As it slowly ascended, the great golden disc began to bathe with its warmth the vast lands that made up the nation of Equestria, and far beyond.
Shimmering in its entirety thanks to the brilliance that enveloped it, the Crystal Empire dawned with the joy of a new summer day. The crystalline buildings reflected the soft sunlight, and the crystal ponies outside at that time also glistened for their fur.
A ray of sunlight slipped through the half-open curtains of one of the castle's rooms, briefly illuminating an empty but organized bed. The occupant of that bedroom trotted calmly, distracted as she was in filling her two backpacks with everything what she would need that day.
An aura of pink magic enveloped her pen and her respective scrolls, she left it in her packback and to close it at the end with a slight click. Then she fastened it to her side and went out, closing the door of her room.
As she made her way through the halls to where she knew her brother and sister-in-law were, Twilight felt the previous excitement that always grew inside her in anticipation of conducting field research. She had worked, had organized, and had left everything ready in advance during that week, so that the day before she would board the train of the Crystal Empire in the company of her faithful assistant and dragon friend.
Although in reality, she was only supposed to be there to take a short break, but the topic that had begun to haunt her head after the last time she came ended up leaving her intrigued in some inevitable way. And now that she was there, she couldn't let that opportunity slip away.
"Twilight!"
She turned and a greeting smile crept across her face as Spike flapped his wings to reach her. He landed beside her with difficulty. He was still learning how to handle his new wings, so at the time he looked a lot like her when she got her own wings.
Twilight suppressed a laugh at the sight.
"I suppose that investigation was true," Spike raised an eyebrow as he began to walk beside her. "After all, you get excited when something is interesting to you."
She laughed softly at his comment.
"You know me very well, Spike. Although you know that most of the time we come we do enjoy our break, only this time I need to do this. Ever since that crystal pony told us that..."
"Yes, I understand," He interrupted her after raising a claw. "Your investigative mode kicked in." She looked at him with a raised eyebrow and he shrugged. "I guess it's only fair that you spend your time on what you like, just please be careful, Twilight," He said, finally looking her with a certain concern. "I've been told that the Crystal Mountains can be dangerous even if it's not winter."
Twilight smiled with concern as she held out one of her hooves for a brief hug.
"I promise I'll be very careful," She finished before opening the great doors with her magic.
The room they entered was large enough for a long table to take up a portion of qthat space. And seated in this table were the rulers of the Crystal Empire and their little princess, enjoying the breakfast served.
"They were late," Shining Armor said with a smile. "A little longer and breakfast disappears."
Twilight narrowed her eyes a little as her voice feigned a certain menacing tone.
"Oh, you wouldn't dare, I remind you that you were always the last," She said as she sat down across from him. Spike sat down beside her and quickly dipped his claws into a bowl of diamonds.
Shining Armor let out a mocking laugh that could be heard throughout the room. Cadence hid hers under her hoof while Flurry Heart mimicked her mother and make a soft babble of the word 'daddy', as she flew toward her aunt. Twilight stroked her niece with a funny giggle as the three adults ponies and the dragon relaxed on their breakfast break.
"Then Twi, I suppose those backpacks are for your research, right?" Cadence pointed to the bags on the floor.
"Yes, I really hope that in these two days I can lay the foundations of what I want to find, I know that I probably won't have enough time to demonstrate everything I want to achieve," said the alicorn in a particular nuance. "But at least I'll be able to dig deeper when I get back to Ponyville. Why are those flowers that once grew on the outskirts of the Empire now found even in the frozen north? I mean, it's not supposed to! Even if it possess magic! The weather is too cold to even allow it to germinate, so I think a lot has to do with the return of the Empire..." Twilight was stroking her chin with a hoof when she suddenly heard a laugh from the two ponies and the dragon. "What?"
Cadence and Shining Armor relaxed while Spike still had a claw covering his mouth.
"It's nothing, it's just that you seem very excited about everything, as you usually are about something like that," her brother said. "But before you go, I want to show you the guard who will accompany you."
