Chapter 17: Love Conquers All
Chapter 17: Love Conquers All
The trip through the tunnels wasn’t supposed to be terribly long. Only a few hours from where the Citadel of Harmony had crashed. But to Princess Cadence, it felt as though they’d been walking for days. It helped a little to have Shining Armor at her side. Her husband walked confidently, secure in the knowledge they were about to retake their home. Now and again she’d catch sight of Echo scouting the tunnels ahead, making sure they were clear.
Discord and Fancy Pants rounded out the last of their infiltration group, the two stallions carrying the huge crystal heart from the citadel between them. At Shining Armor’s suggestion, Cadence had sent Applejack and the surviving members of the resistance with Prince Spinner’s group to liberate the slaves in the crystal mines. “I know you’re nervous dear, but four Knights of Harmony and one Discord can handle Sombra. He’s just a normal pony now, not some huge shadow monster.”
Cadence sighed and nodded again. “I know Shining, I know. I just feel like we should all be going to the mines first.”
“I understand, but this is what’s going to work. If we don’t strike at both targets simultaneously, too much could go wrong. If we all focus on Sombra, then he’ll be able to use the slaves as hostages. If we all focus on them, he’ll be able to escape. We need to end this decisively.”
Echo darted back toward them, practically bursting out of her skin. “I found the exit! It’s marked just like we were told!”
Nodding to the night pony, Cadence’s horn glowed softly as she connected with the crystal she’d given the spiderkin Prince. “Prince Spinner, we’re in position. Are your forces ready?”
The slightly uncomfortable voice of the Prince came back to her. “Yes. We are prepared to strike. You are certain this crystal will not… Harm me in anyway?”
Unable to stifle a faint giggle, Cadence smiled. “It’s perfectly safe. I know you’re uncomfortable with magic, but it’s been a great help, you must admit.”
“I suppose I must. We are beginning our attack. May your battle end swiftly and favorably, Princess Mi Amore.”
“And yours as well, Prince Spinner.” She let her sending spell end. “Alright everypony. We’ll breach the surface here. D, I want you and Fancy Pants to set the crystal heart up in its proper position. Everything is going to depend on your protecting the heart. Even if we depose Sombra, with no way of protecting the empire, the Queen can just storm in and oust us again.”
Both stallions nodded firmly. The Princess looked to the waiting Shining Armor and Echo. “Alright. The three of us will storm the castle. Expect plenty of golems between us and Sombra. We haven’t much tested their capabilities, so to be safe I think flying over them, or using spells to move them out of our way would be best. We want to conserve as much strength as possible. It’s anypony’s guess what surprises Sombra has waiting for us.”
He husband nodded and fell in behind her with a grin, nudging Echo good naturedly. “You ready for this, cadet? Your first real military maneuver, isn’t it?”
Echo snorted softly at her former captain. “I was there when the Queen returned, remember? And I was with Jenny when we faced down Tak and Umbra. It’s you I’m worried about. Old timer like you should be in bed, not running around fighting evil Kings.”
Smirking at the brash young mare’s words, Shining fell silent, glad that one of the ponies he’d helped train in the past was at his side. His wife looked over the group before igniting her horn with a brilliant blue aura, and blasting through the roof of the tunnel.
Sunlight poured in immediately, blinding everypony momentarily. Their vision cleared quickly. Cadence and Echo were the first out of the tunnel, born aloft by their wings. The Crystal Princess reached down, seizing the three ground bound stallions in her magic and hauling them up. They were standing beneath the now-repaired Crystal Palace. “Alright you two! Hold your ground here! If you’re overwhelmed, follow us into the palace, but do your best to protect this spot!”
Fancy stood tall as he and Discord maneuvered the still inert heart into position. “We shan’t let you down, Princess.”
Discord snapped a salute, smirking all the while. With a roll of her eyes, Cadence lead the rest of her raiding party up the stairs into the palace. Already a number of crystalline pony golems shambled toward them, their hoof steps scraping along the floors as they lumbered at the group. Echo simply flew over them. When Shining Armor and Cadence tried to lift the bulk of them out of their way. To their dismay, they felt their magic slipping around the golems as if they weren’t there.
“This could be a problem!”
With a grunt of annoyance, Cadence hefted her husband into the air magically, and took flight behind Echo. “Maybe if we couldn’t fly over them!”
Shining Armor grumbled about the degrading manner he was being held under the forelegs by his wife, but it was getting them over the golems at least. Echo had disappeared ahead but, Cadence could feel her presence drawing closer to the throne room. The strong love she radiated for Jubilant made it a simple matter to keep track of her.
Cadence frowned in alarm as Echo’s presence flickered and a magical blast erupted around the corner. They were very near the throne room, and no doubt the headstrong night pony had barreled in alone. Indeed, Echo was dazedly picking herself off the ground, coat being licked at by biting purple flames. The Princess hastily banished them and landed inside the throne room after depositing her husband next to his former trainee.
