//------------------------------//
// Chapter 40: The Crystal Empire? More like the Crystal City State 
// Story: Drake's Empire 
// by Pentel123 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 40: The Crystal Empire? More like The Crystal City State
“When you love you wish to do things for. You wish to sacrifice for. You wish to serve.”   
―  Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

As the roar died down, The Elements and Shining Armor glanced back at the shield. When the tremors of fear racing through their bodies stopped, Shining urged them onwards to the castle.

“Let’s go! The sooner we get to the castle the better.” He said, taking the lead. Most of the girls made to follow, but two held back.

“That wasn’t Spike. He needs our help.” Twilight said, turning away from the city.

“She’s right. We can’t leave him out there against whatever is in that ghastly fog alone.” Rarity said, falling in beside Twilight.

“Stop! We can’t go back. Every second we spend here is another second closer to Sombra getting in.” Shining said, throwing down a wall of magic to block them.

“What do you mean Sombra getting in?” Twilight said, pressing against Shining’s barrier with her own magic.

“The fog is Sombra. Sombra is the fog. He’s been attacking since we arrived. Cadence and I were lucky to get the shield up before he was able to get into the city. Luring him off to come meet you wasn’t easy either.” Shining said letting his field drop as the girls listened closely.

“If you want to stop him you’ll come with me to the castle and meet Cadence. I’ll share what I know there so you can get to work finding a way to stop him, while I help her keep us safe.” Shining said as he pointed at the castle rising in the distance.

“Or you can go that way, try to find a way through the shield and fight Sombra head on, something that taxed even the Princesses in the end.” He said, pointing at the shield. “Spike made sure we got through safely. Don’t disrespect him by throwing away the chance he bought us.”
 
“Shiny! That’s Spike out there! You can’t seriously be saying we should abandon him?” Twilight yelled.

“You aren’t abandoning him Twilight, you’re trusting him. He isn’t a baby anymore. He’s always been looking out for you as best he can. Trust that he is doing the same now. Every second we dither is a second closer to Sombra succeeding. If Sombra succeeds, then what Spike is doing now, what Cadence and I have done for the past several days, the guards that we lost when he first stuck, means nothing. We have to go now.” Shining said, placing a hoof on her shoulder.

“He’s right Twi, Spike is strong. He’ll be fine once we win.” Rainbow said. “But if we don’t win…”

“Okay, let’s go.” Twilight said, letting Shining lead her once more towards the city. As the group began to move once more Rarity hung back, still where she stood, torn between going back and moving forward.

With a heavy sigh, she gave in. “Stay safe Spike, you’d better be there when this is over.” Then she galloped to join the others as they raced into the city.



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“We need to get together one of these days when the fate of Equestria isn’t in the balance.” Princess Cadence said after greeting the girls. She didn’t look well. Dark circles rested under her eyes and she head hung low. The shield had flickered for a moment, causing her to flinch as she had finished her chant with Twilight.

“Are you okay?” Twilight asked concerned for her sister-in-law.

“Cadence has been able to use her magic to spread love and light. Sombra can’t enter its influence. Somehow it is creating a barrier against him. She hasn’t slept. Barely eats. I want to help her, but Sombra has been able to counter my protection spell each time I try.” Shining Armor said, standing side by side with his wife.

“It’s alright Shining Armor, I’m fine.” She said, refusing admit weakness in front of Twilight and her friends.

“She’s not fine. She can’t go on like this forever, and if her magic were to fade... Well you saw what’s out there waiting for that to happen.” Shining said, ignoring Cadence’s attempt at reassurance.

“That’s why we’re here.” Twilight said.

“Why we’re all here.” Applejack said, backing her up with a chorus of agreement from the rest of the girls.

“With Cadence putting all her strength into keeping her spell going, I’ve been busy securing the castle and finding ways to distract Sombra so I could get you, so we haven’t been able to gather much information from the Crystal ponies.” Shining said as Cadence drifted closer and closer to the sweet embrace of sleep beside him.

“Crystal ponies!” Rarity cried out happily, fantasies dancing in her mind.

“There are Crystal Ponies?” She asked tugging at her mane before seeing the surprised and disapproving looks on her friends faces. She recomposed herself, asking for Shining to continue what he was saying.

“But we have to believe one of them knows how we can protect the empire without having to use Cadence’s magic.” Shining said. Twilight thought for a moment on how to approach the problem.

“A research paper.” She offered only to be met with confusion from her brother. “It must be part of my test. To gather information from the crystal ponies and deliever it to you.” She concluded, for a moment forgetting about the concept of personal space. “Hehe. This is going to be great. I love research papers.”

