King Sombra, the Equestrian Entity of Death, felt the stirring of the light. Through the eyes of his undead he could see something occurring inside the barrier. Multiple lights, other than that of the white light of Life was shining inside the barrier and Castle Tree. The barrier was unexpected, Sombra had planned for the White Lantern , but the barrier set up by the tree itself, as well as the multiple lights inside were not in his calculations. Sombra had made the mistake of underestimating the Princesses of Equestria, Celestia and Luna, he would not make that mistake again.
{My Lord?}
The King opened his eyes and turned to the voice. “Yes Lieutenant Zap?”
{The Lantern shows signs of strain. I believe he is starting to grow restless.}
Sombra sighed. “Very well I’ll tend to him myself.”
Both King Sombra and Indigo Zap walked through the stone halls, the way lit by torches made of black flames that painted the walls with an eerie, gray color, and extremely ominous atmosphere. As they continued their journey, Sombra remembered something.
“Indigo Zap, what’s the progress so far?”
{We’re currently sieging Manehattan, although we’ve encountered an Entity, Avarice I believe. It might not be long before the Entity of Willpower gets involved and then our progress will be hampered a bit if they team up. I have also garnered reports of spotting the Entity of Fear traveling with a mare., he seems to be protecting her.}
“Hmm, odd for the Entity of Fear to be protecting anything other than himself. Then again he may be using her as a way to get in with the good graces of the other Entities. From my understanding, they all fought as one against the first Blackest Night, most likely they will team up again. Have our Black Lanterns concentrate on the mare, if he’s too busy protecting her, then he won’t be paying much attention to himself.”
{My Lord, do you believe that it is even possible to turn an Entity?} Indigo asked.
Sombra raised an eyebrow in thought. “Not sure, but at the very least we can try, at most I wish to capture them.”
The hallway finally ended and gave way to a large rotunda cavern. Stalagmites hung from the ceiling, sharp and intimidating as if threatening to fall and skewer whoever dared walk underneath them. At the center of the rotunda was a giant Black Lantern power battery. The center glowed with a strange light, it was moving, an undulating darkness that swirled about. Sombra groaned in annoyance.
“So he’s restless again,” said Sombra.
The darkness began to swirl again, but this time, at the center, a crack formed. This crack got bigger and bigger until an eagle claw and lion paw broke free from it. Both the paw and claw worked at the edges of the crack until none other than Discord, well his head at least, poked through the crack. The Spirit of Chaos glanced about until he found King Sombra and glared menacingly.
“SOMBRA! When I get myself out of this oversized fly trap I am going to scatter your essence across several dimensions, all of which will be either in a constant state of destruction or in an eternal blaze!” Discord threatened.
Sombra smiled wickedly at the Spirit of Chaos. “Oh? I like that resolve, but save it for powering up my battery. Your chaos magic will serve as a good counterbalance against the magic of the Princesses and Elements of Harmony. The dark power of the black light of Death will destroy everything else.”
“I won’t let you lay a hoof on Fluttershy you rotting corpse! You’ll regret imprisoning the Spirit of Chaos!” Discord roared.
Sombra’s horn glowed with the dark light of Death and his own dark magic. “That’s all well and good, but for now…GET BACK IN THERE!!!”
A beam of dark power roared towards Discord, the beam struck the middle of the power battery and washed over Discord. The Spirit of Chaos tried to fight against the deluge of darkness, but the overwhelming power of the King and the black light of Death was too much, forcing Discord back into the power battery.
Discord tried to hold onto the edge as long as possible, but he felt his grip slipping. Before the tear he had created completely sealed itself, Discord snapped his claw and flash of light went off. Discord was helpless inside the dark shrine of death that was the power battery. Webbing made of black tar wrapped around Discord, as they did, his chaos magic began to bleed into the tar.
Outside of the power battery, the Entity of Death watched as his creation buzzed with full power. Indigo Zap felt a surge run through her body, as too did Sombra, the connection reestablished. “Well now, that takes care of that little problem. Now, what’s the progress on the Crystal Empire, how is my old home?”
Indigo Zap smirked. {The swarm will reach the Empire within the hour.}
(Crystal Empire)
“Sooo, you look like you’re ready to pop Cadance, how much longer?” Chrysalis asked.
