More Than A Thousand Years Ago...
"What do you mean, 'Discord has been defeated'?"
The changeling gulped. "E-exactly that, Your Lordship. The Royal Sisters used some relics called the Elements of Harmony and...turned him to stone."
Not a word was exchanged in the court of the Shadow King. The Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, a being that nearly took control of all of Equestria in mere hours, had been beaten, apparently without even a fight. Many of the court's attendees peered at one another uneasily. If the princesses had that kind of power, what chance did they have? King Sombra's head jerked around at the sound of a voice.
"Your Majesty," Brontes began. "Perhaps it would be prudent to withdraw our troops?"
King Sombra glared at the cyclops. "I beg your pardon?"
"I mean, before our odds were better but with these 'Elements of Harmony,' we don't stand a chance in Tartarus against the princesses. The cyclopes will no longer be party to this folly."
The umbrum waved a hoof dismissively. "Go then, flee! Run back to your meager territories like cowards!"
Letting his brothers and sisters exit before him, Brontes merely shook his head sadly. "Better a live coward than a dead fool," he uttered and closed the door behind him.
King Sombra was on his hooves, slowly descending the dais, eyes carefully scrutinizing all those present.
"Would anyone else like to run away?"
Black Shuck rose from his seat and barked orders to his lackeys, together the diamond dogs retreated without a word, followed shortly by the minotaurs and the few dragons that joined them. That left Lavan, the changelings and the cavalums. King Sombra was swearing on the inside as he paced around the remaining alliance members. At least they actually had backbones and once Celestia was dead, they could have whatever parts of Equestria they wanted but the Crystal Empire was his. Lavan actually had the nerve to demand the Crystal Heart before Sombra persuaded him otherwise, instead settling on burning everything south of Canterlot.
"We're not backing down now, not when we've come so far," Queen Chelicerae declared. "The alicorns have vanquished one lowly draconequus. We are many!"
"I came here to burn the forests of Equestria," Lavan boomed, steam hissing from his armored hide. "I will not stop until their precious capital is ash and debris."
Orlok shambled forward stiff-legged. "The cavalums will feast on alicorn blood, this do I swear in the name of the Night Mother."
King Sombra grinned sinisterly. "Then it is agreed. We march on Canterlot."
~*~
The door was inscribed with the image of a crescent moon, which Princess Celestia gently traced with a hoof, wincing as she heard her sister's muffled weeping. Discord had been defeated, reduced to a stone statue and now standing in the royal garden, his face frozen in an eternal bout of laughter. He'd been their foalhood friend and Luna's first love, the younger alicorn taking his imprisonment harder than Celestia would've imagined, barricading herself in her room and barely touching whatever food was left for her. It was only through Celestia's similar experience with Sombra that she was so understanding, believing her little sister needed time alone for her emotional wounds to heal. Luna had been Celestia's rock during her pregnancy and the subsequent enchanted sleep of her daughter but now it was her turn to do the same.
As Celestia wandered through the castle's halls, she was reminded of how empty the structure was now and thought back to all those that she lost. First, there was her husband Prince Tourmaline, now King Sombra, a vicious, revenge-driven warlock and tyrant. Then, there was her dear friend and mentor Star Swirl the Bearded, who vanished along with the other Pillars in a battle with the Pony of Shadows, depriving her of his guidance and wisdom. Next was Discord, once a bright, optimistic colt that Celestia would've been proud to call her brother-in-law but had been reduced to a mad, irrational being of pure disorder. Finally, her mother Queen Concordia, the mare who raised her and the last family outside of Luna and Cadence that she had.
The throne room was vacant, as bare and hollow as the hole in Celestia's battered heart. Slowly, she trotted up the dais and stared at her throne then at Luna's. How much more would either of them have to lose? Time and again, they've defended their kingdom from foes both foreign and domestic yet the grief never waned nor the costs never fully paid. There were moments, strong but fleeting, where she considered hoofing over the crown and responsibilities to another, to let them rule in place of her. As much as she loved her home and her subjects, sometimes it felt as though she was being torn in two, splitting off into both Celestia and Princess of the Day.
In those moments, Celestia quieted her mind and allowed the voice of her mother to reverberate through her memory: When you take up the role of Equestria's ruler, you don't just bear the weight of a crown but also the lives of every pony that exists and will exist in our kingdom. It is akin to being a mother to thousands of foals and any good mother cares for each and every one of her children, putting their needs and desires above her own. One day, Celestia, you will be Mother to Equestria. Will you put aside your selfish ideals for your children? If not, then you don't deserve to wear the crown.
"I'm trying, Mother," Celestia whimpered, sniffling lightly. "It's just so hard."
"Tia?"
Her sister's voice gently echoed in the empty throne room. Wiping her face, Celestia turned and smiled at Luna, doing her best to put on a brave face. "Luna...sniff...you're out of your room."
Luna nodded solemnly, her slippers clacking on the floor as she approached the dais. "I...I hadn't seen you in a few days. I wanted to know if everything was alright." She lowered her head shamefully. "I'm so sorry, sister. It was foalish of me to lock myself up and cry while you took care of things alone."
