//------------------------------//
// S4 Episode 28: Being Cursed Of Royal 
// Story: JTHW: Journey To Hearth's Warming 
// by Lighttone GryphonStar 
//------------------------------//

Even after a week, the echoes of the war bounced through the empty city without end. The once graceful capital of the unicorns was no more but a barren wasteland now. Starlight was shaken by all of it as she took each step. She didn't want to be here. But she had to follow her orders. She didn't know why but she's been tasked to ensure that the city was completely empty; That the last moments of the war, the great teleportation, had been completed.

She wished now more than ever that she'd gotten involved soon. From her perspective, this was the past, and yet this was still a war for her kind. This was a war they would fail in, her teacher's words. However, with Twilight now among the ones missing, Starlight could only feel more regret.

Coming to the last stop, she remembered how just days ago this place looked so much different. The starkest view of past events contrasting with now was seen in this last moment. A cup full of coffee, sitting on a table, not a single drop drank from it. A coat laying over the side of a chair waiting for its owner to return, tossed aside so casually as if it was never left alone. A purse still standing up straight, full of money, photos, papers, and a few stray quills.

Starlight gritted her teeth and answered to herself, "They're all gone, every single one of them." She walked over to the table. The coffee had long mildewed. She knocked it over, wanting movement in this empty city. The echoing of the spill bounced across windows, buildings, and streets, only intensifying the horror of it all.

"We lost..." she whispered to herself before returning to the titan airship.

******

Inside the airship, Rex was carefully looking over the map. His eyes intensely moved over each coordinate, hoping for some sort of glow. Clover had left with Clovis, leaving the lone umbrum on the airship to ponder away. Well, he wasn't completely alone.

"If you glare any deeper into that map, your eyes will bend space around it." Lord Red spoke out. 

"What?" Rex looked up to see Lord Red watching him.

"Oh, nothing." Lord Red stepped closer to the map. "So this is the map that allows you to see the truth about Twilight Sparkle."

"I don't know what you mean by truth? I simply tested a theory for something else and got far more than I bargained for." Rex moved the map away.

"That's certainly true, to find Twilight Sparkle and Cold Blue. You spotted not only them but connections they have with you and each other, right?"

"I have no connections to Cold Blue."

"And yet Twilight Sparkle has a far greater connection to both of you." Lord Red wandered to the other side. "She is from the future, so the surprise is mute. Blood Diamond was also told of his strange lineage with one of these time travelers, the one known as Starlight. Twilight knew details ahead of time, or at least she suspected." He cupped his face in thought.

"What are you getting at?" Rex demanded.

"If she knew about Starlight's origins, who's to say she didn't know her own origins?" Lord Red pointed so boldly. "With all these connections, it makes one wonder just how much these two will hide from us?"

"Starlight didn't know about her family line. It's unclear whether Twilight knew she was from my..."

"Not true." Lord Red dropped his hands on the table. "Though such unknown details around her are purely assumptions now. What is clear is who she is to you now?"

"What are you asking?" Rex narrowed his eyes.

"I am simply asking if she can be trusted?"

"Said you." Rex lifted the map over his face to show just how pointless he treated this conversation.

"I completely understand why you don't trust me. However, I still need to understand why you won't let me help. Why do you trust her over me?"

"How are those not the same thing?!"

"Fine, I'll be more clear." Lord Red walked around the tables. "I am here to bring Twilight Sparkle to face justice. I'm not seeking malice against her, nor desire to see her die. I simply seek a means to an end."

Rex dropped the map, realizing Lord Red was attempting to get a better look. "The war is over. The unicorns lost."

"If you believed that yourself, then you wouldn't be wasting so much energy trying to decipher that map on your own." Lord Red proposed, "Let me help you."

"How could you possibly help?"

"I am a master of many forms of magic."

"Yet you are not a master of dark magic." Rex narrowed his eyes.

"Neither are you," Lord Red pointed to the dark alicorn amulet. "Where did you get such a thing?"

"Don't change the subject. How could you help us?" Rex demanded.

"To see beyond seeing."

"What?" Rex pulled back in utter confusion. He was unsure if Lord Red was playing on riddles or being completely serious. However, there was no change in his opponent's sight. This meant that Lord Red kept his composure the entire time and kept his word throughout the entire conversation. If he was lying, he would have been from the beginning, but if he was telling the truth, the truth was evident.

"I mean the glaring you were doing earlier."

"Okay, now I'm completely lost. What are you talking about?"

"Getting lost must happen often with you." Lord Red stopped behind Rex.

"If you will not help me, then leave!" Rex stood up and faced him directly, making his demands clear.

"Since you won't listen or won't realize the obvious, I must apologize." Lord Red bowed to him.

"Apologize for what--" Rex was stopped cold in his tracks as Lord Red thrusted his hand into the dark alicorn amulet with no warning. His hand phased through the crystal as if he was a ghost.

