After being banished for casting a malignant spell on ponies in a fit of madness, Cadence returns to Equestria. Haunted by her actions and eager to redeem herself, she decides that only by serving ponykind will she be able to regain her self-respect and the trust of her loved ones. In going to Canterlot to face Celestia, she finds Equestria in a state of prosperity... but its ruler is acting strangely.

Thanks go out to Pascoite for editing, and Inquisitor M for pre-reading.

Originally written for March 2017 Writeoff Rising From the Ashes.

I'd also like to thank those who offered feedback on the contest version. In no particular order: Novel-Idea, Kritten, Fenton, Posh, Rao the Red Sun, horizon, Cold in Gardez, CoffeeMinion, AndrewRogue

The cover is a drawing by Mi-eau, used with permission.

While on a rescue mission, Twilight lands herself in a dead end from which none of her magic seems to help her out. All on her own, she has to face the prospect of perishing.

Cover Art by Ventious

UPDATE - On hiatus until January 2024

King Sombra the feared, hated, and reviled regent of the Crystal Empire has finally returned from his banishment at the hooves of Equestria’s ruling diarchs. He awakens to see that his empire has returned with him before he swiftly reconquers it to little resistance.

Without wasting much time he draws up plans to defend the empire, now safely back under his control, from its Equestrian neighbors to the south. And knowing Celestia and Luna he’s surprised that they have not already reacted to his empire’s re-emergence; however, he just brushes it off thinking himself lucky for their sloppiness. As he waits for the princesses' response it eventually becomes apparent that there won’t be one.

Confused, he begins using various methods to try and get in contact with Equestria. After many failed attempts and a worrying report from a border guards’ patrol he starts trying to get in touch with the other countries of the world only to receive nothing in return. Following an even more worrying report from a scouting mission to Equestria and the appearance of a mysterious plague that only seems to afflict the crystal ponies, Sombra is at wit's end.

Determined to find out what is going on outside his empire’s walls he puts his plans of war against and the conquering of Equestria aside and sets out on a mission. A mission that will soon lead him to find out that the world he and his empire have returned to is nothing like the one they left. And the answers Sombra seeks could threaten to destroy not only him, but the entirety of the world as well. 

Something has happened while they were gone, something sinister…

Featured: At some point apparently

In Progress: Arc 1 ~ The Wasteland

Story will be split up into different arcs with some interlude chapters spread within and between each arc. Some sections of the story will also be prewritten while others are written then shortly posted thereafter (after editing of course😊)!

Different story tags will be added to the story as it goes along so as to not spoil certain story elements for those reading this story as it comes out. Also, additional tags will be written here if they are important, and/or I have reached the tags limit. An archived tags section may also at some point be added.

Additional Tags: OC, Crystal Ponies

When ponies talk in groups, you can never quite make out what they're saying. Follow them around and you'll notice they follow very specific patterns. It's the same thing, day in and day out. It never rains unless the entire town is depressed. The weather is controlled, there are no criminals or existential threats. There's never any sadness that isn't fixed after a half hour of talking. No conflict left unresolved.

I've noticed all this in a week. And the more I look, the more I feel like I'm slipping into madness.

This place isn't real.

It's always been Cloudy's dream to meet Princess Twilight Sparkle for as long as she can remember. When Cloudy finally gets to meet her, it's the most perfect day! She lives her dream- it's too good to be true. She gets to go see Starswirl the Bearded and gets to go to Pinkie Pie's party! And to finish it all off, they get to watch the sunset together. It's (literally!) to good to be true.

When a blizzard descended upon the Crystal Empire, everypony felt their fear of the unknown return. Twilight and her friends were instantly on the next train, and found the Crystal Empire almost as if it had never been saved in the first place. Fortunately, the crystal ponies were standing strong against the onslaught, and their city was not in danger.

That did not mean Twilight was not in her own danger, as she walked the short distance to the protected part of the capital.

Twilight Sparkle has a secret: her mind is not hers alone.

King Sombra, tyrant of the Crystal Empire, was spared from his destruction. Twilight Sparkle welcomed his severed consciousness into her own, and began to learn from and hopefully teach the fallen unicorn. No one knows what she has done, and now fate has thrown a wrench into her plans.

Back in Ponyville after her coronation as Equestria's newest princess, Sombra refuses to ignore Twilight's new station in life.

One hundred percent approved by Twilight's Library.

Deep under the resplendent city of Canterlot lies a web of vaults, containing many secrets hidden from the common folk. One of such undercrofts shelters an extraordinary artifact – the crimson horn of King Sombra, the uneasy spirit of the corrupted unicorn still within it.

After months of careful consideration, Princess Celestia ventures down into the delves underneath to confront the fallen king, determined to aid him and bring him serenity at long last.

Equestria has lived in paradise since Princess Celestia and her sister Luna rose to power. But how have they kept it this way?

Well, when you have something that can see every possibility you do have quite the advantage. But this comes at a heavy cost.

My eyes are clear, you can see right through them and into what I truly am: A monster. I am not somepony to be messed with as I am a monstrous being hidden behind the shell of a normal pony. I covered my eyes and mouth with my monstrous power and retreated to the woods, the only place others would be safe from me... I am Slendermare, and this is my tale of deceit, depression and friendship... I will write this notebook with a writers tone, to show the entire story...