It had been ten years since DIO returned to his world, into a well-deserved afterlife. DIO presumed that Equestria would be fine, holding itself together with the same cartoonishly-perfect harmony as when he first arrived. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
With the eventual and total withdrawal of Celestia's stand, as well as Luna's, their behaviors as princesses became subject to flaw—moreso than before. The stress was overwhelming, and the use of force to contain a new criminal underworld had divided the nation. It's citizens suffered from this as well, causing unrest across the country as unwanted diversity coated the once-perfect land. The paradise that once was, had been no more, as, in the absence of Friendship and Solitudes abilities, the laws of nature ensued, creating chaos.
The mane six, formerly holding the Elements of Harmony, no longer spoke to one another. Rarity moved to Manehattan to expand her business in fashion design, having grown tired of the low standards of Ponyville. Applejack, and her immediate family, relocated to Appleloosa, where they could be united with the rest of their loved ones. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy remained in contact, having shared in common an admiration of the lessons they learned from DIO's behaviors, as they were the only two to pay attention to his nature apart from their own world. Twilight moved back to Canterlot to study magic, quickly forgetting the thoughts of friendship and returning to her former solitude. Pinkie returned to her family, as without friends, she felt there was nothing left for her in Ponyville.
With the separation of the mane six, and the stress of the princesses, the Elements of Harmony lost their power, and Equestria became like any other nation, and like any other world. Ponies began to act like people, and from that they were incapable of behaving in perfect unity as before. The world was plunged into the darkness of reality. The last thousand years was just a long dream, and they had finally woken up.
Equestria, the land of harmony, was now a land normalcy, and suffering.
A unicorn, dressed in a cloak, ran by some unsuspecting citizens of the Crystal Empire. She was in a hurry, bumping into a few equines as she continued through the primary city and past it's boundary. After passing through the populated area, she finally found a moment to rest by herself. The equine removed her hood, panting. Her coat was white like snow, her mane long and black. She had shimmering blue eyes, that were piercingly beautiful. Upon her face, however, was an expression that was unmistakably broken.
"This is it," she said to herself, turning to face a large mountainous region, "I can't turn back now, if they were to find me. . ."
She lit her horn, levitating an object from inside of her cloak. It glistened brightly in the sun, the head of a stand arrow.
". . .they would take everything."
The equine put the arrow back, beginning to travel towards a valley. As she approached, the atmosphere became darker, and a sense of pure evil shrouded her mind. She knew she was getting close to her destination: a special prison under the icy coat of the Crystal Empire's foundation, containing a formidable equine. It seemed too easy, she thought, until she noticed two sentinels that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Upon seeing her, they readied their weapons.
"HALT!" A thunderous voice shouted from the two of them. Their armor was black, some kind of special material that was magic-resistant. The weapons they had were like spears, made from the same material with blades held upon magically-infused staffs. Their size was unspeakably monstrous, and their very presence was fear-inducing to the point that the equine, for a moment, considered giving up. However, when she remembered what she was there for, what she believed the world needed, her fear vanished.
She darted towards them, firing a blast of magic energy that she knew would have no effect. The sentinel she fired at didn't do so much as flinch from the hit, not even attempting to dodge it as it threw it's spear forward with a lunge. Anticipating this, she teleported away, putting herself in proximity of the other as it swung towards her. With a quick jump, and another teleportation, she blasted the ground from the air, causing them to lose their balance for just a moment before landing in between the two of them. As quickly as they regained their balance, they threw the spears forward again.
She smirked, using her magic to flare up the tail of the cloak while taking the arrowhead, causing the guards to miss her and instead stab one another. As she had thought from the beginning, no manufactured weapon in Equestria would be able to penetrate that armor, even if she had known to bring it—with the exception of the very weapons they held. As a strange substance leaked from the newly-incurred wounds, the guards fell over with a thud, allowing her access to the prison.
She recited a spell, lighting her horn and opening the ground to reveal the equine she sought. A chained and sleeping King Sombra arose from a platform of ice. As the ice coating his body melted away, he slowly opened his eyes. He looked at the guards slowly, then at her. Before having an opportunity to speak, she levitated the arrowhead once again, guiding it directly into his heart at a phenomenal speed.
Sombra's eyes widened as he snarled, before coughing and falling to the ground. He looked up at her with a wrathful expression, before weakly chuckling.
"So. . .you came here to release me so that you could kill me, is that it?" he asked, coughing as a bit of blood trickled from his mouth. She knelt down to him.
"No, my King," she whispered quietly, "I came here to give you the authority you deserve."
Sombra noticed that his wound had began to heal, and that a strange sense of strength encompassed his body. Some power that was different from magic. He stood up slowly, the arrowhead now having fallen to the ground once more. The equine levitated it towards her, placing it in a small saddlebag that was upon her back. With a simple spell, she broke his chains and bowed down.
"Forgive me for being abrupt," she said softly, "my name is Aurora Nightsky, I have made myself a war criminal in order to provide for you this gift, let alone to free you. Allow me to serve you, my King."
The fallen king was admittedly impressed, looking down at her and thinking as she stayed in a position of reverence.
"I accept your proposition, in gratitude for your servitude and sacrifice," he said warmly, "arise, for your name is no longer Aurora Nightsky. You, as my servant, will now be called Phoenix Shadow."
"A beautiful name, my King," she said, rising up with an expression of gratitude, "I apologize deeply for this final request, but it is only your blood that will give me the power to serve you to my fullest extent."
She levitated a stone mask from her saddleback, placing it over her face.
"With a droplet of blood upon this mask, I will have no choice but to rely solely upon you, for with the spell I have placed upon it, I shall die only if you do."
Sombra was hesitant, but as he looked over the mask and saw it's power, he smiled.
"Consider this request. . .granted."
Frantic knocking rung throughout the royal hall from the great doors that protected the princesses' inner room. Celestia looked up, using her magic to open them with a sigh. A guard rushed in with an expression of panic.
"What is it, Stormlight?" Celestia asked with a tone of concern. The guard panted for a moment, before looking up at her.
"Sombra has been released."