"This..." Lord Red answered carefully as Rex's body twitched uncontrollably.

"What are you doing to him?" Silver Pear rushed into the room.

"Back off, now earth pony.” Lord Red's eyes were enough to send him flying back.

"No, answer both of us." Starlight's magic grasped Silver Pear in the air.

"Perfect timing, my little unicorn. Since you lack a teacher, please listen to this lesson." Lord Red twisted his hand and Rex's body jilted. "Do not worry, he cannot feel anything. I am simply changing the output of his amulet--" Rex roared in pain. "Fine, I'm lying about the pain."

"Output?"

"Yes, it seems he's discharging too much of it when trying to access its incredible power." Lord Red twisted his hand again, feeling around. "This was clear when Clover described the events that allowed him to better read the map."

"Are you sure you know what you're doing? How will this help?" Starlight demanded.

"It will increase his accuracy at reading the map. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

"This is far too dangerous and reckless." Silver Pear pulled out his claymore.

"How do you know so much about this?" Starlight questioned Lord Red's actions and stopped Silver Pear's advance.

"Because he was there when all three amulets were created," a new, completely unfamiliar voice echoed through the room. Starlight backed away as the unfamiliar voice spoke from Rex's mouth.

Lord Red laughed, "I was wondering if an old goat like you was still alive in there."

"Do not mock me?" The voice answered him.

"Who is that? Let Rex go?!" Silver Pear called out.

"None of your business, child." The disrespect towards him meant nothing when compared to the force of the very space around the earth pony pushing him to the ground.

"What have you--" Silver Pear was silenced again as space pushed down harder.

"Stop hurting him?" Starlight charged her horn with magic.

"Temper your curiosity, my little unicorn. You both are in the presence of very ancient magic." Lord Red pulled his hand out to the dark, alicorn amulet. "The alicorn amulets hold ancient dangerous beings that no longer have bodies of their own."

"A minor way to describe my prison." The voice controlling Rex's mouth laughed in a mocking tone/

"True, though in this form you are more of a slave of the current owner."

"Rex is far from my owner," the voice's temper was rising. "And I am far from his slave. Speak your business so I can go back to communicating with only him."

"I wish to expand the output of his power."

"I told you his body is not ready for such an output."

"Please, his body is more durable than any other owner you've had," Lord Red argued with the voice.

"True, he's more durable than any umbrum before him and certainly more than any wendigo."

 Lord Red raised an eyebrow that his answer, "Even better than the original king of the wendigoes."

"Indigo Frost? Almost certainly. And miles better than that half-breed child."

"Half-breed child?" Lord Red raised his hand, almost tempted to question more on that. "No, no, no. Save that subject for another time. The real reason I'm doing this is because of another dark magic user."

"The supposed daughter," the voice laughed. "Do you wish to kill her?"

"Damn it, I assumed you would listen more than him. I am seeking justice, nothing more."

"Oh, I was listening to every single word. You play your words well, but I don't trust you and neither does Rex."

"However, Rex wishes to find her?" Lord Red smiled at his victory.

"Fine..." the voice caved in defeat. Rex's eyes glowed brightly. "He will only have this sight for a few minutes." The voice faced Rex on the map. The dark alicorn amulet glowed brightly as Rex regained control.

Starlight sighed in relief as the pressure of space over her earth pony ally broke. She helped him up. "Are you okay?"

"My pride is injured," Silver Pear laughed.

"What happened?" Rex rubbed his head. "I can't remember a thing. Starlight, Silver Pear, when did you two get here?"

"No, do not look at him directly." Lord Red held his hand over Silver Pear as Rex faced them. "Rex, return your eyesight to the map before you hurt somepony."

"What are you talking about?" Rex demanded answers.

"I had a conversation with the voice in your dark alicorn amulet. Truthfully, this is not the first time I've talked to a voice without a body." Lord Red pointed to the map. "Time is short. Look while you can."

"What are you talking about--" Rex stopped as he felt liquid pour down his face. Starlight and Silver Pear both gasped at the maroon red blood pouring from his eyes, but attempted to not look at him directly.

"He was right. You are not ready to handle this power. Now, look at the map. Use the Glare."

Starlight's eyes widened at his words. While Rex was unfamiliar with the word, she was very familiar with it. This was the same spell that nearly killed her once long ago on her journeys through many timelines. This horrifying and incredible power was being used again, now in the past. "This is the power you will master in the future, Lord Red."

"Yes, and but for a moment I can witness it. Hurry, Rex..."

"You bastard!" Rex stopped himself as his body trembled. He faced the map, finally giving in. Much to his surprise, the map now looked very different. Where before he could only see the alathar and any nearby dark magic signatures, he could see every dark magic user across the map. "It's so much more clear."