Shining and Cadence could only look on in complete confusion, unsure of what Twilight was talking about as she turned to leave.

“Yeah, who doesn’t.” Rainbow said, elbowing Pinkie.

“Ohohoh, let me guess. Is it Appplejack? Nono, Fluttershy! Rarity?” Pinkie replied adding to Shining’s confusion. Cadence had given up caring, too tired to deal with the antics of Twilight’s friends.

“Don’t worry big brother. I am really good at this sort of thing.” Twilight told him with a wink. “Let’s go girls, time to canvas the city.” She said, running back into the city.

“I don’t think I brought enough canvas, or paint.” Pinkie said ruffling through her saddle bags. “Why would you cover the city in canvas anyway?”

“Pinkie, I don’t think- “

“That would be terrible. How could you seriously intend to cover this wonderful city?” Rarity said, cutting Applejack off.

“Oh, are going to disguise the city as the cold bleak tundra so Sombra will never find us?” Fluttershy asked.

“Or so we a can ambush him when he least expects it.” Rainbow said.

“Um I don’t think that is what Twilight meant.” Shining said as he helped Cadence back to the throne. “But you should probably hurry up if you are going to help her.”

The girls jumped and blushed, realizing that Twilight had gone on without them. They rushed out after her. Cadence and Shining shared a look before bursting out in laughter.

“Haha. Shining, I’m glad they’re here. If anyone can help its them. By the way, where is Spike, I thought he would be here for sure.” Cadence said leaning against Shining. “I can’t imagine him passing up a chance to help Twilight.”

Shining held his wife tightly. “He is here, just outside the shield. We were jumped by Sombra just before making it back to the shield.”

“What happened! How did you escape? Where’s Spike now?”

“Sombra appeared from nowhere as a cloud of black fog. We started running. He was moving too fast for everyone to make it in the shield in time.” Shining said. “And Spike, well did you know he always had this fantasy of being some kind of shining knight. A hero. He could probably tell you more tales about famous guards and adventurers than anyone else in Canterlot.”
 
“Shining you’re stalling. What happened?”
 
“Spike grew, became very large. Big enough to throw me anyway. He tossed me in the shield and turned to fight Sombra. He is out there now.”
 
“He’s out fighting Sombra. No. No. I can feel Sombra pushing on the shield. Shining we have to help him.”

“The best we can do is keep the shield up till Twilight succeeds. Spike has gotten strong. All we can do now is trust him.” Shining said holding his wife close and hoping Spike really had gotten strong enough.



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“After that I was banned from the castle kitchens for two whole months.” Spike said. On his hard crystal throne Razor Claw wearing Sombra’s body scowled. He knew what the whelp was doing. It was painfully obvious it was just trying to buy time, but he could wait. His various traps hadn’t been triggered yet. If that changed, he could just be done with this and throw his full weight on the shields. For now, it served him to save his strength.

“Fascinating.” He said sarcastically. “I fail to see how that is relevant to what I asked.”

“I’m getting there, I promise.” Spike said, shifting his shoulders nervously. “I just want to make sure you understand enough about what makes me me. Otherwise my control of the curse will seem odd to you.”
 
“You were raised by the ponies instead of with other dragons. The ponies are controlled by that insipid white wonder Celestia. Her ideals mean you don’t know how to be a dragon, you’re just a pony with scales. Get to the point.” Razor Claw said. Moving the crystals closer to Spike’s throat.

“So the Great Dragon Migration was happening…”


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The only thing Twilight and her friends found in their search of the city was a library one of the crystal ponies told Applejack about. The librarian had been of little help, beset like all the rest of the citizens by magical amnesia. Well into the search of the library it began to seem hopeful.

“Anyone else thing this is a lost cause?” Applejack asked after sifting through another stack of books. Elsewhere in the library, a pile continued to grow next to Twilight as she used her magic to parade books past her.

“No. No. No. No. YES!” she called out, pulling last book into an embrace.

“History of the Crystal Empire.” She read as her friends gathered round. “I just hope it has the answers we need.


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“Two affects from the curse. The greed curse Discord intended, as much as the mad spirit intends anything, and this ‘need’ as you call.” Sombra said as Spike finally let onto his curious control of himself and his shape.

“Yes.” Spike said. He had continual shrunk as his was forced to share with Sombra, unable to hold onto his greed in the face of mortal terror. Fortunately, he now had a bit of wiggle room around the crystals Sombra had aimed at him.

