The small squad of guards landed just outside the Crystal Empire with Summer Haze. “We spotted this access point during a scouting mission.” One of the guards said as he pointed to a small opening in between the dark crystals that surrounded the city. “It’s too small for us, but you should be able to fit through it just fine.”
“Thank you.” Summer looked at the opening. Building up all of her courage, she took a deep breath and crawled through into the city.
“Celestia speed, little filly.” The lead guard said. The squad then took off.
After Summer entered the Crystal Empire, she was shocked by how much it had changed. Dark crystals grew all over every building and poked up through the streets. The sky was dark, with black clouds swirling above. In the center was the crystal palace, which now looked like giant black monolith.
“Remember, you’re doing this for North Star.” Summer said to herself. She pressed on and continued her way towards the crystal palace. Summer then heard hoofsteps and dashed into an alley to hide. She poked her head out and saw a group of darkness soldiers rounding a corner and marching down the street. They seemed to be heading towards the crystal palace.
Summer decided to move through the alleyways in order to avoid being spotted. She moved over and under dark crystals, made her way through abandoned houses, and even crossed across rooftops. All the while she would stop and hide whenever darkness soldiers appeared.
As Summer got closer to the crystal palace, she began to notice more and more darkness soldiers gathering around it. It appeared as though they were gathering for something. “So much for using the front door.” Summer thought to herself. She then remembered that there was a side entrance for palace staff and security. Looking out from her hiding spot, Summer could see that the side entrance was unguarded. With all of the darkness soldiers focused on the front of crystal palace, Summer snuck by them and made her way inside.
Back in Canterlot, the four princesses stood around a map of Equestria. The squad of guards returned to inform them of their mission. “Summer has successfully infiltrated the Crystal Empire your highnesses.” The lead guard informed them.
“Thank you. You are dismissed.” Celestia informed the guard. After he left, she spoke with Luna, Twilight, and Cadance. “It’s all up to Summer now.”
Twilight spoke up. “I don’t mean to sound negative, but I think we should have a backup plan.”
“Do you not trust that Summer can complete her mission?” Luna asked.
“No, but I think we should at least have something to fall back on. I have been in contact with Yakyakistan, the Griffon kingdom, and the Dragon kingdom. They are just as worried about the threat of Sombra as we are. If we combine our forces, we may be able to stop him and his darkness army. Or at the least hold them at bay.”
Celestia thought over Twilight’s words. “You do have a point Twilight. Contact the leader of each kingdom and inform them of our cooperation. We will need all the help we can get.”
“What about Summer’s plan?” Said Cadance.
“I have not lost faith in her, but Twilight is right. We need to keep all of our options open. I just hope that worse does not come to worse.” Celestia replied.
Luna looked at her sister with a worried face. “Indeed. If young Summer is not successful, then all of Equestria could be facing all out war.”
Cadance looked out the window. “So much is weighing on the back of little filly.”
Celestia put a comforting hoof on Cadance’s shoulder. “Do not worry. Summer will succeed.”
Cadance turned her head to look at Celestia. “She must.”
Once Summer was inside the crystal palace, she looked around to try and find the quickest way to the throne room at the top. She passed by the kitchen and noticed one of the darkness soldiers loading up a cart with bottles of wine and sweet cakes.
“That must be for Sombra.” Summer waited until the darkness soldier had its back turned. She then dashed over to the cart and hid underneath the cloth that covered it. Summer crouched down low, freezing up all of her muscles trying not to make a single sound as the darkness guard pushed the cart up towards King Sombra’s throne room.
King Sombra walked out onto the balcony. He looked down at the thousands of darkness soldiers that had gathered at the crystal palace to here him speak.
“My brethren, our time has come! No longer shall we live under the rule of princesses! Those alicorns do not represent us, we represent ourselves! We shall destroy them, and bring order back to Equestria! Unicorns will control the magic, Pegasi will rule the skies, and Earth ponies will dominate the ground!” King Sombra paused as the darkness soldiers stomped their hooves and roared with approval. “The reign of these alicorns, these abominations, shall come at our hooves! Equestria will be ours, and we will destroy anything that dares to stand in our way!”
King Sombra turned and walked back into the throne room. The roar of the crowd could still be heard outside. “You’re mad! You can’t kill the princesses!” Shining Armor yelled from his spot on the floor where he was still chained down.