"Yes, but to you alone." Lord Red floated a quill to him. "Before it overpowers your sight completely right what you can see so others can see."

"You mean if I overuse this I'll go blind!" Rex roared in rage.

"Yes, and no. Your eyes will melt away completely," Lord Red corrected him. "Time is running out for Twilight Sparkle and the war. It is unsure when the enemy will make their move so we must stand far ahead of them."

"Fine... I know where she's at. Or rather, where she will be." Rex dotted a line from the unicorn capital to the southeast. "Two massive dark signatures are moving right now."

Starlight stepped closer to the table and looked over at the map. "Wait, that's near the Batpony Canyons?"

"Then that is where Rex shall go next.” Lord Red waved his hand over Rex.

The blood stopped flowing, and the dark alicorn amulet and the umbrum's eyes stopped glowing. Rex dropped to the ground and maroon liquid spewed from his mouth and eyes. " Fucking... Damn it... You cold-hearted bastard..." Rex's voice was filled with vicious contempt.

"Your sight will be blurry for a few hours and puking will calm down then, too. It's better than losing your sight altogether." Lord Red turned to the exit. "Starlight, you and the earth pony will leave with me to the Pegasus Isles."

"What? We should leave with Rex!" Starlight raced over.

"No, we will pick up Clover on the way. She will go with him." Lord Red padded her on the head. "I need you by my side. You still have much to learn in this world and timeline. With your teacher missing, I must mentor you in her stead."

"I... I... I understand." Starlight bit her lip and looked away. While she still felt uneasy around him, she knew she could trust his words. Maybe she could learn a lot from him.

******

Miles away, above the ruins of Rage Mountain, Clover and Clovis attempted to contact Blood Diamond. He had been silent since the teleportation event. While he hadn't been captured, it wasn't clear why he was not answering anypony. The two unicorns had been there for only a day, but both were stopped in place at the sheer horror of the warzone in front of them.

It was just as her father had described. A mix of emotion flooded Clover's thoughts at the sight of it, but shame seemed to be the brightest in her eyes as she saw the many dead unicorns. Her people were slain so easily. And yet many out there were still missing, taken without warning by an unholy spell that her group had to undo.

"Is it clear yet?" a voice asked. From above, Clovis the Coward sat within an airship's opening covering his eyes.

"Yeah, there's no more soldiers here either," Clover answered. She often found her brother's actions confusing. Before he was so bravely willing to hunt down Twilight. Yet upon the activation of this spell, his cowardness returned in full bloom. He seemed so brave against the legend of dark ascended. Or maybe it was the lack of knowledge that made him so brave. Either way, it was clear after all these years he still hadn't grown out of the name, Clovis the Coward "Just get down here already," she commented.

"Fine, fine." Clovis teleported down to the ground. Once ready, he started scanning everything can get a hold of. The sight of the bodies sickened him just as much as it did to Clover, but he knew he had a bigger mission to handle. He was the only master of teleportation they had. It fell to him to find out just how this teleportation was completed. His eyes lowered as the scan spread across the mountain. "This is where it started."

"The slaughter of our kind." Clover's words cut so deep.

"The teleportation..." These were the only words that escaped his mouth as he stopped his scan. He took a seat on a rock and exhaled deeply. Both were stressed, but both had to be ready as more exited the airship.

The first to be spotted was Princess Celestia. She was already performing her own scans upon landing. It wasn't like she didn't trust Clovis, more like she was just as curious as he was. There were so many magics twisted through the land. Most of all, she could sense three signatures, "Alicorn magic, unicorn magic, and something else very unfamiliar to me. I believe that is the source of the teleportation."

"I realize that too," Clovis answered. "I don't know what kind of magic use the spell but I know it was very ancient."

"As ancient as us?" Princess Luna questioned as she landed. "This seems rather impossible as most alicorns are far beyond the age of most mortals."

" I am very certain of it. I compared it to the wendigo of legend, this Indigo Frost." Clovis pondered aloud. "While it is similar, there are certain details that seem off."

"The legend of Indigo Frost?" Clover question. "Are we agreeing that the one we've been fighting is the old king of legend? And how do we know he was even behind such a spell? I thought we settled on the assumption that Lady Mass Hysteria was behind this spell."

"We don't know if he's responsible at all or his connections to the spell. However, someone claiming his name can only mean more danger than good," Celestia clarified. "It's best to assume any large-scale attack during this war is caused by him."

"Plus there is the description that the Shadow pony gave," Luna concerned. "Princess Mira Platinum, leader of the unicorns, used a white orb and broke apart into maroon snowflakes. Just like the attack in the Griffin Kingdom a month ago that freed the Night Brother."

"The Night Brothers are free!" Clover jumped around. "We have to warn Starswirl."

