into the large double doors that were the entrances into the massive castle. Once inside everypony found themselves in a dark hallway, the only light sources being crystals that emit a dim light.

“Wow, it sure is dark in here!” Fluttershy commented with a grin. “It’s soooo spooky!”

“This is quite peculiar...” Applejack said. “Is there a reason it’s so dark in here?”

The guards continued walking, not saying a word.

Applejack huffed, pouting in annoyance. “Ah get it, you’re focused on your job, you don’t need to be rude about it, it was just a simple question...”

“This king must have something important to say to us if they have no time for idle chatter...” Cadance said hopefully. “To be fair, we don’t have the time for idle curiosity either.”

“Yeah...” Rainbow nodded as she looked around. “Still this place is very...unwelcoming. And the king probably has eye problems from being in the dark so much...”

Soon the group were lead into a very large room, much darker than the hall they just walked through, two 3 foot long crystal spires flanking their end of the room to illuminate them, but the other half of the room was covered in thick shadow, the only thing visible a pair of large red eyes.

“Is...is that somepony back there...?” Cadance asked, narrowing her eyes to make sure she was seeing right, unable to see anything else in the darkness before her.

“Welcome, ponies, to the Crystal Empire.” A deep voice spoke out from the darkness, reverberating through the room. “I am King Sombra, and as the ruler of these ponies I welcome you as visitors and will answer your questions. But first, a question of my own...what brings you to these lands?”

Cadance stepped forward, bowing in the general direction of where the King was presumably sitting. “I am Princess Cadance, and these ponies are my entourage. We are on an official mission under directions of Princess Celestia herself to investigate a surge of dark magic within these. Would you...happen to know anything about it, your majesty?”

The King chuckled. “I may know a thing or two, yes, but something strikes me as curious...do you not recognise the name ‘Crystal Empire’, ‘Princess’?”

Cadance blinked, raising a brow. “Should I?”

“Can’t say I ever heard of it before.” Rainbow admitted.

“Same here.” Spike spoke out from her back. “I don’t think ANYONE has heard of this place before.”

King Sombra’s eyes darted to Spike briefly, momentarily widening in surprise and curiosity, before glancing back to Cadance with a cold gaze. “Hmmm I imagine a lot of time has passed out there, and you seem not to remember anything...am I wrong, Cadenza?”

Cadance blinked. “I-I think you misheard me. I said my name was Cadence, not Cadenza...”

Sombra chuckled coldly, the sound echoing around the room. “Oh dear, sweet, foolish Cadenza...have you forgotten so much? Have you forgotten your Empire? Have you forgotten...ME!?”

At that loud thuds greeted everypony’s ears as something large moved through the darkness, the shadows somehow swirling around to reveal a massive dark grey dragon standing before them where the King should be sitting, an iron ‘crown’ adorning its face and framing the large red horn growing out of its forehead, a long thick black mane sprouting from its head, its massive body blocking the crystalline throne behind it.

The ponies jumped back in surprise and shouted out in alarm, Cadance’s face paling as she stared up at the creature, the figure stirring a hazy recollection in her mind, mind swirling with terrifying images from what she thought were mere nightmares. “W-what...what the...!?”

The dragon grinned coldly, moving his head closer to Cadance. “Welcome home, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. Or...should it be Empress Mi Amore Cadenza?” The dragon chuckled. “Allow me to reintroduce myself: I am King Sombra, the ruler of the remnants of the Crystal Empire your family once ruled over.”

“W-what!?” Cadance’s eyes widened as she stared at the massive dragon in confusion and mounting dread. "W-what do you...?"

“And I’ve been waiting SUCH a long time to share what I’ve done with the place in your absence.” He grinned wider, his eyes moving towards the other ponies as he directed his soldiers with a lazy wave of his clawed hand in their direction. “Capture the rest, have them work in the mines...but send the dragon to my private chambers. I have a feeling we’ll have MUCH to discuss.”

“H-huh!?” Spike exclaimed in confusion. “W-why single me out?”

“Don’t you DARE hurt him OR my friends!” Rainbow cried out as she fired a blast of magic at Sombra, only for her magic to harmlessly dissipate upon contact.

“Do you know NOTHING of dragons?” The King admonished as his soldiers surrounded the ponies with wicked looking spears drawn, raising a brow while smirking cruelly, waggling a finger disapprovingly. "Honestly, what DO they teach you ponies? You cannot fight against me. Just give up."

Chrysalis looked around nervously, turning to her wife as she pressed close to her while she shivered in fear. “C-Cadey? Shouldn’t we do something?”

Cadance tried to calm herself down as she breathed heavily, but was failing miserably as terror overwhelmed her. “I...I think we should run...”

“Run WHERE, exactly?” Applejack asked only for Cadance to immediately turn tail and run towards the exit. “Or...just ignore me. That’s fine too.”

Cadance ran as fast as her hooves could carry her...before suddenly remembering she wasn’t the only pony here, turning to look at Chrysalis simply standing where she left her. “Chryssie! G-get over here!”

“B-but what about the...the other dragon behind you...?” Chrysalis asked.

“Other dragon...?” Cadance asked. “What are you talking about....?” She turned her head as a massive black claw slammed down, pressing over her with its sharp claws pressing close to the sides of her neck.

Sombra grinned, having not moved from his spot once since revealing himself, a massive black dragon seemingly made of pure darkness standing in front of the only visible exit from the throne room. “There IS no escape. Not from here, not from ME.” Sombra gestured towards the shadowy draconic figure before him that held Cadance in place. "As you can see, my shadow is inescapable in this domain. LITERALLY SO, in fact."

Rainbow growled, wings glowing as she faced towards the shadow, ready to fight. “Get off of her!”

Sombra chuckled darkly. “My, my, did you just forget what you’re facing here? Or is that merely desperation? No matter.” He grinned widely as his shadow’s claws pressed closer to Cadance’s neck, making her wince in pain as a shallow graze was cut into the skin, leaving a nasty red scratch. “Stand down, or I lop her head off. Unless you think you’re fast and strong enough to somehow save her?”

Rainbow looked up at the cruel dragon, then to Cadance, then to her friends and the cowering Chrysalis, then sighed deeply as she lowered her head, the glow of magic vanishing from her wings as they fell to her sides in defeat.

“I thought as such.” Sombra chuckled. “Take these ponies to the mines, that should dissuade them from attempting anything, however send Cadenza to her room, and the dragon to the dining room.”

Spike looked at Rainbow in alarm as one of the helmeted soldiers grabbed him, the dragon struggling and squirming as he pulled away and dragged over towards Sombra's side. “Rainbow!”

The pegasus offered her assistant a smile. “Hey, relax Spike, it’s risky right now but I’ll find you later. Trust me, okay? Whatever this monster does to you or tries to do to you, I’ll pay him back a thousand fold, I swear it.” She grunted as a steel collar was placed around her neck, a chain hanging from it that was pulled on by one of the guards, forcing Rainbow to trot along after him. “Just stay strong, Spike!” She called out desperately before she was lead out of sight down a hallway.

One by one, Rainbow’s friends and Chrysalis were similarly collared and led away in the same direction Rainbow had been as Sombra grinned widely.

Cadance stared at the sight of her wife, her student and her student’s friends being taken away out of sight before turning her head up to gaze at Sombra in disbelief and outrage, ignoring the pain from the scratches the dragon’s shadow had left on her neck. “Why...why are you doing this!? We didn’t do anything to you... What do you know of me!?” Tears fell from her eyes as she spoke, her teeth gritted together.

Sombra’s cold smile fell into a harsh sneer as he glared down at the pink pony. “Far more than you seem to. I am doing this for one reason only: to make you pay. You shall learn of the humiliation you’ve made me suffer through, and the lengths I have gone for my revenge...but not now, I have something far more important to see to, afterwards...I get to gaze upon your defeated face and see the despair I thought would be denied from me.” Sombra’s cruel laugh echoed through the castle after he had finished speaking, darkness enveloping around him as he made ready his preparations for his unlucky captives, the last thing Cadance saw before the darkness fell over her being the dragon's cruel, hate-filled eyes.

Within the snow-covered wastes far north from Canterlot, there stood a large spire of darkness, with only one pony conscious to gaze upon it. If one looked closer, they’d be able to see something else within that darkness.

A pair of massive dragon wings, held aloft around a crystalline city, ensuring no light could come inside and no sight of the outside world beyond those dark walls.

This was the remnants of the Crystal Empire, and noone had any hope of escaping. Such was the will of King Sombra, master of fear and despair.

Author's Note

Update: after a long wait, I have finally gotten around to fixing this chapter, fleshing out some moments a bit better and filling in a plothole. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Chapter 3: Prisoners

Rainbow and her friends were pulled along down a dark hall, rainbow noting that it felt like they were moving downwards, a fact seemingly confirmed by the fact the clean, pony-made walls and floor were soon giving way to hard carved stone tunnels. She looked at her wings, trying to spark some magic through them but...felt nothing, not even a small spark. She turned to Twilight and Rarity, gestured to her wings and to their horns, giving them a questioning look. The pair nodded and closed their eyes, struggling to do SOMETHING but all they could do was shake their heads, looking disappointed in themselves. Rainbow sighed and gave a reassuring smile to them.

It seemed that, wherever they were headed, there was no possible way that even their own magic was lost to them, just like the Elements.

“Soooo...” Rarity said conversationally. “Where are you taking us? Something about ‘mines’?”

“I work in mines all the time.” Pinkamena said. “They’re no big deal. Also, seriously stop expecting these guys to answer you, they obviously aren’t in the mood to casually chat, especially not now that we’re prisoners.”

Rainbow looked at her friends and frowned. “Well, whatever they got planned we at least got each other...but Spike and Cadance are by themselves at the mercy of that dragon...who knows what terrible things he is making them face...”

Applejack moved closer to the blue pegasus as best she could. “Hey, you have to be strong for them. Cadance is a powerful mage and a smart pony to boot, and Spike is a dragon too, he’s certainly not some weakling. Heck, if it wasn’t for him we never would have beaten Discord! So just keep strong and believe in him and the Princess, just like they’re probably believing in you.”

Rainbow nodded slowly. “Y-yeah...I guess you’re right...I guess...”

Fluttershy grinned. “Wow! I can’t believe we got to see a REAL LIVE DRAGON! I mean, not to disparage Spikey of course, but I mean that Sombra guy was like a BIG, BIG dragon while Spikey’s only an itty bitty one! Wow! Do you think dragons get any bigger? Is his fire like Spike’s or does it do something different? I wonder what he eats?”

The other girls decided to ignore the girl for the time being as the tunnel’s terrain became rougher and the lighting was dim and dark, the group being lead to a large opening...and beyond it they saw a large cavern filled with glowing crystals and several ponies tirelessly working, chains connected to manacles around their hooves and collars around their necks, holding pickaxes in their mouths as they clanged away, while other prisoners picked up large broken gem shards and piled them high on carts, the soldiers stepping forth to inspect them before pulling the cart with them. Rainbow saw an opening to escape at this moment.

“Girls! Run now!” Rainbow called out...only to freeze as she saw red eyes gazing at her in the shadows. The eyes gazed at her, as if challenging her, and she noticed black sparks spurting from the collar on her neck, as if in warning. She gulped softly as she turned her head away. “N-never...never mind...”

The eyes gazed at her for a long while before closing slowly, a loud clang of metal greeting Rainbow’s ears as a large gate was closed, trapping her and her friends in the mine.

“W-was that...?” Twilight asked, staring at the space where the eyes had been.

“He can watch us through the shadows...” Rainbow muttered, pale. “Spike is with him and he knows if we try to escape...” She collapsed, bowing her head low to the floor.

Applejack placed a hoof on her friend’s shoulders. “Hey now, don’t freak out on us...”

Rainbow looked up into her friend’s eyes. “S-sorry I just...I was all ready to fight back but when I saw those eyes...I just...all I could think of was every horrible thing the King could do to Spike and Cadance and I just...lost all my nerve.”

“Honestly, darling, Ah think we all did.” Applejack remarked reassuringly. “Don’t worry, we’ll have another chance.”

“Another chance?” a voice said from nearby. “You really are new...”

The mares blinked and turned their heads to see the speaker...then gasped. Before them was a mare with a drab, low hanging mane and a messy, sooty coat. But most striking of all were her eyes: rather than a normal pair of eyes, instead she had a pair made of glittering, solid red gemstone.

Just what sort of place was this!?

And of course, Rainbow couldn’t help but worry about Spike. If this was what THEY were experiencing, who knew what horrors Spike and Cadance were witnessing.

