Sometimes, getting up in the morning felt like the hardest thing to do. Sturdy Shield knew he was old, the oldest pony in the Crystal Empire, and his joints and bones were old and ached whenever he got up and moved around. Yet still, he barely slept more than a couple hours each night, which left him restless and unable to stay confined in his bed for very long.
Today was different, he felt it right away. He stretched his legs as soon as he woke up and immediately climbed out of bed. The pain wasn’t completely gone but compared to the days when he could barely stand, it was just a minor inconvenience today. A glance outside the window showed him that the sun was already rising, and the sky was clear and bright. He walked to the window and pushed it open with some effort but was rewarded with a cool breeze. Even the air smelled different today, better, clean and crisp like he remembered from so long ago, long before the darkness.
Sturdy Shield didn’t dwell on these thoughts and instead headed for the door. He felt like walking today, and he wouldn’t waste this opportunity.
Right outside, matching the brightness of the morning sun, he was met with the familiar smile of his neighbour
“Oh, good morning Grandfather! You’re up early today!”
Sturdy Shield smiled back with undisguised fondness. Aquamarine, who lived next door, often helped him these days, fixing his breakfast, cleaning the house when he couldn’t and just taking care of him when the old bones refused to work.
Like so many, Aquamarine had lost her parents during the Dark Years, and her brother in the war that followed. When she called him ‘grandfather’, it wasn’t just out of respect, but out of a real bond they had formed. Sturdy Shield kept his smile big and wide, even if he thought of all the fillies and colts who had needed a parent in the years that followed. Each of them hit by tragedy and only so few Sturdy Shield could really help, with advice and wisdom or sometimes with a stern lecture as well. In a way, they all were his children and grandchildren, in one way or another.
If Aquamarine knew about his thoughts, he didn’t know, nor did it really matter. As much as they might need each other, Sturdy knew she also had her own life to live. So when she asked him if he needed breakfast he just declined and announced he would go on a morning stroll. Aquamarine knew him well enough to not argue with him, but as always, she’d ask him to be careful and not exhaust himself. Also as always, he’d just roll his eyes and they both laughed before he made his way, slowly but steady, towards the centre of the city.
The walk was quiet and uneventful since ponies were probably just getting up by now. Sturdy Shield walked as fast as his old bones would allow and glanced around as he usually did. Each house he passed by had a memory, good or bad. Some worse than others. He remembered this street right after the war, with broken down walls and all houses abandoned. Now, almost a decade after Princess Cadance had taken the throne, all the houses were fixed up and the whole district looked nice and pristine. As Sturdy Shield passed, he heard voices from inside the houses, and it made him smile. Nowadays, there were far more good memories than bad ones.
By the time he reached his destination, the sun was shining bright and the early morning lights made the whole crystal city glitter and gleam in all colours. Sturdy Shield made sure to take in the view and admire its beauty, but he was not surprised when after a couple of minutes a voice called out to him
“Good morning Grandfather! What brings you here this early?”
Sturdy Shield laughed and turned towards Sour Berry, with a fond smile. The stallion who ran the small café returned in kind and didn’t even wait to get his answer, instead he fired up the most important question
“Did you have breakfast yet? No? Me neither. Sit down, I’ll get us something.”
Sturdy Shield’s smile didn’t fade until Sour Berry had turned around and vanished back inside his café. The young lad had grown into a fine stallion these days. He remembered far too well how hopeless Sour Berry had been, after the Dark King had executed his father in public and he had been forced to watch. Of course Sour Berry wasn’t the only one, but not everypony was able to come back from a sight like this. Sturdy Shield knew more ponies than he dared to count who had gotten lost in their heartache and fell victim to the Dark King’s foul spells. Sour Berry was one of the lucky ones who had regained his courage. Nowadays, he ran his café for everypony and he had helped the ponies of the Empire to get used to visitors from the south. He also had helped those who moved to the Crystal Empire adjust and feel welcome. In that regard, Sour Berry was very much like his late mother.
Sturdy Shield made sure to push away those bad memories and headed to his usual seat whenever he visited Sour Berry’s café, at one of the outdoor tables. The sun would soon chase away the morning chill, so he wasn’t too bothered and had his smile back in place when Sour Berry returned with breakfast, and a can of piping hot coffee. The first sip tasted like a little piece of heaven, as usual, and drove away all remains of cold.