The Princess of Love rubbed her bump and smiled. “Unfortunately any time now, which is why we haven’t gone much anywhere right now. The doctors have me on bedrest until the baby’s born, but with Shining Armor and Predator around they’ve pretty much waiting on me hoof and hoof.”
Chrysalis’s eyes glanced to her bump, a blush formed on her cheeks as she fiddled with her forehooves. “Um…Cadance, I know I have no right to ask…but would you mind if I touched your bump?”
Cadance smiled kindly and nodded.
The former Changeling placed her hoof gently against Cadance’s belly, feeling a small kick that made her giggle. “I always found the regular way ponies give birth to be very special, the connection you have to your little one as you carry it with you for months. I wish I had such a connection.”
“You sound like you’re already a mother.”
“Hmm, well yes in manner. I have laid many eggs and my colony are all technically my children, including little Murmur over there,” said Chrysalis.
A splutter could be heard coming from the other end of the room as Murmur sprayed the air with the punch she had drank. It had never occurred to Cadance, but now that she thought about it, all the Changelings were born from eggs, and the one who laid those eggs was Chrysalis and by that regard she was mother to hundreds if not thousands of Changelings.
“So…um…you do have experience with foals,” said Cadance.
“I’m not the pony you should ask, the Fluttersponies are born knowing their purpose in life, they only require the basic of care for a couple of years until they begin to mature. But regular ponies I think take longer to grow up,” said Chrysalis. “Do not worry, you will be a fine mother, and Shining Armor will be a wonderful father.”
The two mares continued to talk while Shining Armor and Murmur went on about how things were changing with the newly reestablished Flutterpony race. Predator watched all this, feeling the love energy radiate all around her. She never believed she could be happy like this, she was soon to witness the birth a life, the product of two people in love, the truest symbol of Love’s light, and Predator was going to be its protector and something akin to family. This world of Equss, this land of Equestria, it was really a place for her to experience all this and she thanked the Life Entity for -
*KA-KOOM!!!!*
Thunder roared through Empire, shocking everypony in the room. The weather was always beautiful in the Crystal Empire, the magic of the Crystal Heart kept all the plant life in the Empire from dying, everything was in a constant state of bloom, it was spring time all the time. But now…it was raining, and the rainwater was black, staining the beautiful multicolored crystals that made the citizens’ houses and the palace.
“Rain…?” Cadance asked confused.
“That’s not possible, the magic of the Empire keeps all kinds of bad weather from getting close to the Crystal Empire,” said Shining Armor.
“Um…Prince Armor, I think we have another problem, Predator’s looking particularly scary,” said Murmur.
All eyes turned to Predator. Her fur was standing on end, her tail raised into attack position. It was if watching a tiger on edge, she even bared her teeth, which had now taken on sharp features, her eyes now slits and glowing with the violet light of Love.
“Impossible, this can’t be happening here!” Predator stated in an aggressive tone.
“Predator, what’s wrong, why do you look so…distressed?” Chrysalis asked, putting the term mildly.
“The Blackest Night…!”
Suddenly, thunder roared again, but this time there was another sound. A disturbing, buzzing sound, like a swarm of flies was coming from the distance. Predator ran to the balcony and gazed out into said distance, and with her enhanced vision, she could see something coming towards them, a lot of somethings.
“CADANCE, SHINING ARMOR, EVERYPONY, WE MUST PREPARE TO DO BATTLE IMMEDIATELY!” Predator announced.
As if reacting to her warning, the Crystal Palace began to glow. An aurora beam shot into the sky and erected a barrier around the entire perimeter of the Empire. The barrier was summoned just in time as hundreds of flashes of light went off all around the barrier. Multiple strikes kept hitting it, over and over again without relent. Something was trying to get into the Empire, a lot of so, from every direction.
“What the heck is going on?!” Shining Armor concentrated his magic and amplified his voice. “Every Adamant Guard to arms! I want a SitRep now, I want to know what’s attacking us!”
The castle became alive with the sounds of many hooves as the Adamant Guard hurried to their battle stations. The Crystal pegasi took off and began flying towards the barrier that the Crystal Heart created.
“My Queen, we should alert our own Guard to come immediately!” Murmur suggested.
“You can do that?” Cadance asked.
