Author's Note

this would have been just after the end of the Nightmare Within and after luna was banished

i did not get close to finishing this chapter, basically, Shing armor fought his corrupted father and took over ruling over the ruins of the crystal Empire. which would have been the end of their story until the events of season 3 episode 1 and 2

this would have been the epilogue to the story

Nightmare Within: the Lunar Rebellion Ending

The land was frozen, and the BLizzard winds kept him and the remainder of his ponies struggling as they trailed up the frost covered hills. His name was shining star, alicorn of the dead, and the spirit world, the crowned Prince of Equestria. Or at least he was. The world turned their backs on him, and he had to forsake his title and home to save the innocent and weak. To all, he was a Traitor who lengthened his mother's Rebellion.

He glanced back, his remaining forces, they were right behind him, constantly fighting to not be buried by the storm, 12 Thestrals, and 18 Umbrum Unicorns. They were all guards and soldiers. All the civilians that evacuated the capital died by the enemy ambush along the way. These ponies called him prince, they are loyal, and regardless of how many of there friends and loved ones died along the way, they still follow.

Is he truly a prince, can he truly lead them to the promised land of safety. How could he lead when his own mind kept haunting him with the vision of the past. the moon above did not help ease his mind in the slightest, the twin unicorn marks edged upon its surface forever marking his mother and sister's eternal fates.

Passing over the hill the land leveled into a valley layered in sleet and ice they were empty, a frozen wasteland. But his mind saw otherwise as the hills filled with echos from Canterlot, of the two armies that clashed there, now do so here in the center of the valley "it just a memory" he whispered to himself lowering his head and closing his eyes he trudged forth through the wind, the screams of the dying, still Pearced his spirit even now. he felt like crying, to break down there and morn the loss of his ponies, but he couldn't, not yet.

His plans of escaping Equestria had failed in the past, on each turn he watched as the Solar Guard had slain every civilian and soldier they could with blade and spell. Now was his last attempt, they will be safe and rebuild in peace, or they will freeze to death along the way.

Something out here had attracted his attention, and he was drawn to it like a moth to a lantern. It was... otherworldly, something that was on the wrong side of the veil. now, 2 weeks later the grass of the highlands of Equestria had turned into snowy tundra, they are almost there. Just one more hill.

Making his way over it, he froze immediately at the sight that greeted him.

"Your majesty?" His captain, Noctis approached his side "what is it, are we almost there?"

"It can't be..." he whispered barely audible to his captain while taking a couple steps forward.

Beyond the hill was a large valley completely covered in huge mounds of snow, stretching as far as the eye could see. But it was not wilderness, for in the middle of the valley was a castle. the castle of the crystal empire, now lay in ruins, half-buried and frozen over.

Shining heard the others behind him stop at this site.

"But, I don't understand I thought it had disappeared."

"Well, apparently it hasn't, but by the look of it, it might as well have," he said, as his attention sought out other buildings within the city. What remained was completely buried and reduced to rubble. "If anypony would live here again it would be easier to clear out the city and start over then it would to repair it." the prince said, motioning with his head to approach.

"Indeed."

they continued forward into the city ruins. the Captain by his side as they walked. they looked around. almost all of the houses here reduced to burned wooden frames, and under all of the snow second and even third story houses were reduced to first story frame of chard wood as ice froze over the bottoms of the houses

"Is this where we were going?" The captain said breaking the silence

shining hesitated for a moment then nodded "it is, whatever it is, it's inside the castle"

looking up at the ruined castle that now loomed over them as a phantom Noctis shivered, "I don't know about this, your majesty, it feels like something is watching us, just waiting, perhaps we should leave."

"no, who or what it is can help us, I can tell"

"I mean you no disrespect but how can you be sure of that, you don't even know what it is. for all we know, I could be some kind of monster or demon awaiting for its victims to fall in its trap"

"it most likely is," shining said Shugging before continuing to walk, leaving the captain to catch up.

"Have you gone mad? how would walking into some creature's trap help us find a new home?"

shining looked back at him with a tired expression, the kind of exhaustion one can only gain after months of fighting. "perhaps you don't understand where we are," shining motioned around the city with his forehoof, "welcome to my grandmother's kingdom, the Crystal Empire. the city-state that disappeared"

Noctis' eyes widened in realization and slight horror, "you mean we are staying? here?"

shining stared at him "would you have preferred prance?" he said raising an eyebrow before turning around he made it to the front gate of the Castle. not waiting for Noctis to catch up.

upon entering the Main hall shining heard his captain say something to his soldiers which caused them to pull out there blades and swords. clearly an order to be ready for anything, but he was too busy taking in the nostalgic scenery of the Castles halls, where glorious tapestries once hung proudly, and stain glass window glowed with color but now lay shattered

"Break the Veil, my son," the shadow said with a vicious sneer. "And these Ruins shall be yours, until my return."

Shining opened his mouth to argue, he would not dare rip his domain, and to an extent himself asunder, but the haunting images stopped him. He had nothing left but a few subjects, within a month the entire royal family had been reduced a now lone monarch, a shade, and a runaway, one with no home or country, he could only hope that Aunt Radiant Hope was out there somewhere. He glanced back to the entrance of the throne room. He could see the white glow of the sunlight snow through the black cristal blades that filled the room. And the shadows remaining ponies of his cause. He then looked down. "They will die otherwise," he finally admitted turning towards the door he walked out of the throne room, the black shade following behind.

He paid his soldiers worried glances no mind, he left through the castle's main gates and into the blizzard once more. there it was,' he thought, glancing at the pedestal that once held the crystal heart, whole now shattered. "Its fasenating isn't it, that such a small gem can keep an entire city-state from freezing over."

Using his magic he ripped the pedestal out of the ground and threw it across the Ice, scraping along, only to land in a snowbank that now covers the side of what was once a road.

He focused his magic within himself grabbing hold of his own magic wellspring.

He knew he was too young to manifest into a new body, he had yet become one with his domain of the spirit world, in short, he was a young alicorn who is too young to become immortal, while still flesh and blood his magic wellspring is the only link to his own domain.

what he was going to do would kill him if his intent had been anything else, but in a way, he will still die.

He tightened his own grasp on it. He cringed and gasped in pain as he felt the wellspring collapse in on its self and break open. He could feel the Necrotic Rift that was once his wellspring Devouring him from the inside and his skin and flesh became dust.

Rearing up onto his hind legs he lights his horn, the once magenta light now a sickly green and bone white. Shining could feel the veil between the spirit world and this one crack as the souls within screamed in agony. The rift between worlds was becoming unstable. Stamping the ice he released his spell ripping the rift from his body and casting it into the sky.

And the veil shattered.

Shining Star only watched as the sky above cracked and broke, revealing the empty void beyond.

The ground shook as thousands of frozen corpses throughout the city dug themselves out from under the ice. Ponies who were at one point his future subjects rose in unlife, ghastly cries for release bellowed from rotting throats.

The shade approached the now skeletal alicorn "now, is the time. The rise of a new kingdom. One in which Celestia can never touch, now what remains of you people may now recover in peace." the two turned to face the remains of the Night Watch and lunar Guards

They stared at them with horror "your highness, what have you done?"

Shining sighed, before walking past them and into the throne room. "What had to be done."