Spike bit his lip, confused and horrified by what he was experiencing.

Confused because he had been made to have a pleasant bath within the royal bathroom (and bore witness to just how well made everything in it was, certainly much better than what they had at Ponyville’s library) and now being made to sit waiting in a dining room as a veritable feast of delicious gemstones of various sizes, cuts and varieties lay on the dining table before him.

Horrified because he had been forced to wear a stylish blue dress for the occasion.

“You look lovely.” A familiar deep voice spoke, startling Spike, who had been alone in the dining room for quite some time. Spike looked around and saw the astounding sight of Sombra’s massive head, shoulders and forelegs moving through the shadows on the wall as if diving in through a layer of water, the larger dragon standing at the exact opposite end of the table as he flashed Spike a toothy grin. “I trust our meal is to your liking.”

“U-ummm it looks...good?” Spike replied, unsure how to handle this. Just moments ago this guy was acting so scary and mean and now he’s all smiles and pleasantries? But that wasn’t important at the moment. “A-anyway, wh-where’d you take everyone!?”

“Someplace where they won’t bother us.” Sombra said dismissively, taking a large handful of gems into his claw and tossing them into his mouth, chewing on them slowly as he regarded Spike. “It must have been quite stifling being put under the humiliating ownership of such weak creatures, knowing how great and powerful you are. I certainly relate to that.”

Spike blinked. “H-huh? W-what do you mean?”

Sombra smirked. “Ancient history, all you need to know is that like you had been kept captive as a...pet, mistreated, humiliated and disrespected. But now we need not worry about that, we are both free of them, able to stand to the magnificent heights we deserve.” He smiled warmly, a glint in his eyes. “I never imagined I’d see another dragon in my life, let alone one who’d be able to understand my tribulations.”

Spike frowned, growing more uncomfortable under the larger dragon’s gaze. “W-what do you want from me anyway!?”

Sombra leaned closer over the table, his face only a couple feet from Spike. “It has been...EVER so lonely here, with only these pathetic ponies to keep me company. I have long sought the company of my own kind, and now not only do I have that but...I think, thanks to our shared experiences, I think you’d make a lovely Queen.”

Spike gaped, staring wide eyed at the dragon. “I-I’m a BOY!”

Sombra chuckled. “You know so little...it’s a good thing I have researched our kind. As dragons grow older, they undergo a transformative process called ‘the molt’, which is how dragons start in such small forms and grow into much larger forms over time, it will also affect other aspects of their body depending on various factors, so a young dragon could grow to develop wings or horns when they had none, develop affinities towards various elements...and may even change gender.” He grinned lecherously. “You’ll make a lovely Queen...Spike, was it not?”

Spike flinched back, a disturbed but angered expression on his face. “Not interested! Where are my friends!? What did you do to Rainbow and the others!?”

Sombra looked confused for a moment. “Friends? Ah, you mean your ‘owners’. Do not worry, they aren’t dead or anything. I have simply put them to work, you need not pay them any much further thought. As I said before, you are free now.”

“I wasn’t their...slave or something!” Spike argued. “They’re my friends! I’m happy with them, I don’t wanna be your queen or whatever! Just let us go!”

Sombra blinked, taken aback, then growled. “Really? You’ve been mistreated and used as...as some sort of TOY, an AMUSEMENT, and you STILL choose them over one of your own!?”

Spike glared. “You don’t know anything about us! Or me! Just beacause we’re both dragons doesn’t mean we’re ANYTHING alike! You’re just a cruel jerk!” Spike tried to run off the chair, trying to get out of the room, away from this crazy dragon, only to yelp as a shadowy claw pushed him down and pinned him to the floor.

“I see.” Sombra growled lowly, leaning his head down to gaze at Spike as he was pinned down. “You will learn in time the inherent superiority of dragons, how ponies have no right trying to treat us as their inferiors. Once you realise how we are meant to be together, you’ll grow to enjoy the idea of being my queen, and forget all about these wretched ponies.”

Spike grunted, struggling under the powerful claw over him, gritting his teeth as he gazed up at Sombra. “Why do you even CARE so much!? If you hate them so much then why are you their KING!? Why do you want me so much!?”

“Because you’re the first dragon I have met since I was born, and I cannot leave you to be corrupted by the thoughts and ideals of these ponies.” Sombra’s gaze was stern, commanding and resolute. “And my ‘Empire’? I rule now as revenge, payback for DARING to try and control and limit me, for disrespecting me, for taking me away from what I should be! You’ll understand in time the way of things...” His voice faded as he withdrew into the shadows, the claw pinning Spike suddenly vanishing.

The young dragon panted as he sat up, looking around as he wondered where Sombra went...as well as what the dragon had meant in his tirade. Spike shivered and wrapped his arms around himself, scared of what the King had planned for both him AND his friends.

Cadance groaned as she awoke in a room, sitting up as she looked around. She sat upon a large, comfy pink bed, the room sparsely decorated...but even so she somehow got a pang of familiarity as she surveyed the room.

“Have I....been here before...?”

She got to her hooves and trotted out of the room, finding herself walking down a long crystalline hallway lit dimly by pale blue glowing crystals. Before she knew to question it, she found herself automatically walking past a large door and into an expansive, well-kept but largely empty private library, shelves of books surrounding her. Her horn glowed as she pulled a book to her, finding it was titled ‘Hayseed’s Studies of Dragons.

Cadance smiled as she held up the book, turning to someone who stood beside her. “Here! This book talks all about your people and how they work, what their culture is like, their abilities, all sorts of fun facts! You were curious about what dragons were like, right?”

Cadance blinked and rubbed her head with a groan as the memory flashed across her mind. She looked at the book again.

“I...was here before...? With...with someone...I wanted to show them this book...?” She shook her head, trying to clear it as she heard a thudding noise, her eyes drifting to the apparent source: a large blue book decorated with small gems to form the title ‘The Crystal Empire’. Her horn glowed as she lifted the book and opened it, beginning to read through it.

“‘The Crystal Empire...’” she read aloud, “‘a coalition of various cities within the northern territories of Equestria. The empire was founded by a group of earth ponies led by Smart Cookie who, upon settling down in what would be the future site of the Empire’s capital city, discovered a new form of magic which revolutionised their industry and livelihood, allowing them to better make their own culture; afterwards they were redubbed ‘Crystal Ponies’ after the material they mined for use as a locus for their magic.’” She blinked. “A new form of magic we haven’t heard of...? I’ve never even heard of this Empire or these ‘Crystal Ponies’...how could that be...?” She frowned as she went back to reading. “‘Since then the Empire has been ruled by the Emperors and Empresses descended from Smart Cookie, who maintain and control the Crystal Heart which the founders created to better protect the city from the elements of the harsh north. The Crystal Heart is an incredible creation of Crystal Pony magic, able to fend off any threat to the Empire...’” Her voice trailed off as her eyes sparked with an idea. “Hmm perhaps if we find that, we might be able to do something about Sombra...come to think of it, the Empire was supposed to be ruled by an Emperor, not a King...And this doesn’t mention him at all, in fact...”

She flipped through the pages, trying to find something, finding a page detailing the lineage of the rulers of the Empire...then gasped, dropping the book as it lay open on a page showing a pink stallion named ‘Emperor Mi Amore Pannacotta’ beside a red coated mare named ‘Empress Mi Amore Fuscia’...and between them both was a pink filly listed as ‘Princess Mi Amore Cadenza’.

And she looked exactly like Cadance had when she was a filly.

“Cadenza...Sombra called me that...” Cadance breathed, looking around herself. “I...this...this is...this place is my home...!?”

She gasped and grabbed at her head in her hooves as she cried out, images, sounds and feelings flashing across her mind.

Cadenza smiled as she looked at the small dragon reading the book she had found, the drake clearly enjoying his read. Cadenza reached out to stroke the mane of black hair unusual to most of the dragon’s kind, unique only to him as far as she was aware.

“I’m glad I was able to find something you’d enjoy, Sombra.” The Princess said.

Cadance’s eyes widened as the memory ended. “Sombra...I...I was his friend...?”

“That is what you would tell others, at least.” A voice growled.

Cadance gasped, turning to see King Sombra suddenly standing behind her. “W-wha...!?”

Sombra smirked. “Wondering where I came from? I have my ways, Princess. So you go by Cadance these days, correct?”

“I...” Cadance gulped, gazing up at the dragon as he stood above her, but forced herself to regain her composure. “My finding that book wasn’t a coincidence, considering you just now show up. You WANTED me to know about everything, WHY!?”

“Well that book doesn’t contain everything...” Sombra said, starting to circle around Cadance. “After all, who would be able to talk about the Crystal Empire’s ignoble end? Or of the ‘adorable widdle dragon pet’ the Princess owned?”

“You were not a pet!” Cadance exclaimed. “You were a friend...I’m sure of it...”

Sombra snarled. “Like you even remember! Do you remember the LOOKS everyone gave me? How AMUSED they were whenever I was humiliated, such as slipping into a bucket after I had mopped the castle floors for you! Or how noone would respect me and treat me as a child while you were given more respect, despite us both being the same age! How everyone PRAISED you for hatching me, but didn’t even acknowledge as more than your accessory! And you did NOTHING about it!”

“I...I didn’t know! S-surely!”Cadance said, but truly she had no idea. She remembered some things...vaguely, the process was slow and so she didn’t know the details. She had no idea what Sombra was speaking about or how he could feel...or what she could do to make up for it.

Sombra whipped his tail, knocking Cadance into a shelf. “Enough of your desperate pleas! Because of the way you ponies treated me, a magnificent dragon, I was forced to accept the role of a clown!” He grinned cruely. “But then I got my claws on REAL power and decided to take revenge! YOU got away, but the Empire was left to MY mercy! And you will see what I have done with it in all this time since you’ve been gone! THAT is the ONLY reason you are here, so I may take satisfaction in your despair!” He laughed as he suddenly vanished, as if bursting into smoke.

Cadance stared at the empty space he once stood in...and then dashed she out, running down the hall. He was right about one thing: she HAD to see what happned. She had to find out the truth. What happened? How did her former friend become THIS? What became of her father and mother? And what exactly did he do to the ponies who lived here, to cause the Empire to become forgotten by Celestia and history.

But most important of all: she had to find the Crystal Heart. Not only did the book imply it was quite a powerful object...but her hazy, slowly returning memories gave her the inkling it was possibly the key to escaping from this place. And right now, that’s all that really mattered right now.

Not only that, but she HAD to find her wife, as well as Rainbow and her friends. She had to make sure they were safe, and she felt truly alone without Chrysalis at her side.

As she ran down the halls, Sombra watched through the shadows.

Author's Note

I hope I’m not shilling Sombra too hard here. There’s a big difference betweena dragon like Spike and one like Sombra seemingly is, and not have none of these ponies ever met an adult dragon before, but Sombra is displaying abilities yet unheard of from a dragon.

I wanted to expand more on the Crystal Empire as well as Cadance’s apparent connection to it, as well as get a bit more in depth into what makes the Crystal Ponies different from the other races, and this chapter’s end portion served as a good way to start delving into that. We’ll get a bit more in the future, as well as further explanations behind Sombra’s rise to power.

I hope you all enjoyed it, and please comment.

Chapter 4: Broken

Deep beneath the massive castle of the city, ponies worked within darkness, without break, with a small handful of tools. The only sounds in the darkness were those of the ponies digging away at the hard rock...and, currently, the voices of a group of newcomers speaking to one of the experienced workers.

Rainbow Dash stared at the pony before her and the others, eyes still locked to the gemstones in place of the Crystal Pony’s own. “W-what’s going on here...? W-what happened...I mean...”

“It is the eyes, yes?” The pony spoke dourly, chuckling humourlessly. “Working down here, with no light, no safety procedures, well, we need some way of seeing down here, right? So the King gave us new eyes...it wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience. On the plus side, they give us better sight than our old eyes ever did.”

Applejack looked around, noting the expressions of the other miners. “You...seem pretty good humoured despite everything, especially compared to the others here.”

“You’ll find I’m only one.” The pony said, frowning a little. “Our King’s rule hasn’t been kind to us Crystal Ponies, a lot of us have forgotten the old days, and barely remember little about themselves.”

“Crystal Ponies?” Twilight asked. “Is that what you’re called?”

“Mhmm, Crystal Ponies of the Crystal Empire.” The pony nodded.

“So, like,” Rarity raised a hoof, “that’s like different from a pegasus, a unicorn and a earth pony?”

Again the pony nodded.