“I am always connected to my subjects through our Hive Mind. With your permission, I can have my Flutterpony Guard arrive here to aid the Crystal Empire.” Chrysalis stated.
She knew that outside help would be good, whatever was attacking would not see her Guard coming, but neither did she want to step on Cadance and Shining Armor’s hooves. She wanted to repair relations not damage them.
“If you can, yes, we may need backup!” Shining Armor stated.
Chrysalis nodded and made her horn glow, connecting herself to the rest of her subjects. My loyal Flutterponies, I call upon you to come to my aid and to aid our allies of the Crystal Empire!
}}How quaint Chrissy, you almost sound like a real Queen.{{
W-W-Wait…this voice…!
}}You’ve had control for too long dear little sister, you’ve been burdened with the Hive Mind for so long, please allow me to relieve that of you.{{
At that moment, Chrysalis felt an intense stabbing pain in her mind, causing the Flutterpony Queen to cry out as she felt her connection to her Flutterponies severed then and there. Chrysalis stumbled about as her mind reeled from the shock it was delivered. Predator heard her cry and swiftly teleported to Chrysalis’ side.
“Chrysalis!” Predator shouted as she lowered her to the ground. “What’s wrong, are you alright?!”
Chrysalis held her hoof to her head, still reeling from the severing of her Hive Mind connection. “I…no I’m not…! I-I can’t hear them, my colony, I can’t connect to them! Murmur…where’s Murmur?!”
The Nurse Flutterpony hurried to her Queen’s side , gently nuzzling her. “I’m here my Queen, I’m here…but, I too can’t feel your presence in my mind!”
Predator growled. “What did you hear? I find it hard to believe that your Hive Mind can be wrested from you so easily. Something else took it from you, didn’t it?!”
“It…It sounded like Liliana’s voice, but it sounded twisted, filled with a sinister presence,” said Chrysalis in shock.
Predator stamped her hoof. “Black Lanterns, the Blackest Night has come to the world of Equss.”
Shining glanced to Predator. “‘Blackest Night’, what is that?”
“A horrific event in which the black light of Death raises the dead, and uses their corpses, along with the memories they have, to attack the living, both physically and psychologically.” Predator looked everypony in the room. “Learn this now, whoever and whatever is out there, it may look, act, and even sound like somepony you once cared about, but it is only a husk, defiled by darkness! Do not hesitate in taking it down.”
Although…That will be harder done than said, without Ion my light can only keep them at bay. Not only that… Predator glanced to Cadance, she watched as she tried to rise, only to be stopped by Shining Armor. I can’t risk unifying with Cadance, in her condition, my power may hurt the little one inside. But if I do not do anything, everyone here will die…
“Shining Armor!” Predator shouted. “Put up as many defensive barriers as possible, we have to focus on surviving this night rather than attacking. I will go out and buy as much time as possible while you do this!”
“Predator wait, let me –!”
“NO!” Predator walked towards Cadance and lowered her head to meet Cadance’s gaze. “I will not allow you to fight, nor will I unify with you. I will protect you, Shining Armor, and…” Predator gently placed her hoof against Cadance’s bump and smiled fondly. “…and the little one who has yet to truly live in this world.”
With that, Predator teleported away before anypony could say a word.
Predator reappeared over the barrier the Crystal Heart generated. It was as bad as she imagined, if not worse. The army of Black Lanterns were made of nothing but Changelings, not the newly reformed Flutterponies, no, the ones from before Predator helped them. Each one was a raggedy, shell filled with the darkness of the black light of Death, they hissed and screeched, throwing themselves at the barrier or firing beams of dark energy at it.
“Beings defiled by the Blackest Night, I ask your souls for forgiveness as I strike down these husks of your former selves.”
Predator’s body began to glow with the violet light or Love, her aura lapping off of her in the form of flowery petals. At this point, the majority of the swarm looked high above the domed barrier, to the top where a violet light started to shine against the raging storm.
“For hearts long lost and full of fright,
For those alone in Blackest Night!
Accept this power and join our fight,
Love conquers all – with violet light!”
With her oath given, Predator hurled herself into the swarm, becoming like a shooting star. That streak of light grew bigger and bigger, star sapphire crystals began to break off from the comet streak of violet light as well, until the streak burst apart, creating as shockwave of violet light energy and star sapphire shards.
