He would never get tired of seeing the glorious kingdom known as the Crystal Empire.
A glorious kingdom made from crystals and gems that stood out compared to Equestria. Another thing that made the Kingdom stand out was that the ponies who lived there shinned like crystals and gems.
When it was nighttime, the beautiful Kingdom shined bright like a star that gave hope to any creature that saw it.
The Empire had an interesting history. Thousands of years ago, earth ponies were banished from a town that had belonged to unicorns and were cast out. With nowhere to go, they walked for miles and miles trying to find shelter but they didn't find anything anywhere.
The days went by and they grew thirsty and hungry. But they didn't give up.
When they thought all hope had been lost, they came across a frozen wasteland that was inhabited. There was nothing to see for miles on end.
However, there was something different about this land. It felt… magical.
The earth ponies then continued their walk until they had to stop. They had realised that the magic was making them warm. It made them feel protected.
They weren't sure how it started, but the magic burst from the ice ground with a crack, making the splitting ice fly away.
The ponies covered themselves to not get hurt, but it luckily never landed on them. When they opened their eyes, they saw the crater the crack had made.
The crater revealed a crystal that shinned bright and filled them with warmth, it was shaped like a heart. The ponies gathered around and tried asking one another what it was. The others had no idea.
One of them stepped forward and touched the heart-shaped crystal.
When her hoof touched the crystal, the warmth enveloped her and she felt her body grow. Her head felt heavier and she stretched two large things she had on her back.
When the warmth left her body, she opened her eyes and heard gasps resound throughout the ponies that were there.
She had asked what was wrong, but they had simply pointed to her. She looked at the ice and gasped when she saw her reflection. She had a large horn on her head. She stretched the weird feeling she had on her back and saw that she had a pair of large wings.
What happened to her!?
Looking at her fellow earth ponies, she looked for answers but they all shook their heads. They knew what she wanted to ask.
When the mare was about to cry when she suddenly heard gasps resound throughout the ponies. Looking around, she. was surprised to see the Crystal Heart float. Through the air and was spinning at a fast pace.
Magic started to pour out of the heart.
They all gasped at the power, the mare who'd touch it more so. It was raw magic. It was pure.
The magic started to shine brightly and started to build something out of crystal.
The ponies looked in shock as the Crystal Heart continued to build something that turned out to be big. A Palace of sorts was being built judging from the size.
When it finished, there was a giant Palace that shinned brightly like a star. The ponies looked at one another before looking at the pony that touched the crystal heart.
"Amore, what shall we do now?" A pony asked with a grey coat and gold mane and tail.
Amore looked to the pony with a frown.
"What do you mean? I don't know what to do." She admitted, making the others look at one another.
"But…" A young voice spoke. Amore looked down and saw a young filly who looked tired, but there was a glimmer of hope in her eyes. When she looked at Amore, it was one of awe. "The Crystal Heart made you into an Alicorn!"
The ponies around looked in confusion. What was the filly talking about?
"What are you talking about young one?" Amore asked in a motherly tone.
The filly smiled. "There is a book that tells a story of a great war that took place here in Equestria. The three pony tribes were battling until two sisters gained wings and became known as Alicorns who represent all three tribes. So you're an Alicorn!"
The ponies around didn't know what to say, more so than Amore. They had never read or heard anything about this.
"Young filly…" Amore's voice caught their attention. "Where did you read this?"
The filly looked hopeful and grabbed something from her bag. The filly bowed with her hoof containing what looked to be a scroll.
Amore carefully rolled it open and saw that there were drawings and words on the inside. She glanced it over and felt her heart beat faster.
She was on the page.
The ponies around her looked at each other, uncertain whether they should ask her what it contained or not.
"This… this is me!" She let out in astonishment.
The ponies murmured amongst themselves wondering what the… pony had read.
"Do you want to hear it?" Amore asked while looking at her fellow ponies. They nodded, the young filly more so.
A thousand years from now, there will be an empire in the frozen north. The creatures there shall be named Crystal Ponies.
Their ruler will be named Princess Amore who shall lead her subjects to victory. She shall also have aid from another creature who will swear to protect the empire at all costs.
