Dulcia marched along her patrol route in the Equestrian palace, subconsciously scanning the hall as she did so. Behind her, in a two-by-two block, were the rest of her contubernium, who did the same. As usual, nothing revealed itself; not an infiltrator, not one of the Equestrians being suspicious, not even one of the castle staff.

The patrol passed a pale white stallion with a black mane in a cloak. Dulcia adjusted the Thunderlance on her shoulder, saluting and saying, "Ave, Senator. Lovely morning, no?"

The stallion only acknowledged them with a faint look over the bridge of his nose, before trotting off. Behind her, she heard one of her pedes say, "Arrogant Prick. I fail to see why they still have these fucking aristocrats."

"They're not all bad, Clemencia," another one of them said. "I was on sentry duty, in the gardens, when some of them were having tea. A pair of them, Fancy Pants and Fleur de Lis, I think, struck up a conversation when the other one went to the bathroom. "

"That may be fine for you. But I fail to see how my point is wrong", Clemencia replied.

"Keep it down, you two", Dulcia interjected. "We have a job to do. You two can talk philosophy when we finish our route."

As they rounded another corner, they were greeted by a trio of Equestrian Royal Guards, two of them holding a unicorn stallion between them. They were the new style if Equestrian armor; a thick gambeson under a chainmail jacket. Over that was a suit of gold-plated armor with a large gorget protecting the chest and neck. A helmet covered the upper part of their heads, the only openings being a slit for the eyes, several slits for the nose, a hole for the horns on two of them, and a pair of holes for the ears. A large lance with a pair of upward sloping guards held in the magical aura and the wings of the guards holding the stallion, while the other one had a sheathed sword.

The one not carrying the unicorn turned and saw them. He yelled over, "Hey! You speak Equish?"

Dulcia replied, "I do. What do you need?"

"Yeah. You got a sec?", he said. "I need some help getting this open." He gestured with a wing to a section of wall still covered with some Changeling chitin.

"What is it?", Dulcia asked.

"The entrance to the dungeon."

Dulcia looked at the Royal guard in mild astonishment. "You have a dungeon?"

"Yes, yes", he said sarcastically. "We rarely used it, but we have it."

Dulcia nodded at the stallion the other two Royals were holding. "I assume you want my help because of him? Who's he?"

"A con artist. Flam, I think. Was caught selling stolen food from the barracks."

"Hmmm. First crime in a year and you caught him", Dulcia said, slapping the Sargent on the shoulder. "Well done." Turning to her contubernium, she ordered, "Clemensia! Scott! You two seem to like talking, so get up here. Form a firing line."

The two of them broke off of the group and came up next to her. Dulcia said, "Make ready." They pulled back on a pair of levers on their weapons until they heard a faint *click*. "Present." They lowered their Thunderlances, using a hook on their armor to keep them in place. "Fire." They pulled back the triggers along the bottom of the Lances, and two loud cracks sounded. A flash of light, a large puff of smoke, and large sections of the chitin cracked away or fell to the ground.

"When do we get those?", the Guard asked.

"After your superiors adopt them, and your unit gets a shipment", Dulcius replied. "You two, reload your barrels. Desmond, Quercus, with me. Sargent, my men will assist you in escorting the prisoner."

"I appreciate it, uh..."

"Decurion Dulcia, Caput Legio, second maniple", she said, holding out his paw to shake.

"Sargent Astral Venture", he replied, shaking it. "Lead the way."

Dulcia walked over to the door, pulling out her pugio in order to chip away at the last of the chitin along the hinges of the door. After a second, she sheathed the dagger and opened the door. Inside, she was greeted with pitch-black darkness, with a series of grey stone stairs leading into it.

"Anyone got a torch or a light rune?", he asked.

Astral said, "I got one better." He lit up his horn, a bright orange light glowing off of it. "I'll lead then."

