//------------------------------//
// Waking up 
// Story: Silent Sword of the Empire 
// by silverstream 
//------------------------------//

'I am... Waking up? This... Is different than before... I'm... Warm... It isn't cold. I... Something... Is wrong.'

'My body is heavy. My eyes won't... Someone is coming?' The sound clacking on the crystal floors echoed in the area. They couldn't see what was making it, but it was getting closer. It stopped then started again, but this time it was heavier and farther away? No. There is more than one. The clacking, now there was more of it, strange. The two sources must be moving together now. 

"...re about that." a quiet voice reached through the dark. They could barely make it out over the clacking. "It's.. piece of..." 

"Yes... But... Dark history.... Stuff that... Important anymore. We should... Or better yet... It." The parts they could hear were limited nor could they determine who or what was speaking. "I.. Surprised though... Sword is... Act. It has to b... Anci... That we Co... But... The... Tue has to go."

Not being able to fully hear everything was frustrating them. There must be something clogging their ears. "I sup... Right... We don't... Lated to... Bra arou.."

"Y.ah..." the voices got much closer now it had to be mere inches away now. "Since Sombra is vanquished while it is part of our empires history we don't need this knight statue looming here in the castle's reception hall. Some of our subjects refuse to come near the castle because of it. They say things like it is watching them Shiny... To be honest I'm a little concerned about that statement, considering that Sombra was an insane megalomaniac. Removing it will put the people at ease."

'Sombra, was vanquished? It would seem my service to the dark master is now at its end... But if our empire resurfaced and the empire was attacked? Why am I still encased in stone?' They pondered for a small time, ignoring the surrounding voices. 

A sharp pain broke them from their thoughts. Something struck them, something heavy and blunt. 'Was that a war hammer? No far too small... It must have been a sledge hammer then.'

The weight that they were once feeling was lessening with each strike. The strikes however were getting increasingly painful. Their face now able to move a bit the magic ensealing them inside weakening due to the damage was wracked with pain. 'This insufferable worker... Must they continue to strike the same spot?'

An hour of hammering blows and the statue still stood. It was cracked in many places now. But it's structure was still holding. 'The hammering seems to have stopped, at least for now. Fifteen minutes for each spot three swings a minute... Pretty efficient... Either it was done magically or who ever beat His majesty had very effective soldiers and workers.'

They felt like it may be possible to move soon even if it hurts now. Enduring all of this made them positively livid. When they got out, they were going to make who did this to them suffer. On a side note they at least didn't bring the hammer down on the wings of the statue. That would have been far more painful and crippling for the rest of their life.

Perhaps something small would be a good start. Their shoulders the way they were position was in a way that it could be possible to puff out their chest. So, if they used all their strength mayhaps the encasing stone will break? It was worth a try, dispite the protest the body was putting up due to pain. Completely relaxing everything they pooled up their strength for one huge push.

The sound of heavy stone slamming into crystal echoed in the halls of the crystal castle. The sound drew attention. The statue... Was no statue any longer. Dusty Grey colored fur, jet black hair covered in stone dust the pegasus stood there on the pedistal wings spread wide the sword still firmly panted in the stone in front of them. The eyes of the pegasus flashed open, a deep Sapphire gaze fell upon the slack-jawed worker ponies. The workers, however weren't the only ones who were in the room. Hearing the exceedingly sudden crashing a white Unicorn with purple hair entered the room from a doorway on the right. The unicorn had a sword in his hand and they answered in kind. Taking hold of the blades handle the pegasus who was once a statue plucked it out of the stone with ease. Turning to face the armed unicorn they pointed the blade that was clearly meant to have two hands holding it at the unicorn.

The unicorn started to lifted his blade wordlessly in opposition, but a feminine voice called from behind him.

"Shiny what happened?" A pink Alicorn made her way into view with a serious look on her face. She had the look of a warrior on her face. She was much stronger than the unicorn just by sheer will alone.

The pink Alicorn's eyes met the pegasus' and and she grabbed the unicorns hand that held his blade and pushed it down till the tip touched the floor while the unicorn seemed to protest for a moment but upon seeing that the blade the pegasus was holding was also being lowered to a resting position like one a traditional knight would take. Legs spread shoulder width apart, chest slightly puffed, wings adjusted to make them look bigger and both hands in the handle of the blade with the tip barely touching the ground. The light padded armor they wore as damaged and worn it had countless carved marks on it from battle. Clearly they were all battles they had won given the face they were standing here now.

The Pegasus just gazed at them waiting in silence, analyzing them. It seemed that the pink Alicorn was the one in charge. She must be the new ruler given the crown upon her head. The two began to whisper to one another.

'Hmmm... A pity I would have liked to see what that unicorn was made of. No matter... I'm sure I'll have an opportunity at some point.'

"Sir knight," The Alicorn spoke clearly her voice a had a bit of nervousness behind it, however it was far more firm than they expected. "I am Princess Mi Amora Cadenza. I am the ruler of the Crystal Empire. Who might you be?"

'My assumption was correct however, I am unable to speak. I have been unable to do so since I became a knight.' The pegasus looked down at the blade held in their hands. They closed their eyes as if thinking then stepped down off the pedistal. Their stature was strange for a pegasus. They were almost the same height as an earth full grown earth pony and nearly as strong by the way they wield the blade. Kicking some of the rubble around the pegasus spelled out a single word. 'Wrath.'

"Wrath? As in... The sin?" Wrath simply nodded their head to answer the white unicorn who spoke up before the princess. "Why is it you will not speak?" Wrath's eye twitched a bit at the question but raised a hand to their throat. Tapping it twice before grabbing it and making a motion like pulling away from their throat.

Cadance picked it up what Wrath was saying just before Shining did, "Your unable to speak because it was taken away..." Wrath gave a short curt nod of confirmation. He did indeed have it taken from him but he wished not to remember that time. 

"There is a question I must ask you Sir Wrath." Wrath's gaze that had drifted to the ground in thought shot back up at the tone in which the princesses voice took. It reminded him of someone who was likely long since passed. "Given that you were in stone... I'll stand to assume that you were part of Sombra's army as one of his Knights. Now that he's gone... What do you plan to do?"