Suddenly, Sombra’s focus shifted to the shield and he chuckled. “So they’ve found the library. Time to increase the pressure.” His horn glowed a sickly green and black and the jagged crystal around the shield surged forward, grinding themselves against it. The crystals cracked and shattered, but more rose to take their places.

With Sombra distracted, Spike breathed deeply. The shadow formed pony sneered as the shield held; he poured more power into his assault. Spike saw an opening and took it. He launched himself to the side, away from the crystals pointed at his throat. He slipped through a gap, ran, and quickly took flight, getting away from the ground and any new crystals.

Sombra was caught off guard, it took him a moment to react. Those precious seconds kept Spike alive as crystal spikes began erupting from the ground beneath him. They continued reaching for him as Spike gained altitude.

Spike climbed higher and higher. Once he’d built some separation from the spikes, he sent a blast of fire at Sombra. As he closed his mouth, Spiked turned away from the shield, hoping to draw Sombra after him.

Sombra deflected the fire effortlessly, and launched crystal javelins at the retreating dragon. They missed. Sombra snarled as he watched Spike fly away. He was torn between continuing his assault and chasing Spike down. After a final unsuccessful push against the shield, he transformed back into mist and flowed across the ground after Spike. The shield could wait. What did it matter if they found the library? The heart was still sealed away, behind traps of his own creation. It could wait. The dragon however, could not be let run free. Not because he was a threat, but because it might go for those damnable do gooders Celestia and Luna.

’Though I wonder why they aren’t here now.’ He pondered as he gave chase.

Spike had Sombra’s attention. Whether or not that was a good thing would depend on how much longer it took Twilight to figure out how to beat him. He hoped it wouldn’t be too much longer. Sombra chased after him, a dark fog across the ground. There was nowhere to land so Spike kept flying.

Now and then he sent a gout of fire at the fog. It accomplished nothing, as the fog just flowed around it, but it made Spike feel better. The glow of the shield kept him going. So long as that was up there was a chance.

Then it started to fade. Like a bubble popping the shield fell. Sombra noticed as well. Without a second thought the fog rushed towards the empire.  

“Crystals.” It hissed. Ever since reverting to fog, Spike noticed Sombra’s vocabulary had become very limited. Spike turned towards the city. Spraying fire at the fog, trying to make it jink away from the undefended city. The fog ignored him, charging forward single-mindedly.

Spike watched in horror as it closed on the city, black clouds rolling in from all directions, as he could do nothing. Then as Sombra was inches away the shield rose once again, at the last second it snapped across Sombra’s path, slicing his horn. The city was safe.

Spike breathed a sigh of relief. Then he heard Sombra chuckling, and a sick feeling settled in his gut. Sombra shouldn’t be chuckling his he just lost his horn. The wind howled and Spike prepared for whatever came next.


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Twilight ran through the castle. She had to find the crystal heart. Cadence couldn’t keep the shield up much longer; she was barely doing it now. She trusted her friends, but even they had limits to how long they could keep the crystal ponies distracted. Especial since Pinkie insisted on coming with her.

Twilight had tried to stop her. She’d been very clear that Celestia’s test required her to do it on her own. To which Pinkie said, “I won’t lift a hoof, but my Pinkie Sense says I need to go with you and we both know not the question the Sense!”

In the face of Pinkie’s insistence Twilight had relented, on the grounds she didn’t lift a hoof. Pinkie had danced on her hooves, but agreed. The two of them raced through the castle. They were passing the throne room when Pinkie bounced off Twilight’s hindquarters.

“Whoa. What is it Twilight?” Pinkie asked. “Did you find it?”

“No, because this isn’t King Sombra’s castle.” Twilight said, walking towards the throne.

“Of course it is. Or is there another castle in the Crystal Empire? Are we hunting for castles as well as hearts now?” Pinkie asked.

“No this is the right castle, but it didn’t look like this.” Twilight said concentrating on copying the dark magic she had seen Princess Celestia perform.

She hit the throne with a beam of dark energy and its crystals twisted into something wicked from the past. A shadow swept the floor revealing a deep pit accessible only by a questionable stone staircase.

“Wow, Twilight where did you learn that!”

“That was a little trick Celestia taught me. Wait here.” Twilight said as she started descending the stairs.”

“Yeah not happening. Let my friend go alone into a deep dark hole created by a madpony to secure the one thing that could stop him. Sounds like a brilliant plan.” Pinkie said, following her down the stairs.