King Sombra stood before his massive throne of black crystal, regarding Cadence with equal parts surprise and fury. “You were a fool to return here, Mi Amore Cadenza! And an even greater fool to bring so few of your forces! You will surrender now, or my guards will slaughter every stallion, mare, and foal in the mines.
Instead of the worry he expected, Cadence only grinned toothily. “I don’t need anypony else to deal with you, Sombra. And our allies are already liberating the slaves in the mines. It’s over. Surrender now and you’ll be treated fairly.”
With a growl, Sombra sent the command to have his guards in the mine execute the prisoners, only to have his attempts stymied. It seems the guards were already busily engaged. “Well, well. You’re more clever than I gave you credit for, little Princess. We can do this the hard way then. It’s been some time since I’ve had a worthy battle. Try not to disappoint me.”
Cadence started in alarm as the doors boomed shut, locking Shining and Echo out. She could hear her husband beating on the door fruitlessly. The wicked King’s magic had sealed them shut tight. “Shall we begin, Princess?”
“Zecora! You have visitors!”
The wise shamaness was enjoying a hot cup of tea in the hut she was born in. The youngest daughter of the Wander tribe, she was generally left alone while her elder siblings saw to the important duties of running a tribe. She was content with her books and herbs. The return to her homeland had been met with many happy welcomes, though it was a return tinged with sadness. Every member of her family went on a long journey to unknown lands in honor of the mare who founded the tribe, but typically they would return when they felt they’d seen and done all they needed to.
Zecora’s journey had ended on a much sadder note than that.
Frowning softly, she rose from her contemplations and lifted the flap on her hut. “Who is it? I’m in the middle of some potent… Brewing.”
The young zebra colt grinned. “Brewing tea?”
“Bah! Do I really have visitors, or are you just pestering me?”
Still grinning, the youngster shook his head. “Nope! You really do have visitors! Ponies!”
The caused the mare’s eyebrows to rise. “Ponies? Not those two stallions again, is it?”
“Nope! It’s one of each kind. And then one of all kinds.”
Zecora blinked. “One of all kinds? Do you mean a Princess?”
He shrugged. “Maybe? She had wings and a horn though.”
Zecora sucked in a breath, casting a somewhat worried glance to the large boxes stacked in the corner. “What are her colorings?”
“Green coat, pink mane and tail. Why? Do you know them?” He frowned. “Are they not friends of yours? Should we send them away?”
He leapt back with a yelp of shock as she whirled on her hooves, dashing to the corner and heaving against a large book shelf, pushing it into the corner to conceal the boxes. “Why is she here!?”
A minor scuffle at her door drew her attention. “Why is who here?”
Her eyes widened at the earth pony stallion who entered. “You! Oh I should have known it would be you sticking your meddling nose into this! Why have you brought her here!? Do you know what harm you could have done!?”
The Doctor backed up, raising his forelegs defensively. “It wasn’t my idea! She insisted! I tried to steer her away, even got us ‘lost’ once or twice. Then she ah… Took my screwdriver and… I’d rather not talk about it.”
With a snort, the zebra looked over her shoulder. “Well where is she?”
He shrugged, looking about as well. “She and the Doo’s were right behind me. You know how she can get, always something or other catching her eye.”
Hm’ing softly, Zecora exited her hut, stepping into the bright Zebrican sun. The three ponies were easy to spot, having drawn quite a crowd. For the younger zebras, this was likely their first time seeing a pony so close. For the elders, it was certainly the first time seeing a near-mythical alicorn in the flesh. No doubt they all wrongly assumed she was a Princess.
“Collect her and bring her here. She’s making a big enough ruckus to disrupt the entire day’s work for the tribe.” So saying, she went back to her tea. She didn’t have a long wait before the young mare entered.
“Zecora! It’s so good to see you!”
Feigning surprise, the zebra smiled. “Who is this before my eyes? Is it young Jubilant Surprise?”
The pony couldn’t stifle a giggle at the zebra’s use of rhyme as she moved to hug her. “Aunt Fluttershy told me you left that bit of magical hope behind. Did you know I’d be coming back?”
Stepping out of the embrace, Zecora shrugged casually, eyes flicking now and again to the boxes in the corner. “Know and hope are two different things. Best to say I wished to be prepared to help you return home, borne on hope’s wings.”
“Well it sounds like it helped out a lot! I can’t thank you enough.” Sitting down at Zecora’s invitation, Jubilant got comfortable on the floor of her hut. “I’m hoping you can help with something else too.”
Strongly suspecting what the mare’s request was going to be, Zecora heaved a sigh. “I am sorry to say I cannot do what you wish of me. My people will not march to war so long as Galaxia leaves us be.”
Jubilant was frowning now. “But she won’t for long! They have to realize that!”
Zecora shrugged. “Perhaps they do, perhaps they do not. Thus far she has left us be, even if it is only to scheme and plot.”
“Well… What about you? Is there some way you can help?”
With a last glance to the hidden stacks of boxes, Zecora’s jaw firmed and she nodded. “There is indeed.”
