//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 - Prologue // Story: Cadance The Crystal Princess // by Sean Tan the Brony //------------------------------// A parent will do anything for her children, even it means giving them up so that they will be safe from dangers and live in a peaceful life, despite the pain that comes for the parent. < < < < < < < < < πŸ’™ > > > > > > > > > Darkness hung over the Artic North of Equestria. But across the landscape, there were multiple corpse of ponies lying in their own blood. Some blood were pure red, while other were black. Several of the crystal houses were destroyed, what remains were debris and destroyed furnitures. The only sound now were the shouting and screaming across the distance. Magical explosions sent dust, dirt and debris flying around the Crystal Empire. The clanging of steel and the whooshing of arrows and magic filled the air while crystal guards fought against the umbrum ponies. As fire, blood and death filled the battlefield, a unicorn was seen standing near the edge of the cliff that oversees the battle. King Sombra couldn't stopped himself from smirking as a small group of the crystal ponies was surrounded by umbrum ponies and their dying screams filled him with delight. He teleported from the cliff to the battleground to the front of another group of Crystal ponies. The groups' eyes widened in surprise at the tyrant unicorn appearance before recovering and charged at him. Sombra sidestepped one of the charging crystal ponies before slicing another one in front of him. He then proceeded to use his dark magic via his horn to shoot out dark crystals, impaling all except one. The last thing the remaining crystal pony saw was Sombra smirking before he struck her with his scythe and her life went out. He was enjoying his latest kills before one of the umbrum guards arrived. "What is it?" Sombra asked. The umbrum guard bowed down and raised up before replying: "My team have managed to breach one of the defences and are now clearing the way toward your victory, my lord." Sombra smiled and said: "Well done, my captain. Have your team ready to breach the Crystal Castle once you had cleared the way." "Yes, my lord." The captain of the umbrum ponies bowed down before standing up and ran to give the orders to his team. Sombra stared at the castle before saying: "Soon, once the Crystal Empire is conquered, then all of Equestria will be mine!!!" He gave a sinister laugh. < < < < < < < < < πŸ’™ > > > > > > > > > Meanwhile in the throne room, Princess Amore, wearing grey armour and grey helmet, was levitating a pale pink alicorn crying in a bundle while the room was rumbled and bits of crystals fell onto the ground. Amore looked at the pink alicorn with a sad smile and tears in her eyes and said: "Oh Cadenza, go back to sleep and remember that... that..." Amore choked down a few of her tears, β€œthat I will always love you..." Amore gently nuzzled her daughter, who slowly stopped crying and closed her eyes, drifting back to sleep. Amore's horn brightened up and began channelling her magic around her daughter before saying: "I will always remember you, my little Cady; I always will." As soon as she finished her sentence, the filly was engulfed by a white light before the said light along with the pink alicorn shot out through one of the throne room's window. Amore sobbed quietly, but was interrupted by the throne door being burst from the hinges and shattered into million pieces. Amore wiped her tears away with one of her forelegs as Sombra casually strolled in, flanked by guards in dark grey armor and helmet with green eyes. The crystal guards, standing beside Princess Amore, readied their swords, spears and horns. "Princess Amore, we meet again." "Sombra... " Amore coolly said while glaring angrily at him. "Amore, I have one request and it is quite simple." Sombra said. She knew what he wants, but still raised one of her eyebrows. Sombra then said "Surrender the Crystal Empire and your throne to me, and you and your subjects will be spared." Amore gave Sombra an angry glare and snarled: "Over my dead body will I surrender my subjects and myself to you, you fiend!" She and the crystal guards then proceeded to get themselves into fighting positions. Sombra stared at them for a few minutes before saying in a sinisterly and deathly voice. "So be it." He and his guards then ran toward with their weapon in their magic while Amore, levitating her crystal sword, gave a shout and charged at him along with her guards head-on. < < < < < < < < < πŸ’™ > > > > > > > > > The light that shot out through one of the Crystal Castel throne room's window continued to soar through the sky for an hour, heading toward the Canterlot Castle before slowly descending down and landed near the entrance of the castle gardens. The filly alicorn could be seen slumbering in a bundle as the night hung over the castle. It would take thirty minutes before two alicorns came in the view of the gardens. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna landed, both covered in snow. "I can't believe Sombra turned Amore into statue and destroyed her. Not to mention, he cursed the empire to vanish for a thousand years after we banished him away." Princess Celestia began while shaking the snow off of her coat. Princess Luna placed a hoof on her sister's shoulder. "You couldn't have known, Tia. Neither of us couldn't have known. We did what we could, sister." Celestia sighed. "Still... You know what? Let us retire to our chambers, tomorrow we can find a way to remove the... Wait a second..." A light gurgling sound was heard by both the solar princess and the lunar princess. Celestia and Luna noticed the bundle at the entrance of the garden, and looked closer. They were met with the face of a sleeping pale pink filly alicorn, with her hair stripped in colors of pale yellow, bright pink, and purple. "Sister, is that..." "Yes, Tia. A baby alicorn. Who and why would somepony abandoned that poor thing like that?" "I do not know, Lulu. But we can't just leave her out here like this, lest she gets hurt or kidnapped." "I... you're right, let's bring her in. I will see if I can get the chef to boil some milk for the filly to drink. Poor thing might be thirsty." "Very well, Lulu. I will get the filly comfortable in my chamber while I figure out this filly's title since she is born as an alicorn." Celestia smiled. Princess Luna trotted back to the castle to get the milk, while the solar princess gently picked up the bundle and examined the filly within. "Hello there little one, what's your name?" It was then she noticed the small piece of paper. Using her magic, she levitated it up to her and read the name out loud. "Mi Amore Cadenza" < < < < < < < < < πŸ’™ > > > > > > > > > One thousand and fifteen years later... A family of three were walking around the Crystal Empire, enjoying a cold breeze of wind while waving at the crystal ponies, before they were interrupted by a crystal pony with swirly cyan hair, yellow skin, purple eyes, a black and yellow round hat, a black suit, black shoes with golden wings, and a white bag with a yellow strap. "Your highness, a message from Canterlot Castle." Mercury said, bowing down, before giving a scroll to Princess Cadance. Cadance levitated the scroll via her magic and read it out loud, so that her husband, Shining Armor, can hear what it said while holding the baby alicorn, Flurry Heart. My dearest niece, I am pleased to say that your sister-in-law, Twilight Sparkle, had decided to host a Friendship Festival in Canterlot. "Friendship Festival?" Cadance confusedly said. While it will be great for you to come and help Twilight and her friends out to set up the festival, it is unfortunate to say this, but your husband will have to stay behind to guard the Empire and the Crystal Heart from incoming threats. It is also worth mentioning that a popstar singer named Songbird Serenade will also be attending for this festival and Twilight will required me, my sister, and you to use our magic for something. See you soon. Your aunt, Princess Celestia. "Guess I will be staying behind." Shining Armor replied. Cadance put the scroll and looked at him. Cadance said with a sad smile. "But still, you should be there for your sister's festival. Not to mention, you deserved to take a break with me from rulering the empire and taking care of our daughter." She sighed and hung her head down. "Hey." Shining placed a hoof to his wife's chin, and raised her head to look at him with a sincere smile. "It's alright, sweetie. I have Sunburst to help me to take care of Flurry and some advisers to help me out." Cadance doesn't looked convinced. "And beside, it is you who deserved to have a break from doing all the work from the Empire. You need this, otherwise you will overworked yourself." Shining continued Cadance finally smiled and nuzzled both Shining and Flurry. "Alright, Shining. If you say so." Cadance pulled back and turned her head towards Mercury. "Messenger Mercury." Cadance started. "Send a message to my auntie that I will be coming to Canterlot."