“Pinkie you need to wait here. Celestia gave me this test. Me! I have to be the one to do it.” Twilight said, lifting Pinkie back into the throne room.

“What about Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash? Aren’t they helping by keeping the fair going? What about Cadence and Shining Armor? Is the shield keeping use separated from the crazy fogpony not helping? What about Spike, who is out there fighting Sombra as we speak? Is he not helping?” Pinkie asked pushing against Twilights magic to get back onto the stairs.

Twilight recoiled for a second, as if slapped. Her magic slacked, and before she could say anything Pinkie went over the edge into the abyss.

“TWILIGHT! CATCH ME!” Pinkie yelled as the stairs rushed by. Twilight started teleporting from landing to landing, trying to keep Pinkie in sight.

“TWILIGHT!”

“I’m trying!” Twilight yelled. “I can’t catch you if I can’t see you.”
“How hard is it? I’m a bright pink pony. Also how deep is this pit?”

“Pinkie priorities!”

“Oh, right. TWILIGHT SAVE ME!”
 
The bottom came into view with Pinkie hurtling towards it. Twilight realized she wasn’t going to catch her friend, but might be able to save her some other way. She yanked some of the stair above herself out, teleported them to the bottom and transformed them into pillows. A second later Pinkie slammed into them, sending feathers everywhere. Twilight held her breath at the feather storm died down.

“Let’s not do that again today, okay.” Pinkie said, popping up from the mass of pillows. She collapsed back into them and huffed as she tried to slow her beating heart.

“Okay, Pinkie. And you were right. Everypony is helping, but I still think I need to be the one to find the crystal heart in the end.” Twilight said as she joined her friend. As she reached Pinkie, the pillows turned back into stone, or in many cases rubble. “Though all there is down here is a door.”
 
“Well go ahead and open it.” Pinkie said. Twilight went to grab the door handle with her magic, but every time she tried to open it the door moved.

“I’m trying, if it would stop moving!” Twilight said as the door started going up the walls forcing her to let it go. “Let’s try something else.”

Twilight focused and cast dark magic at the diamond at the top of the door. After a second it swung open revealing a blinding light.


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The shield was waving. Now and again small holes were appearing in it. Soon, Spike knew, it would go down again. To make matters worse Sombra was somehow growing crystals inside the shield. Slowly, but surely black jagged crystals were taking root and spreading.

Sombra remained at the edge of the shield, just a head floating in a cloud of smoke. He wasn’t even bothering with Spike anymore. What could he do? Going to the ground was suicide, his fire was dodged or deflected effortlessly, but he could just watch and do nothing. Could he?”

“Please Twilight, pass this test.” Spike muttered to the wind. His only answer was the biting cold and snow on the wind.


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“No, my friends love me. No! No!” Pinkie yelled before Twilight broke the spell the door had over her like Pinkie had for Twilight.

“Pinkie, it’s okay.” Twilight said as her friend grabbed her in a bone crushing hug. The pink mare just mumbled into Twilight’s chest and hugged tighter.

“The door is just a trap, designed to catch anypony that made it this far, alone. Whatever it showed you isn’t real.” Twilight said, doing her best to speak in a soothing tone despite her lungs screaming for air.

“Really?” Pinkie asked. “It was just nasty lies like when Discord messed with our heads. You don’t think I a crazy or useless?”

“Really.” Twilight wheezed. Pinkie’s grip slacked and Twilight sucked down a much welcomed breath.

“So how do we get through it?”

“I think I have an idea.” Twilight said. She prepared another spell, something light to counter the darkness of the door. A bright stream of magic aimed at the diamond keystone caused the door change. The wall behind it disappearing to reveal a white chamber. “There!”
 
“Charge!” Pinkie cried shooting through the door. Twilight ran after her, feeling her own spirit rise only to have it descend once she saw the stair studded pillar waiting within.

“More stairs, and time is ticking. Let’s go Pinkie.” Twilight said as she started up the stairs. Pinkie followed moments later her own enthusiasm dimmed by the endless nature of the stairs.

Outside the castle, Sombra’s corrupted crystals spread. Crystal ponies moved closer and closer to the fake heart Applejack guarded. Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash worked frantically to keep the rising sense of dread down. Alas it seemed for naught. No matter what they did the dark crystal continued to spread.

From the castle balcony Princess Cadence and Shining Armor watched as slowly the empire they’d come to protect was consumed by evil. Cadence collapsed against her husband. Every second was agony as she strained to keep the shield up, pushing herself to buy a little more time. As the corruption spread, the magic needed to maintain the shield increased. Soon the shield was going to fall. Soon it would over. One way or another.