“We have to get in there!” Shining backed up and charged the door again, even going so far as to augment himself with his magic as he slammed into it… and bounced back harmlessly yet again.
“I don’t think ramming your face into it over and over is the trick, Captain. Are there windows or something outside I can use to get in?”
Shining’s eyes lit up with hope. “There are! Go on and help Cadence! I’ll try to find another way in!”
Echo was gone in a flash, darting back down the hallways. She didn’t slow as she approached the first window large enough to fit through, she simply loosed a sonic scream, blasting the glass away and soaring out into the open sky.
Below her she could see Fancy and Discord dealing with an increasingly larger number of golems. The clever magic users had given up on trying to affect the golems directly with their spells, and were instead targeting the air or ground around them. Discord was somehow making the air around the golems heavier, and they were moving as if in slow motion. Fancy Pants had taken to blasting the ground out from under the golem’s hooves, sending them tumbling into small pits all about.
Satisfied they were holding their own for now, she started releasing softer cries. Her sharp ears finally picked up the sound of her echolocation hitting a closed window, along with the sounds of battle. Deciding that was the throne room, she angled for it without delay. Bright flashes of blue and purple tinged with black magic flared from the window as Echo loosed a wail loud enough to shatter it, barreling back into the throne room.
Neither Cadence nor Sombra took note of her arrival, which suited her fine. Flitting to Sombra’s back, she sucked in a breath, shrieking for all she was worth. The force caught the cruel King full on, lifting him from his hooves and slamming him hard into the wall. Cadence fired off a lance of magic in hopes of keeping him down, but a shell of black crystal grew from the ground, protecting him.
“Good timing Echo. He’s stronger than we expected, but the two of us shouldn’t have too much trouble.”
Princess and guardspony advanced carefully on the shell. Nodding to one another, they attacked as one. Cadence’s magic and Echo’s shrieks fractured the shell, revealing not a cowering unicorn King, but a passage leading deeper into the castle. Neither mare wasted any time charging down the stairs after the fleeing stallion.
Echo was the first to arrive in the massive antechamber lined with inert golems. She took in the sight quickly, then glanced down at the center. Sombra was galloping full tilt toward some sort of massive device. The night pony swooped lazy circles around the room, waiting for Cadence to catch up. One face full of dark magic was enough for today in her opinion.
Cadence wasn’t far behind. “Sombra! Enough! Surrender, or I can’t be held responsible for what happens to you!”
This drew a chuckle from the dark King. “Foolish filly. Did you really think it would be so easy? Did you think I hadn’t planned for this very circumstance? Tell me, Princess Mi Amore, do you know how I craft my golems?”
Despite herself, Cadence was mildly intrigued. That, and perhaps if they could start a proper dialogue, this may be resolved without more violence. “… We don’t. It’s one of the things we could never figure out.” She glanced up to see Echo perched on one of the pipes leading from the device in the center into the ceiling.
“You can see the shells all about you of course. Painstakingly hoof crafted by myself. But what drives them? Look at the runes on their heads.”
Cautiously Cadence approached one of the inert golems. It certainly seemed lifeless enough. She examined the rune carefully. “It looks like the rune for… For some sort of forgetfulness spell?”
“Close, though far more powerful. It completely obliterates any sense of self a pony has, leaving them a blank slate.”
Cadence felt her blood run cold as the implications sunk in. “What is that device behind you?”
“Ah! Yes, my greatest triumph. I’ve taken to calling it the Soul Furnace. Care to guess what its purpose is?”
The young Princess felt a fury rising within greater than any she’d ever felt before. “You… You’re lying! Nopony could be so cruel! Not even the Queen would allow something so heinous to happen!”
Sombra tilted his head curiously. “Would she not? Queen Galaxia values the life of a pony very little. She tolerates unicorns and pegasi for their usefulness, but earth ponies? They may as well be bugs to be trod upon, unnoticed by her. And what are crystal ponies if not sparkly earth ponies?”
Echo was shaking her head, trying to understand what was happening. Cadence advanced slowly, raw magic curling about her form as her fury began to manifest physically. “Every golem? Every single one!? One of… One of my subjects!?”
Sombra simply inclined his head modestly, as if accepting a compliment. “Imagine it. A true Crystal Empire, populated only by crystalline ponies. My beautiful golems. It will be the most beautiful kingdom in the entire world!”
“You’re… you’re mad! A monster! So many lives lost to… To this!? You have to be stopped!”
His smile grew. “And who will stop me? You? The Crystal Princess of Love? Utterly ridiculous!”
Cadence drew herself up to her full height, mana leaking from her eyes as she continued to gather her magic. “I am the ruler of the Crystal Empire. I’m the Crystal Empress, Sombra! And you… You have worn out your welcome!” Vaulting from the stairs with her hind legs, she focused her power into her forehooves, diving unerringly at the still smirking King. He made no move to protect himself or avoid the sudden wave of power that swept across the floor of the room, blasting him backwards. Right into the gaping Soul Furnace.
