//------------------------------//
// The Crystal Princess 
// Story: Consuming Hatred 
// by BrightSanctuary 
//------------------------------//

	Just as Cadence and Shining Armor had hoped, the Crystal Empire had not been fazed by the Windigo. They had walked all the way from Canterlot, to finally arrive home, each holding their magic in turn to keep the Windigo at bay. It took about a day and a half, but they made it, and grateful too.
The city, unaware as it seemed of what was going on outside, was preparing for the Games. They had just been approved and they had to make sure their city was at it peak when the games started.
Cadence on the other hand had no idea how she was not missed, but Shining Armor had an idea. That idea did not have to go for long before they found out the truth.
Cadence’s adviser had come up to them, “What are you doing out here princess? You should be in bed, resting. It is not good to be wondering out here in your condition.”
“What is going on?” Cadence asked.
“Well,” replied the blue mane crystal pony, “If you come with me I will explain everything.”
She led the two through the city, “When you did not return from your visit from Canterlot a week ago, everypony was starting to worry. If it got out that you may be in trouble the city may have fallen again. To keep the peace as long as possible we had to convince everypony that you were sick, and bed ridden for a while.”
“Well, whatever keeps the ponies fine.” Cadence said doubtfully, not wanting to tell her what had really happened, “I guess that would work, but that is not the problem. I must see the Crystal Heart.”
“Why? What is wrong?” the other pony said.
“I can’t say right now.” Cadence said, not sure what she should share, “There is something terrible happening in Ponyville and the Crystal Heart may have the answer.”
“Well I guess that I could leave you to your devices. Just remember you are supposed to be in bed.”
“Very well,” Cadence said with a smile, “I hope not to be too long. Try not to let too many people by the Crystal Heart.”
“Ok, I will see you shortly.”
As her adviser left Cadence looked to Shining Armor, “Go with her, and make sure that everything is still fine here. I don’t know what will happen when I try to remove the Crystal Heart.”
“Yes, dear,” Shining Armor replied.
Shining Armor left in the direction of the adviser, and Cadence continued on to the Crystal Heart. As she walked she began to notice that others where giving her curious looks. She mostly ignored them, but hoped that they did not think her bad for being out of bed, “against doctor’s orders.”
Cadence found the Heart right in the place where she had thought it would be. She looked around to make sure that nopony was looking her way. She then bowed her head and shot a small bit of her magic into the heart. At first it spiked a bit but then simmered down, with little trace.
She looked around again to make sure that nopony noticed, then without another thought she grabbed it. Suddenly she felt a shiver go down her body. 
Suddenly she found she was no longer in front of the Crystal Heart. She was before the throne and onto of it sat a pony that looked much like her.

Shining Armor left Cadence and began to walk around the empire. He wanted to make planned to make sure that none of the ponies here have begun to be effected by the Windigo outside. He knew, by virtue of the Crystal Heart, that they would have not been affected as long as they stayed inside the shield, but he worried about the ones that may have left and come back.
But after a little bit he was content to see that all things were well. He decides to head over to where the heart was to check on Cadence, but when he got there, he did not like what he saw. Cadence was passed out on the ground. Shining Armor panicked, and grabbed the first pony he met and told her to get the doctor.