Astral entered, lighting the way, with Dulcia behind him, the other guards carrying Flam behind him, and his other two Pedes bringing up the rear. They entered into a large room, covered in chitin. As light filled the room, a large space was revealed, extending about twenty meters in front of them.

"Looks like the bugs did some renovations", the other unicorn guard remarked.

"Where are cells?", Dulcia asked.

Astral replied, "They were here. Like Cobalt said, Changelings must've done some renovating."

"Ma'am", Quercus said, looking around nervously. "I don't like this. There's something, not right about this air."

"Calm yourself. You're not scared of the dark, are you?", Desmond said, smirking.

Astral asked, "What're they talking about?"

"Nothing important", Dulcia said. "So, what do we do with your prisoner?"

"Let me go?", he spoke up, smiling sheepishly.

Dulcia snorted through her beak. "Maybe you shouldn't have broken the laws then." As she turned back towards Astral, she saw a faint shape move in the darkness, along with rattling. "What was that?"

Astral looked over, shining his horns light in that direction. A vaguely pony-like shape was outlined by the light, and a second later, a pair of bright red circles appeared from the partial darkness.

Her two Pedes cocked their Thunderlances and the two Royal Guards dropped Flam, readying their own lances. Astral said, "I am Sargant Astral Venture, of her Majestys Princess Luna's Equestrian Royal Guard. Identify yourself."

No sound came from the shape. Just more staring with those piercing eyes. Dulcia was growing nervous. She remembered stories her mother told her; about the Shadow Daemons that stalked the forests and the coves near her coastal town, who would snatch up misbehaving children to eat. She wasn't silly enough to believe them... but it was the only thing of comparison she had.

"I will not tell you again. Identify yourself", Astral said. "You have to the count of three. One. Two. Thr-"

He was interrupted by a loud shriek, and rapid thudding as the shape came closer rapidly. Both of Dulcia's Pedes fired their shots, but they either missed or seemed to go right through him. He attacked one of the Royal Guards, biting his hoof and shaking it like a dog. He howled in pain, but the shape was driven away by a flare of light from Astrals horn and a slash of his sword. A loud hiss sounded from the creature, and it backed away. The two Pryhans recocked their weapons and fired a shot from their weapons second barrels, but again, it seemed to have no effect.

The group of guards wasted no time. They backed away, the Royals dragging Flam up the stairs, before the rest of them bolted out of the dark dungeon.

++++~++++

Celestia awoke to a large amount of running outside her room. She threw off the covers, eyes wide in alarm. She ran to the window and threw aside the blinds, gazing over the city.

When she saw nothing, she sighed in relief. The situation reminded her of the day the Changelings invaded Canterlot. She was awoken from sleep by running in the halls of the palace and had run to the window to see the swarm descend on her city. Though, the fact there were no changelings begged the question: What was going on?

She made her way to the door, opening it up to see about twenty Pryhan soldiers running along the corridor. Behind them were a trio of other Pryhans, wearing their gambesons with white armbands bearing red crosses. She stopped one of them in the back, asking him, "What's going on?"

He ground to a halt, saluting and saying, "Ave, Princeps. I'm sorry, I don't speak equish."

Celestia cursed under her breath slightly, before lighting up her horn and casting a spell. "There. You should be able to speak to me, and I you. Now, what is going on?."

As he spoke, he initially spoke in his language, while equish was seemingly superimposed over it. "Princess. Something is going on by your dungeon. One of your troopers is injured, and there is... something down in there." He then broke back into a loping stride, catching up and rejoining the rest of the Pryhans.

Celestia stood by the entrance to her room, watching the group disappear around the corner. Something in the dungeon? She hadn't known of anything in the dungeon, or even it being opened since the Changeling Crisis. And from what she knew, the Changelings just used pods to hold their prisoners, so why would there be anything down there?

She continued to look at the corner where they had disappeared, transfixed. After a bit, she decided she should go check it out. Better than doing nothing, like she often did before. So, lighting up her horn, she teleported to the entrance to the dungeon.