Gently, Celestia tilted Luna's head up. "Don't apologize, Lulu. I understand why you needed time alone. It's not healthy to keep things bottled up. Believe me, I know." She nuzzled her cheek, placing a wing over her shoulder. "I'm just so happy to see you."
"Me too, Tia," Luna sighed, leaning into the nuzzle. "It just...hurts. So much."
"I know," Celestia cooed.
Luna gasped, hot tears spilling down her muzzle. "I hated what Discord became but...I still love him."
"It's not easy, Luna. Love is complicated, harsh even. You have no more control over your heart than I do over the wind or the tides. All we can do is try to wait out the storm."
The crashing of the throne room's doors jolted both princesses, both turning towards the disturbance with horns aglow only to relax at the sight of five royal guards, who surrounded a hooded figure, a chain attached to a metal collar around their neck. Whoever the figure was, they were equine in shape but their over-sized cloak made identification impossible. The lead guard, a goldish-brown pegasus, halted and raised a hoof, the others soon pausing. He nodded and another guard yanked back the stranger's hood to reveal that it was a changeling.
"Your Majesties, we found this thing outside the castle entrance. It was actually begging for an audience with you," the pegasus stated harshly.
"Thank you, Captain Phalanx." Celestia peered at the changeling closely, noticing the slight tremor in its limbs, its face twitching as it bit at its lip. This thing was terrified. "Why are you here?"
The changeling raised its head but didn't meet her eyes. "I-I came to warn you...Your Grace," the changeling replied shakily, a female judging by the higher pitch of her voice. "King Sombra and his allies...th-they plan to march on Canterlot in three weeks, a-at dawn."
Celestia raised an eyebrow at this. "And why would you share this information with us?"
"Perhaps it is a trap," Luna glowered. "They've sent an emissary to deceive us."
"Maybe..." A golden spark shot from Celestia's horn and encompassed the changeling in a golden bubble. "Is this a trick? And no lying. It will only get worse for you."
"It's no trick. I came on my own and no one knows that I'm here," the changeling answered without hesitation. She was inside of a truth field; if she'd attempted to lie, the field would've turned red and given her a mild shock, compelling her to tell the truth. Celestia was intrigued by this.
"Why are you telling me this? Don't you have a duty to your queen?"
"I have a bigger duty to my hive. They think that they can beat you but their pride blinds them." A tear, an honest to Faust tear, trickled down her cheek. "If they assault Canterlot, many of my brothers and sisters will die and I can't allow that. I...I just can't."
The truth field vanished, the collar around the changeling's throat unlocking and clanging to the floor. Everypony gawked at Celestia, who strode past her guards to lower herself until she was at eye level with the changeling. Understandably, the insect-like pony shrank as Celestia gazed at her curiously, examining her as one would a painting or a marble sculpture.
"What is your name?"
The changeling gulped. "M-mirage, Y-your Grace."
Celestia smiled at her. "You love your siblings very much, don't you Mirage?"
Mirage nodded. "I would die for them."
"I believe it." Celestia then rose to her full height and turned to Captain Phalanx. "Captain, I want you to tell the staff to prepare a room for Mirage and assign a guard to watch her. She is a guest and if any harm befalls her, there will be great punishment for failure to protect her."
The pegasus, still reeling from the shock of what had just occurred, was nonetheless too loyal to contradict his monarch. "Y-yes, Your Majesty. Brightwork," he announced, an earth pony stepping forward and saluting. "Escort Miss Mirage to one of the dignitary quarters."
"Yes Sir!"
Mirage bowed before Celestia and took her hoof in both of hers. "Thank you, Your Grace. Thank you."
Brightwork led Mirage out the throne room, followed shortly by Captain Phalanx and the other guards, who were still just as dumbstruck as he was at their princess' decision. Luna, meanwhile, was fixing Celestia with an inquisitive expression, trying to figure out her sister's reasoning.
"Is this wise, sister? Letting an enemy stay at the castle?"
Sliding back into her throne, Celestia nodded. "The truth field didn't detect any falsehoods in Mirage nor did I find any deception in her eyes or face. She was telling the truth."
Luna was still doubtful but willing to drop the subject. "So what is the plan?"
Celestia leaned forward, her gaze a hundred miles away. "They conspire to attack us in a few weeks. We must strike when they'll least expect it." She turned to Luna, pink eyes shining definitively.
"We must take the fight to them...immediately."
~*~
No one had seen King Sombra in two days. Gossip around the kingdom, mostly amongst the crystal ponies and perpetuated by the changeling soldiers, was that the Dark Lord of the North had locked himself in his spire of fear, practicing forbidden rituals of the foulest magic to bring him victory. Whisperings of foal sacrifices and offers to vile gods circulated throughout the empire and given that the king was rarely seen outside of his castle, the rumors only grew in scope and vileness. Conspiring with blood-drinking bat-ponies, love-stealing changelings and a foul-tempered fire demon certainly didn't help the umbrum's case. One would need only to look to the shattered remains of the previous rulers to confirm their suspicions of King Sombra's occult dealings.