“Pretty small for an ‘empire’, though.” Rainbow muttered. “Empires aren’t usually restricted to a single city.”

“Oh the empire used to be much, much bigger.” The pony answered. “Lots of cities in this region were built under the banner of the empire...of course, that was back when the Emperor ruled and not King Sombra.”

Rainbow blinked. “So Sombra wasn’t always..?” She shook her head. That question wasn’t really important, she didn’t need to know more than that, however there was a more pressing question to ask. “What happened when...when the King took over?”

“Even I don’t remember to well...” The pony replied, shaking their head. “A scream...no...a roar rang out from the castle, causing everypony to look...and then a tower of shadow rose up from within, splitting into several offshoots that flew to the distance, after which we saw what I can only describe as several black explosions over the horizon...likely the other cities of the Empire...and then the King’s giant wings spread out from within the castle and surrounded the city...and we were trapped here. Anyone who tried to escape or fight back were fought by the guards or captured by the King himself...you’ve likely seen his strange magic...and, afterwards, we were stuck down here.”

“What happened to the Emperor then?” Applejack asked. “You mentioned him before but...we haven’t seen anyone like that...”

“To be fair, we haven’t exactly been able to sightsee.” Pinkamena said, working at smashing at the rock walls with her hooves. “Yeah, I’ve been working and listening, I’m not idle like you guys.” She shrugged, punching a large boulder in half, revealing a glittering geode.

The Crystal Pony ignored the interjection. “We don’t know what happened to the Emperor...we haven’t seen him, the Empress OR their daughter at all...”

“Daughter?” Rainbow asked.

“Mhmm, the sole heir to the empire, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. She was a real sweetheart...shame to think what Sombra could’ve done to her and her family...considering they were so close.”

“H-huh...? What do you mean..?” Rainbow frowned, mind working as she listened.

The crystal pony looked upwards in thought, their expression inscrutable. “Well you see, Sombra was hatched by Princess Cadenza and she raised him as her pet...” The pony groaned, clutching their head with a hoof, gritting their teeth in pain. “Nnnng...S-sorry sir...I-I’ll go back to work sir...” Suddenly the pony turned, picking up and pickaxe and started to picking at one corner of the rocky cavern.

Rainbow blinked, eyes wide. “W-wait! W-what just happened?”

Rainbow looked back to the empty shadows, suddenly keenly aware that something, somehow, was watching her. And if SHE was feeling that...how would these poor crystal ponies feel?

Chrysalis trotted from behind, making Rainbow gasp, having forgotten about the changeling during everything. “Something is wrong... Don’t you feel it? Something...something is watching us...trying to get into our heads...fill us with fear...and despair.” She bit her lip, gazing at the working crystal ponies. “Like them. Something has gotten inside them, forcing them to work or else...or else...I’m not sure, but it’s not good.”

Rarity gazed at the changeling wide-eyed. “How can you tell...?”

Chrysalis looked surprised at that. “You mean, you can’t? Hmm must be a changeling thing...” She trotted forward, horn glowing with magic as she fed some magic into the head of a Crystal Pony as they worked, the pony letting sighing in relief before gasping in surprise. “Shhh...Just go about your business, I’ll help you...”

The Pony turned to her in disbelief, taken aback. “Why...?”

Chrysalis simply smiled, moving to use her magic to help carefully lift some loose gemstones from the rocky wall.

“You...can use your magic?” Rainbow asked, amazed.

Chrysalis blinked. “I suppose I can. What, you can’t?”

Twilight glared in annoyance. “Changelings are weird.” She sighed. “No, we can’t, Chrysalis, it’s kinda why Rainbow hasn’t tried anything.” She looked at the pegasus apologetically. “Sorry Rainbow, but you’re kinda the magical heavyweight here.”

“Well I mean we couldn’t risk Spike or Cadance’s safety anyway, otherwise I’m sure Applejack woulda bucked that King in the face, dragon or not.” Rainbow chuckled.

Applejack blushed and huffed, turning her head. “Well Ah never! Ah’m a lady!” She then muttered under her breath. “But yes Ah would have, or at least tried.”

The shadows around them rumbled as the crystal ponies turned to them. “W...why are you...? You should be scared...?”

Rainbow blinked and nodded. “Well yeah...I was scared...terrified even but...now it seems kinda silly, we’ve got friends waiting for us, we shouldn’t just resign ourselves to...to slavery. So...” She turned to her friends, smirking confidently, “Let’s figure out a plan to get out of here, and free all these ponies.”

The one they spoke to earlier looked over to her at those words, while the others looked away. “You...you make no sense...we live to serve King Sombra...no other reason.”

Rainbow frowned and turned away from the hopeless ponies, focusing on cooking up a plan, her eyes on the closed gateway, the only entrance and exit to the tunnel. She stepped over to it, placing a hoof towards it...and then leapt back as shadowy tendrils whipped out at her, making a few small red gashes appear on her face, shoulders and forelegs. “HOLY...!”

The tendrils shrank back into the shadows, as if never there to begin with.

“Okay...direct approach, not a good idea.” She turned her head and called out. “Hey Chrysalis, care to help me out here?”

Chrysalis frowned. “Umm...I’m not sure what I can really do. I...don’t really know any offensive magic, and...well...I don’t want to just leave these ponies to suffer...”

Rainbow gave her a sympathetic smile. “Don’t worry, you keep on doing what you’re doing. You’re doing more for them than I can.”

Twilight trotted forward, starting to mine beside Pinkamena. “Well, I can’t exactly help out with magic stuff either way, I might as well help lighten their loads a little too.”

Fluttershy glided over to some Crystal Ponies, smiling. “And I’ll sing a morale boosting song!”

PInkamena groaned. “Please don’t.”

Fluttershy ignored her and began to sing, loudly and beautifully, Pinkemena responding by shoving some rocks into her ears to block the noise and focus on mining.

Applejack trotted to a group of crystal ponies working farther back in the tunnel. “Well, if we’re going to dirty our hooves, Ah might as well too, though mah hooves are NOT made for this sort of labour...” Regardless she picked up a pickaxe and started picking away.

Rarity shrugged and trotted around the tunnel, looking for any way she could help.

Rainbow smiled, happy to see her friends doing what they did best, turning to the shadows watching them. “I know you’re watching us...now you see? You may have the Crystal Ponies under your thrall, but not us. We’re NOT going to just do what you want!”

The shadows simply glared at her before turning their attention elsewhere, knowing this was merely a momentary reprieve. No matter what, they couldn’t escape.

Cadance trotted down the empty, dark halls of the castle alone, looking around. In her wandering she found herself outside the castle, blinking to herself in surprise. Not just that she managed to find her way out of the castle, but that no-one stopped her; no guards, let alone Sombra himself, had tried to keep her inside.

This raised alarm bells in her head but she decided to accept it, this would be her best shot at finding the truth. Not to mention, she might be able to enlist some help in rescuing everyone.

And thus she trotted forward, heading down from the castle down the city street, finding herself in the same street they first found themselves in, if the still untended to wreckage of their train was anything to note. She looked around, noting the streets were more deserted compared to before, and she walked to a house, knocking on the door.

Noone answered.

Cadance frowned and started to knock again, making sure to knock louder. “Excuse me! Please come out! There’s something I’d like to discuss with you. Does the name Mi Amore Cadenza mean anything to you?”

After a long while, the door creaked open, revealing a pony with a muted colouration to her mane and coat, her eyes downcast and empty looking even as she looked at Cadance, her expression and devoid of any feeling...no, more that it was devoid of any feeling beyond crushing despair.

“Princess...Cadenza...?” She croaked out quietly, distantly. “That name...how do you...know it?”

Cadance bit her lip, trying to figure out how best to broach the subject, but then decided to ask something she felt was more important to know. “Are...are you happy here? With...with Sombra as your king?”

The pony stared at her, uncomprehending. “Hah...ppeee...?” She groaned, closing her eyes as if in pain.

“Why are you all hiding?” Cadance continued. “I saw so many ponies out here before, where did they all go?”

“We...we must not do anything to incur the king’s wrath...we must avoid doing anything lest we anger him...we...why did we come out...? That would only make him angry...” She shivered, starting to look scared. “We...we have to...have to stay out of the way...we...”

Cadance wrapped her hooves around the clearly distressed pony, trying to comfort her. “It’s alright...I...I’m going to fix this...no pony should be so frightened within their own home...”

The pony tilted her head, uncomprehending of the action being performed on her. “There’s...there’s nothing to do...if we had the Crystal Heart, maybe but...” The pony gasped in pain, clutching at her head as she jumped back from Cadance, cowering close to the ground. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to mention it...!”

Cadance stared, eyes widening as she saw sparks of blackened magic appearing around the pony’s head. “I...I won’t ask anymore!” However, the pony’s words did catch her attention, so Cadance had to ask SOMETHING. “That...that thing you mentioned...w-where is it? I-I won’t ask anymore and will leave you alone, just...just tell me where it could be.”

“N...no...c-can’t...please...don’t anger him...p-please...please leave...” The pony whimpered, Cadance hesitating a moment before she nodded sadly and then turned and trotted away from the house, giving the pony one last glance as the pony weakly closed the door in front of Cadance, the Princess sighing sadly before she began looking around once more at the town, frowning as she saw no one was even trying to come out and help even as one of their own neighbours was suffering. She walked towards a house, knocking on its door.

“Hey! Open up! I need to talk to you! One of your friends is in pain and needs help!” She was starting to babble, caught between her need to help the pony she spoke to and her desire to learn more about this strange city.

But as she knocked, no one answered. She moved to another door and knocked, but again, no answer. She tried again and again but still no one answered, but from the way they peered from the edges of their windows she could tell there WERE people inside.

It seemed that seeing what happened to that one pony had been enough to scare them off from talking to her at all, nor did it seem to inspire them to help the pony in pain. In fact, just the opposite.

Whatever Sombra did to these ponies, it was truly serious. But, maybe, if she got the Crystal Heart she could somehow fix this, and make up for her moment of cowardice back when they first encountered Sombra. She still couldn’t believe she left her own student and her WIFE behind to save her own hide, even if it was in a brief moment of terror, no matter what the reason it was inexcusable.

And if Sombra was apparently mistreating his own subjects to the point they seem to have lost everything a pony needs, who knows what he could be doing to Rainbow and Chrysalis and the others...

She shook her head, trying to clear it. Her mind and emotions were all over the place. She had found something, if vague, to focus on, and for some reason she was sure it could save everyone, not just because she read about it in a book or because a townspony mentioned it. She just had an inkling of...something. If only she knew more about the Crystal Heart, where it was, what it could do to help...

Cadance stood in a special room of the castle, her father by her side; the pony resembled her greatly aside from his lack of a horn and his masculine features.

In front of them, raised on a specialised dais, was a heart shaped crystal that floated a few inches in the air as it gently spun, glowing with powerful magic.

“So...this is the Crystal Heart, Daddy?” Cadance asked.

The stallion chuckled and smiled as she nodded. “Indeed. This crystal protects us. We found a powerful crystal buried deep beneath the castle, empowered it with our magic and carved it into its current shape. We keep it here to best utilise its magic. With its power, the harsh weather and cold of these lands is no concern for us, monsters are kept at bay, and through it we are connected to our the other cities that form our Empire.” He looked at the young filly. “And one day you will succeed me and rule the Empire, and it will be your duty to protect this Heart, for it is the very heart of our empire.”

The stallion chuckled lightly at the fairly obvious metaphor.

A voice spoke beside Cadance. “It looks delicious.”

Cadance giggled, turning to the dragon. “Oh Sombra, don’t be silly! You can’t eat that! It’s important!”

Her father nodded. “Indeed. To you, Sombra, it looks like a snack, but for us..its our very lifeblood. If we didn’t have the Crystal Heart, everything you see just...wouldn’t be able to survive.” He gave Cadance a warm smile. “Now, Cadenza, I will teach you how to use the Crystal Heart...”

Cadance gasped as the memory ended. “I...I know where it is...? I know what to do...?” A determined grin grew on her features. “I...I can save everyone...”

She ran back into the castle that Sombra stood within,running down hallways till she found the stairs leading upwards, rushing upstairs as she made her way special room, emboldened by her freshly discovered memories. The Crystal Heart was here. She knew what to do. Once she saw it, she would remember the rest and then...!

Her heart sank deeply as she entered the room, eyes filled with horror and despair as she saw the state of it.