From the explosion came the crystalline raptor, the personification of the duality of passion, the Entity of Love, the Predator.
The crystal raptor roared with all her might, and from her mouth she unleashed a violet beam that sliced through the swarm, obliterating their physical forms and trapping them in star sapphire crystals. Predator knew she could not destroy them, but she could make their regeneration painfully slow by trapping them in star sapphire crystals.
Thunder roared and lightning streaked through the skies as the swarm changed their target from the barrier to the Entity of Love. Predator jumped into the air, somersaulting, and stomped down on a group of Changelings. She then grew out crystal spikes on her long tail as she whipped it back and forth, shredding other Black Lanterns in her path.
Some tried to crawl on her body, but Predator would create more spikes, impaling them. Afterwards she’d release a burst of violet light that threw the rest of the Changelings off of her.
Predator coated her body in violet light, putting the majority of the power to her front. Once primed, Predator dashed forth as she plowed through several Black Lanterns and splattered them on her aura field, like bugs on a windshield.
The Entity of Love shot upwards above the swarm, silhouetted against the crackling lightning that arced overhead. More crystal shard spines formed on her back, and in a matter of seconds those spines launched themselves like missiles and dogged their targeted Black Lantern. Each one would explode on impact, wiping away the physical form of the Lantern, and then imploded, trapping the black sludge in crystal cocoons.
She continued this tactic as she flew around the perimeter of the barrier, firing her crystal spine missiles, and unleashing her violet light beam from her mouth.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Predator was struck with a beam of dark magic that sent the colossal crystal raptor hurdling towards the barrier. She slammed into the shield and fell to the ground with a thundering impact that shook the land.
Predator snorted, dragging herself up from the mud and growled as she looked to see who it was that shot her down. Her attacker made themselves known as the swarm parted for a taller Changeling. She was starkly different from Chrysalis when she was a Changeling. Her body was white, but faded a little. Her jagged features had an elegant curve to them, making her appear regal. The symbol of the Black Lanterns was imprinted onto her chest, standing out among her white carapace. A black, thorn covered crown adorned her brow, and her wings had sharp points to them with intricate patterns outlined with dark energy.
The regal Changeling stopped a few feet from the crystal raptor and smirked. {So, you are the Entity of Love, the Predator?}
“That it who you are addressing. So, am I to understand that you are Chrysalis’ big sister, the former Queen, Lilianna?” Predator asked.
Lilianna chuckled daintily. {Aww, does Chrissy miss me? I have missed her so much, what with having to secure her right to rule. I’m surprised she hasn’t run our race into the ground. Hmm, in hindsight, that might’ve actually been better, then we could all be together again!}
Predator reared back and roared mightily at Lilianna, making her mane blow back, and actually forcing the undead bugpony to dig her hooves into the ground. When Predator stopped, she snarled at her. “I will not allow you to harm her, nor any of the ponies in that barrier! This Empire is under the guardianship of the Entity of Love! You who are an affront to all things living, to love itself, shall not threaten their lives while I exist!”
Lilianna didn’t seem to like the show of bravado as she began to circle the crystal raptor. {My, my, so protective, I wonder, does it have to do with the newborn inside?}
Predator’s aura raged like an inferno as she bared her fangs at the undead Queen and roaring, “HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?!!!”
{Oh, I can see it. All the way from here I can see the light of life, that disgusting light that grows in a being filled with your very light.} Lilianna glared at the Entity of Love and smiled wickedly. {Once we break through this barrier, I’m going to storm that castle, and slowly extract that little bundle of joy right out of that whorse’s body! And then, I’ll eat it while she screams and –!}
Without warning, Lilianna was smacked with Predator’s tail, sending the Queen flying into the sky. Predator shot up like a rocket, and appeared in her flight path. Predator then opened her mouth and fired a beam of violet light that washed over Lilianna and dragged her all the way back to terra firma, and then exploding magnificently. But she didn’t stop there.
Predator then unleashed one salvo crystal spike missile after the other, showering the area where the former Queen had impacted. Predator roared as star sapphire crystals formed before her, four in total. The crystals linked to each other via violet lightning and began to spin, Predator channeled her light into her mouth, and with a mighty roar fired another violet beam.
The beam passed through the center of the ring and the energy was magnified times ten, creating a massive blast that flooded the spot where she landed, shining as bright as the sun and even adding star sapphire shards to the blast so it not only burned but ripped and impaled.