Deep below the castle, in a secret chamber known only to a very select few, King Sombra had been toiling away creating a new weapon, one that, with any luck, could match or even surpass the power of the Elements of Harmony. Even if these wondrous relics didn't exist, it still wouldn't hurt to have something to aid him in taking on two alicorns. Drawing upon his metallurgical skills, King Sombra crafted a talisman from rare adamantine steel, spending hours forging it and cutting an alchemically-made ruby to adorn it. Using his collection of dark magic texts, combined with his maleficium training, he infused the talisman not only with magic but also a portion of his own soul, ensuring that if anything happened to his physical body, his consciousness would survive. The process had been draining and the soul-splitting ritual agonizing beyond words but his masterpiece was finally complete.
When at last he strode into the throne room, King Sombra wore his newest creation with pride, red mist curling from his eyes. The Alicorn Amulet would perform great feats of magical prowess without taxing the wearer but as an added bonus, should anypony other than him wear it, it would slowly drive them mad with power and feast on their very sanity. It could not be removed, save for the wearer themselves but with such a powerful relic, why would they willingly surrender it? Ponies weren't difficult to figure out. All it took was a taste of something extraordinary in their dull little lives and they would be willing to kill to keep it.
Suffice it to say, his allies were caught off guard by his reappearance.
"Where have you been? We've been standing around waiting for you!" Queen Chelicerae snapped.
A red beam of light struck her. Everyone gasped when in place of the queen, they instead found a changeling larva. Another beam restored her back to adulthood, the changeling gasping in heaving breaths as she clutched at her body. All eyes turned towards King Sombra.
"That is where I've been," he stated coolly, reclaiming his throne. "Creating a weapon to challenge the Royal Sisters. With the Alicorn Amulet, we can stand a chance against these 'Elements of Harmony.'"
"It works...well," Lavan offered up, the usually unperturbed fire demon looking especially uneasy. "So what now?"
"'Now'? Now we prepare for war."
~*~
Princess Celestia sat completely still as her attendants affixed her golden armor to her, the cold, heavy steel alien to her flesh while it was buckled into place. She was no stranger to violence; being one of the two rulers of Equestria sometimes required personally quelling a threat to its existence but fighting on a battlefield? Celestia detested violence as a testament to her personal code of pacifism, only resorted to combat as a last resort, unlike her more hot-tempered and headstrong sister. Luna could perfectly feel at home either swinging a battle-axe or sipping tea with Canterlot's aristocracy. Hopefully there would come a day when such measures were outdated and abandoned.
"Are you alright, Tia?"
Luna wore blue-violet armor and a spiked helm, her mane reverted to its natural light blue color and styled into several braids. A black-hilt sword with her cutie mark in the pommel was strapped to her side and she balanced a spear over one shoulder. Her movement spoke of one accustomed to the weight of armor and thus she moved with grace and purpose. A mare ready, and even hungry, for combat.
Celestia nodded, standing up once her greaves were in place.
"I'm scare and nervous. I've always been more of the diplomat so I'm not used to battles like you are."
"Who says I'm used to it?" Luna placed a wing over Celestia's shoulder. "I could fight a hundred battles and never rid myself of the pre-conflict fear that affects even the best of us. What you're feeling is natural but the important thing to remember is not to let your fear overcome you."
"But I'm going to have to face Sombra and I might have to..." Celestia turned away, unable to finish her sentence. "I don't know if I have the strength to go through with it."
"You will," Luna smiled. "Because you'll have me by your side. We can and will win. Just believe it."
Celestia gave Luna a reluctant nod and hugged her. "I know. It will be you and I."
"You and I, dear sister. Always."
Down below, their forces were armed and prepared for the battle ahead. Scores of earth ponies, unicorns and pegasi made up the bulk of their forces, with griffons, yaks and hippogriffs comprising up the rest. Dragon Lord Vermithrax refused to lend any of his forces to aid them in their "foolhardy squabble," closing off the Dragon Lands and declaring it a neutral zone. According to Mirage's intel, news of Discord's defeat caused most of Sombra's allies to abandon him, leaving the umbrum with his mind-controlled crystal ponies, King Orlok's bat-ponies, Queen Chelicerae's changelings and one fire-demon. Although this still added up to a sizable army, it was now closer in number to Celestia's and this gave her great hope for victory.
The Princess of the Sun drew in breath and nodded towards the gathered generals, who each took command of their forces and began the long march to the Crystal Empire. Thousands of armored soldiers stomped and clanked forward, giving the impression of thunder, their hoof and footsteps almost rhythmic as they stepped in time with the pounding of war-drums. Banners waved above the crowds like overcast clouds, flying the colors of Equestria, Yakyakistan, Griffonstone and Mount Aris. They were lucky to have the support of the hippogriffs but the only reason Queen Aura agreed to send aid was with the understanding that Celestia and Luna were to destroy all references to Mount Aris and the hippogriffs. They'd lost many of their kind when they joined Equestria late into the Umbrum-Draconequus War and wished for nothing more than to live peacefully in solitude far away from the conflicts of the outside world.
Ancestors, grant me the strength to overcome my weaknesses and do what needs to be done.
Donning her helm, Celestia nodded to Luna and together, they took flight.
