My name is Sombra King of the crystal empire, and if you are reading this. Then it means that I have failed, and the horror that awaits my kingdom is nigh. However before your end let me tell you why I did what I did, and why they called me a tyrant. It all started when I was a young colt. I had recently acquired my cutie mark, and as is tradition within the empire. The ponies had gathered around the crystal heart to channel their energy into it.
At first I was excited to be the center of all of this attention. When the crystal heart began to glow however I felt that something was amiss. It was small hardly noticeable to any other pony around, but I felt it. I felt it with every fiber of my being! It was a call, or maybe what I should say a pulse. I tried to ignore it, but found that even after the ceremony was over I could still hear it. That is when I decided to go to the library to study the origins of the crystal heart. It told me nothing I already didn't know. I decided that it was all in my head that it was just nerves of having to take over my father's throne soon.
That night I was unable get any rest. I could still feel the pulsating thrum of the crystal heart in my ears. I started to go mad thinking that I had somehow broke myself under this ever increasing pressure of having to rule an empire. I closed my eyes, and that is when the sound pricked at my ears. Another pulse fainter than the one I had heard all day, but it was there. I focused my ears now focusing on only the sound. Another then another slow, but steady. While listening to the sound coming from the crystal heart my own began to sink. There was no doubt in my mind it was...alive.
As the days went on I carefully kept my ears on the heart. While my eyes constantly searched for answers. The pulsating kept to its slow pace of one beat every two hours. I scanned through every book within the empire's vast collection of knowledge only to come up empty hoofed. I had nearly given up hope as to finding out what the crystal heart really was. That was when I had found something that could help. It was nothing more than a simple spell book. Most unicorns would only read through it only to expand their knowledge of the more common spells. However the spell that my eyes fell upon was one of intriguing implications. Most ponies would never even bother with it, but I was a king, and all knowledge is power.
That night I snuck my way to the heart. I lit my horn, and began my spell. It was nothing dangerous just a simple mind-link spell. I had figured that if I couldn't find what I was looking for within our books I'd go straight to the source. Oh how I wished I hadn't. My mind felt as if it was being torn apart. I was nothing, and yet everything. Years of knowledge lost to time were coursing through me. Just then when I was at my weakest it stopped. I opened my eyes only I wasn't in the crystal empire anymore. No, I was in a vast cavern, and what laid before me was something out of a nightmare.
A creature monstrous in size! It was easily the size of a mountain if not bigger. Teeth larger than most buildings of the empire protruded out of its formidable maw. Its skin looked as if made of the blackest Onyx. I watched in horror as it took a heavy breath shaking the cavern to the point that stalactites fell from the ceiling only to shatter upon hitting the beast's skin. When it exhaled plumes of noxious steam permeated the air. The walls that were in direct fire screamed as water boiled off of them. Its tail covered in long twisted spikes twitched causing deep chasms to be cut into the cavern floor.
I was at a loss of words. I had never seen such a creature in all of my life! Not even in books! It was by no means a dragon! Nor was it akin to the beasts of the sea, or air. No, whatever this thing was it was something else. A monster out of some child's darkest nightmare. A sudden crack of thunder radiated throughout the room. Then another, and another each one set to an all too familiar rhythm. It was the crystal heart! With every thrum the beast stirred. It was waking up! The crystal heart was calling it!
Before I could react I was pulled back to my body laying there in the courtyard. It was hard to breath because of the fear coursing through my body. I rushed back to my chambers to formulate a plan. However the only thing I could come up with was considered heresy, but it was the only thing I could do. So I was force to wait for my father to relieve the throne to me. It wasn't a particularly long wait he was old, and decrepit. It was maybe a month before I was told my father had passed.
The entire Empire mourned their loss. I was forced to hold back my tears that day the first in many to come. There was too much work to do. Too many lives at stake, and unfortunately not enough time. Within the week I removed the heart from its alter, and hid it away. My subjects were not pleased with that, but I had already steeled my resolve. I knew I couldn't stop the protective magic of the heart. If I did my subjects would be claimed by the surrounding cold almost immediately.
I decided that if I was going to go through with this then I needed to find a safe place for my ponies. Unfortunately it was impossible to move an entire population to a new location. Even if it wasn't my subjects would insist on bringing the heart for protection. Which would accomplish nothing. My only move then was to go underground to turn our mines into a protective sanctuary for them. Once they were safe I would take the heart to the farthest corner of the world, and leave the heart.
Months passed by like minutes as I forced my ponies to excavate the mines. Day after day they dug. Day after day more of them died. They pleaded with me to end this madness to return the heart to its place. It broke my heart every time they asked only for me to refuse. It soon came to my attention that rumors were circulating about me. Saying that I was grief ridden that I was power hungry. Some even said that I was a demon in disguise of their once proud prince. If it were not for the fact that I knew the truth I might have agreed with them.
One day when I awoke from my slumber I had heard that several ponies had left our protective walls to try and find help. Their frozen bodies were brought back soon after. Many blamed me for their deaths. I wanted to cry. I wanted to tell them the truth, but I couldn't. How do you tell them that the very thing that they worship is their doom? It wasn't until I reached my chamber that I cried. I could no longer let my subjects see me mourn. I had to be strong.