Predator snapped her jaws shut, and cancelled out the four shards. She then dove down to where she had struck the Queen, finding her lying prone in a crater. The crystal raptor stamped her foot down on the lower half of Lilianna, making the undead Changeling cough up black sludge. The Predator leaned down, snarling as her aura continued to rage.
“You will not threaten my godfoal in front of me, or the mare I care about – EVER!”
{A good threat *cough*, if I were still alive. *cough* *cough* But you seem to forget that I’m dead, a threat like that doesn’t hold much credence *cough* when I cannot be killed.}
Predator growled louder. “Maybe so, but I make you suffer just as much!”
{I don’t feel, but you do!}
Suddenly, Predator was bombarded with several blasts of dark light that made the crystal raptor roar in pain. The Entity of Love quickly erected a barrier, but was attacked from the opposite side by another battalion of Black Lantern Changelings.
Predator resigned to creating a full spherical barrier to protect herself. However, Queen Lilianna was not about to take that beating and not dish out her own brand of punishment. Once her body had fully reformed, Lilianna charged for the shield that housed Predator. Leading with her horn, Lilianna formed a black spike that struck the side of the shield and began cracking it.
After a few seconds the shield shattered and Lilianna was able to strike Predator in the chest. The Entity of Love roared out in pain, but her crystal hide protected her enough that it wasn’t a serious blow. But Lilianna continued her assault, creating black construct chains and a collar that latched onto Predator’s arms and neck.
The former Queen of the Changelings swung the mighty beast around like a rag doll and tossed her into the muddy dirt. Lilianna pulled at the chains and dragged the Entity of Love through the mud, staining her beautiful crystal body. With a loud cry, Lilianna threw Predator against the barrier, making her roar in pain as she was thrown back by the barrier against the ground.
The black chains vanished and Lilianna struck with black thorns that descended upon Predator, one piercing through her left claw, and another in her right. One last one pierced her tail and effectively pinned her to the ground. The black light of Death was suppressing her power, and weakening her the longer the thorn remained.
{My servants,} Lilianna ordered, {FIRE!!!}
A barrage of black energy bolts rained down on the Entity of Love, exploding one right after the other in a shower of destruction. Lilianna charged her horn and fired a massive beam of dark magic and black light at Predator, causing an explosion that obscured the Entity of Love from sight.
After a minute, a violet flash went off. When the smoke cleared, the crystalline raptor was gone, and in its place was a beaten unicorn mare. Her fur was matted with mud, and her body riddled with bruises.
Predator slowly looked up, blinking the rainwater from her eyes as she saw the swarm getting closer, and Lillianna leading the charge. {Hmm, I wonder what Lord Sombra will give me if I return with the heart of an Entity of the Emotional Spectrum?}
Before Lilianna could contemplate that thought further. A flash of green light appeared next to Predator and revealed Chrysalis who quickly placed her hoof on the fallen Entity. The current Queen of the Flutterponies gazed up at the former Queen of the Changeling, she shed tears at the sight of her corrupted sister.
“Lily…”
{Chrissy…}
With that, Chrysalis teleported Predator away from the battle. Lilianna scoffed at the action as she turned her gaze to the barrier, and the Crystal Palace in the distance.
{Little sister, we’ll be reunited once more soon enough.} Lilianna’s horn glowed as she reverberated her thoughts into the Black Lantern swarm. {Break the barrier, we will have this Empire in the name of Lord Sombra!}
Shining Armor paced the room, and so too did Murmur, both worrying for Predator who was out fighting, and Chrysalis who went to aid her. Cadance on the other hand was furious with the situation. She was the Princess of Crystal Empire, and Predator’s partner. Without fusing to one being Predator’s power was limited, but at the same time she understood why she could not enter the battle. Their unborn child would surely get hurt, if not in the middle of battle, then by the excess of magical and light power that would be coursing through her body. Plus, the fusion would alter Cadance’s body to a small degree, there were too many risks involved. Cadance knew this, but still she hated feeling helpless while other ponies she cared about were doing the fighting for her.
Just then, a flash of green light went off inside the room, and from it appeared Chrysalis and Predator. The Entity of Love was now back on the cool crystal floor, her body was already healing thanks to being back within the center of the Empire and the love energy radiating from it.