Cadence looked up to find a pony much like herself, but with a great age difference, and a shining coat, similar to that of the rest of the crystal ponies, sitting on the throne.
“Welcome my daughter.” The princess on the throne had said, “I see that my grandson must have been taken from his throne. That is good to hear. Now the ponies of the Crystal Empire can rest.”
Cadence could only stand in silence, for she could think of nothing intelligible to say.
“Well my daughter, what have brought you her?” The Princes asked.
“Well…” Cadence paused for a second more, “You are correct Sombra no longer sits on the throne if that is what you meant, and yes I have taken his place, by orders of Princess Celestia, who is my aunt, and ruler of all Equestria. I have come because all of Equestria has fallen to an ancient enemy. The Windigo have returned, but there is one with them that our history does not mention. He seems to be the one creating hate that the rest feed off of.”
“Oh I am afraid that I do know such a foe.” The Princess said with a frown, “I was afraid that he would return, and that is why I left a peace of myself in the Heart when I made it. This will require an explanation. Do you remember the story of the Windigo and how Equestria was founded?”
“Yes” Cadence nodded.
“Good. That will make this easier. What few even of my time remember is that there was more to the story then is told. Amidst the Windigo is a lord with the power to spread hate throughout the world. He was very manipulative and had a magic that was much opposite to my own. During the rampage of the three races there was not much he needed to do. His race just happily feed off of the races, leaving all of the land barren. It was not till the races made it to Equestria that they began to give the Windigo trouble. The Lord was not happy with this. For many generations he could not break through the new found friendships that had been formed among the races.
“It was when I was on the throne her in the Crystal Empire. That he had finally found a foot hold. My daughter had died giving birth to my grandson, and her husband was very displeased by this. With each passing year pain swelled in his heart, and he taught this pain to his son, who was later to become my heir. After a while I had taken the son under my teachings. I had to re teach him everything from what his father had thought him and it was not easy. His name was Crydence, and he was to become a light born from a dark place. 
“His father on the other had was to far gone, and that is where the Lord had found his foot stool. My Son-in-law had become so consumed by the evil in his heart that he started to spread it everywhere he went. He was tearing down the empire one person at a time.
“Then I got an Idea. I created a festival that would raise the spirits of those who had forgotten the happiness, because of my son-in-law’s rage, but his hate was too great. The Windigo Lord had come in and crashed the festival. A winter consumed my lad in one night, and everyone was left to their own tables.
“I had decided I had enough. I took a peace of stone from the heart of the city and carved a heart from it, and put every bit of my magic into it. With what energy I had left I placed the new Crystal heart in the center of the city below the castle, and called to all my subjects. I cried in pain with them and laughed with their wonder. I reminded them of the peace that we had shared for the friendships we had were eternal, and they gave to me the most powerful wonder ever. They gave me their hearts. This power was just what the Crystal Heart needed. The Heart exploded with color, and the windigo lord was chased out.
“I did not have the power then to truly defeat him. Then I did not know of Celestia and her Sister. It was only five generations later when Sombra was on the throne that Celestia came to my kingdom, but by then I had already passed and my memories sealed within this stone. I have witnessed the world around me from this stone and learned and grew for this very day. Now you must take this stone to your friends, and together with the power of friendship and love will the Windigo ever be defeated.”
“But, what will happen to the Crystal Empire if I move the stone?” Cadence said, “Won’t the Crystal Empire fall to the Windigo?”
“Yes that I am afraid is true,” The alicorn said, “But this must be done if you want to save the rest of Equestria. Now go.”
With that Cadence found herself lying next to the Crystal Heart. Shining Armor was hovering over her, and the doctor as well as all the Empire hovering over her. Shining Armor said something that was inaudible, and the doctor said much the same. It was only after she had finally cleared her head that she could hear what the doctor was saying.
“Now I told each of you to stay in bed now recovery is going to take that much longer.” With a huff the doctor walked away.
Two ponies came with stretchers, and carried Cadence to her bed.

Later that night Cadence and Shining Armor were talking…
“…we need to retrieve the Crystal Heart and take it to Twilight.” Cadence insisted.
“So you were in the heart of the Crystal the whole time.”
“Yes.” Cadence said irritated that she had to say this for the third time, “And all I know is that without the Elements of Harmony and the Crystal Heart we can’t beat the Windigo.”
“Fine, but if you remove the heart the city will become consumed with the rest of Equestria.”
“That is a risk we will have to take. We must trust Twilight.”
“Your right,” Shining Armor hated to admit, “If Celestia will trust her then we must too.”
It was night so getting the Crystal heart and leaving the city without being caught was not a problem. It was the trek home that they worried about.