King Sombra sat on his throne. “I can, and I will.”
“But why do you hate alicorns so much?”
King Sombra looked over at Flurry Heart. “Just look them. A mix up of all the pony races. They can fly, control magic, and have the strength to move earth. On top of all that, they are also immortal. Now tell me, is that fair? No! No one race should have all that power.”
“Except for you, I presume?” Shining added.
King Sombra Glared at Shining. “A hierarchy is needed to maintain order. Unicorns control magic, making them the most powerful. And since I am the most powerful unicorn, it is only logical that I be in charge.”
A darkness soldier entered with a cart carrying wine and sweet cakes. King Sombra poured some wine into a goblet and ate a sweet cake. Summer peeked out through an opening in the cloth.
“But the princesses are immortal, you can’t possibly destroy them.” Shining said.
King Sombra drank his wine and smiled. “You poor fool. Death will reap everypony in time, including the alicorns.” A bolt of dark magic then shot from King Sombra’s horn, hitting the floor and creating a pillar of dark flame. King Sombra then used his magic to open the cage that held Flurry Heart. Grasping the foal in his magic, King Sombra removed her from the cage and held her near the flames. “I was going to eliminate this wretched little thing publicly, but I think you deserve a private viewing.”
Shining tried to speak out, but another chain wrapped around his mouth.
Summer could not wait anymore. She lept from under the cart and stood before King Sombra. “STOP!”
King Sombra paused for a moment. He then looked down at Summer. “You. How did you get inside my palace?!”
“I won’t let you hurt Flurry Heart!” Summer yelled. “And I won’t let you continue to use North Star!”
King Sombra laughed so hard that it’s echo was almost defining. “Foolish filly, North Star is no more! And how exactly do you plan on stopping me from getting rid of this little waste of life?” King Sombra’s magic tightened around Flurry Heart, causing her to scream.
Summer then reached into her saddle bag. “With this!” She then pulled out North Star’s favorite toy, Mr. Smartypants. King Sombra froze. He released his magic on Flurry Heart, who flew over to Shining.
“Come on, remember!” Summer pleaded. “This is your favorite toy! You got from your aunt Twilight on your one month anniversary.”
King Sombra was almost lost in a trance as he looked at the plushie. He soon shook his head and snapped out of it. “That is but a dumb toy! It has no meaning to me!”
“Then what about Butch?” Summer asked. “He’s your pet Honey Badger. No other pony was willing to adopt him, but you saw that he was full of love. Butch has been your buddy ever since.”
Memories of Butch came flooding into King Sombra’s mind. From the first day that Butch was adopted from Fluttershy, to the many adventures North Star and he had together. King Sombra held his head. “Stop it! Stop this right now!.”
Summer looked at King Sombra with pleading eyes. “And what about me? You must remember all of the moments we’ve had together. Getting back my ball from that bully Red Sea when we were foals, going on a quest to get your mom’s famous white chocolate chunk cookies, and that night when you ran away from home and we kissed.”
King Sombra’s eyes lit up as he let out a mighty yell. There was a blinding flash, and when Summer regained her sight she found herself surrounded by darkness. Summer then heard weeping. She looked around until she found a colt sitting all by himself crying. It was North Star.
Summer carefully approached him. “North Star, is that you?”
North Star looked over his shoulder, surprised to see his old friend. “Summer? What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to bring you home. Come on, follow me.” Summer grabbed North Star by the hoof and tried to flee, but North Star wouldn’t budge.
“I don’t want to go home.” North Star said.
“What? But why?” Summer asked.
“Because my parents don’t want me” North Star explained. “Flurry Heart is the one that they really care about. I’m just some monster that they were forced to look after.”
“That’s not true! Shining Armor and Cadance both love you!” Summer walked over and placed a hoof on North Star’s shoulder. “Cadance won’t stop crying, and Shining Armor was captured trying to rescue you. They may not be your biological parents, but they love and care for you just like you were their own.”
North Star lowered his head. “It’s still no use. I can’t leave this place. I’ve been all over and it’s nothing but endless darkness.”
“That’s right.” North Star and Summer looked up to King Sombra standing over them. “This is where you belong, North Star. And as for you little filly, this too shall be your prison!”