Twilight rolled her eyes and snorted briefly.
"Shining, I don't need a guard to accompany me, the Crystal Mountains aren't too far away, and I know how to defend myself if something happens."
"You don't know, other than you're going to be too busy in your study to notice your surroundings." Shining frowned and finished with a stern snort. "No arguments Twily, I'm not going to skimp on your safety. I know you're an adult mare and you're responsible for your actions, but I'm still your big brother."
"But..."
"Twilight, I think it's good for you to listen to your brother," Cadence spoke softly as she stroked her daughter. "You know he's only worried about you and doesn't want anything bad to happen to you." She gave her sister in law a smile. "You have to understand him."
Twilight turned her gaze to Cadence, before softening it and sighing in resignation.
"Fine, I just hope I can get along with him," She replied to her brother.
"Oh, trust me," Shining Armor replied with a big smile on his face. "I'm sure you will."
***
"I have already informed you about your mission, General Sentry. You must take care of and protect Princess Twilight Sparkle from any danger and help her in any way necessary during her investigation. Is that clear?"
The three ponies stood at the base of the castle where the Crystal Heart continued to slowly spin into place, as it received all the good feelings that dwelt in the hearts of its inhabitants and then used it to protect the Crystal Empire of the Frozen North.
Twilight had been a little surprised when she saw the pony her brother had chosen to accompany her, thinking that he would have chosen a lower ranking soldier instead, but she was satisfied anyway after remembering that she had spoken to him on a few previous occasions. Flash Sentry was his name.
"Of course, Captain," The blue-maned pegasus nodded.
"Well, then I wish you both good luck on your journey," He gave the Flash a nod and his sister a hug before heading towards one of the stairs that led inside the castle.
"Good, General Flash," She turned to the pony in front of her. "My brother has already informed you everything you need to know, so I just want to welcome you."
"You don't have to, Princess Twilight, but thank you all the same."
Twilight nodded with a smile, so they both braced themselves as they spread their wings. Before the two took off in the direction of their destination, she turned around for a moment.
"Oh, and just call me Twilight, please."
The weather was good enough for them to fly with relative peace of mind.
That's what Twilight had thought the instant what they landed on the side of a great snow covered mountain. She thanked Celestia that they were there at that time of year because she knew very well that in another time it would not have been so easy.
Even so, as a precaution, she had wrapped a scarf around her neck to warm herself up a little from the cold air that was blowing in the air.
While her companion stood vigilant behind her at all times, Twilight activated her horn and took a handkerchief from one of her backpacks, in which an object was wrapped. She pulled it closer, and the small petal of crystalline pallor shone even brighter in the soft aura of her magic.
Using one of her spells, Twilight let that glowing petal fade away. She already knew where what she wanted to find was. With a gesture on her part, she called Flash to follow her, and they both spread their wings again, as she led the way.
"So, princess, what exactly are you looking for?" Her companion asked as they flew leisurely through the mountains.
"Do you remember some of the bright flowers that can be seen around the Empire?"
The pegasus nodded his head, though his expression was still questioning. He was just remembering the crystalline-looking flowering plants he sometimes saw on his patrols, like many of the things that existed in the Empire. Twilight smiled after seeing his gaze.
"Well, I'd like to know why now its blooming areas have expanded to even this mountain range. After a crystal pony told me more about this species, its cultivation, its uses, and the proper way to care for it, I interested in knowing the rest. Its specific name is Diphylleia Crystallinum, but it are commonly known as crystal lilies, although it are not true lilies, just look it alike. As for its expansion, I think it has something to do with the return of the Crystal Empire, cause he also informed me that a thousand years ago it only existed in the vicinity of this. I wonder if I could write an article about this for Canterlot's botanical magazine when I'm done..." She touched her chin and looked at the guard who was only watching her with a strange expression. "Uh... General, are you fine?"
"Oh, yes, yes... Of course, miss." He cleared the thoughts from his head quickly as his mind processed half of the information that princess had told him.
