//------------------------------//
// Part II 
// Story: The Darkness that Consumes 
// by GrouchoMarxDisciple 
//------------------------------//

Like most monarchs, King Lumen wasn't as squeaky-clean as his propaganda machine would have you believe. Far from it, the King was actually a very indulgent and greedy ruler. Numbers were fudged, bribes and favoritism were commonplace, and... "lonely nights" were few. The King was a connoisseur of maidens, always finding a new one to suit his fancy. I was not old enough for his tastes, or I may have had to spend a night "doing Royal volunteer work".

All in the name of the war, of course.

One thing the King didn't account for were pregnancies. There were plenty of them. His official stance was to claim he had nothing to do with the child, and as he was the King there was really no questioning a claim like that. He left the mothers to care for the children, or abandon them. He didn't really care.

Remember how overburdened our orphanages were? I think he might have had something to do with that.

There was an "official" Royal Son, one born to him by his late Queen. Luminescence was the obvious next in line for the throne. Many of his half-siblings didn't even realize how close they were to the Royal Seat.

How Umbra found out, we don't know. His mother might have told him. He might have connected the dots himself. Something might have slipped. All we know is that he knew he was Royal Blood. In the Crystal Empire, though, being illegitimate automatically disqualified you from the crown.

Not that that stopped Umbra. Umbra understood that laws can be... bent, if you have a majority.

Luminescence was a joke of a ruler. He was all wrapped up in himself, not caring or heeding his people's needs. Early on they were caught up with the fact that he was Lumen's son, but that slowly began to change as he mismanaged more and more resources. I wasn't there at the time, I was learning under Celestia, so I really can't talk about his reign.

I was approaching my 16th birthday when Umbra began stirring unrest. He toured the villages, added their grievances together, and began weaving a picture of a dystopian tyranny ruled by an inefficient and heartless dictator. Adding his own heart and soul into the speeches, he swayed many to believe that Luminescence was not fit to be King. At around that time, it "accidentally" leaked that he was, in fact, Royal Blood. They neglected to mention the "bastard son" part.

Civil unrest began. Celestia's visits halted, as the people of the Empire were entirely fed up with the current regime, and the Princess could not risk being targeted as well. I was sort of an advisor to her at this point, as when she had a decision to make she would ask me to tell her what I saw. She heeded me on most occasions, and in turn began to see me as less of a student and more  like an advisor. We began discussing complex matters of politics, and I think she was impressed by my sharpness.

It was then I saw how deceitful the powerful are. How she put on a show for the commoners and nobles alike, how she was immature and almost a jokester at heart. It slowly became apparent that she had no true connection to any common citizen.

What makes Celestia different than the other monarchs I have seen, though, is that all her political machinations were done for the good of her ponies, not her own gain or expansion. I think that's what impressed me the most about her. When she annexed Stalliongrad during the Royal Crisis, she actually made things much better for the ponies there. I remember that Umbra asked for it back, but she said the ponies there would revolt. She was probably right.

We grew close, but not in a "friend" way, though that was what we sold to the masses. I wasn't "her faithful student", I was her "advisor". We mutually manipulated each other, we formed a symbiotic relationship. I think that's why it didn't crush her, or even faze her, when I returned to the Empire.

It had started off like any other day. I walked in to the throne room right when the general walked out. She had a worried expression, which while it may have panic-inducing to the general public, it was simply business for me.

"Princess." I nodded my head. Formality never hurt anypony.

"Flare, my most trusted advisor." She responded, in a monotone voice. Okay, perhaps formality hurt the Princess.

"You summoned me?" I cut to the chase.

"Yes. I need you to look in to the future, to see something for me." She pointed to the map. "Are you aware of what is happening in the Crystal Empire?"

I had heard bits and pieces of it, but I didn't know the full story. "No, Princess. What's happening in my homeland?"

"You are definitely familiar with King Luminescence, correct?"

"Yes. He's a drunken fool who doesn't care for his people. He is no King Lumen, that's for sure."

"Well, you aren't the only one who thinks so." She paused for a moment, deciding how to phrase her words. "There is a revolt happening in the Capitol as we speak. The commoners are demanding that Luminescence abdicate the throne."

That caught me off guard. "You mean... there's war again?"

She simply nodded.

I sank for a moment. I remembered the war from when I was young. It shattered me to think that there was another one happening right in my hometown. All those fillies...

The Princess broke my train of thought. "I am deciding whether or not to enter the war. I know that your visions tend to be incomplete and fuzzy, but any information you can give, I'll use."

I nodded, and closed my eyes. I tried to concentrate, to bring forth a vision. But the dream didn't come. 

"I'm sorry, Princess. I see nothing." I said, after a while. There were tears in my eyes, for war had returned to the Empire.

"You seem distracted." The Princess pointed out. "Is something the matter?" She asked, as if she cared. She and I both knew she only cared about my vision, and if something personal was bugging me, she would help me fix it so she could access my vision. Mutual manipulation.

I was vulnerable at the time, though. I blurted out "When I was young, I was exposed to the horrors of war. Before I joined you, I was stuck in an orphanage, I was destitute and lonely. I don't want anypony to go through that again."

The Princess simply nodded, feigning understanding. "It sounds like it weighs heavy on you."

"It- It does, Princess."

"You know, it may be wise to return home, once it's troubles are done. Maybe it will clear your head." 

I nodded. "If I may..."

"It was granted before you even asked." she said, smiling. That smile, the one she had showed so many others before. It didn't have any effect on me, not anymore. My heart was too closely guarded. I simply nodded.

"Thank you, Princess."

Two years later, I was in a flying carriage, on my way to go meet the King of the Empire.

King Umbra, the Peaceful.