Dark Empire

=Chapter 1-The threat and the fall=
Twilight watched the approaching Canterlot. Celestia had contacted her on VERY short notice and had asked Twilight to come and help her decipher the cause of some 'odd magic'. Twilight didn't understand why Celestia wanted her students help, when her student didn't know as much as her in this kind of area.
"What's up, Twi?"Applejack asked, sitting next to her.
"Oh, nothing. Just wondering what Celestia meant by 'odd magic'."Twilight answered.
"Me too.AhI think it's just somepony trying to show off with a bit o' bad luck."AJ chuckled.
"Yeah, I mean, what would cause that?"Rainbow asked, flying over.
"The Changelings generally don't use useless 'odd magic', the Zebras....why would they? I honestly can't think of anything that would do that on purpose."Dash added.
"Yeah. It doesn't even SOUND dangerous, and we certainly can't see it, right?"Twi smiled. AJ leaned over to look out the train at Canterlot. Twi leaned back to let her see.
"Nope."AJ chuckled. Dash smiled and flew behind them, sitting down.

~~~

"Still think its some silly joke?"Twilight asked her friends, staring at the faint black vortex just poking out from behind the mountain.
"Nope."Dash gulped.
"Maybe it's somepony's way of travelling! MAYBE they'll give us cupcakes if we're nice to them!"Pinkie grinned.
"Pinkie, PLEASE, do you REALLY think someone would use THAT to get around? It's not even in a useful place!"Rarity stared at Pinkie with a 'are-you-serious' face while gesturing to the vortex.
"I sure hope it's not dangerous."Fluttershy commented.
"We all do." Twilight responded.
"Hello girls. I see you have seen the 'odd magic' I mentioned."Celestia gestured to the vortex as she approached.
"Oh, hello Princess. Yes, we have."Twilight greeted.
"Indeed. Sorry for telling you to come on such short notice, when it appeared there was a panic."Celestia chuckled nervously, shaking a little bit of roughness in her mane.
"It's okay. So, what do we do?"Twilight asked.
"Yeah. Ah kinda want this thing shut as soon as possible."AJ looked to Twilight.
"I agree, I mean, LOOK at it!"Dash added.
"For now I have several squads of Royal Guards watching it."Celestia told them.
"Should we try some magic?"Twilight asked.
"What else?"Rarity looked at Twilight with the same face she gazed at Pinkie with.
"A cupcake launcher?"Pinkie suggested, drawing the massive cannon out of nowhere.
"No, Pinkie."Twilight sighed. Looking downtrodden Pinkie put the cannon away.
"I have tried some containment spells but it breaks them in seconds. Watch."Celestia explained, pointing her horn at the vortex. It lit up and a bubble formed around the vortex. A second later it cracked. This crack grew at a massive rate and a couple more seconds and the containment spell shattered. The glow disappeared from Celestia's horn.
"Maybe there's SOMEPONY we need to beat up back there."Dash suggested.
"Dash has a good point. Maybe someone, or someone's machine or contraption, is using some kind of magic on the other side to hold it open. Maybe if we blast a spell through to destroy it the vortex will shut."Twilight agreed.
"Why don't you try, Twilight? I need to go set up a guard in Canterlot in preparation for the worst."Celestia nodded to Twilight. Twilight hesitated before her horn lit up, an offensive spell charging until it started forming around her head. She released the spell, the massive white missile of magic flew towards the vortex. It span and split, each segment growing to the size of the original. They flew through the vortex. A moment passed. Another moment passed. The six ponies and Celestia watched, hoping Twilight's magic had done the job. Another moment passed. The vortex seemed to shake, and everyone on the balcony leaned forward to see what happened. The vortex shook again, but what they hoped was the opposite of what happened-It grew bigger and denser. There was a flash from its centre and a small blocky-purple light flew at the ponies, smashing directly in front of Celestia, who had to jump back to avoid being hit.
"It...it's a message!"Twilight blinked. Celestia's horn again lit up as she yanked out and unravelled the paper. Celestia read the message aloud:
'To whomever receives this:We are the Dark Empire. If you surrender to us now you may live to see another day. If you do not your world will crumble around you and we will claim it nonetheless, and you? You will die a death nothing has ever experienced in this vast universe.'
"Princess, Ah don't think we should just GIVE UP."AJ scowled at the paper. Celestia thought for a moment. She turned it over and summoned a quill. She simply wrote 'We refuse' on the back, launching it back through the vortex. A minute passed.
"So, what do we-Wo-o-ah!"Pinkie started, before a massive boom erupted from the vortex. Another paper flew to Celestia, but the vortex kept booming and shaking. Something was coming through.
"It's says 'Then die'."Celestia read. At that moment a massive, black ship covered in wicked, bladed curves and massive cannons protruding from its sides erupted from the vortex, a behemoth of a blast coming with it, shaking the mountain to its core. It started to crumble.
"We have to evacuate Canterlot! You six, get out of here, I will get the Guard."Celestia ordered, running back inside the palace. It was not regal in the least but In a sudden crisis like this it didn't matter.
"Celestia, wait!"Twilight called, moving for the doorway back in. The ship fired at the mountain, and it, already damaged, easily gave way to the cannon's firepower. With it came Canterlot.
"Everypony get down! Canterlot's fallin'!"AJ yelled.
"Hold on!" Rainbow called, starting to fly down to make sure the exit was safe, when a boulder hit her, sending her plummeting into the breaking Canterlot, as it started to slide down and tumble. It was breaking under this, and the pelting or rocks from the destroyed mountain.
"Rainbow!"Twilight screamed, watching the blue Pegasus fall.
"Girls! Quickly, come inside!"Celestia screamed, gesturing for them to come in. The five ran for the doorway back in from the balcony. Luna was also in there, barking something at someone. A boulder toppled and smashed Into the doorway, collapsing it and blocking their path.
"Hold on!"Celestia screamed, attempting to pull debris free unsuccessfully.
"Twilight! We have to help Rainbow! She's in danger!"Rarity called, signaling to the limp Pegasus on a damaged building.
"If you haven't noticed, we're ALL in danger!"AJ pointed out.
"I'll go to Rainbow."Fluttershy called, starting to move away from the balcony, when AJ grabbed her hind hoof.
"No, y'all get hurt like Rainbow!" AJ growled, pulling Fluttershy back down.
"Look out!"Rarity screamed, just before a large boulder smashed into the Palace, sending dust rocketing out of the opposite windows.
"Princess!"Twilight screamed, fighting the dust gathering.
"I'm all right! You need to find a way off that balcony!"Celestia coughed. Luna had fallen silent.
"It MIGHT be a moment too late!"Rarity pointed to the massive boulder breaking loose and toppling towards the balcony.
"Look out!"Pinkie dived away, the other four quickly followed suit. The boulder smashed into the balcony doorway, and the balcony came free. The last thing Twilight remembered was falling towards Canterlot, everyone screaming, and Celestia leaning out of one of the windows, reaching out towards them, before the base of the Palace cracked, and simultaneously Canterlot began to topple. Massive cracks started to open.