While Sturdy Shield enjoyed his coffee and breakfast, Sour Berry hurried through his meal. He apologized for it, but Sturdy Shield just waved it off. He knew that soon the first costumers would arrive, and Sour Berry needed to be ready. Still, as always, they found the time for a quick talk
“How’s things going with your mare, son? Did you finally find the guts to talk to her?”
“Grandfather, please… I talk to her all the time. I see her almost every day.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it. You two been dancing around each other since you were foals, and time won’t slow down just because you’re loafing.”
“I’m not scared of her! I just… it’s complicated, Sturdy Shield. She just got used to the new home and all, I don’t want to push her away by accident.”
Sour Berry was getting defensive again, and Sturdy Shield knew why. He had seen fear all his life and recognized it in all its forms. Luckily, he knew right away what to say
“Son, take a moment and listen to an old stallion, will you?”
The tone of Sturdy Shield’s voice made Sour Berry immediately look up and meet his eyes. For a few moments, he could see the pain, the sadness and the bitter memories Sturdy Shield never showed and always hid behind a smile, like he was smiling all the time, but not now
“I know you’re scared to mess it up. But if a friendship like yours gets messed up from just a wrong word or two, it’s not meant to last. And if there’s more, a few wrong words won’t do any damage that can’t be repaired later. Take an old soldier’s word, sometimes you regret things you did. But things you didn’t do, for whatever reason? Those are the things you regret for the rest of your life, and they hurt far more than anything else. You got to ask yourself what’s worse: Messing up, or never even trying?”
Sour Berry didn’t say anything for a while, but his eyes stayed fixed on Sturdy Shield. The old stallion looked back attentively, but he knew that he didn’t have to say more. Just as he expected, Sour Berry soon nodded and some of that hesitation from before was gone
“I think I understand. Thank you for your advice, Grandfather.”
Sturdy Shield just smiled again, as usual, but this time with glowing pride
“You’ve grown into a fine stallion, Sour Berry. You’ll know to do the right thing when you see it.”
The way Sour Berry looked back at him, with both gratitude and fondness in his eyes, made Sturdy Shield’s heart swell even more with pride, like always when he talked to Aquamarine, Sour Berry, or any of the young folk these days. In a way, he really felt like a proud grandfather.
Only a few minutes later, the first costumer arrived, hungry for coffee and breakfast. Sturdy Shield stayed at his small table, just by the doors, and sipped through another cup of coffee. He knew he was welcome to stay, Sour Berry didn’t even need to say anything. He watched the ponies who came and went, meeting their eyes with a smile. With many, he also shared a few words, with some a few more as they greeted their ‘Grandfather’.
Around him, the market started up for the day and the air was filled with voices and laughter. The city and the ponies glittered in the light of a wonderful day. Sturdy Shield watched and listened, and smiled.
By the time the lunch rush had passed, Sturdy Shield was still sitting at his table. The coffee was now replaced with a glass of whiskey, provided by Sour Berry along with the lunch he had brought him. Sturdy Shield wasn’t a drinker, he never made it through one glass during the day, but Sour Berry knew he enjoyed the taste, so whenever he visited, he got a glass to sip. Sturdy Shield was never asked to pay, but he knew that Sour Berry wouldn’t accept money from him anyway. He was a fine young stallion, indeed.
Sturdy glanced around when the atmosphere on the market plaza turned lively again, and his usual smile turned a tad brighter. From the nearby school, fillies and colts streamed into the market with loud laughter and new voices, young, carefree, and unblemished. A few of them waved to him, which he returned, but they had no time for him right now. Sturdy Shield laughed as he watched a bright red ball getting passed around. Within minutes, teams were formed, and a loud and messy game started. The ball moved so quickly that Sturdy Shield’s old eyes had trouble following it at times, between the foals. Most of them were crystal ponies, of course, but a few earth pony, unicorn and pegasus foals mingled in as well. In a game like this, tribes and differences didn’t really matter. Not even the small white alicorn filly with the blue and pink mane stood out as the young princess laughed and played with her friends, and it made Sturdy Shield smile.