Cadance got up to her hooves and walked as fast as she could to Predator’s side. She nuzzled her friend, earning a few groans. “Predator, are you alright?”
“Kind of…I forgot how much that black light hurts, ugh,” she answered.
“How many were you able to destroy? Just from what we were able to see from this far there were a lot of explosions,” said Shining Armor.
Predator cast her gaze down. “I cannot destroy them…”
The eyes of everypony in the room widened upon hearing this news.
“B-But Predator, you’re an Entity, how can they withstand your power?” Cadance asked.
“The black light of Death consumes all light…except that of the white light of Life. Only that light can eradicate them, otherwise, I need Ion, the Entity of Willpower’s light to fully destroy them. Only with the green light of Will and any combination of the other lights, will a Black Lantern fall for good. At best I’ve slowed them down, but not for long…”
“What…What can we do then…?” Murmur asked.
It was the daunting question of the night. Their backs were against the wall, nopony knew what was happening at the Empire, and by the time they did it would too late. There weren’t underground caverns or backdoor getaways for the citizens. The bitter cold of the Frozen North made most invaders turn away, while the power of the Crystal Heart kept everypony safe. But now not even that mystical item was strong enough, not against the power of light of Death.
“We can’t give in now,” said Shining Armor. “I’m not about to die here today, I’m going to be a father, dammit, and I won’t stand by and watch my unborn foal and my wife be murdered by a bunch of living corpses!”
Predator slowly rose up, with Chrysalis supporting her. “S-Shining Armor, we can’t win. At best I might be able to get Cadance to Princess Twilight, she will be safer close to the White Lantern.”
“And then what? We leave the Crystal Ponies to fend for themselves? I won’t have it, these ponies were thrust out of time and returned after a thousand years. They deserve peace, but now are about to face a battle for survival, they were enslaved by their own king, I won’t have them be abandoned by their Prince.”
“I feel the same.” Cadance stated. “The Crystal Ponies need their rulers to show that they are not afraid, and will stand with them to the bitter end.”
Shining Armor nodded. “Then I’m going. A father must protect his family.”
“Prince Armor,” said Murmur in awe.
“Heh, I knew I liked you for more than your looks, Shining Armor,” said Chrysalis with a smirk.
“Down your Highness.” Murmur warned.
At that moment, two streaks of light came hurdling towards the barrier. All eyes turned to the skies as the group feared this to be an attack. However, these two lights were colored green and indigo, and upon reaching the swarm, the dual lights burned away the Black Lantern swarm, destroying Black Lanterns that tried to stop them.
When the two streaks reached the barrier, a small hole opened for them and shut the moment they entered. The two streaks continued to sail all the way to the Crystal Palace, and aimed directly for the balcony. The green light stopped before Shining Armor, and the indigo light before Murmur.
The two lights faded a bit to reveal metal bracers, both engraved with the glowing symbol of Willpower and Compassion respectively. Predator gawked at the two items, they felt familiar, like that of Lantern rings, but different.
[Shining Armor of Equss, you have the ability to overcome great fear. Your willingness to fight for your family, and an entire nation, despite overwhelming odds, as earned you the right to wield the green light of Willpower. Will you accept?]
[Murmur of Equss, you have the ability to feel great compassion. You selflessly care for others, and expect nothing in return, you hurt when another hurts, and you seek to bring them peace. Will you accept the power of the indigo light of Compassion?]
Shining Armor looked to Cadance, who was now staring in awe of what was happening, and Shining Armor made his decision. “I accept.”
The bracer shot to right foreleg and immediately the unicorn stallion was enveloped in the green light of Willpower. Black mesh and green armor plates formed over his body, fully donning him in the Equestrian Lantern uniform. When Shining Armor opened his eyes, they were no longer blue, but green with a slight glow to them.
During this time, Murmur seemed hesitant to take hold of the bracer. “My Queen…I don’t know if I should take this? I…I do not want to stand above you, I mean…”
Chrysalis looked to Predator, who then nodded. The Queen of the Flutterponies walked to her Nurse Flutterpony and lowered her head to meet her gaze. “Murmur, if there is any being here worthy of that power, it is you. For who could devote themselves so much to the caring of all our young and go so far as to break her own horn to seek help from those who were our enemies.”
