//------------------------------// // Chapter one: Knightfall // Story: Knights of Sombra // by red reaper //------------------------------// "Hear me and rejoice," a red unicorn stallion with black mane that was split by a red line and wore black cape and black robes said to the chained ponies of the crystal empire, "You have the honor of serving your true king, Sombra. Do not fight it, but accept it. For years you have followed false rules and gods of lies, and now, you will know the truth, for King Sombra is your true King." As the unicorn continued his speech, two stallions, wearing black robes and black cloaks came towards him. One was a pink earth pony with black stains on his body, a white tail and he had no mane and his mouth was covered in a metal muzzle. The other was a blue pegasus with a black stain on his head and grey mane. The two stallions bowed before the red unicorn. "King Sombra wants to see us," The blue pegasus said. The unicorn nodded and he ordered two of Sombra's possessed guards to execute the prisoners as the three stallions went to see their master. The three stallions walked inside the crystal palace. A palace that once was blue and bright, is now dark and grey covered with intimidating crystals. The three stallions arrived at the throne room where a dark unicorn with black mane and a red curved horn was sitting on the throne. The unicorn wore a silver armor and a red cape and a silver crown. The unicorn smiled to see his three apprentices kneeling before their master. "My Knights," King Sombra smiled as he went down from his throne.  "You were true servants, you did not betray your master and served Princess Cadence and her pathetic husband. No, you waited for my return. Dark Ashes," Sombra looked at the blue pegasus, "You have shown me your abilities, there is no assassin faster nor deadlier as you, you have shown me nothing but the heads of my enemies. Dark Strike," Sombra looked at the pink earth pony, "Your strength knows no limits. You have helped me once and I know you will help me again. And Dark Spyre," Sombra now looked at the red unicorn, "My first apprentice, you have shown great abilities in the dark arts of magic. When other ponies were afraid to look at the darkness you smiled and embraced it, you have led your knights to victory after victory." Dark Spyre smiled at the words of his master. "You three will command the empire while I am taking Canterlot. Do not fail me or else." The knights nodded as they bowed to the king and Sombra disappears in a shadow. "Now brothers," Dark Spyre said as he steep to the throne, "Let's not failed our master." Dark Spyre sat on his master throne as his brothers brought the two prisoners. One was a unicorn stallion, white as the snow and he had a blue mane. Standing next to his side, there was his wife, a pink and beautiful alicorn. The two prisoners were the former rulers of the empire. Princess Cadence and Shining Armor. Dark Spyre giggled with sinister joy as the two prisoners looked at him with hatred. "So," Shining Armor asked the red unicorn as he went down the throne, "The Great and powerful King Sombra let his minions rule over his lands?" "Big words for a prisoner," Dark Ashes smirked, "You're not so tough Shiny colt, the chick made you soft like a bunny." "If Equestria it what he wants, he will win nothing," Cadence protested with hatred, "The elements of harmony must be on their way to destroy you master." "The elements are destroyed with the tree," Dark Spyre answered Cadence with a cold voice, "An hour ago, we received the news, that our King destroyed the tree of harmony and the elements are his prisoners. You have no savior this time 'princess'." "You are a citizens of Equestria, you supposed to be loyal to Princess Celestia!" Shining Armor gritted his teeth in anger, "And now you're helping Sombra, you are Traitors!" "Traitors?!" Ashes repeated the last word with rage as he got closer to the white unicorn as a blade made of a unicorn's horn was pulled out from his sleeve and he pointed it at Shining's throat, "I can cut your throat for saying that!" Shining Armor didn't feel threatened by the Pegasus at all. As Ashes was so close to ending Shining's life, just a slice of the neck, but he was stopped at a red aura that covered his hoof and prevented him from striking down the unicorn. "That is enough Ashes." Spyre told his brother in a calm voice before Ashes rolled his eyes and he pulled back the blade to his sleeve, "Perhaps the captain needs to open his eyes." Ashes smiled as Spyre's horn glow in black and a purple smoke came out from his now green eyes. Shining Armor felt pain in his chest, it was like his body being torn apart. "You called us traitors, but you chose to hide the truth from your people, in the claims of keeping them safe," Shing fell on his knees as the pain grew stronger and stronger, Ashes and Strike smiled as Spyre got closer to Princess Cadence, "You betrayed your people and let a vermin enter our empire. And now you will die for your treason in the true King." Princess Cadence fell to her husband's side, crying and begging for the knight to stop. "Please stop this!" Princess Cadence begged for mercy, but for no use, Dark Spyre stood in front of the nearly dying unicorn with his eyes flaming and the purple smoke grew larger. "In the name King Sombra, the true king of Equestria, I sentence you to death," before Spyre could kill Shining Armor with a final blow, his black aura turned red and the pain of Shining Armor was stopped. An explosion sound was heard in the empire and all the chained ponies were free, including the royal couple. "What?!" Dark Spyre demanded to know the answer as the Princess' horn glow to heal her husband and 10 royal guards burst to the room. "It seems that your master failed again," Shining smirked as his horn glow in a blue aura after he feel his strength again. "And now, it's your turn to surrender." Princess Cadence said while she was ready to attack. "Dark Strike" Dark Spyre pointed at the guards. Strike nodded and he ran towards the group of armored crystal ponies, knocking down some of them and pushed one of the guards' back to the crystal wall. The blue unicorn screamed in agony as the pink monster leaned his hoof at the guards' ribs, crushing them as his metallic breaths were heard behind his mask. The giant pony dropped the dead guard down to the floor and he continued to smash and destroy every guard in his way. "Ashes, take the captain, I will take the princess," Dark Spyre told the blue pegasus. "Thought you'd never ask," Dark Ashes smiled as the white blade was extracted from his black sleeve. Dark Ashes flew towards to white unicorn. Shining Armor blasted blue bolts towards the blue knight, but every bolt was deflected by the blade. Realizing he could not hit the enemy from a distance, Shining Armor ran towards the flying pegasus. The horn and the blade clashed each other as sparks were ignited by the clash. Dark Ashes and Shining fought the fight of their lives. Meanwhile, Dark Spyre blasted Princess Cadence as she dodged every attack and flew like the wind towards the leader of the knights, casting pink beams towards him. Dark Spyre, with his telekinesis, ripped a piece of the crystal floor and he blocked the attacks and also threw the piece at the princess. Cadence dodged the crystal and she leaped at the unicorn, and her horn glow in blue against his red light. The battle was over, Dark Spyre lost. "Now come with us and don't try anything." Princess Cadence ordered the defeated foes as Dark Spyre was under her hoof. Dark Strike was surrounded by guards with spears. Dark Ashes still fighting Shining Armor, but it was a lost fight too. "Something like that?" Dark Spyre  asked as his horn glow in red and grinned nasty/mean before the knights disappeared. The guards were terrified and the royal couple looked at each other, worrying for the fate of Equestria after this, knowing, that the final fight isn´t over yet.