//------------------------------// // Chapter Fourteen // Story: Mare In The Everfree Forest // by MoonLily //------------------------------// “Somepony call me?” I noticed he was sitting on Fluttershy’s head. I nodded as I pushed down my empty gut feeling.          “Alright so hold on” I smiled as I closed my eyes. I put a soundproofing spell around the room before casting my memory spell on the room. I was sitting in the throne room with a scroll in my face going over a proposed plan that one of the nations had sent to me. I also had my grandson Archimedes a tall dark blue unicorn with a long white beard sitting beside me. He grumbled as he pulled his mane into a braid trying to calm his nerves.          “Grandmother are you sure she will listen to me” his deep voice filled the room as I pulled the scroll down.          “The empress is about to pick her new Cleric since Cherry is leaving Archimedes. Your son is upon them trying to get your job. I think the empress will listen to you” I rolled the scroll up as I noticed the throne doors opened up. The empress walked in as she smiled at us.          “Silver what are you doing here?” her voice was soft as she walked toward me.          “The yaks sent me a scroll of an updated peace treaty instead of here empress” I held the scroll up as she took it into her magic.          “Oh dear thank you my cleric”          “I’m not your cleric anymore empress. You have Cherry Berry for now” I glanced towards a dark purple earth pony with a pink and green mane trying to hide her face.          “You will always be my cleric Silver. You helped keep this empire alive” I noticed her smile as I looked towards her.          “Well thank you empress. I should leave as you pick Cherry’s new replacement” I let a chuckle out as I heard her laugh.          “I already chosen. I want CrystalSnow”          “Wait really?” I stopped and turned towards her.          “Yes. Your grandson was the only one that could properly answer any question that I could throw at him. The others all have families here in the castle. But they couldn’t even answer the stuff I gave them”          “Well Arch I guess we can go out and celebrate then” I smiled and walked out of the castle as I heard laughter from the empress and a groan from my grandson. I walked out of the castle and spent the day in the library. I skipped the memory of the night after dinner. My grandson Archimedes was walking in front of me with a yellow mare and a light pastel yellow. They were leaning on each other as my eyes glanced down towards a small purple unicorn filly jumping around in the snow. A tall white unicorn with a light blue mane was staring at his badge.          “Grandmother are you sure”          “For the last time CrystalSnow you can handle this.” I chuckled as I felt the purple unicorn tugging on my hoof. I looked down and smiled.          “Yes Aurora” I watched as she pointed towards the snow. I noticed something standing in the snow as I felt something moving past me. I turned my head and noticed a dagger sticking out of his chest. I could see his fur turning dark. I turned my head around noticing the pony or whatever sent the dagger was on fire. I cursed as I grabbed CrystalSnow and dashed him towards the castle. I left him with the medical ponies as I grumbled to myself. I watched as his family walked in as the Empress ran into the hall.          “What happened!”          “A dagger flew past me and landed into his chest. I was about to go after them but they set themselves on fire before I could go after them” I growled as I noticed the purple unicorn pulling my hoof.          “It’s alright grandmother you will get them”          “Yes I will”          “Cleric I will need you”          “Anytime Empress. I will be in the library. That dagger has magic on it and I can feel it from here” the majority of my memory had me in the library or in my study pulling books down and going through them “Silver” a whimsical voice caused the ponies to turn towards me but instead of me. My ears moved as I turned my head.          “Hello Empress. Is this a social visit?” my voice was flat and calm as I watched the pink unicorn chuckle.          “It would only be a social visit Silver if we were having tea together and talking about your family.” I watched as she sat down in front of me causing me to tilt my head.          “You know. May I ask why have you not challenged my immortality?” I closed the book I was reading.          “Besides the celestial sisters you are the only one to follow me in time. Why question a good thing” I noticed her smile on her face as she leaned in towards me “But this isn’t a social visit Silver. I need your magical knowledge my cleric” I noticed her eyes were squinting at me as I sat up fixing my scarf.          “You need of me my empress?”          “CrystalSnow’s condition is getting worse. Every spell you or I have placed on him is breaking. Sombra is taking over and killing CrystalSnow. I need to do something for him Cleric” I grumbled as I looked towards the pile of books sitting beside me. I leaned over and pulled out a large black and silver book placing it in front of me.          “I found the spell that was on the dagger that struck him. First, this dagger was made for me. It kills the soul of the pony twisting their empty body into a catalyst for something dark and evil. Apparently, the spell was to draw in a tainted umbra from the depths of Tartarus. Empress who ever knew this spell received it from the alicorns of old. This spell was created by Void himself. It has no name and no cure to it. It was said to destroy this spell” I tapped on the book as I could see the empress mumbling.          “What can we do? Crystal is fighting Sombra and keeping him at bay. I left my daughter in your grandson’s hooves. Now, what can we do?” I could tell she was getting agitated.          “CrystalSun is staying behind. I can place them and the part of CrystalSnow’s soul into a gem hidden out of view of Sombra. I can show you where but that is it” I looked towards her as she nodded.          “Cleric set it up. I will send word to the sisters. Which one should I send it to since you are so close to them”          “Send one to both sisters. Send the pony by hoof. I will set the crystal up then I will get your daughter and my family out of the empire” I made the book shrink before placing it up in a dimension. I got up to my hooves and turned to walk out of the room. I was standing in a hall placing certain gems in a pattern.          “I thought you were going to create a place we can hide his soul Silver” I heard the empress grumble as I nodded.          “This red ruby will house his soul. I wanted to make it hard for Sombra to find the right one we are using. Plus CrystalSun is staying so I will be adding her to the wall”          “My guards are with my daughter and your grandson and daughter. What do I need to do” I turned and looked up at the empress          “Once we are out of the area just place them into the wall. That is all you need to do. The large white diamond has a charm on it if you wish to place your soul into it as well empress” I walked out of the hall as I could her huff.          “I am sending a letter to the sisters Silver. Stay away from the empire, please. And when the time is right please teach my daughter how to rule”          “I will empress” I walked out of the castle and started to make the long trek away from the empire with a couple of guards and my own family. We made it to Canterlot and got word a few days later Sombra had taken over and the empire was lost. I quickly ran through my memories of Aurora which were short till I came to a stop. Aurora was sitting under a tree with a small unicorn filly between her hooves. This was during the time my husband passed away. Aurora was watching the moon where Luna and Jr were now resting.          “I have three requirements I want you to fill for me Aurora” I broke the silence as I kept my eyes on the moon.          “Grandmother?”          “I know you want to leave the family. It is not widely hidden Aurora. Now the first rule is I want a holiday card to see how your family is doing. The second one tell them about me and their family here. If they ever need help or want to come back tell them to ask for the Hidden Crystal. Third, your last name is Sparkle now and you have a tradition of naming your girls Twilight” I handed her some papers over as she had tears in her eyes “I got you a house in town that will pass from family member to family member. If not it will fall to me and this part of the family. I also have a bank account set up for you”          “Grandmother why…why I am”          “You are family Aurora. You are blood and any child you have will be family too. My name may come with a lot of weight and enemies. You shouldn’t half to bear my problem. I will watch over you like the others but I will stay in the shadows Aurora. Your family will always be welcomed here. I will also keep quiet about this. Oh and if they ask tell them your brother died saving the empress. It makes for a better story than a curse killing his soul painfully and chaining a tainted soul from Tartarus to it and twisting him into a monster.” I got up to my hooves as I walked into the house.          I pulled the memory from the room watching them stare at me. I fixed my glasses as I sighed.          “That crystal is still holding his soul. If I or the empress would touch it, it would wake him up. He would look like Sombra but he will not be Sombra. You see Sombra was an umbra that was living in hell. So he and Crystal were two separate souls in one body. You can’t have that” I watched as popcorn was spilled by Discord.