The room was massive and rounded, the ceiling decorated with murals depicting Smart Cookie and other notable leaders of the Empire, their faces ruined by deep gouges into the crystal walls. Before her was a dias, besides which were shattered stone pieces that clearly resembled a pony. A stone face looked up at her in frozen terror, unmistakably the father she saw only in hazy memories, one who she never got to know beyond them. The sight was enough to drive her to near tears, and she hoped it was JUST a broken statue and not...

But worst of all, she saw the pieces of the Crystal Heart, the supposed core of the city, the thing that would protect it...shattered to pieces completely. She collapsed to the floor, clutching it in her hooves.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t DO anything about the one thing that would destroy my plans?” Sombra’s voice broke in, shadows filling the room as the vile dragon’s shadow stepped forward from the walls, red eyes gazing down at the Princess. “Did you think I’d be so STUPID?”

Cadance turned to the shadow, tears falling from her eyes. “...Is this...is this where...?”

“You father? Yes, he fought so hard, he even froze you in crystal and sent you flying from here with his magic...” Sombra growled spitefully at this. “He ran here, of course, in one last ditch effort to stop me...you should’ve seen his face when I destroyed the Crystal Heart with own claws before shattering HIM .” He chuckled darkly, gazing at the scattered pieces of stone. “It was EASY.”

Cadance shivered, clutching the fragment of the Heart to her chest, trying very hard NOT to look at the grisly remains of her own forgotten father, her teeth gritted angrily as now memories flashed through her mind rapidly, revealing more and more her childhood shared with the dragon before her. “WHY!? Why DO all this!? You...you were my FRIEND! I...I hatched you myself! I took care of you! I...I LOVED you!”

She flinched back as Sombra stabbed his sharp talons deep into the floor in front of her, his snarling face inches from her own. “LOVED me!? You know NOTHING! For YEARS I was nothing but your pet, a...TOY that everyone else found amusing! I read so much about how great and powerful dragons were, but instead of flying high in the sky I was down HERE, in the COLD, being MOCKED by weak little ponies with their vapid, STUPID smiles and CHILDISH lessons of FRIENDSHIP! You claim you LOVE me? Well I HATED YOU! Because of you I knew only PONIES, never the grandeur of DRAGONS!”

Cadance stared at him. “You MURDERED MY FATHER because of petty PRIDE!? And what of the people down below!?”

“They shall suffer, ALWAYS and FOREVER! It’s not just YOU, Cadance, ALL ponies are a BLIGHT upon me! I shall prove I am superior to them by making them FEAR ME! They shall serve me, mine food for me, and I will always be able to see the fear in their eyes and know that I am FINALLY better than them, finally better than YOU!” Sombra grinned sadistically as he pressed his face closer to Cadance. “And now, by letting you on this little misadventure, I can finally satisfy myself with the despair in your eyes RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT!”

Cadanc hung her head low, sobbing into her hooves. “You’re a MONSTER!”

Sombra grinned widely. “No. I am KING. And you WILL remember that. ALWAYS.”

He laughed coldly as he faded back into the shadows, disappearing from her sight. Cadance clung to the useless Crystal Heart fragments, sobbing helplessly.

“Cadance?”

She looked up, seeing Spike walking over to her, briefly distracted from her hopelessness from seeing the beautiful blue dress he was wearing. “Spike...? what...?”

Spike sighed, folding his arms over his chest, looking aside. “Sombra...wants me to be a girl so he can marry me...or something...”

“Ex...cuse me...?” The Princess tilted her head, puzzled. “I...couldn’t have heard that right...”

“Turns out I didn’t know a lot about dragons...and turns out the one guy I find who could tell me something about them is an insane obsessive who wants me just cause I have scales like him...” He looked around. “Just between you and me...I think he might be a bit of a manchild...” He looked her over, frowning. “What’s wrong...? What did he do to you...”

Cadance bit her lip. “Just made sure I knew how hopeless this is...what I lost...Spike, this is my home...I...I am supposed to be this city’s ruler...” She gazed at her father’s remains. “Sombra...took my whole life from me...”

“I don’t really understand a whole lot about what you’re talking about...” Spike laid a claw onto Cadance’s shoulder, giving her a reassuring look. “But even so, you gained a lot in return... You got me, you got your aunts, you got Rainbow...and you got your wife. You got to see a whole lot...”

Cadance nodded. “it’s true...I DO have that...but still...”She sighed. “Spike...what can we DO? Our friends, my WIFE, is locked up WHO KNOWS where, the townspeople down there just have lost all hope, and...” She bit back a sob. “I’ll never get to know who he was...”

“Huh?”

She pointed at the broken stallion on the floor. “That...that used to be my father...I never got to know him...and now...I never will...”

Spike stared wide eyed at the pile of shattered stone nearby, paling. “Wait you mean...like...I hope you mean a metaphor...” He looked at the pink pony hopefully, only for his expression to fall as she shook her head, Spike inching further from the stones as he tried to look away, looking horrified.

The pair were silent for a while, Spike overwhelmed by the increasing gravity of the situation, Cadance staring downwards sullenly.

“...We have to do something.” Spike said at last. “It was bad enough when he was keeping us all prisoner, and saying Hurricanist things, and treating his subjects like garbage but...this...this is too heavy. I don’t really understand everything you’re saying but...we can’t give up. We NEED to do something about him, here and NOW.”

Cadance held up the shattered pieces of the crystal heart in her hooves. “...this was supposed to be an artefact that could have saved this city but...Sombra destroyed it YEARS ago, it lost all traces of magic.”

“Is there a way to fix it?” Spike asked as he gazed at the fragments, his belly grumbling at the sight of the delicious crystal. “Like, you could use like magic or something?”

“I can feel my own magic Spike, it’s part of my special talent. Ever since we got here my magic has grown weaker and weaker and I can’t get it to come out. It..it’s possible that it might be the same for the others...”

“What you mean...Sombra’s got some sort of...magic draining power or...or something?”

Cadance nodded. “It’s ONLY a theory, but it makes sense. Our magic stops working the INSTANT we get here, and even the Elements became dormant and lifeless. If...if Sombra has the power to do...THAT” She gestured to her father’s remains, “to a pony, then who knows what he’s capable of?”

Spike flinched. “Stilll kinda creepy we’re just talking like this in front of a...look, how about we uhh leave this room and go somewhere else, I’m kinda uncomfortable....”

Cadance nodded, giving her father one last sorrowful glance. “I’m so sorry...” As she rose she held the fragments close to her chest, for some reason not wanting to part with them.

“Cadance.” Her father’s voice spoke up in her ears. “Be strong. You are the Empress of the Empire. You and the people have the power to save the Crystal Heart. YOU give it the power to save others, nothing else. You may not be able to use your unicorn magic, but Sombra’s power cannot hold back something that’s in your BONES. You are not just a unicorn. YOU are a crystal pony. Sombra cannot take that from you. Go down, down below to the mines. Seek help, rally the cause. Use that which you’ve forgotten. Save the Empire. I believe in you.”

Cadance gasped, looking around, eyes wide.

“He said Cadance...” She muttered. “That...that couldn’t have been a memory...? But then...it couldn’t possibly...”

Spike looked up at the Princess. “You...alright?”

Cadance blinked, her expression, while still lacking confidence and still sorrowful, had a hint of hope in her eyes. “I...maybe? I...I might have gotten some sort of idea...I’m...technically not a unicorn...so maybe there IS something I can do...”

“Excuse me, what was that about not being a unicorn...?”

“I said TECHNICALLY, and not the point! I...I don’t know how but I just KNOW where we can go to get help! Follow me!” Cadance trotted ahead as Spike hurried after he, still confused about all this.

In a starry void filled with bubbles showing the past and present, a pink stallion stood, his long curly pink mane flowing over his shoulder. The stallion gazed into a bubble showing Cadance and Spike running out of the old room the Crystal Heart had been held in.

He turned to a much, much larger, shadowy figure behind him. “Thank you...for allowing me to do this...”

“I am afraid you cannot do this again...” The Old King said. “There are rules I cannot break. I can find loopholes, but that’s it. I’m so sorry...”

The Crystal Emperor shook his head, smiling. “it’s quite alright...it was just good to be able to speak to her one last time...”

“There will come a day when you will get to see her again...but we can only hope it’s not soon.” The Old King sighed. “It still won’t be easy. A ‘pep talk’ isn’t going to be enough to defeat the power Sombra has stolen...”

The Crystal Emperor smiled. “I have faith. My daughter is strong, smart and, most importantly, has many friends as well as someone she loves. They will save the Empire. I know they will.”

The Old King smiled softly. “I believe in them too.” He looked up at the bubbles, or perhaps ‘windows’ would be a better description, and gazed at the little ponies. Cadance and Spike running through the halls. Rainbow and her friends in the mines. Celestia and Luna flying to the north as they had grown worried. The soldiers on the remains of the train outside the empire, desperately trying to charge through the massive pillar of shadows the Bearers and Princess were thrown into.

“Fight him, my little ponies.” The Old King prayed. “Win.”

Author's Note

Sorry for the long wait, been overwhelmed with other stuff, a new project, laziness and other things over here.

For those confused about the ending bit there, The Old King has appeared a couple times before. First, chronologically speaking, in A Hearthswarming Play, and then in Treasures of the Deep Blue. He’s essentially the spirit behind the Elements and the Tree of Harmony, and is also the good counterpart to Discord and The Jester, his archfoe. He represents Harmony.

Not much more I can say here for now, other than I had planned to offer some exposition about how dragons work in this setting, but I think I’ll be able to have a more natural scene show up next to SHOW it instead, so that’ll be fun.

Also, I’m sorry if I got a little too dark with the story here...

I hope you all enjoyed it, and please comment, as comments give me the drive to continue.

Chapter 5: The King, The Empress,The Dragon and Hope

Many Years ago

Sombra walked along the crystal halls, bored. He had been left alone as the King and Cadance had gone off together, likely to talk more about her heritage and whatnot. Like they haven’t done that a lot already.

As he walked, he yelped as he tripped over a spear, one of the armoured guards chuckling as he lifted his spear. “Hehe, careful there, Sombra. Clumsy little guy like you could’ve gotten hurt. Sorry about that, I’ll be more careful with stuff like this, in return you should be careful to alright?” He smiled and petted the dragon’s head before trotting off, Sombra growling as he turned away, continuing his aimless walk.

“I’m a dragon...something like that wouldn’t even hurt me...and you shouldn’t leave a thing like that lying around anyway you idiot...” Sombra muttered testily.

The truth was, he wasn’t just bored. He was irritated. He was supposed to be a mighty dragon, but instead ponies laughed at him, mocked him, found him ‘harmless’. He read stories of the power and grandeur of dragons, they wouldn’t be treated like this, so why should HE?

If only Cadance hadn’t hatched him. If only this City hadn’t existed, then nopony would had taken his lost egg from the cold and hatched him here.

He just wished he could get rid of it all, or make them pay for this humiliation...

As he walked he found himself wandered lower towards the basement of the castle. Noone was supposed to come here, this area was off limits to everyone apart from the Emperor. Sombra didn’t care. He was tired of PONIES telling him what to do.

As he walked deeper he found himself in a hallway, light coming from a door far at the end of the hall. He stepped closer, peering through the door to see what was going on.

He saw Cadance and her father standing before a massive gemstone suspended over the floor by large chains. The gemstone was a delicious, bright red, a dark shadowy shape in the center. The gemstone looked like it’d make for a great snack but, more than that...something about the gemstone was calling him.

The stallion inside the room spoke. “One day, Cadance, when you are Empress, you may be ble to figure out the mysteries of this Gemstone, where I and my predecessors failed.”

“Why are you hiding it down here, daddy?” Cadance asked.

“This gemstone has some strange capabilities. ANypony who touched it was overwhelmed with intense fear, and whenever we tried to use magic on it like we would other gemstones it would actually DRAIN magic, which was probably why we found it among a cache of completely inert, ordinary gemstones devoid of magic....”

“That sounds kinda spooky...”

The stallion nodded. “Indeed, but it’s nothing to be feared, it’s merely a gemstone after all, a crystal like any other. All those events just mean it’s something of incredible magical power. If we just knew how to harness it, it could only benefit our Empire. We just need to figure out how...” He smiled at the filly. “Well, no need to worry about it now, you’ll have plenty of time to research yourself if the time ever comes. Come along Cadance, it’s time to head back up.”

The pair nuzzled each other and started to trot out of the room, Sombra hiding in the darkness as they walked, not noticing him at all. Sombra snuck into the room, gazing up at the massive gemstone, licking his lips as he leapt onto it and bit hard into the surface, swallowing the sweet crystal eagerly, opening a hole. He blinked as he saw the opening he made revealed the inside of the gemstone was hollow and a shadowy substance wafted out towards him, morphing into several shapes as it drew to him like an old friend.