~*~
Sunstone slowly dragged himself towards the throne room, every step reminding him of his age, which was further hampered by the monumental stress of recent events. The crystal ponies in the mines were being run ragged to provide the raw materials for weapons and armor. King Sombra and his entourage planned to invade Canterlot, an ambitious but overtly futile plot that was doomed to fail, even with the king's dark sorcery and nightmarish allies. Approaching the throne room's entrance, two equine guards stood by motionlessly, the greens of their helmets' eye holes burning ominously. Neither made a move to stop Sunstone, having long since been made aware of his role as the king's majordomo.
Nearing the steps of the dais, Sunstone felt himself shrink beneath King Sombra's glare as he watched him from atop his black crystal throne, the dark stallion exuding scorn for the old stallion. Sunstone would've preferred arrogant contempt or even sneering superiority to hatred. He lowered himself in a forcefully respectful bow.
"Your Majesty, I come with a message from the Crystal Empire's citizens. They have concerns about the state of things, how the empire is being run."
King Sombra's expression was one of cold annoyance. "Oh? And what are these 'concerns'?"
Sunstone swallowed, his throat suddenly feeling extremely dry. "The miners and craftsponies are being overworked and underfed. Some have even collapsed from exhaustion. Thankfully, there have been no deaths. So far."
"If case you've forgotten, we are readying ourselves for war," King Sombra briskly replied. "In order to take Canterlot, we need siege towers, ballistas, trebuchets. These things don't just build themselves."
It was a great risk to try to argue with the king but Sunstone wasn't going to sit back and watch his fellow ponies die from taxation. "Please be merciful towards them. They've suffered enough."
The umbrum leaned forward in his throne, teeth bared in contempt. "'Suffered enough'? No, they could always suffer more. They deserve to suffer and they should be grateful that I'm not nearly as cruel as I could be."
Right, so appealing to King Sombra's emotions wasn't going to do it. He was a creature of logic and thus thought in terms of benefits. "Yes, but if you wish for better productivity, the workers need to be kept healthy and well-rested. Every sick or injured worker just equates to further delays." He then hastily added, "Your Highness."
King Sombra sat back and mulled on this point. "Very well then. Ensure that every miner and craftspony is given a half-hour break and plenty of water. That is as far as I am willing to go."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Sunstone bowed, being careful as to not smile externally. "There are other matters as well. With the heavy emphasis on aiding in the war effort, many crystal ponies are concerned about the social and economic implications. You've already banned the Crystal Fair and other celebrations and most businesses have been closed since the increase in slaves needed to build armor and war machines. Might I suggest keeping the essential businesses open?"
"Such as...?"
"Th-the schools for one. Many feel as though you're deliberately depriving their children of a proper education. Then there's also the apothecaries, tailors, bakers. Anypony really that can keep the non-slaves functioning."
From the king's baneful countenance, Sunstone was almost certain he was going to literally going to get the axe. Sure, so far the only ones to be executed were criminals and rebels but every day for him felt like a struggle to see tomorrow. Perhaps King Sombra would stay true to his word to keep Sunstone alive as long as possible, perhaps not.
"Very well then. Announce an official decree stating that all essential businesses are to be opened and kept staffed by anypony not suited for physical labor. That will keep the mares, foals and weak stallions occupied."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Sunstone bowed once more. "It shall be done." He turned and ambled away.
"Sunstone..."
The crystal pony turned.
"Don't think for a single minute that I'm going soft on you or the citizens," King Sombra uttered coldly. "I am merely doing what is necessary to quell any further thoughts of open rebellion. I don't have time to deal with the riff-raff."
"Of course, Your Majesty."
It wasn't until Sunstone exited the throne room and the doors slammed behind him that King Sombra exhaled and slumped into his throne. The pleasure that he was deriving from punishing the crystal ponies had all but evaporated at this stage. There was the fact that retribution for the umbrums' extinction had been dealt out but even that had lost its appeal. So why was he still going forward with making their lives miserable? Was it some sense of deluded self-righteousness?
Sombra manually lifted the crown off of his head and studied it, the light reflecting off of the steel band. A tool constructed to give the wearer the power to see their enemies' greatest fears, now it was a symbol of his oppressive reign. No, he couldn't wrong, could he? They're the ones who were responsible for the course his life took, killing the innocent and manipulated him like some sort of demented puppet. The umbrums were wiped out, gone like dust in the rainfall, their histories either rewritten or lost to the ages. His was the performance of justice, to right the wrongs of Queen Concordia and the crystal ponies.
For the first time in a long time, Sombra was uncertain of himself.
~*~
A week passed before the allies of Equestria arrived at the Crystal Empire, their shared anticipation of battle combined with a desire to see the false king overthrown kept them moving forward. Their resolve was absolute, with neither icy winds or freezing snow prevailing to turn them around. Celestia and Luna would take turns casting an imperceptibility spell, allowing their army to trek through the ever-snowing expanse without being seen or heard. It was a favorable sign that the weather was as tame as it was, not only affording them all uninterrupted breaks but also ensuring that their journey was unimpeded by storms. Apart from the occasional dire bear or ice wolf, their quest was uneventful and before it wasn't long until the Crystal Empire came into view and the army froze in its tracks.