Meanwhile, on the stairs the clopping for hooves echoed. Step after step after step as Twilight and Pinkie raced up spiraling staircase. “Twilight can’t we go any quicker? At this rate Sombra will win, reclaim the empire, get married, raise a child, learn the meaning of love, die, and seven generations will pass before we get to the top.” Pinkie complained as Twilight slowed in front of her.

Twilight panted, resting on the current stairs and looked around. “I’m going as fast, but, while I am pretty sure you’re exaggerating, you’re right. We need a quicker way to the top.”

“Too bad we aren’t going down again. Then we could just jump or slide down instead of having to climb.” Pinkie said, moving up to the same stairs as Twilight.

Twilight was quiet for a moment, looking around. What Pinkie said made lots of sense, and the underside of the stair above them looked pretty smooth. If only gravity wasn’t in the way. “THAT’S IT! Pinkie hold on,” Twilight said charging her magic. “I have a plan.”

Pinkie hugged Twilight tight, her eyes closed tight as the light from her horn grew. She felt the oppressive weight of gravity leave her, then return from below. An instant later, she felt stone sliding away beneath her, and wind whipping past her ears. Opening her eyes, she saw they were whipping around the staircase riding on the bottom as stairs passed above them.

They rounded the corner one last time as a hole of light appeared, blue sky flicker against orange grey darkness. In one last flash, Twilight let the spell die, causing them to drop to the ground.

“I studied gravity spells, thinking they might be on the test. Guess I was prepared for this.” Twilight said, shaking herself off.

“TWILIGHT LOOK!” Pinkie shouted, grabbing Twilight’s head and pointing her at the source of her excitement. There floating at the top of the keep was the crystal heart. They had found it.

“Quick we have to get this to Applejack and the crystal ponies!”


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Sombra was reacting to something. His regenerated horn, because of course it regenerated why wouldn’t it, had flared for a moment. That moment was the opening Spike had been waiting for, preparing for. He unleashed all his fire, a torrent of green dragon’s fire licked the landscape, burning away snow, ice, permafrost and charring bedrock. Sombra was caught in the blast. The fire stripped away the fog and burned Sombra’s floating head.

Sombra pushed through the pain until he could activate his trap. Once that was completed he dissipated in a pop. Spike’s stream of fire ended, leaving a scar on the tundra. Spike breathed deeply taking a moment to savor his success. On the ground the fog remained, slowly spreading back into the space it had been driven from.

A sharp pain struck Spike from the side. Looking down, he saw a jagged spike of crystal lodged in his side, blood oozing slowing from between shattered scales. More crystal came flying from the thick fog on the ground, slicing his wings as he maneuvered drunkenly. Every breath burned now. Spike called upon his greed, seeking strength and the numbness it would bring. Something to drive off the pain so he could fight.

“MINE!” He roared as he crashed to the ground, catching the newest wave of crystal darts in his growing arm. In front of him Sombra was charging across the ground, the fog condensing once again into the form of a black pony. His face was charred, bone showing, though it was quickly healing. A scowl of pure hatred locked in place as they collided and rolled across the ground. Separating, they squared off once more as the shield faded away, revealing the empire.


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Twlight was trapped. As soon as she went to take the heart a cage of dark crystal had appeared trapping her. Fortunately, the heart of outside the cage, as was Pinkie. Unfortunately, the shield was falling, she could see the dark crystals spreading throughout the empire, and in the distance she could see Spike and Sombra fighting, inching ever closer to the castle.

Twilight tried to use her magic escape, but each attempt was met with failure. Even teleporting only resulted in her being thrown back behind the crystal.

“Twilight, I’ll get you out don’t worry.” Pinkie said. She beat on the crystal with her hooves, bucked it, told it the worst jokes imaginable, and all that happened was the spread of the dark crystals forcing her away from Twilight. Spike roared in pain in the distance and fell backwards. His front was marred by slashes and a spear of crystal remained lodged just under his collarbone. Sombra charged into the city, riding upon a rising crystal. A manic grin on his face as he closed in on his goal.

“How could I have been so foolish. I was just so eager to get it.” Twilight said, hope deserting her.

“Twilight you have to get out. You have to bring the heart to Princess Cadence don’t you. DON’T GIVE UP ON ME!” Pinkie said.

