//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: Guess Who's Back 
// Story: Lone Wolf of Equestria; Battle for the Crystal Empire 
// by JNKing 
//------------------------------//

Sombra was back. It had been so long, and yet he was alive. He was back in Equestria. And soon, the infernal Princesses would suffer his wrath. If only he had recovered sooner; then his Crystal Empire likely wouldn’t have been able to keep him out. He growled, the field just as impenetrable as when he first found his beloved Empire returned to Equestria. The rest of the world was blocked by cold and ice. The Empire would fall to him soon enough; the warm and light could only be held in for so long. 
Yet Sombra was not a patient lord. He wanted his Empire back, and he wanted it back soon. No doubt the Princess Celestia would seek to yank it away from him just as she and her foul sister had done before. 
Suddenly, Sombra became aware of a presence; life, trekking through the Artic. Towards his empire. He focused his vision, and made out a canine form forcing its way through the snow, getting closer and closer to his kingdom.
Sombra let a rumbling chuckle escape his repairing throat. Perhaps fate had delivered him a method of gaining his Empire back sooner rather than later. 

#

Meanwhile, back in the Equestrian Capital of Canterlot, Celestia sat upon her throne, reviewing several papers. The workload was as strong as ever, barely giving her time to think about the young wolf that had fled from her borders. 
Her heart still ached at how horribly she had handled the situation; the first of a brand-new breed of canines; capable of magic and bold in the face of adversity, and she had caused the murder of one and the only remaining one on Equestria to despise her. Her faithful student Twilight had reported no success on his rediscovery, and with the Diamond Dogs populating the outskirts of Equestria, it was likely as not that the Lone Wolf known as Logan would be mistaken as just another Diamond Dog. 
“Even though he is far from just another one of those creatures,” Celestia thought sadly. 
Her mournful thoughts were interrupted as a guard burst through the door. 
“News from Northern Equestria, your Highness,” the guard reported.
“Yes?” Celestia asked, intrigued. 
“The Lone Wolf has been sighted.”
The news would have propelled a far younger Celestia to her hooves. However, she took a moment to repress her excitement and worry, and rose smoothly to her hooves.
“However, we have also heard reports that…” the guard paused, “The Crystal Empire has returned.”
Celestia’s eyes widened. “And the Lone Wolf is bound for it?”
“From what our sources report, yes,” the guard said with a nod.
Celestia felt her heart begin to race in panic. Even her stoic façade could not survive such news, as she let a small gasp escape before covering her shock.
“Find Princess Cadence and Shining Armor,” she ordered her guards. As they departed with a quick ‘Yes, your highness,’ she yanked the nearest blank scroll and quill to her.
“My dearest Twilight, you must come to Canterlot at once…” 