Cadence had expected him to protect himself, to move, to do anything but allow himself to be thrown into the magical flames. A flutter in her heart threatened to buckle her knees as the King was consumed by the blue flames, which swiftly took on a black color. Echo flew from the piping overhead to land at Cadence’s side. “Whoa. Hardcore, Princess…. Uh… Empress?”
Casting one last glance at the sight of Sombra’s death, Cadence sighed. “Empress. I rule an Empire, after all. It’s time I began to act like it. Let’s go make sure Shining and the others are alright. I want to check in with Prince Spinner as well.”
Echo nodded and crouched, about to leap back into the air, when a sudden tremor knocked her from her hooves. Cadence spread her legs, steadying herself as the ground began to crack. Eyes wide, she took to the air, lifting Echo beside her. Once she was sure the night pony could fly under her own power, she released her.
“What’s happening!?”
Echo could barely be heard over the ground tremors. “I don’t know!” A huge chunk of the ceiling fell nearly crushing both mares. “We need to go! Back up the stairs!”
Echo didn’t need more prodding. She disappeared in a blur of black and purple, back up the stairs. Casting a worried glance at the splitting ground below, the newly dubbed Crystal Empress flew after Echo. The ground was rapidly falling away into a black chasm, where Cadence saw two huge pools of swirling purple and black energy before she was too far up the stairs to see back any longer.
The throne room doors stood open revealing an alarmed Shining Armor. “What’s going on!? What did you two do!?”
Shaking her head, Cadence snared him as she flew by, dragging a suddenly wailing stallion out the window after herself. “Calm down, you baby. I’m not going to drop you!”
Crossing his forelegs indignantly, Shining Armor hung helplessly in his wife’s magic. “But what’s happening?”
“We don’t know! Sombra was consumed in a magical flame and then this started!”
Echo left the couple flying down toward Discord and Fancy Pants. The ground was beginning to fracture around their hooves too. “Get the heart out of there guys! Something’s coming up from below the ground!”
The crystal golems had fortunately stopped their advance once the rumbling started. Neither stallion needed much prodding to get moving, galloping away from the growing fissures with the heart in tow. A particularly large split in the ground was racing to catch them. “Behind you!”
Discord heard Echo’s warning and didn’t even bother to look. His horn swirled with the chaotic colors brought about by drawing on his chaos magic and he, Fancy Pants, and the heart disappeared in a flash, reappearing a few blocks away.
Cadence descended, with Shining in tow, to Echo’s level. The airborne trio watched in horror as a massive crystalline hoof punched its way through the ground. It gripped the street and began to pull itself out. A second hoof joined it. Cadence could see those horrible pools of swirling light… a massive pair of eyes, she realized as a crystal golem larger than the biggest full grown dragon she’d ever seen pulled itself from the widening chasm beneath her now tumbling palace. King Sombra was back, and bigger than ever.
“Surprise! Where have you been!? Everypony was worried sick!”
Jubilant braced herself as her mother collided with her, tackling her to the ground in a tight embrace. Squirming a little to at least loosen her neck and draw in air, the young mare returned her mom’s hug. “I was getting some friends together to help us out.”
“Friends? But what about the Crystal Empire! Don’t you think that’s more important?”
Jubilant raised her eyebrows. “Nothing’s more important than friends, mom. You should know that, you’re the one who taught me after all.”
Pinkie huffed and tried to worm her way into further rebuking her daughter, but she was trapped. “Well… Alright, fine! So who are these super-duper important friends?”
Her filly stepped aside to allow the excitedly chattering Flim Flam brothers to exit behind her. “Imagine what we could do if he’d let us get under some of those panels for just a few minutes!”
“I Know brother, but he was rather adamant about keeping our hooves to ourselves.”
Both sighed at the prospects of picking a technological marvel like the TARDIS apart. Pinkie Pie wore an uncharacteristic frown. “Them? Surprise, they tried to steal Sweet Apple Acres!”
The brothers lowered their heads contritely. “And we intend to apologize the moment we run into the Apple clan again; you have our word on that, Miss Pie.”
Flim lifted his head, chancing a smile. “Might I say you’ve raised quite a fine filly, Miss Pie.”
Pinkie snorted, but her expression softened. “Well you’re right about that, I suppose. If you’re here to help, and are really sorry about what you did to Applejack’s family, I guess I can forgive you. Just watch your step! I’ve got my eye on you!”
Nodding in all seriousness to the pink mare, both turned to Jubilant questioningly. She just nodded with a smile. “Get to work fellas. Oh, Doctor! Please go with Flim and Flam and help them with any supplies they need, would you?”
Grumbling, the Doctor trotted from his conveyance. “What am I, the delivery pony?”
Jubilant’s smile never faltered. “For today! Please and thank you!”
Eyeing the grinning mare a touch darkly, he trotted after the twin stallions. Pinkie peered around inside the TARDIS curiously. “Weren’t Ditzy and Dinky Doo with you?”
“Mmhm. They stayed behind at Chrysalis’ hive to help feed the changelings. The Doctor’s gonna pick em up when they’re done.”
“Jubilant Surprise!”