She arrived shortly after the Pryhans did. The group of twenty she had seen was still standing in formation, while four others stood by, their Thunderlances aimed at the wide-open door to the dungeon. A trio of Royal Guards were there as well, one of which was being tended to by the Pryhan medics. Another two Pryhans were talking, one of which had a crested helmet. She walked over to these two Pryhans and asked, "What is going on?"

"Ave, Princeps", the Centurion replied. "According to Decurion Dulcia here, she had her troops were attacked by, something, in the dungeon when helping secure a Prisoner. Now, what exactly did you see?"

"I, I can only describe it as a, a Shadow Daemon", Dulcia said, which earned a laugh from the centurion.

"Ha! Those are a myth. A story to scare children into behaving", he said.

Celestia replied, "You'd be surprised how many myths are based on reality. Now, what did it look like?"

"Well, we didn't see much of it. A vaguely equine shape, with glowing red eyes and thick fur. When my Pedes shot it, they seemed to go right through it. And, I mean, look what it did to the Royals hoof!", she exclaimed.

Celestia did look over at the wounded Royal Guard, whose hoof was being wrapped in bandages. However, she was just able to make out the wound as it was being bound. It looked like he had been attacked by a timberwolf; the fur and skin had been mangled around a pair of deep bite marks. He'd be lucky if he could ever walk properly on that leg again.

"That still doesn't mean a Daemon, of all things", the Centurion replied. "It could be a prisoner the bugs kept down there, and whoever it is is simply incredibly hungry and desperate to escape."

"All due respect, sir", Dulcia said. "But the Changelings didn't do that. Besides, if it was a living thing, then it would've starved, or died of thirst, or killed itself in its madness. But, whatever it was is very much alive."

As they bickered, Celestia looked into the entrance of the dungeon. She had never liked it, but by the time it was no longer needed, it had long been built, so she kept it around. There was so little crime before the Changelings, that it was rarely used. In fact, the last time it was was when it temporarily held Rainbow Dash before her trial. Now, something was in there. And it had just attacked one of her ponies. She may no longer be a princess, but she still had a duty to protect her ponies. She sighed, and said, "I shall investigate."

The two of them looked over at her, stunned looks on their faces. The Centurion said, "All due respect, Princeps. But, I have one of my men going to fetch light runes. Once he returns, I'll have my Pedes swarm the room. Shouldn't we wait for him to return? Strength of numbers, if nothing else."

"I understand your fears, but I shall do this. I am the Alicorn of the sun; I can create enough light to fill the room. And I will not stand by and let this, thing, get away with harming my subjects."

"At least take two of my Pedes with you", he said.

"Very well", Celestia said. "Who?"

"Dignissim, Calix!", he ordered. Two of the Pryhans came up to her, stopping and saluting. "These are two of my best Pedes. You two. Help the Princess secure, whatever it is inside there. Understand?"

"Yes, sir!", they replied.

"Very well. Follow me."

She lit up her horn and made her way along the stairwell. The two of them followed behind her, cocking their Thunderlances. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, they fanned out on either side of her, aiming into the darkness. She lit up her horn, and soon the whole room was engulfed in light.

Chitin covered the room; the walls, the floor, even the ceiling. All of the walls had been beaten down, and small piles of rubble cover the floor. In the center of the room was the only thing that wasn't made of chitin or stone; a cast-iron ring, connected to a chain. And connected to that chain, was the pony-like shape.

He had once been a well built and large stallion. He had a dark grey coat and black mane, along with a pair of red eyes. However, he was no longer as well built as he once was. He was thin as a rake, his ribs showing through his coat. His coat was covered in dust, chitin flakes, grease, while his hair was a matted mess. As she looked closer, she saw several specks of fresh blood on his leg, along with another large hole oozing blood on his shoulder. On his head, a small, flat stub where a unicorn's horn would be. He was wheezing, his forelegs held over his head as if to block out the light. Despite the thinness, the wound, and deterioration, she recognized him immediately.

