//------------------------------// // Seeing a Piece of the Past // Story: The Crystal Wolves (Rewrite) // by Roran Dreamon //------------------------------// When the ponies left for their homes and the equestrians returned to the crystal palace, I returned there as well but not before delving deep under the palace to visit an old friend. It has been a while since I had last visited him but seeing that this festival will be going off exactly as planned, I had to make sure that our prime guest of honor was going to be there, after all one can not forget those who played a pivotal role in the empire's future. That and it was time for the devil to collect his due, one doesn't simply betray everything you hold dear for a grasp of power and authority. No this stallion will pay the ultimate price for his act of treason, two accounts of attempted regicide, several accounts of attempted murder, several accounts of mind-control and brainwashing, and the list goes on and on but I digress, he needs to die. Walking down into the darkness that is the Fel Hope Prison, I ventured deep into its core bypassing empty cells and scurrying vermin as the light from my armor guided the way to the very back. Upon reaching the very end of the prison I stopped in front of a heavily sealed and barred door. There was fourteen steel bars securing the door in its place, all of them slide into the walls on their left and right before finally the door itself lifting partially off the ground so it can swing outward into the hallway. This particular cell was made for the most dangerous of criminals and enemies of the empire, and it is currently occupied by the very stallion that fit that description to a T. Chained to the floor, wrapped in aether-enchanted chains and bindings, his horn sawed off at the base to prevent any use of magic and his body being kept weakened through the application of medicated herbs mixed into his twice-daily gruel, was Sombra, ex-magister of the Crystal Kingdom and traitor of the entire Crystal Empire. Staring down at the weakened stallion I could not help but feel a slight pang of pity for his situation because I knew that I had helped him down upon this path but it was he who decided to grasp for what was not within his reach. I taught him how to grasp and use his inner hatred and darkness, I taught him how to control it and bend it to his will, but I failed to truly teach him how to balance the light and dark within one's self to prevent the overflow of energy and because of my failure to properly teach him he then fell into darkness for his ambitions led him there. "So...is it time?" "Not yet. Soon, by solstice's end." "I see...and word of my daughter?" "Gone."' "Then where-" "With our brothers and sisters to the south, they have takin her while we fought." "Are you certain?" "Oh yes, I am positively certain that she is there. I know not of what her appearance is nor do I know what her name is, but I know for certain that she is long dead. One does not simply survive for a thousand-plus years without either undergoing petrification and being freed or by becoming an undying-race." There was silence between us as I said that and for the moment I thought I broke him but instead all he did was lower his head as he could no longer look me in the eye. I didn't have to wait for long as he started to weep, for the lose of his wife, for the lose of his daughter, all because of his lust for power and the darkness-induced mania that he was under. What a horrible way to know that everything that he has done was all for nothing. And with that said and done I closed and sealed the door behind me before walking slowly back through the darkness, feeling the tendrils latching onto me like seaweed does to a swimmers legs. I can still hear the echoes of those that died down here all those years ago, the gryphon prisoners that we brought back with us, the true criminals of the war, and we left them down here to rot to death. I left them down here to starve and be eaten alive by the rodents that run to and fro. The bones of the damned line this dungeon, so many gryphon bones, so many foul deeds that have condemned them to their prisons. How many innocents have they sent to their deaths on their behalf? How many young sons and daughters will never see their mothers and fathers because they were sent off to war for greed and power? And for what? The only source of pure crystal that sits perfectly on a ley line? It would have been useless to them but they instead fought for them anyways so it only proves that they had found a way to either cast magic through an apparatus or catalyst, or that they have instead decided to sell it to someone else that is capable of magic. But who? I will never learn the answer to that question because I burned Gryphonstone to the ground during the war. My private army of wardens sealed the gryphon capital off by forcing the gates closed and barricaded them from the outside, before unleashing a never-ending volley of flaming arrows, incendiary clay pots and fireballs over the walls and into the city. For a whole month we laid siege to that city, and for a whole month we set fire to