As Sombra stared, transfixed, he somehow KNEW this thing was offering him something. In fact, it offered him EVERYTHING he’d ever want. All he needed to do was free it and he could accept its power as his own, and finally become the kind of dragon he wanted to be all along. And in return, the shadow would get what it desired: the need to be whole.

The opening he made was already started close back up to entrap the shadow again. Sombra grinned widely, eyes gleaming as he dug his sharp claws and teeth deep into the crystal and tear it asunder being sure to shatter as much as he could.

Upon freeing it, the shadow enveloped him completely, merging with him, making Sombra laugh with glee as he was given a new, powerful body.

And so it was that Sombra gained the power to erase an entire Empire in a single day.

Present Day

Sombra opened his eyes as he sat upon his throne, growling as he sensed movement in the halls of his castle.

He turned his sight into his distant shadow in order to see what was happening. It would not do for someone to travel down those halls without his permission, and depending on who it was he may need to be...harsh.

Cadance clutched the fragments of the Crystal Heart close to herself as she ran down the hall, Spike following after her as he tore off the dress he was wearing to follow her more easily.

“W-where are we going!?” Spike asked.

“I-I’m not sure...” Cadance admitted. “I...somehow I just...know this is the direction we have to go.”

“That’s...kinda weird. And creepy.”

Cadance chuckled. “Indeed it is. But...at least it’s something for us to do.”

As the pair ran a massive shadow grow along a nearby wall, Sombra’s massive claw coming down in front of them, his eyes peering over at them from the shadow.

“Where do you two think you’re going...?” The King asked, his tone icy. “This hallways is off limits to you.”

“Why’s that?” Spike asked, looking defiant.

“I see you removes that dress I prepared for you...” Sombra growled irritably.

“I’m not gonna be your queen or ANYTHING!” Spike called out. “I’m gonna try and help my friends however I can!”

Cadance gazed up at Sombra, something clicking in her head. “They’re down this path, aren’t they? That’s why you don’t want us coming down here...”

“...Perhaps.” Sombra smirked, stretching out his sharp talons dangerously. “You can’t get past me. Or did you forget that magic doesn’t work on me?”

“Let us through!” Spike shouted, leaping over and slashing at Sombra’s claw with his own smaller claws, driven by a desperation to see his friends and a desire to be free of the other dragon’s creepy attention.

“What do you hope to accomplish AGHHHH!?” Sombra was interrupted by his monologuing as he cried out in surprise and pain, as Spike’s attack tore large scratches into Sombra’s scales, causing him to pull back in pain, his shadow disappearing.

“That was...surprising.” Spike said, blinking in bewilderment.

“Let’s go!”Cadance said as she grabbed Spike’s arm and dragging him along, the action rather awkward for her as she was also juggling with holding the fragments in her foreleg. “The others must be down this way!” She ran down the hall with Spike, heading towards a large steel door.

Sombra stared at his hand, eyes wide in disbelief.

He...got hurt. Somehow...something...someONE hurt HIM. Nothing had ever hurt him before. Not magic. Not razor sharp blades. Not falling from a great height. Not lava. Nothing.

But a tiny dragon managed to make him feel pain for the first time in his life.

He clenched his talons into a fist. If that was the case, he could not make any unnecessary risks, not if it meant feeling that horrid sensation again...or harming Spike.

Fortunately, he had other tools.

“Soldiers!” He called out. “To the mines! Capture Spike! Detain Cadance!” His gaze crew steely as he next spoke coldly. “Kill the rest. Perhaps loss will teach them the price of defiance.”

Cadance and Spike looked up at the steel door. Cadance pressing a hoof to the door.

“How do we...?” Cadance wondered before her eyes widened suddenly. She frowned as she focused, a magical glow emanating from her hoof, pouring into the door, causing it to shudder and groan as it slid back, revealing a large dark stone tunnel.

“How...did you know to do that?” Spike asked.

“I’m not sure...maybe it was a lost memory coming back to me...” Cadance asked, unsure herself. “Either way, We should head in...”

Spike nodded as he and Cadance walked in, the unicorn’s horn weakly glowing to illuminate the dark surroundings around them.

“The castle has a mine underneath it...?” Spike wondered.

“What makes you think it’s a mine?”

“I’ve been near some mines, like Pinkamena’s. I know how they smell.” Spike explained, looking around. “Mix of wood for load bearing, some hints of musky dampness, and the smells of various gems, rocks and other stuff.”

Cadance nodded. “Interesting...”

As the pair walked the stone tunnel around them grew larger, Cadance squinting her eyes in the darkness as they adjusted, the pair soon coming to a large clearing where they saw ponies digging away at the walls of the mine, piling gems into large carts and barrels...Cadance gasping and running over as she spotted her wife and leapt onto her to give her a tight embrace.

“CHRYSSI!” Cadance called out, tears in her eyes. “Oh, Chryssi! I’m so sorry!”

Chrysalis giggled and stroked Cadance’s man gently. “Awww I missed you too, sweetie!”

As Spike walked over to look around Rainbow and her friends walked towards him, Rainbow pulling him into a tight hug. “I’m glad you’re safe...” The Pegasus said, stroking his head with her wing.

“I’m tougher than I look.” Spike chuckled, pushing Rainbow’s wing off of his head. “So...Sombra has you working away down here?”

“Yeah.” PInkamena said dourly. “I think he enjoys making us get his food for him. Like, we aren’t really ADDING much to the workload, I think he’s just making us do this specifically because he finds it funny or something. This entire set up is EXTREMELY inefficient.”

Cadance frowned as she pulled away hesitantly from Chrysalis, nodded slowly. “Yeah...sounds like him. I...know what’s going on with him. All this....is because he hates ME.” She looked around, taking in the miserable looking ponies around her. “he’s making these ponies suffer because of ME.”

“Uhhh why?” Rainbow asked. “It’s not like he’d really know you right?”

Cadance shook her head. “I used to LIVE here. I used to be the daughter of this Empire’s ruler...before Sombra took over.”

“Okay, yeah, I think we missed out like a LOT of stuff down here.” Twilight interjected.

“Long story short: a long time ago I was apparently frozen by my father to protect me from Sombra, who used to be a...friend, or at least what I thought of as a friend.” The Princess looked down. “I’ve been...getting flashes of...memories, its helping me figure out a lot of things but...there’s still a lot of missing gaps...”

Rarity walked over and gave Cadance a tight hug. “it’ll be alright...at least we can work together now...”

“So...did you...do something to make SOmbra so made he’d...what, overthrow your kingdom, destroy its surrounding territories...? Applejack wondered. “I mean, you said you used to be friends...”

Spike growled, glaring at the ground. “Having spent time with him...no, I doubt Cadance did anything wrong. I doubt anypony did. Sombra’s a prideful, hurricanist jerk who hates ponies cause they make him feel ‘weak’.”

Rainbow looked towards Spike. “And...what did he want with you? Why did he take you from us and not have you join us in the mines? Cadance I can understand now, but why you too?”

Spike clenched his fists tightly. “...I don’t wanna talk about it.”

Rainbow looked more concerned as she stepped closer to her assistant, who simply flashed her a reassuring smile. Rainbow nodded, accepting the silent exchange despite maintaining an unsure look.

“Okay so basically Sombra’s an evil jerk. Great, excellent, what a fantastic revelation. Totally didn’t know that already.” Pinkamena spoke up, rolling her eyes. “Not exactly helpful.”

Cadance nodded. “I...I did find...a possible solution but...” She blinked, looking around as she saw the crystal eyed ponies staring at her. “W-what the...?”

One of the ponies spoke up.”You said...you...you are Empress Mi Amore Cadenza...?”

Cadance gulped looking around at the ponies. “I...yes...I am...”

The ponies among themselves in disbelief as they gazed at the pink unicorn, one crystal pony walking out towards her, Rainbow noting it was the one who had spoken to them earlier when they were ‘brought’ here.

“Incredible...” The pony breathed. “You’re...you’re alive...this is too good to be true...”

“D-do...a-am I...supposed to know you...?” Cadance asked uncertainly.

The pony shook her head. “I’m just one pony...noone special...but you...you’re the Empress. You can save us...”

Cadance frowned, looking down. “I...I’m not sure I can...”

The Pony stepped closer, a hopeful look growing in her eyes. “No...you can! The Emperor can use the Crystal Heart, so...”

“It’s BROKEN!” Cadance blurted out, holding out the broken shards. “Look! Sombra destroyed it! I-I’m sorry but...I’m worthless! H-how can I use it? I can’t feel any magic from it...”

The pony blinked, eyes widening in disbelief as she looked at the shards, the crystal ponies in the mine slowly stepping back into the darkness to go back to work...except for the pony before Cadance, who reached a hoof to touch the shards.

“Empress...do you...do you not know how to use Crystal magic?” She reached out a hoof to touch at the crystal shards Cadance held. “We work magic into the crystal, and in turn manipulate the magic in the crystal, not the crystal working the magic for us....”

“W-wait...” a pony spoke up. “Y-you...you mustn’t...he...he’ll...we aren’t allowed to...”

AT that the pony frowned, looking hesitant, before gazing at Cadance, a spark of hope lighting up in her eyes as she reached out to touch the shards, her hoof glowing with magic as the shards slowly started to move and melt back together.

“W-wha!?” Cadance gasped, eyes wide. “But...but how...!? None of us can use magic...”

The pony gazed at Cadance’s face. “Our magic is deeper; it doesn’t require us to...shoot it out like unicorns. It stays in our bones, and we can use it to pull at the magic in the crystals around us, which help us move them...nurture them...help them grow.”

Cadance stared in awe at the shards as they glowed brightly in response to the pony’s magic, however the pony frowned.

“But...the Crystal Heart is special...this is an object of great power...it requires MORE than the nurturing touch of one pony....” *she looked around at the other ponies. “We...we have HOPE now...the Empress has returned...she has the Crystal Heart...” Her confidence grew as she spoke, a determined look on her formerly grim face. “Everyone! Come over here! Place your hooves on the crystal and share your magic! We can fix the Crystal Heart! We...we can sa”

She cried out suddenly gripping her head as she collapsed to the ground, black sparks appearing around her head as the darkness around them grew more oppressive, the other ponies whimpering as the fell the ground in submission.

Sombra’s eyes appeared within the shadows, covering the entrance in darkness. “You DARE try and defy me....? Perhaps I have been too lenient till now...perhaps I shall force your families above ground to suffer the same fate as you...?”

“N-no, Lord Sombra!” A Pony cried out. “W-we didn’t...we had no intention...!”

Sombra chuckled. “Of course not. You’re COWARDS. Not a single ONE of you stood to oppose me. And none of you shall EVER. Give UP, Cadenza. These ponies are not worth caring about, let alone saving.”

Chyrsalis leapt in front, frowning sadly. “You’re wrong! I can hear the pain in their hearts! Such fear...such despair...they are not at fault...” Tears fell from her eyes as she gazed at the shadows before her. “YOU are! You made them into this! Just like...just like mother...can’t you just stop this? PLEASE! It’s not too late to change! Just...just stop tormenting these poor ponies! Please, just forgive my wife! I’ll...I’ll do anything...”

Sombra was silent for a while.”Anything...?”

“Yes!” Chrysalis nodded hopefully.

“Kneel. Kneel and lick the floor.”

Chrysalis blinks, crouching low to the ground, slowly licking the dirty floor of the mine. “L-like this...?”

“Chryalis, stop that!” Cadance called out. “We don’t need to do what he wants...”

“if it means saving these ponies and ending this peacefully, I will do what it takes...” Chrysalis said. “You cannot feel it, but...his magic is so oppressive. See how they’re on the ground...? I wasn’t being metaphorical, he’s LITERALLY hurting them, with his magic....” She continued licking the floor.

Sombra chuckled. “Excellent. Now look up at me, let me look into your eyes.”

Chrysalis raised her head, looking out towards where she thought he was, eyes opened wide. “Like...like this?”

“You are doing well...”

“I-I am...?” Chrysalis gulped, smiling hopefully. “So...you’ll let them go...?”

At that, the ponies screamed loudly in pain, their bodies writhing as they shook their heads desperately, hooves flailing.

“W-wait stop!” Chrysalis got up. “This isn’t what I...!”

“No, it’s not.” Sombra chuckled. “But giving you that taste of hope...that small, tiny chance...seeing it grow brighter in your eyes...yes, giving you that HOPE only to CRUSH it and fill it with despair...that only makes it ALL the sweeter...”