#

As Celestia heard the sound of a familiar tree library being uprooted, she suppressed a small chuckle. It seemed that Twilight would be on her way as soon as possible.
As Celestia awaited her protégé, she was accompanied by a familiar midnight blue alicorn. Celestia felt her smile fade as her sister came to her; it may have been years since the incident, but Celestia still felt a surge of irritation towards her sister. The wolves had already been rather temperamental and slow to trust, but Luna’s actions had likely set them back further than Celestia cared to deal with. Sure, her sister had acted with good intentions, but good intentions did not justify the consequences. 
“Sister,” Luna said softly, “Are you sure you don’t want me to go as well?”
“Yes,” Celestia said, her tone steel calm, “Princess Cadence and Shining Armor are already there. And if the Lone Wolf joins the others…” she gave her sister a knowing glare, that Luna bowed her head from.
“The Empire’s magic is powerful,” Luna said, “I am sure the Lone Wolf would see that there are more important things than…”
“He has made his feelings clear on us, and having us near him will only jeopardize the Empire’s safety,” Celestia replied. “Twilight and her friends are the only ones that have a chance of reaching the Lone Wolf. And Twilight deserves the chance to win back his loyalty far more than I do.” Celestia’s head bowed. “Plus, I must know just how close she is… to being ready for the next level of her studies.”
A small clearing of a throat caught Celestia’s attention. She noticed her student stumbling inside, fumbling with several quills and scrolls. A grin graced Celestia’s snout.
“Trust me, little sister,” Celestia said, winning back a bit of that loving tone she used to have, before turning back to Twilight.
“You wanted to see me?” Twilight asked hurriedly, “To give me a test? I brought my own quills and plenty of paper to show my work.” She fumbled too much, and the paper spilled everywhere. “Sorry-sorry!” she squeaked. 
Celestia repressed a small chuckle at her student’s antics. Twilight was always so eager to please, especially when it came to Celestia. Such a sharp contrast to the wolf Logan, who seemed to be obligated to fight against anyone that tried to tell him what to do. 
“This is a different type of test,” Celestia elaborated, breaking herself out of her pleasant thoughts, “The Crystal Empire has returned.”
If Celestia thought the news was grim, Twilight’s reaction was something else. Her skin paled, and her pupils shrunk to pinpricks. 
“The Crystal Empire?” Twilight stammered. “I-I’m sorry, I-I thought I studied. I don’t think there’s anything in my books that…”
“There wouldn’t be,” Celestia quickly said, before Twilight suffered a conniption, “Few remember it ever existed at all. Even my knowledge of the Empire is limited.” 
She produced a small crystal, and with a light tap from her horn, it revealed a small holographic model of a beautiful city made entirely of crystals. Twilight stared at the city in awe. 
“What I do know is that it contains a powerful magic. One thousand years ago, King Sombra, a unicorn whose heart was as black as night, took over the Crystal Empire.”
The scenery changed. A pitch-black unicorn, dressed in armor of obsidian, laughed down from the highest tower as crystalized ponies, who once frolicked and played together in the kingdom, now marched in chains, their heads down and their expressions broken.
“Ultimately,” Celestia continued, “He was overthrown; turned to shadows and banished to the ice of the Artic North.”
Two shadowy silhouettes - clearly Celestia and Luna - appeared, blasting the dark unicorn into an icy chasm, as he sounded his rage with a roar. 
“But not before he was able to put a curse upon the Empire,” Celestia elaborated, “A curse that caused it to vanish into thin air. You see, when the Empire is filled with love and hope, those things are reflected across all of Equestria.” Her gaze fractured as she reluctantly called upon a form of magic she’d rather not use. “But when hatred and fear take hold…”
She zapped the crystal with a dark bolt, that cast a large shadow and caused obsidian to appear around Twilight. Seeing the look of panic deepen across Twilight’s face, Celestia quickly dissipated the dark magic.
“This is why I need your help finding a way to protect it,” Celestia said. 
However, this did not calm her student.
“You want me to help protect an entire empire?” Twilight asked incredulously. 
“It is, as I said, a different kind of test. But one I’m certain you will pass.”
Twilight’s eyes briefly darted back and forth, the panic still strong in her face. But she squashed it down into a look of determination. Celestia found herself pitying the poor mare; her determination was a poor cover for her fear.
“How do I begin?” she asked. 
“By joining Princess Cadence and Shining Armor in the Crystal Empire.”
“My brother is there?”
Celestia hesitated, but then added, “Along with Logan Wolfe.” 
The implication hit Twilight like a sack of bricks. “Logan’s… alive?” Twilight stammered.
“Alive and on his way to the Empire,” Celestia said, “He has likely discovered legends about the magic concealed in the Empire, and believes that it will aid him in returning home.” Her gaze fractured as the thought of the young wolf caused the wound in her heart to throb. “This is… another reason why I am trusting you on this. You and your friends will likely encounter the wolf during your test. But hopefully, his time in the wild will have soothed his troubled conscious, and he will remember the bonds he built with your friends.” 
Twilight looked away. “I don’t know, Princess,” she said, “Fluttershy was the only one who got through to him. I failed to earn his trust last time; how do I know he'll even listen?”
“You are my most valuable and trusted student,” Celestia said kindly, “I have every confidence you will succeed. And when you do, I’ll know you are ready to move onto the next level of your studies.”
Celestia had hoped that her assurance would soothe Twilight, but the purple mare only seemed to look more aggravated and scared.
“But what if I fail?” she asked. 
“You won’t,” Celestia said firmly. 
“But what if I…”
“You won’t,” Celestia said more firmly. Twilight backed up. Celestia felt a pang of sorrow at the nervousness in her student. Her assurances didn’t seem to be helping her. But then Celestia remembered something from the notes on Logan that Twilight had shared. “Twilight; Logan is... a challenge to understand, I'll admit. But I know he cares for you and your friends, even if fear blinds him to his own feelings.” She smiled, “And the information he shared with you – did it not mention that wolves bond better with those that suffer trials by fire alongside them?”
Twilight’s ears perked up. “It… He did mention that,” Twilight said, “Combat against mutual foes brought his pack together in the first place.”
Celestia smiled softly. “Ask for his help – appeal to his sense of honor – and he will likely aid you. And together, you will both do what needs to be done to protect the Empire. Do you understand?”
“Mm-hmm,” Twilight said, her expression much more confident. 
“Then go,” Celestia said, “There is no time to lose.” 