A group of parents had gathered at the other side of the playing field, amiably chatting as they watched the foals from a save distance, not unlike Sturdy Shield. However, eventually even the wildest game had to end, which happened with loud cheers from every filly and colt. Many of them, turned towards their parents, but not the young princess. Flurry Heart, as she asked everypony to call her when she was not wearing her princess-tiara, made a beeline towards the café and was soon standing in front of Sturdy Shield
“Good afternoon, Grandfather!”
Sturdy Shield smiled down and the small princess who had somehow managed to capture all the light, warmth and colours of this wonderful day and turned them into a beaming smile she now shared with everypony around her. She might not be a crystal pony, but the young princess had never called Sturdy Shield anything but ‘Grandfather’, like so many others. And like from so many others, Sturdy Shield felt that this was more than just a name to her, that in a way, she really made him part of a family with just a word.
Flurry Heart looked at him and seemed to notice right away that today was an exceptionally good day, for him and for everypony else
“Grandfather, would you come and tell us a story?”
Sturdy Shield laughed heartily, from the giddy anticipation in the filly’s eyes, to the small chorus of cheers that followed
“Well, I’d like nothing more right now, little princess.”
He laughed a little at the adorable pout Flurry Heart sent his way, but of course he got up and let the filly guide him to her friends.
Sturdy Shield was led to a seat by the fountain and the small herd of fillies and colts gathered in a loose half-circle in front of him. He took a moment to look into their bright and happy faces, almost three dozen foals who would soon grow up into fine and responsible mares and stallions, just like Aquamarine and Sour Berry. Their parents gathered behind the foals and seemed just as excited for that story and happy to welcome Sturdy Shield in their presence.
Instead of going straight into the story, Sturdy Shield took another minute to look around and take everything in. The market was busy and lively, flourishing just like the city. Everywhere he looked, he saw light and so many colours, from the crystal buildings to the coats and manes of the ponies gathered around him, to the sparkling eyes of the next generation to live and thrive in the Crystal Empire, the home he cherished and loved.
It was a wonderful day, everypony was happy and Sturdy Shield felt better than he had in weeks. He felt a touch of his former strength returning to him, and he made a decision. Today was a perfect day and he couldn’t waste it with just any story. He knew that if he wouldn’t tell this story today, he might not have the strength again, for he was old and so was his story.
He glanced through the smiles, knowing they would soon all be gone, at least for a while. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his smile was gone, without a trace.
The ponies noticed of course, but not everypony understood right away. The parents grew concerned and the foals looked confused. Only Princess Flurry Heart, with her keen senses, noticed right away. She sat up straight and knew that something very important was about to happen.
When Sturdy Shield finally started to talk, his voice was hard, unbending like the crystals all around them, and when the ponies heard him, they understood why
“Today, I will tell you a story I’ve never told before, and that I’ll never tell again. It’s a story you maybe don’t want to hear again, but it’s important you hear it nonetheless. Today, I will tell you the story of our Empire, and how we nearly lost everything to the darkness of a unicorn named Sombra.”
The last word, that name, had many ponies flinch as if in pain. Mumbles started around him, even from ponies who had just been passing by but now stayed to keep listening. Sturdy Shield ignored them and continued
“Back then, before the Dark Years, long before that, he was not a king just yet, and the Crystal Empire was not the same as it is today. For once, we had no contact to the world outside for a very long while. We lived by our own, for our own, and we were happy back then, but a different kind of happy than we know today.”
He kept explaining how the city was filled with ponies back then, every house was a home and everypony did their job to keep the Empire running as it used to, just like their parents had and their grandparents before and their ancestors before them. He explained that it had been generations since anypony had ever made it through the frozen tundra of the north, so many that many ponies even forgot that a world outside of the Crystal Empire even existed.
“That’s when suddenly, one day, he arrived. A young stallion, half-frozen and almost starved out his mind. A pony from beyond the Crystal Mountains, they said. A pony with a horn, a unicorn they were called. Somepony took him to their home so he could warm up, as he had fallen unconscious the moment he reached the city. Later, we learned his name was Sombra, and that he came from a place he called Canterlot.”