***
After a while of flying, the steep ravine of one of the mountains greeted them as they landed. They both looked up at what was in front of them.
Partially obscured by the shadow of the mountain, the mouth of what appeared to be a deep cave stared back at them. Twilight frowned determinedly and stepped forward, only to be stopped for a moment by her guard.
"Princess, are you sure of this?" The pegasus asked as he frowned.
"Absolutely, General," Twilight nodded. "I know what I'm looking for is here," She replied as she looked back at the entrance.
She'd be lying a bit if she said she wasn't a little worried about whatever was waiting for them inside, but the desire to know was stronger. Plus, she had someone by her side to support her if something happened. After all, the mountain range could be unpredictable.
With a simple nod on her part, the guard and the princess entered. Twilight lit her horn into a light that allowed her to appreciate the path, as she was guided by the spell that she had performed earlier.
After a time of walking through that darkness, a bright light was present and soon the cavern opened up to a much wider space. Both Twilight and Flash were shocked by what greeted them.
The place was large enough to hold the entire crowd of the Empire's stadium, or so it seemed. The walls were completely clad in what appeared to be blue crystals that glowed softly and gave it a touch of ambient light. Or maybe it were just crystalline rocks?
Twilight didn't know it, but a new desire for knowledge began to form within her as she looked up and saw the roof rise high above them. The crystals that covered it made it look as if it were a night covered with stars. She wondered if she could fly up there with her wings and reach it.
But what was undoubtedly the most unexpected was revealed as they looked at the field of flowers that stretched out before them. Flowers with petals like the one she had used. Twilight's smile was something that could be observed very well.
She spread her wings and flew to the edge of the field, her guard distracted enough not to notice her departure. She landed carefully on the side of the flowery ground, admiring it in more detail.
Twilight had seen it before, its grew in various parts around the kingdom, but never in such numbers. The bright petals moved gently, something that gave the flower a star-like appearance. Because that's what it looked like: a star turned into a beautiful living being.
The alicorn shook her head to clear her and began her work. But before she could pull out it, another flash caught her eye out of the corner of her eye. She hadn't noticed, but in one corner, a small opening showed itself before her, as it pulsed strangely in an interval of purple light.
Attracted by that light, Twilight hung up her backpack and trotted slowly toward the spot. Luckily, her body was just the right size for her to get through that opening. She entered a chamber surrounded to the brim by crystals of a strange purple color. Although she didn't realize that, her attention was on something else.
Twilight marveled as she took slow steps toward the solitary crystalline plant, even if its presence and the purple color of its petals were a little strange to her. These themselves possessed a common brilliance, it was true, but she could not help noticing that it were not quite like the others, as if it were more... off.
As he walked towards the flower, she didn't notice it, but the purple crystals in the chamber gradually darkened, as if something was causing its brightness to weaken.
Focused on the object in front of her, Twilight used her magic to gently pull the flower away from the ground without damaging its roots. After that, she wrapped it in a special transparent dome that she had prepared earlier with various spells to keep it alive. She intended to take her object of study home.
When she finished placing the flower inside it one and then putting it in her backpack, she got up once more and looked around. She flattened her ears and frowned as she realized how dark the place had become. But when she was about to leave without wasting any time, a chilling feeling suddenly stopped her. The fur behind her neck stood on end.
"Oh no, this can't be."
She knew what it was. She felt it before, quite a long time ago, but that feeling was hard to forget. How could she do it when she herself had felt herself using it?
That was magic, and not the good kind.
A heavy and ominous aura along with an eerie silence eventually settled in the place.
Twilight turned slowly and focused her gaze on something she hadn't seen before, something hidden in the shadows of the place. She walked there, even though her instinct was telling her to get away and get out of the place as quickly as possible.
As soon as she arrived, she stopped. Only to end up taking a step back.
Surrounded by the shadows of the corner was the last thing Twilight expected to find. Meanwhile, the long dark horn flashed maliciously in front of her.