Former King Sombra, Tyrant of the North.

She walked over to Sombra, who only whimpered and pressed his legs tighter against his head. She looked down on him, hearing something he muttered: "Please. Please." He looked like a pathetic, whipped dog, not a slaving tyrant.

One of them, the Caragor Calix, said, "By Damocles marble balls."

While more vulgar than she would've put it, Celestia couldn't have agreed more. Sombra was a terrible stallion, but now she couldn't help but feel pity for him. She said, "Tell your officer that I will be taking him to the hospital wing." She grabbed him as carefully as she could. He thrashed and swung his hooves, one of them striking her firmly in the leg. She winced, but ignored it and simply used her magic to carry him. After she had him securely, she teleported away.

++++~++++

An hour or so later, Celestia still hadn't left the castle hospital wing. She sat by a seat, looking at Sombra as his chest rose and fell in ragged breaths.

She had teleported in, and immediately Sombra had been put into the IC section. Now, a tube ran into his mouth, pumping in nutrients, while a sleeping spell kept him under in an artificial coma. He still looked horrible, occasionally tossing and turning in his sleep and letting out small whimpers.

She still had no idea how he had ended up in that room. If Luna was correct, She, Spike and Cadence had defeated him using the Crystal Heart when the Crystal Empire had first returned. How he was alive, and even how he had made it to Canterlot was a mystery. However, in her own way, she couldn't help but feel responsible for what happened to him. If she hadn't screwed up, then the Changelings wouldn't have taken over Canterlot to imprison him. He either would've been found, where he could've been treated with respect or attacked Canterlot or where the Changelings found him and been defeated. Now, thanks to her failures, he had suffered immensely.

She was drawn from her thoughts by the door opening and two people entering. One was her sister, the other was the Pryhan Liason Officer, Tribune Diodiece. Her sister looked at Sombra in horror, before saying, "Is this really him, sister?"

"Really who?", Diodiece asked.

"Yes. It's him. King Sombra", Celestia said.

"The Crystal Tyrant?", Diodiece asked. "I thought he was dead?"

"Apparently not. How did he get here? He was defeated in the Frozen North", Luna said.

Celestia said, "I do not know. But, I feel we must try to help him."

"Help him, sister?", Luna said. "What do you mean?"

"With your permission, sister, I wish to try and reform him."

Diodiece looked confused, and asked, "Princeps. What is 'reform' in this context?"

"A theory my sister sought to enact. By exposing our former enemies to our way of life and beliefs, she sought to turn our enemies into our allies." Luna turned to Celestia, and said, "Sister, I know you feel this likely ties back to you, but I don't think this is a good idea. Sombra is a tyrant and not the type of enemy that would likely accept reformation."

"I had plans to reform Discord", Celestia said. "And given the circumstances we find him in, I believe this is a prime opportunity to do so."

Luna said, "There is no guarantee it would've worked! Besides, he-"

"Lulu", Celestia said. "I know you're suspicious. But, please. Let me try."

"Why give him the time of day?", Diodiece said, disgust evident in his voice. "The degenerate doesn't deserve it, if half of what I've read of him is true."

"Everyone deserves a second chance", Celestia said.

Diodiece said, "A naive philosophy. But, if you seek to try, I will not stop you. I am willing to accept your nations, eccentricities. I merely request that several of my top Pedes be kept in proximity to him at all times until you deem him... 'Reformed'."

"Agreed, Tribune", Luna said. "I will allow it, only if you agree to Diodiece's terms."

"Very well", she said, turning her gaze back to the emaciated stallion. She looked into the closed eyes, wondering what was behind the lids and the eyes of him. She sighed and turned to watch as her sister and the Pryhan left the room. She slid herself back against the chair, watching Sombra's chest rise and fall, rise and fall.

Author's Note

Just for the record, this is what the 'New' style of Equestrian armor looks like:

https://www.deviantart.com/equestria-prevails/art/Plate-and-Pike-383134305