What was once a literally shimmering utopia was now a dull, colorless collection of ugly structures piercing the dirty yellow-brown sky that hung above it like a storm cloud. The Crystal Empire used to possess glimmering spires that sparkled in the sunlight that had been reduced to jagged black crystalline buildings. Celestia could only shudder to think what the interior was like or what King Sombra had done to its citizens. She gulped, rattling lightly in her armor and it wasn't due to pre-battle jitters. A gentle hoof patted her shoulder and she turned to find the smiling face of her sister.
"Are you alright, Tia?"
"I think so," Celestia answered uneasily. "I'm still nervous about having to face Sombra."
Luna nodded understandably. "I know. Don't worry, we shall prevail. And we'll do it together."
"Right," Celestia smiled before adopting a more stoic expression. "We have a kingdom to liberate."
~*~
King Sombra took a swig of wine and rubbed his temples. Every once in a while, he would take a tour of the Crystal Empire, either assuming a disguise or covertly shifting into his shadow form to spy on the masses. It was no secret that he was despised by the populace, excluding the changelings and cavalums, who were grateful to him for providing them with a sanctuary. The crystal ponies hurled insults, calling him "tyrant," "false king" and "monster." The last one was deeply insulting but he paid it no heed.
For whatever reason, while King Sombra cared nothing for the crystal ponies, the current status of the foals was troubling. Perhaps it was the way their parents held them or the way their vacant stares penetrated his gaze but whatever the reason, he couldn't help but feel immense guilt at how they were living. Once he'd arrived back at the castle, he ordered some wine and locked himself in his chambers, requiring solitude to unravel his strange new emotions. After a fruitless hour of soul-searching, he sent for Sunstone and patiently awaited the old stallion's arrival. Finally, the crystal pony arrived.
"You sent for me, Your Majesty?"
King Sombra refilled his goblet and stared at the crimson liquid, taking time to formulate his thoughts before facing Sunstone. "I need to talk to somepony. I have...an issue."
Sunstone stared blankly at him. "An...'issue,' Your Majesty?"
"Yes," King Sombra curtly confirmed. "I was out and about earlier when I noticed that there were some foals just...standing there. No laughing nor playing, just standing. And their expressions were so lifeless." Sunstone nodded but remained silent. "I don't know why but I felt awful. Why is that?"
Furrowing his brow, Sunstone gawked at the king before staring thoughtfully out the window. After a prolonged silence, he finally concluded, "It sounds like you feel guilty, Your Majesty."
"'Guilty'? What have I to feel guilty about? The peasants are lucky that I'm not as terrible as they think I am. I could let them all starve or feed their children to the cavalums but instead I allow them to live in peace. Have you noticed that crime has decreased since I came into power? And yet nopony ever brings that up. I keep everypony fed and healthy but this is apparently not even worthy of discussion."
Despite his argument, King Sombra's excuses felt like ash in his mouth.
Sunstone sighed, "That may be so but you also took away our right to express ourselves culturally, force us to work in your mines and every citizen is required by law to wear shackles. You're not exactly a benevolent ruler."
Abruptly, he found himself yanked up by his collar in a telekinetic hold and flung forward so that he hung directly in front of King Sombra. Purple smoke flowed from the shadow pony's eyes, which now radiated a bright green glow. "You've forgotten your place, Sunstone."
The fear drained from Sunstone's face as he glared at the dark sorcerer. He no longer cared if Sombra struck him down. "No...I haven't. It's between my kind and you."
Studying Sunstone for a moment, King Sombra released his hold, dropping the old stallion to the floor. Rising to his hooves, he pushed back his chair and towered over the crystal pony. There was no fear, nor hatred, only defiance and some form of pride. The glow and smoke vanished from King Sombra's eyes, returning them to their usual scarlet. Regarding his servant curiously, King Sombra held a hoof out, which Sunstone wearily inspected before reluctantly taking.
"Perhaps you have a point, Sunstone. The truth is I...-"
King Sombra's speech was cut short when his horn began humming with screeching black and purple energy. He turned and raced towards the window, a deep growl emanating in his throat.
"The perimeter spells have been activated," he explained as images flashed before his eyes. He saw a massive army comprised of ponies, hippogriffs, yaks and griffons marching towards the Crystal Empire, their standards flying proudly above their heads. The motley collection was led by two fully armor alicorns, one blue with a starry mane and the other with a coat as white as snow and a multi-hued mane like a rainbow. How could this be?
King Sombra caressed the Alicorn Amulet situated on his chest, the red center gem shining with dark arcane power. It was time to test its might against the power of two alicorn princesses. Of course he was no fool, knowing that the chances of his success were very slim but he had to try. He was an umbrum and by Woden, he was either going to succeed or go down fighting. Besides, it wasn't as though he didn't have any contingency plans.
The Crystal Heart was a symbol of the Empire and thus Sombra removed it to demoralize the crystal ponies. It kept the Frozen North from swallowing up the Crystal Empire so instead of destroying it, he had the Heart drained of its love magic, courtesy of Queen Chelicerae. It was then hidden, accessible only through the use of dark magic and by entering a special gateway he'd created that forced whoever went through it to experience their greatest fear. There was also his phylactery, the Alicorn Amulet itself, which not only increased his magic but also housed a piece of Sombra's soul and should he die, its necromantic energies would restore him. In a rudimentary way, it was alive, driven by Sombra's very essence and would defend itself to ensure its survival.