“Sombra is already attacking and Spike is hurt. Sombra might reach the ponies at any moment. Reach Princess Cadence, my brother, our friends. There might not be enough time for me to get free.” Twilight said as the sky flashed outside her cell. Turning she looked to Pinkie, who was dancing nervously as the crystal continued to spread.

“Pinkie, you have to take the heart. Take the heart to the Crystal Ponies and save the empire!”

“But Twilight-“

“GO!” Twilight yelled, tears pooling in her eyes. Pinkie nodded, grabbed the heart and jumped off the roof.

“GERANIMOOOOO!” She yelled as she went over the edge.


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Lower down the castle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Rarity were in a bit of a pickle. The ruse regarding the heart had been revealed when the crystal ponies knocked Applejack into the stand and sent it toppling over. Now, as Sombra’s crystals spread ever closer, panic set in.

“Don’t you crystal ponies worry your pretty little heads none. The Crystal Heart will be here any second.” Applejack said waving to the Crystal Ponies as if nothing was wrong.

“I don’t think I believe you.” whispered Rarity from beside her.

“I don’t know if I believe me.” Applejack whispered back through a forced smile.

Nearby Shining Armor and Cadence sat together as Cadence tried to maintain the shield with what little magic she had left, but it was to no avail. With a last whimper her magic failed and the shield came down. The Crystal Ponies screamed. Then from beyond where the shield stood they watched in horror as a dragon rose from the ground and did battle with a charging, wild Sombra.

Many ran towards the keep, seeking to take refuge. Others ran for the other side of empire, seeking to distance themselves from their feared tyrant and this new unknown threat. Still others frozen and stood stunned.

They watched as the dragon unleased torrid flames against Sombra, and Sombra turned them away with magic and crystals. They stared as Sombra stabbed at the dragon, who knocked the crystal weapons away, shattering them.

“You will not keep my crystal slaves from me!” Sombra yelled at the dragon, unleashing another wave of attacks. This time spikes of crystal erupted from the ground, slashing the dragon as he tried to dodge them.

“MINE!” The dragon yelled in reply as he fought back. He fought madly, but was losing ground with each passing moment. Sombra pressed his attacks relentlessly. He was so close, so so close to his goal. At last he saw an opening.

Sombra drove a spear into the dragon’s chest, lifting him from the ground and throwing him back. The spear broke, leaving the dragon on his back, crystal rising from his body. The dragon did not rise again.

Sombra charged forward riding his crystals into the Empire. “Hello my crystal slaves, bow before you master. Across the empire, everypony cowered in fear when a new voice rang out from the heavens.

“GERANIMOOOOO!”

All eyes turned upwards and saw a pink pony falling from the top of the castle. In her arms was the crystal heart held tightly against her body.

“PINKIE!” her friends cried frozen in the moment.

“That is mine.” Sombra said, moving to intercept by merging into his crystals and reappearing much closer to the keep on a rising Spire.

Cadence looked at Shining armor and nodded, sure he knew what to do. He didn’t hesitate a moment as he lifted his wife and took aim. With all his strength behind his throw, Shining launched Cadence at Pinkie. As he dropped back down on his hooves, he sent a blast of magic towards Sombra, trying to distract him.

The eyes of the Crystal Ponies tracked the pink streak as it passed overhead. Cadence caught Pinkie and the heart, using her magic to keep them with her as she soared past Sombra.

“Behold the Crystal Princess!” One of them called out about the rest as the crystal ponies murmured among themselves in surprise and elation. Princess Cadence landed at the base of the castle. Pinkie slid off her back and stepped away as Princess Cadence held up the heart.

“The Crystal Heart is returned. Use the light and love within you to ensure that King Sombra does not.” She said, returning the heart to its rightful place. Support appeared holding it in place. The Crystal smiled in joy, and began the ritual they had forgotten. The ritual stolen and hidden from them for so long.

“What? No!” Sombra said as he watched more and more ponies join in. The heart charged quickly and released a blast of blue energy. The energy swept over the ponies, embracing them and turning any still of flesh to brilliant crystal. It stripped away his trap at top of the keep, freeing Twilight Sparkle. As it reached out to him, Sombra panicked. He sought any escape as blue cracks appeared in his flesh. With a scream his body was destroyed.

Across the Crystal Empire and all of Equestria the power of the Crystal Heart spread. In the empire citizens danced in the streets their feared tyrant dead and a new princess there to take his place. Love and harmony had won over fear and tyranny.

At the edge of the Empire, thrown there when the heart had activated Spike groaned. A fresh wave of pain had struck where he had been impaled by Sombra as the hearts magic washed over him.



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