A few days after the Canterlot Wedding Invasion, Spike, Spyro, Cynder, Sparx, Celestia, Luna, and Cadence were all sitting in a large circular room. Spread out on the center of a roundtable was a map of Equestria and its neighbors. Looking over it the map, Celestia asked: “You sure about this Spike?”
“That is what the voice said but I don’t know where this “Crystal Empire is.”
“This not that surprising.” Luna remarked, “Since it has been well over a thousand years since the event.”
“What event is that?” Spyro asked.
“Well.” Celestia began “There was once an empire to the north of Equestria in the Frozen North. Their ponies who were made of crystals lived under a wise queen.”
“However.” Luna continued “Life was hard due to the constant snowstorms until we discovered an artifact that became known as the Crystal Heart.”
“The Crystal Heart. Sounds like a cheesy thing a girl would make up.” Sparx said before getting a smack on his head by the flat end of Cynder’s blade tail.
“The Crystal Heart’s power was strong enough to project a zone of life where the crystal ponies could build a city. We did our best to help them grow and it wasn’t long before they became capable of sustaining itself. Before we could have a chance to form a diplomatic alliance...Sombra came.”
“Sombra?” Cynder asked
“A unicorn who was corrupted.” Celestia said “What that corruption was we do not know but it was strong enough to give him the strength to challenge us. It took both my sister and me our combined might to stop him but we could not free the crystal ponies.”
“Instead we had no choice but to cast a sealing spell on the entire kingdom sending the mad king and the crystal ponies into stasis” Luna finished “We had hoped to be able to discover a way to save them but so far our only conclusion was to use the Crystal Heart and Sombra had hidden it before we could have a chance to seize it.”
Celestia turned to face her sister “If the seal is about to fail then we have little time before the Crystal Empire and Sombra return.”
“So what is the plan then,” Spike asked
Celestia looked over at Cadence who had been quiet during the conversation “I know this is asking a lot considering that you and Shining just got married but I need you and him to head to the Crystal Empire, protect its citizens and find the Crystal Heart. Sombra would have been sealed away from the city so you should have time to create an aura of light that will block him and the endless winter until you can locate the heart.”
“Why me?” She asked surprised
“Because amongst other things it is your birthright,” Celestia stated causing a murmur of confusion to happen around the table minus Luna who just nodded. Celestia pointed at Cadence's cutie mark “The moment I saw your cutie mark I knew that somehow you were the descendant of the former Crystal Queen and I knew that one day you would need to return to claim your kingdom.”
“My own kingdom…” Cadence whispered to herself as she looked back at the map; her mind awash with the thought of leading a country.
As Cadence was deep in thought, Celestia looked back at the three dragons “As for you all I have a request. Could you go with Shining Armor and Cadence and act as their bodyguards as well as helping them restore the Crystal Kingdom.”
“We were already planning on going anyway,” Spyro remarked, “I can’t speak for the others but I am curious about this voice as it reminded me a lot of when the old Chronicler spoke to me.”
“And Ancestors knows I can’t leave him alone without him getting into trouble,” Cynder added.
“And I can’t leave these two alone without someone being the responsible one.” Sparx finished.
This got a mild chuckle from the group before Celestia pointed at a spot on the map that was close to the border of Equestria and the Frozen North “I can have a train take you all to Stalliongrad. It is the closest location to the Frozen North so you can use it as a base while you explore for the Crystal City. I will also send orders to have them restore the train station there so I can send backup in case you all need it.”
“When do we leave?” Cadence asked.
“As soon as you all are ready to. The sooner the better of course but I want you all to leave knowing that you are prepared for whatever comes up.”
The group nodded and the dragons plus dragonfly left together already talking about what they should pack. Cadence went out through a different door to meet up with her husband. Alone, Celestia looks over at her sister and adds “I just hope that they can stop the coming danger.”
A week later, at Canterlot Station
Spike finished giving his friends a hug, a suitcase next to him and a travel bag strapped around his shoulders. “I’ll miss you, girls”
“We will miss you as well Spike” Twilight replied not the least bit nervous about sending her charge out on a mission. It took a lot of her will not to rush to Celestia and beg her to let her join them. It was only due to the fact that Spike would be in such good company and that they would contact her at the first sign of trouble that kept her at ease. The other girls said their goodbyes with small gifts for the road like some apples, a tasty gem, and even a cupcake from Pinkie Pie.
Spike wanted to stay with them but he couldn’t help but feel like that voice he heard was important and with the sound of the train engine signaling; he knew his time was up. Grabbing his suitcase, he waves at his friends before hopping on where he moved to the cart where Spyro, Cynder, and Sparx were lying about. He looked around a bit before asking “Where are Shining Armor and Cadence?”
“They are up in one of the private cabins,” Spyro replied.
“No doubt spending time as husband and wife,” Cynder added.
Spike thought about it for a bit before his eyes opened up in realization. At this point, the train began to move and they were off to the Frozen North.