#

The train whistle rang long and loud. As the six mares left the train station, they were all hit with an instant wave of cold that sent them shivering to their bones. Well, almost all of them.
“Ha!” Rarity cried triumphantly, “And you all made fun of me for packing so many scarves.” 
“I didn’t say a word,” Spike mumbled, tilting under the weight of Rarity’s suitcases.
Before Twilight could ask if Rarity could share, a voice sounded through the wind.
“Twilight!” 
Twilight peered through the frosty fog, and saw a figure marching towards them. At first, he was hidden by the frost and sleet. But then his white fur became prominent, and as he removed the mask and scarf from his face, Twilight’s expression brightened at the soft blue eyes of her brother. 
“Shining!” Twilight cheered, embracing her older brother.
“You made it,” Shining said in relief, before glancing around. His eyes briefly locked on a shadowy figure, who ducked out of sight. “We’d better get moving,” he said quickly, “There are things out here we really don’t want to run into after dark.”
Fluttershy gulped as they began moving. “What kinds of things?”
“Let’s just say the Empire,” Shining said gravely, chancing another glance as the shadowy figure briefly appeared again, “Isn’t the only thing that returned.”
“What do you mean?” Rainbow Dash asked, as the seven ponies and dragon trudged through the snow. 
“Something keeps trying to get in,” Shining explained, his horn glowing as the shadowy figure briefly appeared again. “We think it’s the unicorn king who originally cursed this place.”
“But Princess Celestia sent us here to protect the Empire,” Twilight protested, “If King Sombra can’t get in, then… it must already be protected.”
Suddenly, a howl pierced the air. 
“Is that…” Fluttershy started to stammer, before the howl split into music. Grave and dire music, but still music.
“Darkness. And danger. Prepare thee for thy solemn hour…” 
At the sound of music, the mares all stopped in shock.
“Logan?” Twilight whispered.
“Logan!” Rainbow Dash yelled, “That you, you crazy canine!?” 
“Danger. And darkness. Insanity surrounds and binds us…!” 
“I don’t think he can hear us,” Spike said, “Does any pony know how to howl?”
Before some pony could reply, a black wave of smoke billowed up behind them. And from that darkness, two pairs of evil green and red eyes opened, staring down at them hungrily.
Shining’s eyes shrunk to pinpricks, “We have to get to the Crystal Empire! Now!” 
The mares, stallion and dragon spun around and sprinted across the snowy field, the dark presence slinking and billowing after them like a great tsunami of destruction. Spike started to fall behind, but Shining snatched him up in his aura, and transitioned him to Twilight, who propped him up on his back.
“Go-go!” Twilight yelled. 
Shining steered them towards a section of mountain shaped like a U. At first, nothing was there, but then they became aware of a white and blue shield, pulsating and bright between the mountains and shielding something from the storm.
“Almost there,” Shining assured them. But as the mares raced for the blue and white shield, he spun around, his horn glowing as he faced the smoky demon head on. 
The demon growled, an equine face forming from the storm, and hurtling towards Shining as he readied his horn for battle. But before the darkness could close in on Shining, something else did. 
A flash of white smashed Shining away from the demon. The demon paused, eyes wide in alarm, before turning to the side. 
Shining was shaking his head, being hauled to his hooves by a large white wolf. As the demon roared at them both, the wolf turned to them, silver eyes shining white, and the wolf blasted a wave of lightning right into the demon’s face. 
The demon let out a massive roar, briefly rearing back before the face reformed, growling at the wolf with malice in its eyes. 
Shining quickly joined in, blasting at the demon with beams of pink. But even as the spells forced the demon back, they started to get coated with obsidian, which raced down the beams towards their bearers.
“That won’t hold it for long,” Shining bellowed, shutting his beam off before his horn could get the obsidian treatment.
“Fall back!” the wolf bellowed, rising to his hind legs and lashing his arms to his neck.
Twilight looked back, seeing the wolf pull her brother away from the darkness. The wolf let one final burst of lightning hit the smoky demon before hurling Shining before them. As the wolf and stallion fell in behind them, Twilight charged alongside her friends into the blue and white shield.
Warmth hit them hard, a stark contrast to the ice and snow of the outside. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were all waiting for them, panting and tired from the run, but fine. 
Twilight looked around them, checking that Spike was still secured to her back. 
“Every pony okay?” she asked. 
They all nodded and gasped out general agreement, more focused on catching their breath. Twilight turned to Shining, who had just lunged through the portal, tired but unhurt.
“Shining?” she asked. 
He gasped and nodded his assent. Twilight then turned, and felt her heart shoot up into her throat as their final companion joined them on the other side of the shield. 
Logan had become a lot different from the pup she had met. Where before he had been the size of an earth pony, now he matched Celestia in height. His fur was bushy and wild, and the blonde fur looked almost bleached white. His jacket had changed; a full section of it had a silver gray shoulder pad sewn into it, the bones of his mother almost absorbed into the fur of his father. All held together with what looked like tree bark and even scraps of metal, burned into the fur and leather. The scarf made from his mother’s fur was draped around his neck, fluttering slightly in the breeze. The fur had also grown along the back of his head, billowing like a lion’s mane. But as he shot her a glare, that defiant gleam in his eyes was still the same. 
“I just can’t get away from you, can I?” he said grumpily, even as his tail wagged.
Twilight’s heart tangoed in her chest. He clearly hadn’t changed much, but he was here.
The Lone Wolf of Equestria was back.