A few ponies looked more and more worried, but nopony dared to interrupt Sturdy Shield. Instead, they looked at each other, looking for comfort. The parents scooted closer to their children. The foals just listened, they had picked up the sudden change of mood, but they didn’t know what it meant, yet. The Dark Years were mentioned, and those were scary times, but none of them really knew why. Their parents or even their older siblings had never spoken about it, out of fear or sometimes out of shame.
Princess Flurry Heart sat there in the middle of them, but unlike her friends who started whispering, she just sat straight and focused only on Grandfather Sturdy Shield, determined to listen, and hopefully understand. Sturdy Shield didn’t know of it, but every word that he said that day was burned irremovably into young Flurry Heart’s memory, by her own desire. She knew if she really wanted to become a good princess like her mother or her aunts, she needed to learn and understand the ponies she was supposed to lead someday. She understood of the severity of Sturdy Shield’s story and the graveness of his impact, and she would not let a single word go to waste.
Sturdy Shield went on and told the foals, and everypony who was listening, about how Sombra helped change the Crystal Empire. How it turned into the city they knew today, with the Crystal Palace in its middle and with the mines that were driven into the mountain, for coal and ore to run smiths and build machines, and precious gems to trade with the south. Soon, there was a steam train running on rails going through the Crystal Mountains, built out of finest steel from the Crystal Empire, so that it would last for hundreds, if not thousands of years. With the train, goods from the south arrived, exotic foods they had never even dreamed off, like apples from tall trees in boxes made out their wood. The crystal ponies, emboldened by their accomplishments and eager for more, drove their mines even deeper into the mountains, and the pony who had taught them and led them to prosperity, was called as first of them. In his palace he lived and from that day on, he called himself King Sombra.
But the First King, soon be known as the Dark King, did not only bring prosperity and good news. He told them about greed among the ponies of the south, of the kingdom called ‘Equestria’ that was ruled by two princesses who looked at their northern neighbours with envy and hatred. The King told them that they demanded more and more gems and steel from the Crystal Empire for even less goods in return. He told them of armies that were readied in the south, who were ordered by the evil princesses to invade and take over the Crystal Empire at a moment’s notice. The crystal ponies got angry when they heard that, some were afraid, but their king had a plan for them. King Sombra explained that the Crystal Empire needed an army of its own to protect the crystal ponies from the invaders. And so it came that the smiths started producing weapons and armours instead of tools and machines, and many ponies answered the call from King Sombra to learn how to fight in an army. That meant there were less ponies to work in the mines and smithies, and the miners had to work harder to compensated. The trade with Equestria dwindled and soon, food had to be rationed to prepare for an incoming siege. Only those who worked for the safety of the Crystal Empire got their meagre share, and those who chose to fight in the army could just barely feed their families.
Sturdy Shield was one of them, and he became a soldier for the Dark King. He learned to use a spear, learned to fight, and hurt ponies. Learned that he had to kill, if necessary, for the safety of his family and his home.
But even if he and many others followed the call to arms, the Dark King was not satisfied. He knew that the ponies of the south had strong earth ponies to fight, flying pegasus ponies who controlled the skies and powerful unicorn mages who fought with spells instead of spears. And again, the crystal ponies felt the fear their king instilled in them. Everyday, the learned something new of their enemies they had to fear, something terrible they had to prepare for, under the guidance of King Sombra. And so, the King told them that since he was a unicorn, he would use his own magic to protect them. He could cast spells that would make the soldiers stronger, made the miners work longer and help everypony need less to eat. Just until the crisis with the south was over.
The crystal ponies were reluctant at first, but their fear was too strong, so they agreed. Sturdy Shield remembered the rush he felt when the Dark King’s magic took hold of him. During his training as a soldier, he learned to follow orders without asking any questions. The King kept using his magic and pushed the crystal ponies to their limit, but even this was not enough. To protect them all, to protect an entire empire, a single unicorn, even a powerful and mighty wizard like King Sombra, was not enough. So the King asked, demanded for more. Every pony had to give a little, for the glory and safety of the Crystal Empire. And he needed even more. The Crystal Heart, the artifact that saved the empire from the frozen winds of the north, had to be given to the King as well.