Even being an adult, hearing her mother shout her full name still caused her to wince, fold her ears back, and lower her head. “It’s not that bad! Queen Chrysalis is making them, you know… Super happy and stuff while she feeds her hive. She promised they’d be fine, and I believe her. In fact, the first group should be arriving….”
As if on cue, a loud buzzing filled the cavern. A few fearful ponies peered out around the windows of the keep, gasping and ducking back inside as the large swarm of a few dozen changelings appeared. The largest—a solidly built drone in black armor—landed before Jubilant, dipping into a low bow. “We’re here as requested, Commander Jubilant. Queen Chrysalis has instructed us to follow your orders as if they came from she herself.”
Jubilant grinned. “Great! And you are?”
The large warrior blinked. “Ah… Warrior? Some of the warriors under my command call me Cutter?”
“Cutter! Alright, well, how good are you guys at building?”
Now it was the changeling’s turn to grin. “If you don’t mind a bit of green goop holding everything together? You won’t find anyone better in the world.”
Jubilant shrugged. “You can turn the whole citadel into a giant honeycomb for all I care. As long as it’s put back together.”
The warrior regarded the ruins speculatively. “Gonna be a big job. Might take us six, seven hours?”
The Commander of Harmony had to laugh at that. “Seven hours to rebuild the whole Citadel? Buddy, you get it done like that and I’ll give you a heaping pile of love for your trouble. Find a mare named Applebloom. Yellow earth pony with a red mane; big pink bow. She’ll help out with planning and such.”
His eyes glinted at the prospects. “Let’s get to work, changelings! I want this heap turned into a serviceable fortress in five hours!” A chorus of yes sirs met his orders as the small swarm buzzed about the keep getting to work.
Pinkie watched her little Jubilant giving orders to everypony so easily, and in such a way it didn’t seem like she was handing out orders. More she was asking for favors from close friends. “I’m proud of you, Jubilant Surprise.”
Jubilant blushed, rubbing the back of her head. “Aw jeez mom, don’t say junk like that.”
Grinning at her daughter’s embarrassment, Pinkie ruffled her mane. “C’mon! Let’s go find something to eat, huh?”
The mother and daughter pair turned toward the inner keep. A bright silver flash in the courtyard heralded the return of Trixie and Rarity. The latter of whose mane had been singed from its long flowing curls to a much shorter and uneven bob. Flouncing past the gaping Pinkie and Jubilant, she paused long enough to hiss ‘not one word’ before storming inside, no doubt to find a mirror to adjust her hair.
Trixie looked only slightly better off. Her cape singed around the edges, and her mane slightly frazzled beneath the bell-bedecked hat. “Well… here she is.” She unceremoniously dumped a bound and gagged Twilight Sparkle at their hooves, the incensed unicorn squirming against her bonds. Every time her horn began to glow with summoned magic, Trixie simply thumped her over the head with her staff, making the Archmagister go cross-eyed and disrupt her spell.
Pinkie looked down at her friend a touch worriedly, while Jubilant merely grinned harder. “Great work guys! I knew you could do it.”
Trixie huffed. “Well of course the Great and Powerful Trixie was up to the task! She is Starswirl the Bearded’s heir after all!”
Jubilant quirked an eyebrow. “You’re gonna slip that in as much as you can, aren’t you?”
Now Trixie flashed a grin. “You better believe it.”
Laughing aloud at that, Jubilant drew Mercy and invoked her own rune. The warm green glow bathed Twilight, whose struggles ceased for a moment as her eyes lost focus. Then the lavender unicorn blinked and looked around a little wildly. “I think we can get the ropes off.”
Nodding to her Commander, Trixie did just that. Woozily, Twilight climbed to her hooves. “I… Oh my head is killing me. Jennifer? Is that you? You’re… You’re all grown up! And Pinkie Pie! Oh it’s so good to see you!”
Squealing with glee, Pinkie tackled Twilight to the ground in a hug probably tighter than the one she unleashed on her own daughter. Smiling at the scene, Jubilant took Trixie to the side. “Any chance you can check on my aunt and that Thunderlane guy?”
Heaving a dramatic sigh, Trixie nodded. “Yes, but I really do need to rest after this. Twilight put up quite a fight. In the end I had to just wallop her over the head with Spell Nexus. She definitely didn’t see that coming.”
Smiling at that, Jubilant stepped back, giving Trixie space to cast her spell. Eyes closed, the sorceress focused on the proper mental incantations. With a flash of her horn, a window in the air appeared. It showed a somewhat grumpy and roughed up Fluttershy carrying a bound Rainbow Dash along with an equally beat up Thunderlane. “Ouch. Looks like Dash put up a fight.”
“They’re almost back though. It looks like they’re in the tunnels now.”
“Thanks Trixie. Go ahead and get some rest. I’ll wait out here for them.”
Ending her spell, Trixie nodded once to Jubilant, before glancing back toward Twilight. “Thank you Jubilant. I’ll see you in a little while.”
Once Trixie had gone Jubilant rejoined her mother and Twilight. “Feeling better?”