The creature will be a purple-scaled dragon and will be known as Great and Honourable Spike The Brave and Glorious.
He shall slay the King of the empire who wants nothing but tyranny. Together with Princess Amore, they shall protect the empire.
The Empire will be known as the Crystal Empire.
When Amore finished reading she glanced over the depictions of the hero of the Crystal Empire and saw a creature in armour protecting the Crystal Ponies.
She smiled. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
Spike looked around the empire and felt the protectiveness that he always had for his ponies.
There was no way he would ever allow harm to befall them. He clenched his claw when he thought about his sworn enemy.
King Sombra.
The pony who had tried to enslave the Crystal Ponies and tried to rule with an iron hoof.
Luckily, Spike was there to save the day. He had found himself one day in the Crystal Empire and saw the battle between Princess Amore and King Sombra.
He intervened and managed to stop King Sombra's tyrannical rule. However, in return, the Crystal Ponies named him Great and Honourable Spike The Brave and Glorious. The same as the prophecy.
The ponies looked up to Spike and saw him as a role model. He was their protector and would watch over the Crystal Empire.
He stood up from the roof he was sitting on and glanced around. Most of the ponies were sleeping. Except for him. He needed to be awake. He was the creature that was awake and chose violence so civilians could sleep soundly at night.
"See anything interesting?" A voice asked behind him.
"It's a beautiful Kingdom." He replied without looking back.
"You have said it thousands of times," She observed with interest.
Spike laughed. "I guess your right, but that doesn't make it less true."
Princess Amore laughed with him.
"I guess so. How are you holding up?" She asked, eyeing him carefully. His emotions didn't show.
"Better than I believed," was his response. He pulled out a water bottle and began refreshing himself.
Amore regarded him with a curious look.
"Are you sure? It's not every day you find out you are prophesied." Amore argued with a look that made Spike roll his eyes.
"It's not every day you turn into an Alicorn," Spike responded. Amore laughed loudly at that.
"Touché."
They sat in silence, enjoying each other's company. The beautiful night was young and these two creatures had all the time in the world.
"A lot has happened," Spike muttered with a sad smile. Amore nodded.
"It has," She admitted with a frown.
"Are you worried?" He looked at the Princess with a raised brow.
The Princess looked into Spike's eyes, trying to read his body language which proved to be difficult. With hesitation, she nodded.
Spike chuckled.
"I'm worried too. The problem is, I don't know what I'm worried about." Spike rambled while scratching his throat. "Can I ask what you're worried about?"
Amore sighed and looked at the Palace that the Crystal Heart had built. It eased her worries. Just seeing the powerful Palace made from crystal made her feel powerful and ready to take on any threat that would dare harm her kingdom.
"I'm worried about the future return of King Sombra." Spike looked at her in surprise. He didn't expect her to answer his question. But he was further surprised by the response she gave.
"I'll defeat King Sombra again, I'll make sure of it," Spike's voice held so much conviction that Amore actually stopped for a brief second.
She raised a brow. "What makes you think that you will defeat him again? At this very second; he's training to defeat us but you especially."
Spike snarled as he got to his feet and glared at her.
"I know so because I made a promise that I would watch over the empire."
They were silent as they glared at one another daring the other one to speak. Amore lost her glare before replacing the look with a sad smile.
"I know." She said and then did something that surprised the Guardian of the Crystal Empire. She hugged him. She hugged him like a dear friend.
Spike stiffened because he didn't know how to react, but he didn't push her away.
"I heard that you signed a contract with your own blood. A blood pact," Amore spoke with a sob.
Spike sighed and allowed his stiff body to slump. Of course, she found out.
"I had to do it, Princess Amore, I'm doing it for the safety of the empire. I have my reasons."
Amore didn't argue with his claim, but that didn't mean she would agree with him.
"I know, but what about the legacy?"
"What about it?" Spike asked with a frown.
"They'll need someone to look up to," Amore stated throwing her hoofs in the air.
"They'll have me," Spike said before hugging the Princess of the Crystal Empire.
Unknown to both of them, one of them would be put inside an egg and the other would be turned to stone.
A Legacy Forgotten.