The next morning I forced the tears down my throat as I placed collars around their necks. I hated seeing them chained up like dogs! I hated looking into their eyes, and knowing that I was to blame for their suffering; for their fear. However fear is an excellent motivator, and with time being a precious commodity. I decided to no longer use traditional magic. I knew that if they saw me using dark magic they would be that much more motivated to stay within my good graces.
So from that moment on whenever I was out in public I used dark magic to appear more menacing than what I really was. I had to...for their sake. If becoming the object of their fears meant a safe place for them to live then so be it. There were a few incidents of ponies trying to rebel. They would make the same demands. Return the heart, and step down. I would simply respond with a quick glare and say no. Some would throw their weapons to the side, and beg for mercy. While some would run away, or fall on their own blades out of fear. In those moments I would carry their bodies to the pyres myself. The cries of the widows will forever haunt me.
By the time three years had passed we had dug more than five miles of tunnels, and unfortunately the cemetery was almost as big by this time. I had long since stopped my public appearances. I could no longer look at my beloved ponies. How could I? When I was the cause of their misery? There were times in the dead of night when every pony was asleep would I sneak to my hiding place of the crystal heart. I would pray that I had been mistaken that I just messed up the spell. Every time I would look at the heart, and would cast my now perfected spell. Every time I would be transported back to the beast within its den. Every time it would stir more, and more. There was no doubt about it; it would wake very soon.
The last time I had done this was the day I was confronted by the princesses of Equestria. They had demanded that I relinquish my hold over the crystal empire. That my tyranny was unbalancing the harmony of the kingdoms. Ha! Foolish little mares with foolish little comprehension of harmony! I did not care about the other kingdoms! Equestria was in no danger of the beast! They were no where near its domain! The Yaks were hardy, and could easily move their nation if so called! The griffons riddled with their short sighted goals, and greed. They would sooner watch the world burn before they lifted a talon to help another nation. The Minotaurs lived on a bleeding island! No, this wasn't about harmony it was about political maneuvering. If they defeated me they would gain the favor of my beloved subjects, and would force them to forfeit their precious resources.
I remember those two foolish princesses in armor on the horizon of the Eastern plain. A smart move using the rising sun as a beacon of hope, and blinding light. Too bad I wasn't going to send my subjects out to die in a useless battle. I went out to my balcony dressed in full armor, and with my head held high casted my spell. One last time to see if I was wrong. One last bitter attempt to prove myself wrong. If I was I would surrender, and face the headsman's ax. I...I wasn't. My heart trembled like it always did whenever I looked upon the creature's monstrous visage. This time was especially horrid for the creature was not only stirring, but its eyes were starting to open.
As I released the spell I saw the princesses drawing ever closer. I knew that if we were to fight it would surely raise the beast completely. I knew that even should I win I would only see the beast devour my kingdom in search of the heart. At this point I only had one option to cast my empire into ice, and shadow. Perhaps if the heart was no longer active in the world the beast would return to its slumber, and I could tell my ponies the truth. I hoped my citizens would forgive me as I lit my horn. The colors of our gates began to fade soon followed by the buildings. Then my precious little ponies lost their glow they lost what made them special. They went to sleep. By the time the princesses reached the gate my kingdom was evaporating into nothingness.
One thousand years had passed like sand through an hour glass. My beloved ponies slept while I kept my vigil over the beast. My plan had worked. It had returned to its slumber though just barely. If it weren't for the fact that my magic was growing weak I would have maintained the spell for even longer. Unfortunately I do have my limits. The spell broke, and The Great Crystal Empire returned from oblivion. My ponies slowly woke from their stupor while my body became little more than dust. I was forced to turn myself into a specter of smoke in order to protect them.
To my surprise a new alicorn had laid claim to my throne within the span of me dying, and me returning. Damn princesses, and their meddling! Her magic had forced me out of my kingdom, and only serve to stir the beast. I new that it wouldn't be long before it fully awoke, but now I was presented a golden opportunity to rid my ponies of their demise. If I could breach the barrier shallow the heart, and run to the farthest corner of the world. I could potentially draw the creature to me, and away from my citizens. The new princess would protect them with her magic, and I could finally pay for my crimes!
It was a slim hope, but a hope I was willing to die for. I bled for my nation. I watched as proud fathers worked themselves to death in the mines! I held back my tears as mothers buried their children! My heart broke as ponies with whom I had loved, and cherished called me a demon! If the history books deign to call me a demon so be it, but I let it be said here within these old pages that I loved my ponies.
I constantly bombarded the barrier hoping that a small sliver of a crack would appear in it somewhere. I only needed a crack to get me in! It took several days of prodding, but eventually she faltered, and the barrier weakened for a split second. I rushed the gate only for my horn to be severed off. I used the opportunity to infect the gate with dark magic so I could enter fully into the empire. It took longer than I had hoped, but I eventually got in.
After I entered I felt one of my alarms being triggered. I had to stop whoever it was! I rushed for the heart the fools had no idea what they were messing with. I saw a little dragon with the heart. He had the look of my father in his eyes. Caring, but bold. I made haste towards him only for the alicorn to beat me to him. My fears came to reality as she placed the crystal heart back onto its pedestal. I cried for them to stop, but they ignored me. The heart which had laid dormant for so long was now being charged with love, and hope like it had never been. The barrier that was casted from it not only destroyed me, but it awoke the monstrous beast that had laid dormant for who knows how long.
I am telling you this here within this journal that the beast is coming. It is coming with a ravenous hunger. It is coming for the crystal heart. It is coming. It...is....coming.