"Sunstone," King Sombra intoned, smoke curling from his eyes. "Alert the other rulers, tell them to relocate their citizens. The time for war is nigh."
~*~
As the Equestrian forces neared the Crystal Empire, Princess Celestia couldn't help but feel as though this was all too easy. King Sombra was devilishly clever and yet there weren't any signs of sentries or watchtowers. The goal of a sneak attack was to catch an enemy off guard but the umbrum wasn't careless and would no doubt have a trick or two in case of such a maneuver. Celestia paused and held up a hoof, signalling the troops to stop. Luna trotted up to her confusingly.
"Sister, what's wrong?"
"I think that we should send ahead a few scouts," Celestia stated. "We have to make certain that aren't any surprises waiting for us."
Luna nodded and waved over a pegasus, a griffon and a hippogriff.
"You three, scout ahead and report to us your findings posthaste."
The warriors nodded and took to the sky. For the next few minutes, Celestia held her breath. Luna must've sensed her dread because she placed a wing over her reassuringly. In the distance, the scouts circled the Crystal Empire when something knocked the griffon out of the air, sending her plummeting to the snow. The other two swung around to flee as a volley of arrows were launched at them, striking the pegasus in the wings and back while the hippogriff was pierced in the side.
Summoning the last of his strength, the hippogriff managed to fly out of range skid to a rough stop, half-collapsing on the ground while a group of his brethren carried him off. The Royal Sisters watched an army marching through the empire's gates, a dark alliance comprised of bat-ponies, changelings, crystal ponies and even a fire demon. At the forefront, King Sombra himself led his forces, red eyes aglow with cold fury as purple wisps trailed from the edges of his pupils. The Dark Lord of the North grimly strutted towards them, his sigil flying high upon spiked pole arms carried by his brain-washed servants.
Celestia took a shaky breath and steeled herself. She nodded towards Luna, who called out to the other generals and they resumed their pace, ready to meet the enemy. Breaths puffed out visibly in gusts of mist, the steel clacking of a million shifting limbs beating out an ominous tempo. Without warning, King Sombra shouted something in a foreign tongue and his troops charged full-speed ahead, spears and sword drawn. The Equestrian forces responded in kind, hooves and claws beating a path through the ice and snow until at last the armies met in a furious avalanche of metal and flesh.
Bat-ponies and changelings threw themselves at the airborne troops while the masked crystal ponies assaulted the ground forces, mercilessly cutting down anyone and everyone they came into contact with. The fire-demon, Lavan, was conjuring stone pillars from out of the ground to batter his foes with while regurgitating lava and toxic smoke. The savagery with which the crystal ponies fought with was unexpected and horrifying. Celestia couldn't help but give Sombra some credit: by not only sending in soldiers that were sapped of their willpower, creating warriors that felt neither compassion nor exhaustion but also instilling in their enemies hesitation to hurt their fellow equines, especially those that were acting against their own will. She swallowed and joined Luna above the battlefield, their eyes collectively searching the chaos for their target, finding him slamming a unicorn into the snow and dispatching two pegasi with a magic blast.
Their eyes met and it was then they knew that it was their final confrontation.
Rocketing into the air, King Sombra adopted a semi-shadowy form, fanged mouth emitting a war cry as a barrage of red orbs bombarded the sisters. Weaving around the orbs, the two alicorns spun and ducked to deliver their own missiles, which either soared through the blackness of the umbrum's body or were deflected by his horn. Luna jabbed at Sombra with her spear, narrowly missing his face as Celestia attacked with her sword. Dodging the weapons, King Sombra whizzed towards the ground and skidded along the snow, twin arcs of black and purple flames leaping upward to incinerate them. Celestia conjured a golden shield while Luna simply flew around her arc and plummeted towards Sombra with her spear leveled, ready to end the conflict.
Just as the spear was about to hit its mark, a black crystal pillar sliced through the shaft, followed by a storm of crystal shards that would've skewered Luna if not for her split-second barrier. The Princess of the Day sliced at King Sombra, who conjured a series of crystalline swords, meeting every one of her blows and giving him an opening. A ball of crackling, toxic black energy smacked Celestia in the chest, sending her rolling across the snow. Luna, meanwhile, struck at Sombra with twin swords, hacking through his own constructs before aiming both blades for his head. Vanishing momentarily, King Sombra appeared on Luna's left and seized her around the throat with a black tendril.
"I didn't ask for this, Luna. You shouldn't have come."
"You...you shouldn't have...started all this."
"It was your kind that started this, not I!" King Sombra growled.
A flash of silver sliced through the tendril, freeing Luna and enabling her to strike Sombra with a blue projectile. Celestia directed a golden blast to enhance the attack when the blast disappeared and reappeared, almost hitting her if she hadn't have ducked. Teleporting magic beams? Now Sombra was just showing off. Speaking of the Shadow King, Sombra followed this up with strafing them with energy blasts, an expression of pure rage on his face as the pair danced around the attacks.