“Feeling confused! You own a castle now!?”
The young Commander laughed at that. “Mom just had to brag, huh?”
Pinkie huffed. “I’m just proud of my filly! She’s in charge of a whole bunch of important ponies now!”
Twilight regarded the ‘filly’ in question with burning curiosity. “Did you really die? You went to the other side?”
Shifting uncomfortably now, Jubilant looked away. “I did. And I did. I don’t remember much of it though. Just comforting warmth outside some big golden gates. And meeting a bunch of dead ponies.”
“And you met the Starswirl the Bearded!?”
Smiling at Twilight’s ecstatic tone, Jubilant nodded again. “I did! He was really nice, and kinda funny. Trixie spent a lot of time with him. You could probably get all sorts of juicy info out of her.”
Twilight was already on her hooves and trotting after the departing Trixie. “Thanks Jennifer! We’ll catch up soon, Pinkie!”
The Pies watched her go with matching smiles. “Well, she seems more or less unchanged for all this.”
Pinkie shrugged. “That’s Twilight. As long as she has some new bit of fancy magic-whatever to focus on, she can shrug off pretty much anything. Just don’t make her think she’s late for anything with the Princess. She can go a little nutso.”
Smiling a little, Jubilant laid down on the cool stone floor to wait for her Aunt. She contented herself with watching the busy changelings, mostly being brow beaten at every turn by Applebloom. The young mare had quite an affinity for construction, and was determined the ‘changeling critters’ do the job right.
Pinkie looked down at her thoughtfully. Jubilant seemed to switch from quietly contemplative to exuberant and excitable in a flash. It was probably a phase she’d be going through while she adapted to the year gap in her memories, Pinkie supposed. She didn’t know a whole ton about magic. Maybe Twilight and Trixie could help settle some of her worries. “Hey! You still hungry? I’ll go fix ya a snack while you wait.”
Nodding up at her mother, Jubilant wore a wide smile. “I’m kinda starving! We didn’t eat a thing while we were bouncing all over the place. Thanks mom.”
Pinkie bounded inside in search of a still-stocked larder, leaving Jubilant to her thoughts. Which in all honesty was not something the young mare liked to be alone with. Inevitably, they turned unerringly toward her imagined shortcomings. Lyra’s death coupled with the numerous losses in Ponyville were weighing heavily on her mind. And now more and more, she was thinking of Cadence and everypony else who’d left for the Empire. Would her not being there result in more loss of life?
Mercifully, she heard a struggling pair of pegasi approaching with the last of the original elements of harmony in tow. Dark thoughts of distant friends could be put aside for now. She was the Commander of Harmony, and temporary element of laughter. It was her job to make sure everypony’s spirits were high. As her aunt approached with her old friend in tow, she forced a wide and very fake smile on her face.
Fortunately, she’d been getting good at hiding what she was really feeling.
“I don’t mean to alarm anypony, but our spells didn’t do diddly against the little golems! What are they supposed to do against this one!?” Discord had sent Fancy Pants into the city to keep the heart safe while he rejoined the the others. The massive black golem that now housed King Sombra seemed content to allow them to fruitlessly assault his seemingly indestructible shell. Every now and again his horn would glow brightly, unleashing a massive ray of jet-black magical energy, forcing the beleaguered attackers to scatter.
Cadence had deposited Shining Armor on the ground to give herself more aerial maneuverability, and the two stallions were doing their best to at least try and hamper the golem’s attacks. If Shining gave it his all, he could deflect the massive beam of magic, but it forced him to use his strongest shield spell. A spell he couldn’t call on too frequently back to back.
“I don’t know, but we can’t just ignore him! He’s making his way to the mines, and it’s a safe bet he’s not going there to set everypony free!” The former guard Captain regarded Discord speculatively. “Isn’t there something… big you can do? You’re the spirit of chaos, for Celestia’s sake!”
“I can maybe whip something up. There’s no guarantee the Queen won’t notice and come swooping down on our heads the second I do, though!”
Shining looked up to the sky as his wife narrowly avoided being incinerated by one of Sombra’s beams. “Do it! We’re dead already if we don’t do something!”
Nodding, Discord began to gallop a ways away from a now-confused Shining Armor. “You want something big? Here you go!”
Shining’s eyes widened as Discord charged his magic and focused it on him, rather than Sombra. The other half of the Empire’s ruling body felt his body shiver and shudder as Discord’s magic coursed through him. For a moment he was confused and disoriented as everything around him seemed to be shrinking. It didn’t take him long to realize however, that he was growing. And growing rapidly. Soon he matched the massive golem in size. “This is more like it!”
Knowing his magic was a no-go, Shining just lowered his head and charged the Sombra golem. Colliding with it felt like charging shoulder first into a solid wall of crystalline rock, but to his relief the sudden throbbing pain in his shoulder paid off. The golem was knocked off balance and sent tumbling onto its side, creating a massive shockwave as it landed.