Rainbow growled, snarling. “You’re a MONSTER...!”

“Dragons HAVE been called that yes...” Sombra spoke proudly. “So..whatever you are, Chrysalis yes? Let me see your despair...let me TASTE it...”

“Leave her alone...!” Cadance called out.

Sombra grinned widely. “Ah yes, she’s your wife, yes? Seeing her suffer must be sooo terrible...”

Chrysalis held out a hoof to Cadance, gently nuzzling her as she looked towards the shadows with sorrowful, pitying eyes. “Such a sad creature...to be able to find joy in making ponies suffer...I do not know what caused you to become like this but... I am so sorry, Sombra. I wish I could help you...”

Sombra froze taken aback. “Help...help ME!?”

“Yes...just like my mother...I wish I could have been able to see the kind of person you could’ve become, and I’m so sorry I do not seem to have the ability to help you get better...” She closed her eyes, horn glowing brightly.

Cadance gasped. “C-chryssi...! W-what are you...!?”

“These ponies have been hurt for so long, I did my best doing what little I could...but I guss doing only a little isn’t enough...” Her horn glowed brightly as she began to pull in magical energy from the ponies around her, pulling black energy to her horn.

“What!?” Sombra raged. “Impossible! NOONE CAN USE MAGIC! I MADE SURE OF IT!”

Crysalis groaned in pained as she pulled in the collective painful magic of despair into herself. “Only some magic, not ALL, and my magic is the most different of all! I-I was made to drain emotional energy...to feed on love...but...GNNN! I found I could use my magic for more...so...let’s see if I can steal more than love!” She screamed in pain, hideous green scars marring over her right eye, her hooves, her back, her belly and her flanks as she pulled the despair magic into herself, shuddering in pain as she collapsed to the floor and fainted.

Cadance screamed, pulling her wife close to her, tears in her eyes, her seven other companions crowding around in concern as the crystal ponies groaned and rose to their hooves, regaining their bearings.

“How...?” Sombra intoned in disbelief. “How couldmy powe be so easily...?”

Spike looked up at Sombra. “Cause you DON’T knw EVERYTHING! You’re just an arrogant BULLY! You have no POWER over ANY of us!”

“I can always summon MORE shadows...inflict MORE despair on...!” He gasped, stopping mid sentence as he saw the crystal ponies move forwards towards where the visitors had gathered around Crysalis.

“She...sacrificed herself...for us...?” A crystal pony spoke up.

“She...had no reason to...” Another breathed in disbelief.

Sombra glared. “BACK TO YOUR WORK, PEASANTS!” The shadows started to spread again heading towards the ponies,g athering around their heads...only for Crysalis’ horn to glow bright again, the changeling weakly opening a eye as she breathed heavily, drawing the magic towards herself.

“Cryssi!” Cadance cried out. “Stop!”

“No...if I suffer..in their place...” Chrysalis panted. “So...so...so be it...! I..won’t let his magic hurt ANYPONY...!”

“But y-you’re...!” Rarity began.

Chrysalis smiled, tears in her eyes. “I can...handle this...mother...mother made me feel far worse than this...”

The crystal ponies stared wide eyed. “Why...why are you...?”

Chrysalis chuckled, flashing a pained smile. “Because I have hope. I Believe in these ponies, this dragon...” she looked towards Cadance. “And this mare. I believe in them.”

“They are FLESH.” SOmbra snapped. “And BONE. I have no idea HOW you’re doing this, but that means nothing. I have MORE than one trick up my sleeve...or did you forget about my OTHER slaves!?”

The shadows suddenly dispersed...revealing a retinue of pony soldiers, clad in dark armour.

Rainbow extended a wing, trying to send out a spark of magic, but only managing to strain her wing muscles. “Even with chrysalis draining the magic, his power is STILL blocking us!?”

Pinkemena stepped forward, cricking her neck. “Well she was only draining part of the magic, not ALL of it. I think? I dunno. Either way, you magic users stay back. I haven’t gotten a fight in...well, forever. I’ve been DYING to punch SOMETHING.”

Applejack and Twilight both stepped up as well. “Don’t worry darling, we’ll be careful.” The fashionista chuckled, she and the purple unicorn beside her rushing forward to push the guards back away from the others, Pinkamena punching one guard into a wall.

The crystal ponies stared wide eyed at the sight of the three mares stepping forward to protect everyone, and they in turn stepped over, each placing a hoof on the remains of the Crystal Heart.

Cadance looked up, aghast. “W-wha...!?”

A crystal pony looked aside, which was difficult to tell since their eyes were solid crystal. “We...have been acting most shamefully, wallowing in despair...we can’t just blame Sombra’s magic, but...you, all of you are strangers, and you’re...risking everything to save us...”

“We...need to do what we can...to save our families too...” Another crystal pony said.

“This is OUR Empire, too!” Yet another spoke up. “If some strangers are going to help us, then we might as well do what can as well!”

One by one, the miners poured their crystal magic in, the sounds of metal clanging on stone and hoof to face ringing around around as Sombra’s guards were battled, the crystal glowing brightly as it was reforged, becoming a massive blue gemstone shaped like a heart, as big as a pony’s head, and glowing with power as it rose high, filled with the collective magic of the citizens of the Crystal Empire.

Cadance got up, staring wide eyed. “Oh...my goodness...it’s...beautiful...”

“It only leads one more...” The lead Crystal Pony said as she stood in front of the others. “You, Empress. It is your duty and birthright to complete the chain and wield this Crystal Heart.” She bowed. “As former Captain of the Royal Guard, I, Jasper, shall help protect our people.”

Fluttershy gasped, having been in the background for too long. “You have a NAME!?”

“Yes...the fog of despair has been lifted...I remember much now...” Jasper smiled. “Now...let me do one more thing. You’ll need tobe quite high up to properly use the Crystal Heart...”

With that she and the other Crystal Ponies surrounded Cadance, Rainbow, Rarity, Fluttershy and Spike and slammed their hooves on the ground, making the ground glow brightly beneath them before it started rising higher, the ceiling moving aside to give passage as the pillar of pink crystal grew higher.

“Now...all we can do...is hope.” Jasper said as she turned and charged forward, forming a crystal a crystal blade as she sliced a guard’s spear in twain, saving Twilight from a close slash.

Somba sat in his throne room, stewing in rage.

He was positive no pony could use magic, not with his prescene and power. But it seemed the Crystal Ponies were only stopped from the miasma of despair he had cursed them with, and thanks to the miners being freed thanks to that accursed MONSTER, nothing was stopping a mounting rebelling charging from the mines.

His guards were too weak and simpleminded to rely on, his magic was far more limited than he first thought. His Empire was crumbling beneath him with each second.

But.

But he still had ONE last thing up his sleeve.

He was still a dragon.

He started to flex his long unused wings as he began to rise up from his throne, the castle surrounding him beginning to crumble.

Fluttershy cooed and giggled happily as she flew loop de lops in the air. “Wooow! We’re so high up!”

Cadance shivered and paled, clinging to the side of the massive crystal pillar she and he companions were standing upon, the pillar standing several stories above the castle and city below. “Peering down was a mistake...!” She started to close her eyes, breathing steadily. “Okay...calm down..calm down...have a job to focus on...”

Rainbow frowned, looking at the pink unicorn in concern. “Are you...scared of heights?”

Candance slowly stood shakily, pointedly avoiding looking at ANYTHING that was down or showed how high they were. “Course not! I’m scared of grounds!”

“Grounds...?” Spike raised a brow.

“It’s the grounds that kill you!” Cadance blurted adamantly.

“As a future Wonderbolt,” Rarity interjected, “I can attest that, yes, it IS indeed the grounds that hurt you when you fall.”

“Okay FOCUS!” Rainbow snapped, facehoofing. “Our friends and several ponies are risking their lives down there, so we should focus on saving their bacon and stopping Somba’s...craziness!”

Cadance nodded slowly, pulling up the Crystal Heart into her hooves. “Y-you’re right..this isn’t time for phobias no matter how justified....I just...I just hope this works.” She closed her eyes, trying to focus on pushing magic through her hooves into the Heart, an act she wasn’t accustomed to thinking of when spellcasting.

Rainbow, Spike, Fluttershy and Rarity watched while Crysalis lay unconscious nearby, the Crystal Heart beginning to glow with a bright pink magical energy.

“Wowww...” Rainbow breathed in awe.

Soon, a rumbling greeted their ears, the ponies and dragon turning their attention to see the castle falling apart, revealing what they just thought was part of the castle was in fact massive dragon wings that surrounded the entire city...and a massive, angry dragon with a long black mane and dark grey scales, his red eyes glaring spitefully as he let out an enraged roar.

“I don’t wanna rush you but CADANCE CADANCE CADANCE!!” Rarity stated shouting out in alarm. “HE SEES US HE SEES US HURRY HURRY HURRY!”

Cadance’s eyes opened and she held out the Crystal Heart, a wave of magic flowing from it, stray chunks of crystal floating upwards to fuse together over her horn and her shoulders, a large crystal horn forming upon her as well as a pair of large wings of pure crystal.

Cadance gazed at the massive dragon as magic was poured onto him. “I am sorry, but THIS ENDS NOW!”

Sombra chuckled, befoe sending a wave of shadowy flames from his mouth, pushing Cadance’s attack back as Sombra’s flames grew closer to the crystal pillar.

“Whether it be a pony’s or the crystal heart itself, your magic cannot harm me!” Sombra bellowed proudly. “I am a DRAGON! And YOU are just tiny, weak, insignificant PONIES! Now KNEEL!”

Cadance gasped, trying to focus. “N-no...e-even with this...? A-all our hope was riding on this....we can’t fail NOW...” However, her will was faltering, causing the Crystal Heart itself to begin to falter as well.

Rainbow looked in her bag desperately, her grip tightening in frustration as she saw the Elements were still dormant and unusable. “Nothing...nothing’s WORKING...how can we beat a creature without the Elements? Would they even work aganst him...?”

Spike looked between Rainbow, Cadance, the Crystal Heart, Sombra and the other ponies, looking lost.

Cadance screamed as a flick of black flame flew towards her, making her flinch in pain and fear...which was enough to cause the Crystal Heart to fall from her grasp.

Rainbow, Rarity, Fluttershy, Cadance and Spike all gasped, rushing forward to each try and save the Crystal Heart from falling...and failing to pay attention to Sombra as he grinned cruelly.

“Now don’t you see? Your foolish hope is nothing against the power of DESPAIR!” Sombra breathed forth a massive gout of black flame, and without anything to slow it back it was going to engulf everyone in it.

Spike saw the attack coming from the corner of his eye. He had no idea what Sombra’s dragon fire could do, but he knew there was no way it’d be pleasant even if it didn’t kill them outright. He fired his own gout of green fire, the biggest he had ever mustered in his life, surrounding everyone around him in it.

Cadance, Crysalis, Fluttershy, Rarity and Rainbow blinked as they found themselves standing safely on the ground in the middle of the city.

“W-what just happened?” Rarity wondered aloud.

Rainbow’s eyes widened. “Spike...!” She looked around frantically, her eyes looking up as she saw the massive figure of Sombra standing in front of a tall pillar of crystal, at the top of which was a huge wall of green fire, blocking the black flame. “SPIKE!” Rainbow cried out in terror, face paling.

Meanwhile, up above, Spike had falling on his back, managing to have caught the Crystal Heart while he did his best to send everyone to safety.

“Well...guess...guess this is it...” He panted. “That took a lot out of me...never had to transport ponies before, let alone a whole bunch of them...wonder why that black fire isn’t getting me yet...?” He looked around, surrounded by green flame. “Don’t tell me it’s blocking it...? That doesn’t make sense...”

He looked down at the Crystal Heart, the artefact looking tantalisingly delicious. “well...it’s not like it did anything to him so...and I’m PROBABLY gonna die here anyway so...what the hay, one bite can’t hurt.” He chuckled. “Sorry Cadance...but hey, at least you and Rainbow are out of here...you can probably think of something...unlike me, just a lame assistant...”

He leaned forward, taking a bite...and heard a voice. It was faint, and unfamiliar, but it told him one thing.

Fight. Save your friends. Do not give up.

And he remembered...he HURT Sombra. His flames was blocking his fire...

In one perfect moment of clarity, be it his own or assisted by the power of the Cyrstal Heart or something else entirely, he realised something.

And so he ate the entirety of the Crystal Heart.