its inhabitants as they pled for mercy from our savage brutality, but never gave them the mercy they oh so desperately craved. When they turned to their leaders to end the siege by surrendering their cries fell on deaf ears as their stubbornness refused the shouts and demands of peace with the enemy, and so they burned. They all burned, every last man, women and child burned within their stone walls, they could have flown out but after so many were shot down by me and my rangers, they decided to weather the storm but how does one truly withstand a maelstrom of fire and stone? The correct answer is you don't, you either give into your fate and die or find a way into the eye of the storm but sadly that eye was outside those walls and there was no way out. When the siege was over we walked on inside after taking down the blockade and once we stepped in, the smell of burnt flesh and fur was so overwhelmingly powerful that we had to wait a full day just to air it out let alone be able to walk in without gagging, except for me and my breathing mask. I saw first hand what my siege tactics have brought onto our enemies, how it left so very few survivors in its wake. From the outer wall all the way to the castle, there was nothing but burnt out buildings, charred bodies and molten metal from gryphon arms and armor. I walked through the remains of countless gryphons that didn't find shelter within their homes, not that it would have done anything to stop the raging inferno from taking their homes and their lives. From the outer gates to the castle doorsteps there was nothing but death and cinder, that is until I reached the inner section of the city. The walls were scorched to the point that there are outlines of those that claw at the wall who begged to be let in to be spared the coming flames but they were rejected and were fed to the all-consuming blaze, and I strolled right on through, the gates were weakened by the fire and I blew it apart with a well placed shot from my Shrapnel Launcher. The few gryphon soldiers that were inside who saw me coming either fled inside of the castle or gave their lives to bid for time, but it wasn't enough as those who fled died on the steps as they too died from the flames that licked at their paws. But for what happened when I walked in, that is a story for another time... Now back to what I was doing, walking back to the surface to check up on the equestrians and to see if Sombra's daughter is truly gone from the palace. Sombra's daughter, a pink horned filly that had a multi-hued pink mane and that she was the apple of his eye. This little filly was his world and he did everything within his power to keep her safe and sound, to give her anything she would ever want and gave her the best education gold can offer. Sadly for all of his power and wealth it wasn't enough to stop a rare disease from clinging to her and rendering her with nothing but a few years to live. We called it Stone Skin and what it did was it slows down the body by stiffening the muscles first, then calcifying your skin in patches so it hardens up and eventually your organs start to solidify as your flesh and muscles turn to bone, but in this case we called it stone because of how smooth and flawless it becomes upon death of host. She had this disease and we did everything we can to slow it done. We tried tonics, powerful healing spells, healing spring waters, we even tried to remove the infected flesh from the body but all that did was slow it down until finally we ran out of ideas to save her life. The only option we had left was to put her into a magically-induced coma and put her into a stasis bubble and pray that we find a cure in time to both reverse the damage that it has done to her along with cure her of it entirely. We left her in isolation before we were sealed in a temporal displacement field and now that we are free from its effect I had thought that she was still in there. Climbing out from the depths of the prison I stalked through the palace's front doors and up to Melodic Cadance's room on the third floor, we had to use magic to seal it off so no one else might accidentally contract the plague and to my surprise and fear when I stopped in front of it that the wards and charms that have been placed on the door are gone. Pulling out my pistols I slowly crept up to the door and pushing it open as slowly as humanly possible I scanned the room, clearly noticing that Melodic was gone but to make it worse whoever took her away from this room also clearly took everything from the room minus the bed and its sheet along with the dressers and other little knickknacks that one would find in a room. There was only four people in the entire world that knew about Melodic's condition and where she was located. Me, Sombra, Celestia and Luna. I am right here, Sombra is in prison and the two sisters are now here with a third alicorn of unknown origins and it looks like Melodic but... No No way. There is no god damn way...they wouldn't do that...would they? It must be a trick or something, it can't be real, there is no way that they managed to ascend a filly into godhood all the while curing