As much as Celestia loathed to admit it, Sombra was good. No, he was great. One individual should not be able to hold his own against two alicorns and yet here he was. A mixture of innate talent, years of dark arts mastery and a cunning intellect made for an impressive foe, one that she should've known not to underestimate. Was she blinded by her affections towards Sombra, her love for the dark enchanter alive and present even at this crucial time?
Luna furiously swung her swords at King Sombra, who allowed them to phase through him and then lashing out a hindleg, catching Luna in the ribs before igniting his horn and grabbing her in a red aura. Following the illumination of Sombra's horn, Celestia discovered the amulet situated on his chest, the red gem at its center emitting the same red glow. It was the amulet! In a moment of unspoken synchronization, the sisters exchanged a nod and Celestia shot off a series of fiery arrows in rapid succession, ensuring that each one flew at her opponent at multiple points. As to be expected, King Sombra erected a ovular paper-thin shield to wildly deflect the projectiles, giving Luna the opportunity to hit the amulet and sending it flying off into the whiteness of the ground.
Reeling back, the umbrum's eyes widened in shock at the maneuver, clearly caught off-guard by the stratagem. Recovering his wits, King Sombra threw his head forward, a series of red crescent-shaped energy constructs spinning towards Luna like razor blades. As she blasted them out of the air, Sombra shifted into his shadow-form and charged Celestia at full speed, taking a hold of her and slamming her into the ground, using her head to dig a trench through the snow. Tossing Celestia aside, Sombra assumed a corporeal shape and erected a jagged crystalline cage around her. He approached the bars, his expression one of half-anger and half-sorrow.
"Give up, Princess. You're out of tricks as well as time."
Celestia met his gaze. "And you're out of allies."
Curious, Sombra turned to discover the alicorn's words rang true. The Equestrian army had beaten back his own, the survivors retreating into the Frozen North or laying down their weapons in surrender. Any crystal ponies still out on the battlefield had been subdued and their helmets shattered, freeing them of Sombra's influence and they were subsequently released to run back to the empire. The fire-demon, having seen the turn of the tide, was last spotted retreating and had fled to parts unknown. Whirling on Celestia, Sombra emitted a throaty growl, purple smoke flowing from his eyes as he fixed her with a resentful glare.
"You may have won the battle but you've still lost the war."
"Sombra!"
Luna hovered over them, magically pulling three glowing gems-orange, blue and red-from her belt pouch, the gems swirling around her like three orbiting moons. This was the part that Celestia was dreading: the usage of the Elements of Harmony. They'd agreed to use the relics as a last resort and seeing as how Sombra was too powerful for them, only the Elements could end his threat. Silently asking for forgiveness, Celestia focused, her Elements flowing out of her own belt pouch, one pink, one green and the last one purple. The cage shattered, the shards flying out and disintegrating, powerless against the might of the gems, against Kindness, Generosity and Magic.
Joining Luna, the Royal Sisters floated above Sombra, their combined Elements encircling them both. Together with Loyalty, Honesty and Laughter, the Elements of Harmony were whole, the physical representation of Equestria's best traits as well as the pair's bond. With a roar, King Sombra struck them with a toxic, bubbling pillar, only for it to bounce off of the white sphere that was now being generated by the gems. He then tried a different tactic, releasing two steady streams of fire but they again had no effect. Incredulous terror had set in but King Sombra refused to flee, instead standing in defiance of the princesses.
"I'm so sorry," Celestia whispered tearfully and, nodding to Luna, unleashed the true power of the Elements.
~*~
It was over. The Alicorn Amulet was lost in the snow, Sombra's armies were scattered and now, the princesses were using their ultimate weapon, the so-called Elements of Harmony, something that could overcome even his magic. However, it was just had he'd told Celestia, that she may have won this battle but she'd lost the war. Before entering into battle, Sombra uttered a dark curse on the Crystal Empire, one that would ensure that the alicorns wouldn't get their grubby hooves on it. If he couldn't have the empire, then by Donar nopony would, not even its inhabitants.
A wave of rainbow-colored magic struck Sombra, lifting him into the air.
"CELESTIAAAAAA!"
His muscles screamed with agony as pieces of his armor flew off of him, followed shortly by his flesh and bones. A cold emptiness entered his interior, leaving Sombra feeling less-than-equine and the reason was soon obvious: he was now a black, cloudy mass, a real shadow pony. Just when he thought his torment was over, he found himself flung far from the battlefield, soaring past endless plains of snow until he was cast into an icy chasm. Falling for what seemed to be ages, Sombra finally hit the bottom, though he didn't feel the impact or the cold. Just then, the top of the chasm slammed shut, eliminating the light and leaving him drowning in nothingness.
~*~
Celestia gasped, not realizing that she'd been holding her breath until she and Luna descended, the Elements of Harmony safely tucked away once more in their pouches. She didn't know what she expected to happen when Sombra was exposed to the Elements' power but she didn't imagine that they'd do that. Discord had been turned to stone, harmlessly situated in the Canterlot royal garden and she thought that it'd be something like that. It was true that Sombra had to be stopped but that felt like a step too far. She stared off in the direction she'd last seen Sombra and mourned him.
"Tia, look!"