On the other side of the green flame, Sombra growled. “Spike! I didn’t want to hurt you too, but you left me no choice! You could’ve been mine, but instead I had to destroy you with them!” He got ready to fire a another gout of flame, only to gasp as a burst of white light filled his sight, momentarily blinding him...and allowing a massive purple claw to strike at his face, leaving massive scratchs on his face.

Sombra screamed in pain and pulled back, one claw clutching at his wounded face as he opened one eye to see a massive, purple, wingless dragon, green spikes decorating along its back, sporting huge claws eager to tear into the shadow dragon.

“What!? There’s no hoard for you to use to activate your greed!” Sombra snapped in disbelief.

Spike growled, roaring at Sombra, a heart shaped light visible within his throat...before he fire a gout of green flame, making Sombra cry out in pain is it struck his chest.

“H-how!?” Sombra screamed in disbelief, flapping his wings as he rose high in the sky, flying above the city he ruled.

Spike looked up at Sombra, determination in his eyes. “Dragons are immune to magic...but not to other dragons. Which means that when we use our breath on each other...it just BURNS.” He fired a bust of flame, which Sombra hurriedly dodged.

“I see...makes sense, how else would our kind be able to settle disputes...? Thank you for telling me!” Sombra laughed, darting in the air rapidly, dashing behind Spike and slashing across his back, making the purple dragon scream in pain. “Those ponies really HAVE weakened you! Giving me an advantage by explaining things to me!”

“Nah...not weakness...just being fair.” Spike turned back, slashing his claws through Sombra’s right wing, making the dark dragon gasp as he fell, his wings no longer able to keep balance and keep him in the air.

Sombra smirked, his form suddenly turning pitch black, becoming a shadow that dived forward, wrapping around Spike’s body and keeping him bound in place, the real Sombra rising out from behind Spike again.

“Good thing I don’t just have the power of a dragon, isn’t it?” Sombra smirked. “I have the collective power the Crystal Ponies gave to me with their despair, accumulated CENTURIES! This power allowed me to keep them frozen in time, unagine, unchanging, unable to escape MY rule! And this best part?” Sombra wrapped his sharp claws around Spike’s neck, gripping tightly and making the purple dragon choke. “This power was ALSO in the castle, hidden beneath. They had NO IDEA what they had, and no way to defend themselves. They hoped to use it to save themselves, but instead it DESTROYED them! ISN’T. THAT. DELICIOUS!?”

Spike choked and struggled, trying to pull the shadows surrounding him off as Sombra’s grip tightened.

That was when Cadance fly outwards suddenly, using her new wings to fly by and used their sharp edges to slash across Sombra’s already wounded eye while he was distracte, making the dark dragon scream in pain as he instinctively flinched back and loosened his grip, giving Spike time to turn his head and fire a massive burst of green fire mixed with the light of the Crystal Heart.

Sombra screamed, his head enveloped in the green fire, and Spike turned to pin the dark dragon down, holding him in place as he poured more and more fire onto his foe. When Spike pulled back, panting hevailly, looking exhausted from the effort, all that was left of Sombra was a black skeleton of shadows.

Spike grimaced. “Geez...I...didn’t mean to go THAT far..”

Cadance flew close, nodding sadly. “You...did what you had to...” She blinked,tilting her head. “Wait...what the...?”

As she spoke, a large object fell from within the skeleton. Said object was a large, black egg. At the same time, what appeared to be Sombra’s skeleton rose up, it’s form shrinking to a more abstract shadowy form.

“W-what the...!?” Spike gasped out.

The shadow fly into the sky, too quick for anyone to process what happened before it was over the horizon, the field of darkness surrounding the city vanishing.

Pinkamena leapt in, throwing a punch towards one of the armoured guards, only for Jasper to grab her hoof and pull it back.

“What the hay!?” PInkamena turned to the Crystal Pony in annoyance. “We’re in the middle of a fight!!”

She shook her head. “No, the fight is over. Look.”

PInkamena looked forward and saw the amour of the guards shatter and dissipate, revealed the forms of crystal eyed ponies who looked arund in a confused daze.

“What.” Pinkamena said, looking puzzled.

“They were slaves, much as us.” Jasper said. “But, it seems the Empress saved us. There’s only one reason that amour would break...Sombra must have been defeated...” She slumped to the floor, smiling in relief, tears flowing from her eyes. “We are free...”

Cadance slowly lowered herself down to the ground as Rainbow, Rarity, Fluttershy and a now awake Chrysalis rushed over, and soon Pinkamena, Twilight and Applejack came running over from the opposite side of the city, the massive Spike walking over alongside Cadance.

Applejack stared up in fear at the dragon. “AH SOMB...wait...SPIKE!?”

“Look, magic didn’t hurt Sombra, but a dragon can.” Spike explained. “I don’t know the details, but as far as I can tell that’s how it works for dragons.”

Fluttershy squeed, flying around Spike in awe. “Oh booyy! That was INCREDIBLE! Sombra was like RAWRR and you were like GRAAA and he was BLEEEH! I can’t believe I got to see a REAL dragon fight and that I also got to learn about dragons a bit AT THE SAME TIIIME!”

“Oh yeah, you had a weird thing about monsters.” PInkamena dryly said. “I forgot about that, doesn’t come up too often. Also, yeah that’s a good explanation, except WHY ARE YOU GIANT, SPIKE!?”

Spike blinked. “Oh...uhhh...I kinda...ATE the Crystal Heart...?” He looked away bashfully. “And uhh it did THIS to me...?”

Cadance stared up at him. “You ate WHAT.”

“Hey! I needed it for a power, and size, boost!” He coughed. “And also thought I was gonna die and wanted a last meal before I went out...”

Cadance frowned but sighed. “Well, I can forgive you, since that DID help you save the city...you were much better good than me...”

“Hey, you saved my bacon there, Princess!” Spike replied. “If it wasn’t for you, I would’ve been DEAD!”

“Maybe...” Cadance looked down morosely. “But still...I feel like I let these ponies down...”

Jasper walked over from behind Applejack, shaking her head. “Empress Cadenza...I don’t know what happened here...but I’m sure you had a role in this all the same. YOU found the Crystal Heart. YOU helped to inspire us to fix it. YOU helped this dragon defeat Sombra, what I can gather. You did so much for us...and besides, there is something more important for you to do, now that there is no dragon to slay.”

Cadance blinked, looking towards the Crystal Pony.

“You are the sole heir.”Jasper said, gesturing around herself towards the other crystal ponies and the surrounding city. “With Sombra gone, we’ll need someone to lead us. I can think of no one better than the heir to the Empire...if you so desire, of course.”

Cadance looked around in thought. “That’s...quite an ask. I...had my own duties as headmistress of a magic school, I have never actually been in the position of running a whole city...”

Chrysalis trotted over quickly, nuzzling her wife’s neck. “But think of it! This is your birthplace, your homeland! Think about all you can learn here! And how much you can teach them about the world since they’ve been trapped in here! And just look at how wonderfully adorable they all are! I think it’ll be wonderful!”

Rainbow chuckled. “She does have a point. If you act as their ruler, at least for now, you can learn a fair bit and help them reintegrate with society at large, and help forge some sort of agreement with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Besides, I doubt you could be any worse than their LAST ruler.”

“Please do not joke about Sombra’s reign seconds after he was ousted, it’s way too soon for that.” Jasper admonished, frowning.

Cadance nodded slowly, turning to Jasper. “Yes, my wife and former student raise good points, and...I would like to learn more about my past. I would love to hear what can tell me, Dame Jasper, if you do not mind.”

“Not at all, Empress.” Jasper smiled, giving her a bow as the Crystal Ponies who had been aboveground all this time murmured amongst each other.

Rainbow turned to the giant dragon standing overthem, frowning in thought. “And what am I supposed to do with you, my number one assistant? You’re a bit too big to fit in the Library now...”

Spike chuckled in embarrassment,looking aside. “Uhh...I dunno...I’m sure we can think of...” His eyes widened as he began to cough and sputter. “Ugh..something...caught in...throat...!” With a loud cough he spat out the whole and undamaged Crystal Heart, yelping as he turned back to his normal size, falling onto Rainbow’s back.

As the dragon groaned Rainbow looked at him. “You...you okay?”

Spike nodded. “Yeah...yeah...though now I kinda feel exhausted...guess that Crystal Heart took a lot of me with that...spectacle.”

Fluttershy flew down, grinning widely. “Oh, go on and nap! You deserve it, you did GREAT!”

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah, you really saved the day there.”

Spike grinned proudly, Rainbow chuckling as she petted him, turning her attention to the bag that held the Elements. She slowly opened it...and saw they had returned to normal, no longer dormant and sparkling bright gold.

Rainbow breathed a sigh of relief.

“So what’s this?” Rarity asked as she poked the large black egg that everyone inadvertently surrounded.

“It fell from Sombra’s body before it...flew away...” Cadance said, her tone unsure.

“Huh. That’s weird.” Rarity said, continuing to poke and prod the large egg.

“Darling, I really don’t think that’s a good idea...” Applejack said warily.

“Oh it’s fine! It’s just an egg!” As Rarity poked it again, the egg began to shake, cracks forming on it, the unicorn gasping as she leapt back. “I didn’t break it!”

As everyone stared the egg shattered...revealing a tiny dark grey dragon, looking similar to spike and with the same height, sporting a small red horn in his forehead, a mane of black hair formed into a sizeable Mohawk, red eyes filled with fury and a pair of sizeable red wings that her rested over his tiny body like a cloak.

Cadance gasped, recognising him from her past visions. “Sombra...!?” She looked up at the sky. “Then...what was that...?”

Sombra snarled angrily, his voice still as deep, but not as booming, his gaze affixed to Spike. “You took it from me! I finally had the power to have my revenge! We could have RULED together, as is our right as dragons!”

Spike gazed down at the other dragon witheringly, unimpressed. “Dude. You lost. You don’t have that magic...whatever it was helping you any more. You’re surrounded by ponies willing to fight you and you’re no longer a big scary monster. It’s OVER.”

Sombra growled, clenching his tiny fists, face red in shame. “I’ll make you see...I’ll make EVERY PONY pay for my HUMILIATION! I WILL free you from them, mark my words! You haven’t heard the last of me, ANY of you!” Sombra spread his wings, flapping them rapidly as he turned to Cadance.

Cadance looked at him sadly. “You can still make up for this...whatever turned you into...THAT is gone now...We can stat anew...”

Sombra laughed. “The shadow only GAVE me the power, it NEVER controlled me. You always were a FOOL, you never DID understand me. Why do you think this happened in the first place?” His gaze turned icy. “Once I found a way to strengthen myself, I’ll make SURE you pay.” He lifted up, flying off high into the sky and out of sight.

Cadance looked down, sighing. “...I guess he’s right...I never did truly understand him...” She looked at Rainbow and Spike, noting their closeness. “Not like those two...” She muttered under her breath.

Rainbow frowned, opening her mouth to say something, only to gasp as she heard a ruckus and turned to see a retinue of Royal Guardsponies march in, lead by Princess Luna and Princess Celestia.

“A-aunties!” Cadance blurted out in surprise. “W-what are you doing here!?”

“When the guards left behind on the train told us you all got pulled into a ‘black towering vortex’, we rushed as fast as we could to try and help.” Celestia said. “And when said vortex vanished we found...an entire city. What HAPPENED here? Has the souce of the black magic been dealt with?”

Cadance nodded slowly. “I...think so. As for this place, this is from what I gather the last vestige of what was once known as the Crystal Empire.”

Luna nodded. “Hmmm...first I’ve heard of it.”

“Same here.” Celestia admitted. “It wouldn’t be too much for you to tell us what happened, in detail?”

Cadance nodded. “Yes...there’s...quite a bit we’ll have to discuss, with Rainbow and her friends too, most important Spike, they all had their own experiences on this little adventure...also, I’ll have to inform you of something important that may involve me not living in Canterlot anymore, at the very least for a while...”

Celestia raised a brow, but nodded. “Very well. We have time, this place looks like it’ll need some cleanup anyway, so it’s not like we’ll be going anywhere.” She gestured to the debris that remained of the ruined castle.

Cadance sighed. “Yeah, you raise a good point.”

Watching from afar, Sunset Shimmer sat on her perch, the city no longer of interest as she saw a shadow fly from it. She stepped back allowing the shadow to land in front of her, forming itself into a skeletal black dragon.

“You were drawn to him once you were freed, yes?” Sunset spoke. “Your little waiting game is done with, now you can get what you want. You can be whole.”

The shadow screeched, flying into Sunset and allowing itself to be absorbed into her body. Sunset sighed as she stretched her muscles, getting used to the new power she felt coursing in her.