Cadence could only gape at her enormous husband open mouthed. Echo paused in her frantic darting back and forth, using her scream directly in Sombra’s ears to at least somewhat distract him when her old Captain broke into his charge. The night pony flitted to Cadence’s side, wearing a little smirk. “Gawk at your giant dreamboat husband later! We need to hit this thing while it’s down!”
Snorting softly at the impertinent Echo, The Crystal Empress couldn’t entirely hide a smile of her own. “Right. Let’s get rid of this monster once and for all.”
Echo’s smile dropped as she darted over the immense form of Shining Armor, trying to get a good angle on Sombra’s head again. Shining Armor was rearing back, prepared to slam his forehooves down upon the prone golem, the crystal monster’s movements beneath him going unnoticed as it lined up its hind legs for a kick. “Captain, look out!”
Either Shining couldn’t hear her warning—or he couldn’t react in time—but Sombra’s buck landed solidly in his mid-section, blasting the air from his lungs and sending him flying back off his hooves. The titanic stallion smashed to the ground, creating a small earthquake and taking out several blocks of the city as he went. Silently hoping that Fancy Pants wasn’t hiding in that direction, Echo tore her focus from the fallen stallion as the golem began to rise again.
Her screams weren’t doing much, that was for sure. Glancing down at the knives strapped to her forelegs, she snorted softly. “Alright, let’s see what you guys got, huh?” Lifting a foreleg to her mouth she gripped one half of Stinger in her teeth, drawing it from its sheath. Teeth clenched tightly around the pitifully small weapon, she darted in at Sombra’s back, swinging her neck in a quick slash. To her surprise, she was rewarded with a small cut actually being opened on the massive monster’s back between its shoulders.
If Sombra felt his shell being cut, he didn’t react. This drew a ferocious smile from Echo as she began to hack back and forth at the same point between his shoulders. The cut was getting deeper and deeper, soon noticeable even by Cadence from her position in the air.
Nodding in satisfaction, Echo sheathed her blade and landed with her hooves spread above the cut. Sucking in all the air she could, she lowered her head, pressing her mouth against the small incision and loosing the loudest scream she could muster up. She could feel the crystal around her hooves vibrating as dozens of hairline fractures splintered out from the wound.
Now Sombra took notice. Bellowing his fury, he kicked off the ground with his forelegs, bringing his entire body up off the ground, and around so he was falling onto his back. A terrified Echo shrieked in alarm as the monster she was riding abruptly flipped over onto his back. Cadence could only cry out in shock as the night pony vanished beneath the immense bulk of the golem.
The youngest ruler of the Empire only stared in horror as Sombra rose again, no sign of Echo anywhere. “No more! No more, you monster!” The wound Echo had created was bigger than ever now. Cadence again let her rage take hold as she summoned up all the magic she had within herself. The ponies privileged enough to witness the coming moments would speak of it in wonder to their children’s children, passing the story of how their Empress toppled the evil tyrant once and for all.
Cadence’s body shone like a small star as she enveloped herself in every ounce of magic she possessed. Angling her body toward the scar on the golem’s back she streaked through the air like a shooting star. She built so much speed that when she impacted the scar, the crystal along Sombra’s back shattered into a million pieces, her momentum carrying her through his back and out his chest.
The golem bellowed in pain and shock as thick black mist poured freely from both holes in its shell. Futilely, it tried to close the holes with its hooves, but of course it couldn’t reach the gaping wound on its back. Teetering unsteadily back and forth, Sombra fell to his knees and slowly toppled onto his side. The golem body was rapidly emptying itself of anything that remained of the unicorn King.
An exhausted Cadence lowered herself to the ground, panting heavily. Her victory was bittersweet as the remaining crystal golems slowly assembled before her. Expecting them to finish her off in her weakened state, she grew confused as they did little more than surround, unmoving and silently staring.
As one they opened their mouths as the essence that animated them flowed out. One by one, the emptied shells toppled over onto their sides as the freed pony souls began to dance about joyously overhead. Cadence could feel their good cheer and gratitude as more and more joined the swirling mass in a beautiful dance.
Tears flowed freely down the young Empress’ cheeks. “I’m so sorry everypony! I should have protected you! I should have been here!”
As if trying to comfort their grieving Empress, the whirling mass of color surrounded her, enveloping her in all the warmth and love they could give. And she felt it. Tears of sadness turned to those of joy as she realized her subjects not only held no malice in their hearts for her, but were nothing but grateful.
Her joy was short lived as she felt the terrible presence of Galaxia rapidly approaching the Empire. Grimly, she rose to her hooves, determined to face the Queen standing. She watched the freed souls race away into the city, hopefully on their way to their final resting place.
Turning her face to the horizon, Cadence could see the blazing trail of magic Galaxia left in her wake as she raced for the Empire. Bracing herself for her coming end, for she knew she couldn’t hope to stand against the wicked Queen in her weakened state. She only wished Shining Armor was at her side.