This time, the crystal ponies hesitated, but the King sent out his soldiers to secure the Crystal Heart. The soldiers, who had been influenced by the king’s magic the most, fought ruthlessly against their own kind, against friends and even family. On this day, the first ponies fell victim to King Sombra’s iron rule. From this day on, nopony dared to more than whisper his name, they started calling him the Dark King instead. His soldiers, who were blindly loyal to the Dark King, were called the dark soldiers, or blood shadows, from their red and black uniforms. Sturdy Shield told what he remembered, but too many days where lost in a haze.
The crystal ponies lived on, but they didn’t strive anymore. More and more, it turned into pure survival for them. Fear controlled their lives and thoughts, fear from the invaders from the south, but also fear of the soldiers, and fear of the Dark King. Soon, they feared for their lives every single day. Food was growing short, so was medicine and even fuel for their homes. It didn’t take long for ponies to turn on each other, willingly exposing those who defied the strict rules of the Dark King, but also by force, tortured by the blood shadows or the Dark King and his sinister magic.
The Dark King drew more power of the Crystal Heart for himself, and so the barrier that protected the city shrunk down, at the same rate the number of the crystal ponies shrunk down. The colours faded from the crystals, the ponies, and their hearts. Every day was either a struggle for survival for some, or a mindless, hopeless haze for those who stood under the King’s magic, forced to obey even the most terrible orders. Sturdy Shield knew of both, but he could not tell which fate was worse.
The foals listened as Sturdy Shield talked, at times staring deep into the past and only talking to himself it seemed, at other times looking at them with pain in his eyes. The children fled into the embrace of their parents, though the parents did not necessarily fare much better. In some faces, Sturdy Shield saw shame and regret, pain and anger, sadness and loss. Many of them were crying, just like Crystal Note who wrapped her hooves around the twin sisters who pressed against her for comfort. Still, nobody said anything, as if spellbound by Sturdy Shield’s story. They could see in his face that this was not easy for the old stallion either. Flurry Heart, who still sat as close as she dared, could see how much strength it took out of the old Grandfather to recount the darkest years of his life. The least she could for him was listen to what he had to say.
From the last years, Sturdy Shield could not tell much. The fear had the Empire in its cold grip, even if there was no invasion from south for the longest time. A few of the adult ponies chipped with some details here and there, but none of them dived in as deep as the old soldier who bared his soul to the youngest hearts of the empire.
“When the invasion finally came, I barely even noticed it at first. There was an enemy to fight, and so we did. The Dark King had us fight each other to keep us in shape, and to entertain his own bloody cruelty, so I thought every enemy had to be black and red. But this enemy had colours I haven’t seen in what felt like eons. White and gold the most of them, others blue and silver as they flew over us. And something else was different. When they had defeated one of us, they did not finish us. They offered us mercy, but we were in no mind to realize. I saw a pony jump at a group with his bare hooves, a pony I had know since we were small, with rage and blood in his eyes. And I saw regret as his enemy struck him down. And then… I don’t know what changed. It was like somehow, all the chains that held me for so many years, just broke apart. I saw the chaos around me, I heard the screams of rage from my comrades, but I also saw the number of our enemy. They had us outnumbered, tenfold and more. We were lost in a fight that we could not win. Fighting would not save our empire. I was afraid to lose, but I was more afraid to see my home destroyed in a senseless fight. I threw my spear away from me and yelled that I would surrender. A pony in gold armour, he must have been from the Sun Princess’ forces, pulled me away from the fighting all around us. He was a strong earth pony and despite the armour, he carried me like it was nothing. I noticed that my hoof was bleeding, I hadn’t even noticed when I had been wounded. I heard him call for a medic, but then… there was a bright, blinding light. And that’s all I knew, for the longest time.
We tried to forget, we tried to avoid thinking about it, we never talked about it. Even after we’ve been saved, we were afraid, every single one of us. Now you know as well. It’s your heritage now. Times are changing again, and changes can be scary. Your parents, your families, and me, we had to learn how quickly fear can take hold of a pony. I hope you never have to learn this. I can’t do any more than tell my stories. Today, you can listen, but soon, you’ll be old enough to make a change. Listen and learn while you can, so you don’t have to be afraid when that time comes.”
As if a spell was broken, Sturdy Shield now slumped down, and his breathing was heavy. The sun had wandered further and was sinking again. The colours still were as pretty as they had been in the morning, and the light glittered through the long-repaired buildings. The pain in his legs came back, a little more than earlier, but still not as bad. The day was a good day, even if his story didn’t match it. The ponies around him whispered among each other and shared comfort, and the tears were dried. It was a perfect day, the perfect day for a story like this, and a day none of the ponies would forget in a long while.