Her eyes turned a bright yellow with reptilian irises, a cold sneer gracing her features as she spoke. “Mmmnn the despair this fragment feasted upon is most sweet. But the knowledge I have another part of me back is even SWEETER. But we have much work to do, my little Sunset. We’ve waited a long time, but we must be patient still...I’m still yet to be truly whole.”

The Shadow Jester chuckled with Sunset’s voice, snow blowing over them as they suddenly vanished from the spot. Their own quest was still unfinished.

Author's Note

So! That’s it.

The final battle was very changed, it originally had a bigger revolt where the miners would be lead to have a bigger battle which would have been what ignited the Crystal Heart, and during the final battle the Crystal Heart would have helped reactivate the Elements as Spiked jumped down and ripped his claws down one of Sombra’s wings to stop him from flying, and the combined magic of the Elements and the Crystal Heart would’ve been what transformed and empowered Spike.

I only remembered these elements later on and I’m still not sure which version is better.

I hope you all enjoyed this and the new version of Sombra I made (this was planned WAY before the final season and the comics which brought Sombra back in different ways), and please comment, as those help me to have the will to continue.

Chapter 1: Cadance's Nightmare

A pink stallion stood over Cadance, giving her a grave look of concern, a cold wind blowing over them both.

“D-daddy...?” The filly asked fearfully. “W-what’s happening?”

The stallion twisted his head as a loud banging was hear, a crystal door creaking and cracking as...something struck against it. He turned back to Cadance, pressing a hoof to her cheek.

“I...I don’t know...I don’t know why this creature hates us so much...Cadenza, be brave, your father will ensure you at least get out of this.” His blue, crystaline horn glowed and Cadance felt a warmth around her while her father turned his back to her while the filly felt something hard forming around her body and stopping her from moving.

“D-daddy I’m scared!” The filly cried in desperation. “Daddy!”

He glanced over at her. “Do not fear, Cadenza, Daddy will protect you.” He turned his attention to his front as the crystal door shattered, a massive terrifying shadow billowing through the opening, green flames surging from within its mouth. “If you want to harm my Empire, you will have to go through me!”

The monster laughed as Cadance’s vision was covered by...something, the last thing she saw was a gout of flame firing towards her father.

Cadance awoke, screaming, sweat pouring from her brow. She blinked as she felt hooves around her body, and she turned to gaze at her wife, Chrysalis the Changeling Queen. The changeling gazed up at her in concern.

“Was it the nightmare again...?”

Cadance relaxed, looking away as she nodded slowly. “Y...yeah...”

“The same nightmare you’ve been having off and on for years?”

“Since I was a filly yes.” Cadance responded, wrapping a hoof around her wife’s.

“And you don’t know what it means?”

Cadance frowned, growing annoyed. “No, dear, and please stop talking as if I somehow need to be reminded about it as if I didn’t JUST have it.”

“Sorry...” Chrysalis lowered her head. “I was just...clarifying, making sure I understood...also because I’m worried about you...You’ve been having these nightmares for so long...Do you have ANY idea why?”

“It has something to do with my childhood...I think.” Cadance’s lips thinned. “Not that I remember anything from...before...”

Chrysalis smiled softly. “I’m here, I’ll help however I can.” She gave her wife a soft kiss, earning a smile from the pink mare.

Just then there was a knock at their door, Cadance slowly getting off of her bed and walking to answer it, greeted by a saluting royal guardsmare. “What brings you here, miss...?”

“Sapphire Shores, Ma’am!” Came the cacophanous reply. “Ma’am! The Princesses and the Captain have urgent business for you!”

“Hmm? Whyever for?”

“Something really weird happened! Come to the throne room at once!”

In the throne room of Canterlot, Celestia, Luna, Blueblood, Shining Armour and several Royal Guards stood around a large magically projected map of Equestria. At the northernmost part of the map a ball of light glowed brightly.

Cadance and Chrysalis stepped into the throne room, the pink unicorn gazing past the map up at her aunt. “What is happening?”

Celestia pointed towards the map with her hoof, carefully trying to choose her words as she spoke. “We...that is, Luna and I...we...sensed a large magical surge coming from this part of Equestria.”

“That IS unusual...” Cadance nodded in agreement. “But why would you need to call me here? And why would surge a surge require such urgency?”

“Well, your second question first...” Celestia sighed and frowned. “This surge...we don’t know much but...we can at least tell one thing: it’s DARK magic.”

Cadance’s eyes widened. “Dark magic? But it’s supposed to be a myth...”

Celestia shook her head. “Trust me, we’ve been around a long time, we have encountered examples of dark magic in the past, though it was very rare...but it was never anything THIS strong...”

Chrysalis raised her hoof like a filly in a classroom. “Question! What is Dark Magic, what makes it different from normal magic?”

Cadance frowned. “Well, think about this: your mother’s magic that she used to make herself powerful by draining love from others, and which she used to hurt other ponies on our wedding day? That ISN’T Dark magic. DARK Magic is much more dangerous, in theory: it is magic derived via negative emotions, said to have a very...dangerous effect on both those using it and against whom it’s being utilised against. And since that’s not magic work through normal means, rumours over the years claim most examples of it were derived from forgotten artefacts that existed before modern magical theory...” Cadance paled. “If my Aunts have discovered a modern source of Dark Magic...it’s potentially too dangerous to ignore...”

“And there’s the matter of why we called for you specifically...” Celestia continued. “The surge...it’s located exactly where I found you years ago.”

Cadance’s eyes widened. “W-what...? Do you...?”

“At the very least it would be wise to be cautious.” Luna responded. “Hence why my sister and I have agreed you will investigate the area along with an entourage.”

“An entourage?” Cadance parroted.

“A selection of Royal Guards and the Elements of Harmony and their Bearers.” Celestia clarified. “The Elements are the one thing in Equestria that are the best counters to Dark Magic in its forms, so they shall accompany you...besides, it would be good for you to tell Rainbow Dash the full story of your...past, would it not?”

Cadance nodded. “I...suppose I had to sooner or later...but...are we SURE this is not coincidence? How can you be sure this has anything to do with me?”

“We don’t know, but it IS an odd coincidence if so, hence why I believe its best to make sure.” Celestia said. “The circumstances of my finding you have weighed heavily on my curiosity for a long time. I am hoping that this investigation may shed some light on that, as well as your lost past. Besides, wouldn’t you like an excuse to see for yourself, and find any clues about said past..?”

Cadance bit her lip, an image of a shadowy monster flashing in her mind. “I..” She took a deep breath and steeled herself. “Yes, I think I do. I NEED to find out why I...” She shook her head. “No...that’s not for your ears... very well, Aunties, I agree to investigating this surge in the north.”

Celestia smiled softly. “Very well, I am glad. I hope this search is fruitful.”

“Me too...” The pink unicorn agreed.

Rainbow Dash and her friends had been called together, and her friends were soon onboard a train headed towards one of the northernmost regions of Equestria, the six mares holding the Elements within brown bags for safe keeping that were strapped to their sides securely. Spike sat near Rainbow Dash’s leg, reading a book while Chrysalis and Cadance stood side by side before the mares.

“So...” Rainbow said with a chuckle. “Didn’t think we’d be seeing each other again so soon...”

Chrysalis smiled widely. “It’s a pleasure to see you again, Miss Dash!”

Cadance nodded. “Yes, well, shame it couldn’t be under more...casual circumstances...”

“So, we have to deal with a potential force of Dark Magic...” Rainbow shivered. “I remember some of the stories I’ve heard...the idea that some of those horrible tales could be TRUE is...”

“That’s interesting and all,” Pinkamena interjected, “but I’m less concerned over some weird magic...’thing’ that may or may not be real, and more about what Cadance has to do with any of this? I mean sure, we got some magical doodads that are like really powerful ‘I win’ buttons, but while I don’t doubt the Princess here is quite powerful, I don’t see why a school headmistress is being sent on a potentially dangerous mission like this.”

Cadance nodded. “It’s...personal. You see...the surge was discovered in the same place Celestia found me.”

Pinkamena tilted her head. “’found’ you...?”

“Yes, well...” Cadance looked away, gazing out a window as she looked pensive. “I....am not a native to Canterlot. In fact I’m actually technically older than I appear. While exploring the uncharted northern territories, Celestia sensed a very similar surge of magic a long time ago. It quickly vanished as she went to investigate, but...she did find SOMETHING. A massive hunk of crystal, brimming with ambient magic. Celestia took the crystal back home to have scholars and mages research it and eventually...it broke apart, revealing a sleeping filly, no older than 6 or so. After the filly awoke, Celestia and the mages tried to question her...but found that the filly had no memory, only the vague notion of her name sounding similar to ‘Cadance’ or something.” Cadance chuckled softly. “Celestia found that crystal around...a few years after banishing Nightmare Moon, and it only broke open around...well, I guess you could call it my ‘birthday’ around....20 years ago, I think?”

Rainbow and her friends stared at Cadance wide eyed. “H-Hold on...you’re...? HOW old...?”

“The crystal kept me in a state of ‘suspended animation’ for years, I never aged a day and remained sleeping until it broke apart.” Cadance frowned. “And ever since I had no idea who I was, where I came from, why I was trapped in crystal, HOW that had even happened, or why I was left in the middle of a frozen wasteland....”

“And now ANOTHER surge has been found, in the same place...” Rainbow frowned in thought. “Could be a coincidence, but...”

“But there’s a chance it’s connected, somehow...” Cadance affirmed. “And I may FINALLY have a chance of learning more about myself.”

Rainbow placed a hoof on her mentor’s shoulder. “Well, we’re here for ya, we’ll help you, and not just because it’s part of our mission here.” She stuck out her tongue.

“I am also here to help!” Chrysalis added. “Mostly via moral support and snuggles!”

Cadance chuckled and moved to embrace her wife. “And that is very much appreciated.”

Pinkamena narrowed her eyes. “I’m gonna yarf.”

Fluttershy gasped, flying close to Pinakemena. “oh no! And this time we don’t have any fire extinguishers!”

Caadance blinked, staring at the yellow pegasus. “What...?”

Spike shrugged, still reading his book. “Noodle incident, don’t worry about it.”

A pony stood on a rocky hilltop overlooking the traintracks. She sat patiently, staring at the tower of billowing shadowy magic dominating the landscape.

“So, the Piece is there?” She asked aloud, seemingly to noone. She was quiet for a while before responding. “And we cannot enter? We are plenty powerful, we should be able to march in and take it by force!”

Once more, she was quiet for a moment.

She gritted her teeth, tutting in annoyance. “Typical. So what are we to do?”

More silence, the only sound being the harsh blizzard blowing around her.

She frowned, raising a brow in puzzlement. “What do you mean by ‘pawns’...?” As she asked that, her eyes were drawn to the train that was heading down the tracks near her. Her eyes changed colour briefly, her frown turning into a cruel smirk. “Ah, I see.”

Her horn glowed, not with its usual magical aura, but with a dark, shadowy aura, which extended outwards forming massive arms ending gnarled, clawed hands that reached out and grabbed at a car of the train, lifting it upwards in the air.

Inside, the car shook and the ponies (and changeling and dragon) within stumbled and cried out in surprise.

“W-what’s going on!?” Twilight Sparkle called out.

Pinkamena growled. “A complication, I think.”

Outside, Sunset Shimmer grinned coldly. “You better not die on me, not until I get what I need, at least.” With that she used her magic to tear the car from the rest of the train, tossing it hard into the swirling tower of darkness, the ponies inside screaming as they were tossed about within before they disappeared into the darkness.

The arms shrank back into Sunset Shimmer’s horn as she sighed. “Now...to wait.”

Within the castle that stood over the Crystal Empire, King Sombra opened his eyes, smiling toothily, revealing rows of razor sharp fangs.

“Cadenza,” the King growled coldly, “home at last I see. And here I was thinking I would never get to see the look on your face when you saw what I’ve done to your Empire.” He grinned widely, laughing cruelly as helmeted ponies stood around him, awaiting order. “Go to the city square, bring our...visitors to me. Do not dawdle.”

The helmeted ponies nodded obedientally, turning and trotting away.

King Sombra’s chuckled to himself, taking a bite out of a black gemstone, looking forward to meeting a certain pink pony after so long an absence.

Author's Note

So this has been a story I’ve been wanting to do for a while, especially in concerns to developing Cadance. I WAS gonna hold off on this till later BUUUUUT I changed my mind, I need to do this NOW.

Hope you all enjoyed it, and please comment.