Snapping her head around, Celestia's jaw dropped. Cries of despair echoed in the Frozen North as the Crystal Empire began to shake and fade in and out of existence before vanishing completely, leaving behind an empty space where the kingdom once stood. She hastily flew over to the area and felt around for any structures but to no avail. It was as if the empire was never there in the first place. She glanced over at Luna, who was just as dumbstruck as her.
"Your Majesties," an earth pony soldier called out to them. She and two more ponies were leading a wounded bat-pony on a makeshift leash, the enemy limping as one crooked wing twitched. "We captured him as he was trying to escape. He claims to know what's happened to the Crystal Empire."
"Speak!" Luna commanded.
The bat-pony hissed at her and then addressed Celestia. "The king said that if he were to lose, he did not want the empire to fall into Equestria's control. He enacted a dark curse, one that he claims would ensure that the kingdom would vanish in the event of his death or capture. 'Inn-sewer-ants' he called it."
Celestia shook her, dismissive of this creature's words but knowing deep down that they rang true.
"Take him away. See what else he knows." As the bat-pony was hauled away, Celestia turned to Luna and sighed. "'You may have won the battle but you've still lost the war.' That's the last thing that Sombra said to me. I thought he was just being dramatic."
"You couldn't have known, Tia," Luna assured her. "Not even I would've guessed he'd stoop so low."
"We must find a way to undo his curse," Celesta stated resolutely. "We owe it to the crystal ponies."
~*~
Gerald plodded through the snow, his armor weighing a ton and his mood sour. He thought for sure they'd be some looting at that Gem Kingdom or whatever it was, a free-for-all while they liberated the city. Instead, it disappeared into thin air, meaning no riches for him and his fellow griffons. He slouched as he walked, his bloodied axe dragging behind him, creating a red trail like a road indication on a map. What was the point of risk if there was no reward?
Something gleamed in the sunlight and Gerald came across something half-buried in the snow. Casting aside his axe, he dug the object out with greedy claws and wiped away the excess snow, revealing an amulet of some kind with a large red gem. Gazing around suspiciously, Gerald relaxed upon confirming his solitude and gingerly clasped the amulet. He could sell it, no doubt able to procure as much fancy stuff as possible! Why, he might even be able to buy Griffonstone itself!
The amulet shone like silver, its red gem glittering star-like in the light. No, why should he give it up? He found it and no one else had the right to have something so beautiful as this. He worked hard for it and no lazy-bones bird was going to get it. Tucking the amulet into his breastplate, Gerald retrieved his axe and made his way back to the rest of his platoon, eager to get himself better acquainted with his new treasure.
~*~
Queen Chelicerae stared out from aboard the ship's deck, she and her remaining subjects disguised as ordinary ponies. She knew that defying the alicorns was a mistake but the confident young stallion's words moved her, gave her hope when she thought it'd died out years ago. She was a fool to think that they could actually win. Perhaps the cyclopes and the diamond dogs were right to leave when they did. She noticed a tan pegasus with white spots approaching her, recognizing her devoted general no matter the form he took.
"Your Majesty," General Pleuron bowed slightly. "All civilians are accounted for, with the exception of Mirage."
Queen Chelicerae grimaced. "Perhaps it was she that ratted us out. I always knew that one was spineless."
"It's possible. If she's in hiding, we'll find her." He looked at the rapidly-shrinking landmass. "Are we really leaving Equestria, Your Majesty?"
"For now, General. It may take years or centuries even but some day, we will return."
~*~
Mirage gazed awestruck at the item wrapped in a golden aura and then up at the pony presenting it to her. It was a scepter in the shape of a beetle, a yellowish gem in between its mandibles. Gently, Mirage lifted it up and inspected it. She bowed at the two alicorns atop their thrones.
"Thank you, Your Majesty but what does it do?"
Celestia beamed, "It is a special talisman that can detect the presence of other changelings, even if they've been gone for years."
Mirage bowed once more. "I cannot thank you both enough."
"Are you sure you want to leave? There is still much that we have to learn from one another."
The changeling smiled warmly at Celestia. "I'm certain. As kind as you both have been, I don't belong here. I must find my kin and try to explain myself before the queen."
"She might execute you as a traitor," Luna gravely stated.
Mirage nodded. "She might. But I still must try."
Celestia smiled. "Then good luck on your journey, Mirage. We will never forget what you've done for us."
~*~
That night, as Celestia tossed and turned in her bed, she struggled to catch even a wink of sleep. She soon found herself standing at her balcony, glancing out at the city beneath her. Her thoughts turned to the Crystal Empire and its missing citizens, now lost for a thousand years or so. She thought of her infant daughter, who was kept in an enchanted sleep, hidden deep within the bowels of the castle. She also thought of Mirage, the one who ensured that Equestria was not in fear of being ruled by a murderous tyrant and wished her well.
Lastly, she thought of her lost love Sombra and how much she missed him. Despite everything he'd done, everything he'd put her through, Celestia's thoughts were focused on him most of all. She considered a world where he'd never discovered the truth of his parentage and they raised Cadence as a loving couple. They would've lived a long, happy life together, maybe even as king and queen. Celestia paused her thoughts, knowing full well that it was foolish to think of the could-have-been's instead of the what-shall-be's.
There was the future to consider and it belonged to her and Luna.