her of that accursed disease. Unless its a trick, a piece of deception to sow chaos into my mind? But if they did cure her... I have to make sure, I got to make sure that it really is her and I just know how to go about doing it. But before I could leave the empty room, I spotted a small scroll on the nightstand, perfectly rolled up and coated in a light layer of dust, I don't know how long it has been there but it must have been there for at least a day or two. Unrolling the scroll I saw that it was a note and I immediately began to read it and I immediately came to regret it. "To whom it may concern." "I know that it will be you Skolas that will be reading this scroll because you and I both know that Sombra will either be too busy running the Crystal Kingdom into the ground with his tyrannical reign. If you are reading this then you will have discovered that Luna and I have escaped the kingdom in hopes that we can find others like us along with those that are magically inclined to help us stop Sombra before he can cover the world in darkness. I know that we are leaving you behind to protect the kingdom but we both know that it is only a matter of time before Sombra either overwhelms you with his mastery over the dark arts or that you join him in his endeavors, but we are holding onto hope that you will be the one to stop his reign of terror before it truly begins. We are taking Melodic Cadance with us along with her mother to keep them safe and to shelter them from the knowledge that it was their husband/father that almost brought ruin to the world. I hope that someday you can forgive us for abandoning you and our subjects to a fate that you would deem a 'fate worse than death' but I saw no other alternatives. Pray forgive us, for we have failed to keep our subjects safe from harm." "From the office of former Princess of the Crystal Kingdom, Celestia Dawnbringer" After reading the scroll I could only look at the piece of paper for a few seconds before quickly re-reading it a second time before it finally sank in. The princesses kidnapped a filly and her mother along with several dozen ponies and ran off to Equestria with them because they were too weak to stop Sombra and left me to do it for them. Those fucking cunts! Rolling up the scroll I placed it within one of my numerous pockets that I had lining my armor and sealed it up to prevent it from falling out as I turned to leave the room. I calmed myself down, letting my anger get a hold over me will accomplish nothing at this point for it has already been done a millennia ago in the middle of a conflict. There is nothing that can be done to bring her back nor is there a way I can convict Celestia in a legal court...but a court of public opinions on the other hand...revenge can be earned that way as well. Leaving the door to Melodic's room wide open I proceeded to the throne room to set up my little ploy to draw out the truth from the equestrian princesses along with their new alicorn in hope of finding out the truth. I may not like Sombra, hell I hate him for the treasonous act he unleashed on us all but if I can find out that she has been spared a cruel fate and lived a fulfilling life, maybe it will give him one last smile before he meets the headsman block. So it looks like that I was right about that Sombra's wife and child did escape the night all shit hit the collective fan at the same time. Bad news indeed...for Sombra anyways, aggravating news for me though. Striding to the throne room as I passed by several maids and guards, all of them giving me a head nod as I pass them by and as I walked down a flight of stairs I saw a purple unicorn reading a book while floating around her are several more, some closed while others are open. This must be Twilight Sparkle, Celestia's current student and also my best means of gathering information from. Trailing behind her is two crystal guards and two equestrian guards and both groups don't like the other, I wonder why? Walking up to her I get in her path just in time for her head to bonk into my right thigh and as she does so she comically collides into me while dropping all of her books, especially the one she was reading as it was sandwiched between the two of us. As she lands on her flanks and rubs her head to wonder what she walked into and when she looked up, oh its like a little puppy is sad because it did a bad thing! "S-sorry E-Emperor Skolas, I didn't see you there. It won't happen again, I swear!" Kneeling down to help her up, concealing my lower arms in the process I watched as the young unicorn's horn flickers to life as a lavender glow surrounds the books she brought with her as she gets back onto her hooves. "It is alright little Sparkle, and do not call me Emperor while you are a guest here, I believe a more informal approach to dealing with friends." I said with my best tone of voice that didn't sound like I was threatening or yelling at her while at the same time putting the word 'friends' at the end to hopefully get her to open up and make it easier on me to pry even more information from her lips. In an instant her features changed from worried to excited, my guess is