The sound of galloping hooves behind her drew her attention. Fancy Pants was racing from his hiding place in the city, the enormous Crystal Heart pulsing with life above his head. Eyes wide, the Empress galloped to the site of the heart’s resting place. The pillars supporting it had been destroyed by Sombra as he emerged from the ground. Having no other choice but to try, she used her magic to reconstruct as much of a facsimile as she could. “Place the heart between the spires, Fancy!”
Nodding firmly, the unicorn did as instructed, carefully levitating the pulsating heart into place. Both ponies heaved massive sighs of relief as it began to spin rapidly between the spires. A blast of magic erupted from the positioned heart as a shield containing all the colors one could imagine burst into being and spread out to envelop the entirety of the empire. Even in death, Cadence’s subjects wanted to serve and protect their beloved Empress. Both ponies looked to the sky, holding their breath as Galaxia collided with the shield. Her howls of rage could be heard even from their far distant position on the ground.
For what seemed like hours, Galaxia hammered on the shield. Both fists and magic proved useless however. The crystal heart of the citadel of harmony, either due to its larger size or from the power granted by the crystal ponies directly bonding with it, was stronger than ever. Calmly, Cadence took wing, bringing herself to face the Queen directly. “Your reign is swiftly coming to a close, Galaxia. Your allies are gone, and Jubilant and the order are coming for you next. Do you hear me? You’re next.”
Cadence managed not to shiver at the look of pure hatred leveled her way by Galaxia. The Queen sneered down at her. “Enjoy your victory, little pony. Savor these tiny insignificant triumphs. Resurrect all the dead fools you like. Send everything you have against me, that I might crush it all at once!”
With a flash of black magic, Galaxia vanished, and Cadence sank down to the ground again. Wobbling unsteadily, she was caught by a newly shrunken Shining Armor. “Hey there.”
She chuckled softly. “Hey there.”
“Is anypony going to get me out of this hole!?”
Both rulers of the Empire turned to the sound of Echo’s voice. Eyes wide, Cadence raced to the crater Sombra had created when he fell. She could just barely make out Echo’s faintly glowing eyes peering up at them from a mass of destroyed wood and crystal. “E— Echo? Did you… Fall into a basement when he landed!?”
“What’s it look like!? The stupid house collapsed on top of me as I fell down here! Get me out!”
Laughing now, Cadence levitated the debris away, allowing a bruised and battered but very much alive Echo to climb out. “Is he gone? Did we get him?”
“We did. Thanks to you. If it weren’t for that wound you made, I’d have never been able to break his shell. Thank you Echo. You’re a hero to the Empire.”
Blushing heavily, Echo just snorted. “Wh— whatever. Can we get back to the crappy old castle now? I want to see Jenny.”
A woozy Discord soon joined them. “I’ll teleport us back. We should let them know what happened as soon as we can.”
The sound of cheering reached the group’s ears as the former crystal pony slaves began to pour from the mines in droves. The survivors of the Empire celebrated long into the night at their beloved Cadence’s return, and at their newly emancipated status.
Shining offered his wife a smile. “You have to stay here. We’ll head back to the others. Just get our city back into shape alright?”
She was clearly unhappy with the decision, but Cadence knew they couldn’t abandon the Empire now. “You’re right. Go and be safe. Hurry back.”
They shared a kiss before he backed away, then turned and raced off to join the others waiting for him. Cadence watched him go silently before looking out over her city. Her Empire. With a small huff of annoyance, she blew a lock of her fluttering mane out of her eyes.
She frowned slightly at that. There was no breeze. Why was her mane blowing like there was one?
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Enormous Sombra golem and nova Cadence are epic!
2900530
Well thanks! At first it was just gonna be a 'kinda big' Sombra golem. Then I figured everything is 20% cooler when enormous.
2900615
So true
No longer Princess Cadenza, now Empress Cadenza ;D
2900777
Yes. That part was added at the last second but looking back at it I think it works pretty well.
So much win in this chapter!
The mane cast is finally coming back together and the Crystal Empire is back to its former glory!
Onwards to the epic battle of kicking Galaxia's flank!
Well done!
2901153
Thanks! And that's coming up. Three, MAYBE four chapters to go until this one is done. It'll depend on how long the Battle for Canterlot runs. If it's not too big I'll have the Jubilant and Galaxia showdown in the same chapter.
2901191
I know you will make it all work and it will come out with perfection. You've done such a great job. This is by far one of the very best epic series of fics I have read. I've enjoyed it so much!
One of these days I will get off my flank and get working on my own epic series - The tale of a blind unicorn colt, now orphaned following the Changeling invasion that surrounded the Canterlot Wedding.
Anyways...keep up the awesome work!
2901224
I found the hardest part of writing anything at ALL was that very first chapter of my first story, Best Babysitter. Once I got that done the ball was just rolling like crazy and it all comes pretty easily.
>pant< Must... Have... More... Story...
2919222
Haha, the next one's almost out ready for my editor. XD
I have a song for Cadence's "rage lance" attack (as I like to call it).
2920207
It's so metal! I approve. As does the Empress.
2908089
Thanks for the advice. I am writing the first chapter now. Looking forward to your next chapter soon.