“M-My Queen,” stammered Murmur.
Chrysalis used her hoof to cup Murmur’s cheek caringly as she spoke her next words. “I remember hating you, because you never lost your bright color or visage of what we once were. It felt like you were staying like that just to spite me and remind me of what a failure I was a Queen…”
Murmur grabbed Chrysalis’ hoof and shook her head. “No, no, my Queen I would never –!”
“But it’s exactly because of that that I was able keep some flicker of hope alive inside me, that one day we’d regain our former forms, and look at us now? Murmur…” Chrysalis moved forward and gently kissed Murmur upon her lips. The Flutterpony’s eyes went wide as her ears perked up and her wings flared. But after a moment she closed her eyes and relished the kiss before Chrysalis pulled away. “I would like to have you…if you would have me?”
Murmur’s wings fluttered excitedly at the proposal. “My Queen…Chrysalis.” The Nurse Flutterpony nodded with conviction and turned to the bracer. “I accept!”
The bracer latched onto Murmur’s right foreleg and began infusing with her with the power of Compassion. She felt all the Emotional Spectrum, Rage, Avarice, Fear, Willpower, Hope, and Love – especially Love. The power of the indigo light was strong, allowing to her empathize with each light and to balance them within herself.
The suit formed over her body, but black mesh did not form, instead, indigo armor formed over her chest, hind and forelegs, with a metal belt that allowed a flowing indigo skirt train to flow behind her. Into her left hoof, a staff formed, taken from some of the Crystal Palace, at the top of the staff an orb formed with the symbol of Compassion glowing inside it.
Murmur opened her eyes, which were now colored indigo and glowing. She glanced to everypony in the room and tapped the butt of her staff against the floor and spoke the word, “Nok.”
“I like our odds now,” said Cadance.
“They can be better, if you don’t mind?” Predator asked as she glanced one direction.
Cadance caught on and nodded.
With her okay, Predator walked up to Chrysalis. “Chrysalis, in Cadance’s stead, will you unify with me?”
Chrysalis’ eyes widened at the proposition, she remembered the kind of being that Cadance became when they became one, but at the same time, she feared it. She feared that she may become a love craving monster opposite to when she was possessed by Parallax.
“I…I don’t know…” Chrysalis stated.
Cadance walked to Chrysalis and took her hoof into her own. “Chrysalis, you are not the mare you were four years ago, or even before that. You’ve changed, now you have the chance to be the symbol to your colony that you were meant to be. Go, as an ally of the Crystal Empire, and my friend, go and help to save my subjects, and face your past.”
Chrysalis looked out into the distance, watching as the Black Lantern swarm was focusing on one point of the barrier, fissures began to show as the barrier strained to keep itself together. At the center of it all was her big sister, although that was not really her, this darkness had defiled her body and brought it back as an unholy abomination, desecrating her memory, and Chrysalis would not let this stand.
“Okay, let us fight as one, Predator!”
Predator smirked as she crossed her horn with Chrysalis’. Cadance took a few steps back as violet light began to envelop both mares.
“From shimmering day, unto darkest night,
My love will stand against all spite!
When evil shows and bellows with might,
I’ll stand in arms with my violet light!”
A cocoon of star sapphire crystal formed around Chrysalis and Predator. A bright light shined from within the cocoon as a metamorphosis took place. The cocoon soon cracked and shattered apart, with the remains transforming into sparkling crystal dust.
The being before them was supremely different from when Chrysalis was possessed by Parallax. Her wings were made of living crystal, butterfly wings that shimmered in the radiance of her light. Chrysalis’ mane flowed with highlights of violet, as did her tail. Silver armor covered her body, along with star sapphire crystals. The symbol of Love appeared on her chest plate, and a violet visor formed over her eyes and connected to the helmet.
What stood now was a transformed Chrysalis, she could already feel the difference. This power was filling, it was harmonious, she felt one with Predator instead of being two separate beings with one providing shelter for a stronger presence.
“Predator, this is amazing!”
‘I know, be careful though. Unfortunately our union is the other way around. You affect me the stronger you feel the emotion of Love. Focus on what you need to do.’
Chrysalis nodded.
All three light wielders gazed in the direction of the Black Lantern swarm as their auras flared up. The battle for the Crystal Empire has now begun.