that she thinks she made a good enough impression on me for me to consider her a friend and thus that I would divulge important information in her thinking that she wouldn't tell anyone else behind my back. But seeing how she is Celestia's student and lapdog...she would turn to tell her everything in a heartbeat. Here is hoping that my years of gambits and deceptions pays off or at the very least provide some manner of success. "We're friends? I-I mean yes! Of course we are friends!" Twilight shouted out happily as she pranced in place, apparently it was enough to make her very happy for us just to be friends, I bet she doesn't get out much to experience what the world has to offer. "We are, and by the way just what are you reading?" "Oh these? These are just books on the Crystal Kingdom's history and I must say that it is intriguing, I never knew that there was such a thing as the giant pony tribes let alone that they wielded magic unlike anything we have today! Did you know that they are more attuned to the land than even the earth ponies are?" "Yes, I did know that, I have seen what it is capable of doing in action on several occasions." Seeing how I am married to one and that I had to fight her father just to marry her...I know exactly what they are able to do with their undocumented magic. As Twilight starts to enter rapid-fire mode and starts to talk about how the giant ponies can help Equestria by teaching them their magic and their history and culture, but what this girl fails to understand is that they don't teach anyone that is considered an outsider. And seeing how Equestria as a whole is considered an 'outsider' along with the fact that it was Equestria's fault that they had to move this far up north to begin with. Letting the purple mare talk I looked at the books that are being held in her arcane grip and to my surprise they were old history books and even a single tome on the wildlife of the Crystal Kingdom that has been documented and recorded. I am happy that she is trying to learn more about my kingdom but I am absolutely elated that someone is reading a book that I wrote, getting mauled by a manticore sucked and getting almost buried alive in an avalanche when a damn wyvern slammed into the mountainside I was climbing sucked even more when I found out that it knocked me all the way down the mountain I was climbing up. I got both of their heads sitting in the hunter's lodge near the main gate. "To think that timber wolves are magical constructs that act as guards who protect the forest they are created in! I always wondered why they hated everypony that entered the Everfree Forest and now I know why! They think we are going in to chop down their home and they are just defending it, if only there is a way to make peace with them and show them that we mean them no harm..." Easier said than done Twilight, easier said than done...finding the Heart of the Forest was a bitch to do and brokering a peace with the dryad that acts as the forest's caretaker is well... it is something that I regret and my wife is pissed at me whenever I have to go into the forest just to renew the deal. Speaking of which I think I am way overdue to renew that deal...I just hope she doesn't try to kill me the moment I step into the forest because I am at least a thousand years late. "Don't worry about it Twilight, sometimes there are somethings in this world that are just not meant to be known or made public. We all have secrets and we also have a few that are meant to stay with us to our grave." "Oh please, nopony has secrets like that! You are just making that up, nopony would ever have something so dark or so evil of a secret that if it were to get out it would destroy the pony's reputation and possibly their livelihood." Shaking my head and laughing softly I kneeled down to pat the young unicorn on the head, the notion made the young mare pull back a bit and shake her head, clearly not liking what I was doing. "What an innocent little pony, you clearly never seen what dark secrets lie in wait within the shaded corners of ones heart. You don't know how many ponies both here, out in Equestria, and beyond both of our borders lie the innumerable masses that hide their darkest secrets and desires from those they consider friends and kin alike. Hiding those feelings and secrets is what everyone does, and do not play me for a fool Twilight for I too know that you too have secrets and desires that you do not want anyone to know about just like how I have my own secrets that I do not want getting out to the world." "We all got skeletons in our closets, Twilight, but just know that my skeletons are numerous, of different species, and some still have meat on their bones." I said with a sharp grin on my face as I stood back up and started to walk towards the northern balcony, the whispers from my wardens told me where the three alicorns are located and I had a few words to spare between the lot. Walking with purpose and also with a sense of foreboding doom I moved through my halls with the clip-clopping of hooves right behind me, the bookworm must be following me or was one of the maids that was on her way