"He already encountered them during this warzone," Celestia corrected. "They escaped but said that this supposed Indigo Frost wants them to play a few games."

"That aside, what is clear is Lady Mass Hysteria was working with him in this war, too. If reports from Cold Blue are also to be believed," Luna answered.

"Reports he gave shortly before going missing, like every other unicorn..." Clover concluded. "I don't want to trust his words any more than your words."

Clovis held his hand over his sister to stop her posturing. "Please, Celestia, could you tell us what you know about the King, Indigo Frost?" Clovis played his move well, knowing Clover always felt easier than trusting Celestia over Luna. He didn't know, but his sister always felt uneasy around Luna, especially when Rex wasn't around.

Celestia smiled at that trust. She was always ready for a story. "It happened over five thousand years ago. While I and Luna weren't directly involved in the battle, we did witness it from afar. Indigo Frost was the ruler of the wendigoes, and as far as we knew a powerful king who was both feared and beloved by his citizens."

"Citizens? I never knew such a word could be used for wendigoes," Clovis answered.

"Yes, even back then, they were nothing more but wild beasts to everyone else. Yet very few saw a sort of orderly system in their monstrous chaos. And at the lead of that system was Indigo Frost. In a little over a month, he forged all the clans of wendigos into a single army." Celestia held out her hand and formed an image above it with her magical horn. "Using their magic of ice, water, and sound, he forged a kingdom that glowed in its icy form with echoing loud spires of endless sound."

"It's beautiful..." Clover never would have suspected such an image forged by a wendigo. Four mighty spires surrounded a beautiful icy pyramid. She could see the winds swirl around and even hear the beautiful noise echoing in all directions.

"It was a shock to many that such monsters could forge something like this. Even the alicorns were awe-struck and power. However, other lands soon became jealous of this and pushed the wendigoes away. While a war didn't break out at first, such a sight would only bring one soon enough.``

"War eventually comes and changes everything, no matter when or where it might happen. This is clear even to us mortals..." Clover's eyes traced over the surrounding mountainside, matching it in her mind to what must have happened in the past.

"Not quite." Blood Diamond finally made himself known to them as he walked up. "We were there on the front lines. We saw what the wendigoes could do, and this was not their power. While we never fought Indigo Frost directly, we knew he was far from the monster king they all saw him as." He stopped by Clover's side and made a final comment that only shook her. "In fact, he was much like Rex, simply trying to find a place for him and his citizens."

"The Indigo Frost I saw attacking..." Clover's eyes fueled with rage. "Attacking that town more than a month ago was not like Rex."

"I will agree with this unicorn on that much," Luna surprised Clover by standing in her defense. "I know of Rex's action and he is no monster."

Blood Diamond only smiled brighter at those words, but there was a sickening hatred deep within his eyes. "Oh, we know all too well what you two see in Rex." He narrowed his eyes on Luna and questioned, "Have you talked to Rex recently?"

"No?" she looked strangely at his question.

"Good, our other half was curious, that's all. Of course, you know how dealing with one of those can be," Blood Diamond mocked Luna. 

"Other half," Clover whispered under her breath, unknown to what he meant.

"Enough," Luna turned away from him. "Complete your scans and we will go to the next area."

"Fine, but know that Lord Red will soon arrive to trade a few allies with us." Blood Diamond leered his eyes at Clover.

"Oh, you will answer him, but not us!" Luna barked back in a rage. "We have been waiting in that airship for a full day!"

"Like that matter, Clover be ready to leave with Rex to your next mission. Clovis, you will return with Lord Red." Blood Diamond turned away from both Clover and Luna. "Meanwhile, we will move out to the next area."

"Next area?" Clovis questioned. Clover herself was also out of the loop wondering what they meant.

Celestia covered her face in shame, unable to answer them properly right away. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but we were given direct orders by my uncle. I mean once we reunited with Blood Diamond we were to complete it as soon as possible."

"What orders?" Clover question.

"Our father has given the order to occupy the entire unicorn capital until they return to be conquered." Blood Diamond's words brought them all to attention and shocked Clover and Clovis both.

Clover stepped forward in defiance, "No, my father told me who was behind the war. You know who's behind this! It wasn't the unicorns!"

"Yes, while Lady Mass Hysteria pulled strings on Princess Platinum. That does not change the fact that the unicorns brought war to us. Therefore the unicorns must be conquered!!" Blood Diamond gave his final words as his horn lit up brightly with magic. He lifted his hands into the air and all the crystals across the entire mountainside lifted it upward. With a wave of his hand, they flew towards the unicorn capital.

The crystals impaled around it in the shape of a mighty giant circle. Luna and Celestia both sighed annoyance before lighting up their horns. In one move all light and darkness faded from the circle as if neither day nor night would ever come in contact with the mighty mirror buildings ever again. This massive three-way move cut off the capital from the rest of the world.

******