Chapter 15 – King of them
The morning sun has started to rise over the crystal city, but for the room Star Swirl resides in it seems likes its already midday as the light slightly becomes amplified through the crystal building.
Swirl's mind like his eyes did not truly take a rest from last night, however hundreds of nights of late spells or long journal entries has allowed the stallion the ability to stay awake without adequate sleep. But right now this ability is being used for something that means a little more than completing a spell as Swirl holds his gaze to the sleeping pegasus that lays beside him.
The stallion's mind is still stuck in a thick fear with what today will bring, but in this moment the rising sun is not breaking him to rise at least for this moment. But the moment is quickly over as a mind starting and body moving sound comes through the house.
Aura's eye blink open as the bed shifts to Star Swirl's movements, her voice is low and still holds a morning tone but her words come clear as she watches the stallion moving towards the closed balcony doors, "Was that a scream Sir.Swirl?"
Swirl's motions make quick work of the closed balconies door as he holds his gaze to the sound of the scream, his eyes first dart towards the center of the stone crystal street where a group of pegasus have formed. But his eyes move to where they're facing as he looks over the new scene with a building dismay.
The once bright crystal castle that stands above the city's skyline has turned a dark almost reddish black color that is starting to trickle down the sides of the castle, and above the tip of the crystal point a dark thickness of clouds have started to form.
Aura has moved her self from the bed as she holds a wide eyed gaze to the changing crystal that shows no sign of stopping, "W-what's happening Star Swirl?"
The stallion is silent for a moment as he holds his eyes to the world, but he quickly turns back to Aura as his horn sparks up in a bright gold glow that brings the outside word to close behind the doors, "Aura you must promise me you will not leave your home."
The mare doesn't answer as she blinks too confused to understand, to her silence Swirl repeats himself, "Aura, you must promise me you will not leave do you understand?"
Aura shakes her head as she looks over the stallion's stern face, "Where are you going?"
Swirl's expression doesn't change as he shakes his head, "Aura, I have to go...But I promise you will see me again."
"NO, no." Aura quickly puts her hoof to the stallion's chest as she speaks up, "Swirl, do not go!"
Swirl gives a faint smile as he moves from her grasp, his trot doesn't slow as he moves towards the door of the room, "Do not follow me Aura." His quick pace brings him to the threshold as he stops and stares to the ground, but the gaze moves back to the mare as he looks to her confused and slightly scared expression, "Aura...I shall return."
- - -
(Inside the Crystal Castle)
"...How dare you deny me entry, I am the Princess of the Unicorn empire, this is outrageous!" The white mare holds her gaze to the crystal earth pony as he stands in front of the throne room's doors.
The inside of the crystal castle has begun to take on the same dark reddish color as outside but the process has been slower as a few of the dark crystals begin to poke through the walls of the castle around the three ponies standing in the hallway.
"I-I'm sorry your majesty, but the doors have been sealed from the insi-..." Nimby's words are cut off as the taller guard stallion beside Princess Platinum speaks up, "King Sombra must be aware of this situation, why would he seal off the throne room?"
Nimby shakes his head as he stammers for an answer, "K-King Sombra may not even be in the throne room."
"GENERAL STOMPING!"
The three ponies turn there heads to the out of breath white stallion as he rounds the corner of the castle with another shout, "General Stomping! Queen Apatite is dead!"
"What?! Are you sure?" General Stomping turns a questioning eye to the struggling stallion as he catches his breath, "Sargent Stone Hooves are you sure?!"
"YES, the bed chamber was locked but the Queen's advisers new a spell to break it, and that's when we saw her."
Princess Platinum is the first to react as she turns back to the gasped and wide eyed crystal stallion, "King Sombra is unaccounted for and your Queen lays dead, we must believe an intruder has captured King Sombra and has forced him to give up the location of the Crystal Heart, remove yourself from the doors!"
Nimby is silent as he blinks to her request, but his voice is not the next to come to the room as General Stomping brings his hoof up to Princess Platinum, "Your majesty, perhaps it is best if we get you to safety, Chancellor Pudding Cup has already left and we do not know the situation-.."
Platinum straightens her stance as she turns her gaze to the stallion's, "This is still a Unicorn province, and I being the Unicorn ruler will not have an item of power fall into the wrong hooves." Her green eyes come back to Nimby as she bears down to him, "Now remove yourself from this door at once."
Nimby moves from the door as General Stomping readies himself, "This spell is a room lock spell, please move back Princess."
General Stompings horn sparks up in a bright purple as he lowers his head to the closed doors, but the chime of his magic is fast as he sends his spell to it quickly.
The doors of the throne room flings open to the bolt as Princess Platinum quickly moves herself inside, but as General Stomping follows after her he is sent back from the throne room with a bolt of orange magic. As the bolt rings past Platinum's head she freezes in the room as the doors slammed closed behind her.
Her body trembles a little as she looks to the strange creature sitting in the crystal throne, but her mind's confusion to the creature and the open floor with a dark staircase protruding from it only stop her for a moment as her horn sparks up in a bright pink glow.
But despite her attempt her voice still holds a bit of fear as it shakes, "I-I am the Princess of the Unicorn empire a-and you have just-..."
Discord cocks his head to the words as he squints to the white mare, "Princess of the Unicorn empire?" He stands from the throne as he bows to her.
To the gesture Platinum goes silent with confusion, but to her lapse of words Discord brings his head up as he smiles, "Tell me Princess, what happens to you if King Sombra's plan for peace takes effect? Will you still be able to address yourself as the ruler of the Unicorns?" The sly smile holds across Discord's face as he stares to the shifty mare.
End of chapter 15