to her assigned work area for the day, either way we were both heading to the same direction it would seem. During the walk we went back to talking about skeletons in our closets, and sure enough Twilight kept insisting that ponies don't keep secrets from each other, but I eventually got her to admit that ponies do keep secrets, just not the ones that would be as terrible as I am making it out to be believed. But in all seriousness some ponies do have that dark side to them, that urge to do the unthinkable and feel no regrets for doing it. Soon enough we reached the northern balcony and sure enough there was the three alicorns standing there. Celestia was lowering her sun as Luna was raising her moon with Cadance sitting between the two, watching it all unfold and as they had their little moment of moving the celestial bodies around in the sky. I gave them their peace and quiet for the duration of their little transfer ritual and as soon as they were finishing up I decided that now would be a good time to make my presence known to the three and to tell them something important. Coughing into my left lower hand to alert them to my presence I waited a few seconds as their ears moved to slightly face my direction as they remained still and facing the balcony and for a moment I thought they haven't heard my cough of attention so I was about to repeat it when they finally stood up and turned to face me, all smiles and happiness. One of it was slightly forced and it wasn't that hard to figure out why. I think I'll hold onto the information regarding the princesses kidnapping a foal and her mother, use it for blackmail later. "Hello Celestia, Luna, Princess Cadance, enjoying your time here?" I asked the three princesses at the same time, hoping to hear good things. "Verily!" "Indeed I am, it has been too long since I have been here and I am simply happy to see it once more." "Its alright, a little cold but I can handle it." All three mares said and I couldn't help but smirk under my mask, even though I don't entirely need it on due to the amount of magic in the air which is capable of acting as a substitute for Ether but it still isn't enough for me to subsist on. Every few hours I had to reattach my mask to my face and let my body recycle the Ether and magic in my body and lungs before being able to take the mask off and resume myself. Giving the two royal alicorns a once over I then turned to look at the new alicorn and I must say that she looks just like Melodic Cadance, just take away those wings, give her a stubbier horn, and an adorable stutter and then we will have a spot on match but this... If this Cadance is actually Sombra's daughter but somehow ascended this mortal coil into immortality than they have done the impossible, they have found a way and possibly the means to turn any equine into an all powerful alicorn. "I am just coming to check up on my old friends and to remind you two that tomorrow is the Crystal Faire so be sure to get plenty of rest because for the next three days it will be an exciting time." I said as I returned my gaze to the two celestial sisters and to my pleasure they took my words to heart and said that they will only up for a few more hours before returning to their quarters while the pink one will be joining her husband for a chat about something. What they will be talking about I do not know but it better not be about trying to usurp my throne. Leaving them to their own devices I left to get ready for tomorrow morning, the three-day long festival begins at dawn and I must be well-rested to give the opening speech before letting the masses celebrate. Climbing down stairs and passing numerous sentries and maids I soon found myself at my room being guarded by two female centurions holding halberds as they gave me a stiff salute which I returned with a nod but when I turned the doorknob and walked in I saw that there was a pony sitting on my bed. And creating a very noticeable dent in the thick mattress in the process. Laying on my bed in a seductive pose, or as seductive as she can get seeing how she is usually so blunt and forward with her demands, was my wife, Forge Shatterbane, daughter of Skull Taker the Chieftan of Clan Shatterbane and also the biggest mare I have ever seen besides Celestia and Luna as they currently are. Staring at my wife I could only wonder why she was laying on her back with everything on display and that she was giving me a very clear 'Come Hither' look. I recognize that look anywhere and it fills me with impending dread. It was the very same look she gave me on our wedding night. Before I could even back out of the room and make an emergency escape, the door closes itself behind me before the sound of magic seals it shut and locks itself down tightly. Looking at it now I should have realized that this was going to happen, it was clearly the winter season, the giant folk's heat season is attuned to start during winter, and that it was a day before what was also the winter solstice...wow I should have seen this a mile away. Uh oh...I am going to be sore in the morning...I just hope none of our guests can hear what is about to happen.