Flurry Heart stood up alone and made the short distance to the old stallion. She reached out and gingerly touched his hoof with her own. Sturdy Shield looked up, and their eyes met, one pair old, worn, but full of wisdom, the other bright and clear, with the fire of the youth.
Flurry Heart smiled, not a happy smile, but a heartfelt, honest one, and Sturdy Shield felt his lips curl up as well. His smile returned, weak and a tad tired, but he could smile again, to the ponies who looked at him, just like the small princess now
“Thank you for your story, Grandfather.”, she said, and her eyes told him ‘I will never forget.’ It was a promise she would keep and cherish.
The evening came and the ponies left for their homes, some in silence, but many more talked to each other. Sturdy Shield stood up as well, under protest of his old legs. The way home would be challenging, but he knew it was worth, every second of it.
And on this day, fate was kind to him as in the middle of the ponies, a very familiar face searched out for him. Aquamarine must have arrived at some point, when he was lost in telling his story already, but now she was here. Wordlessly, she walked next to him and allowed him to lean in against her. The way home was still long, but the burden shared by a kind heart made sure that Sturdy Shield did not lose his smile that day.
Aquamarine helped him into his home and into the bed, always caring to her ‘Grandfather’
“You’ll be sleeping like a stone tonight, I’m sure. It took a lot of strength today, I can tell just by looking at you.”
“Don’t worry, child. It was worth every second.”
“Of course, Grandfather. Sleep well, I’ll be back in the morning.”
Aquamarine blew out the single candle that lit the bedroom and left quietly. Sturdy Shield listened for her steps until the faded and turned to the window. Tonight, on a perfect day like this, he could see the stars from his bed, and they shined brightly, maybe more beautiful than ever. A thin veil of light flittered in between them, the ‘Northern Lights’ as the ponies of Equestria called them, or the Aurora, that could be seen over the Crystal Empire, whenever the crystal ponies were happy and safe, and the Crystal Heart shined brightly.
And as he watched, he could feel the pain in his leg and joints fade into nothingness, even as his eyes grew heavy. A few minutes later, he closed them down, his smile still on his lips, as he came to rest.
The morning came to the Crystal Empire quietly and peacefully. The sun brought light and warmth to the crystal ponies, another wonderful day for them to share and enjoy.
Aquamarine smiled into the early morning sun and enjoyed the warmth on her face for a couple moments before she entered the house next door. She had expected for Sturdy Shield to sleep in today, after how much he had pushed himself the other day. Quiet as a breeze, she entered the bedroom and found the sleeping stallion who was even smiling while he was sleeping.
A smile of her own came to her lips, but soon faded again. Something didn’t seem right. She walked closer and gently touched his shoulder, to rouse him from his sleep
“Grandfather? Wake up, it’s morning and the sun is shining.”
His shoulder was cold to the touch, as was his hoof. Finally, Aquamarine realized what felt so off, as she missed the rise and fall of his breath. Her hoof flew to her mouth, and for a moment she thought of screaming for help. But then she saw the smile on his lips, the smile he always had for her and so many others, Sturdy Shield’s warm and heartfelt smile.
“Oh Grandfather… goodbye…”
She took one last look at his smile before tears blurred her vision and the colours faded from her coat as sadness reached her heart.
Aquamarine’s coat was still dull days later, as she stood in the middle of the group that had come to send Sturdy Shield to his final rest. Even Princess Cadance had joined the procession, as did Princess Flurry Heart and all her little friends. They waited for Aquamarine, Sour Berry, Copper Dime, Amethyst, Golden Bell, Opal Waves, and so many more to say their last goodbyes.
Sturdy Shield had never taken a mate, he had never had children of his own, and still he had been like a father and grandfather to so many, up to his last day. In a way, they were all his Grandchildren and would carry on his legacy for him. And even when he moved on, he still managed an unthinkable feat, as he was the first crystal pony since the long curse who had died peacefully, in his sleep, and with a smile. And in their hearts, Sturdy Shield would keep on smiling, always smiling.