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// Chapter 10: The Crystal Empire. 
// Story: Into the Beginning: The Life of Writing Glory 
// by Chaos Phantasm 
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The Life of Writing Glory


By Chaos Phantasm


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Chapter 10


The Crystal Empire


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Writing Glory rushes through the halls of the castle as crystal ponies storm the streets of Canterlot and kill all in their path, The fausticorn throws off her princess garments and jewelry and takes flight, she flies down to the cities entrance and lands running toward the invaders the instant she does. She stabs the first invader with her horn killing him then proceeds to slash at the others with her horn, Destiny Charge leads her soldiers to aid Writing Glory in her bid to save as much of the city as possible, Writing Glory runs along the cities wall destroying siege towers with her magic.

"Everypony, get to the safe zone now!" Destiny Charge orders, she turns her head to see a crystal pony attack her, Destiny blocks the attack then uses the spikes on her knee armor to wound her attacker. 

Clover the Clever armed with a sword neighs and and wounds two Crystal pony soldiers, blasting an archer with magic. Just as an enemy pony sneak attacks Clover, Writing Glory slams down onto the attacker effectively killing him.

"thank you."

"Any time my friend" The fausticorn swirls around Clover and kicks a Crystal soldier in front and behind her.

Catapult fired burning crystal boulders from the outside of the city destroying three towers of Canterlot castle, Star Swirl the Bearded narrowly escapes an explosion caused by the lit balls of fire. 

"Destiny destroy the catapults, destroy them now!!" 

"You heard the queen everypony destroy the catapults, wipe them out!"  

Destiny leaves the soldiers out onto the field and destroys the catapults and drives the crystal ponies into retreat. as they do everypony in Caterlot cheer, but not Writing Glory, the fausticorn was too preoccupied with thinking why somepony would attack Canterlot like that, the princess turns and starts running to the palace to check on her niece and lover. She arrives in  the throne room where she left them last, Blinding Flash was hugging Mira closely, the terrified filly sees Writign Glory enter the room and runs to her.

"Mommy!" 

Writing Glory gets to Miras height and hugs Mira tightly.

"I'm so happy your not hurt." the fausticorn sheds tears, scared she would have lost her only relative.

"Writing Glory!" Clover rushes in. "The orbs, those things the catapults launched into the city, they're glowing!"

a bright blue stream of energy bursts from the middle of Canterlot park drawing the attention from everypony in canterlot, Writing Glory, Blinding Flash, Clover the Clever, Mira Silverblood, Destiny Charge and her guards all rush to toward this light to determine whether or not it's dangerous.

the area is surrounded by many ponies all of them trying to figure out what this strange beacon is. Writing Glory steps forward from the crowd looking at this odd light, top to bottom. The light starts to pulsate, gleam, white beams of light shoot in every direction, everypony backs away. The stream becomes the shadowy image of an armored unicorn. 

The armor covered every spot of the Unicorns body except the horn. the armor looked demonic, it was segmented in the leg areas having spikes on the front and back boots, the shin guards had sharp spikes as well. The armor was charcoal black with red glowing markings on it, the eyes glowed red and there were sharp pointed edges near the mouth piece of the armor.  the helmet had dragon like horns on the back of it. The armored Unicorn looks at the crowd scanning the weak defenseless little ponies until his gaze lands on Writing Glory.

"Greetings ponies of Canterlot, I am admittedly surprised that you are still alive after that attack." The Unicorn spoke in a young, cold, monotone like voice, as he looked down at the small creatures.

"You're the one that ordered the attack on my city?! state your reason!"

The shadowy figures red eyes stop glowing as though the pony beneath closed his eyes, he chuckles lightly and that chuckle then becomes a loud laugh of amusement, the eyes start glowing again.

"So I could test the power of The Crystal Empire." 

Thunder claps and everypony becomes very afraid.

"From the what i can see my army is more then able to sweep away Canterlot."

"You army retreated like cowards."

"Only because I commanded it, that was merely a small force, the real army is here awaiting my command to wipe you all off this miserable world."

Writing Glory furrows her eyebrow and steps forward.

"I will stop you."

"I'm sure you will. But stopping me will come at a grave cost Fausticorn, you friends and family, everypony you love, will die."

"Who are you??"

the shadow starts dispersing.

"Am I really that interesting??" he laughs with more amusement. "Call me Shadow."  

Shadow laughs as the apparition fades away leaving Writing Glory angry and citizens of Canterlot terrified. 

Later after all that has happened, the ponies of Canterlot begin rebuilding all destroyed structures. Though this is a necessary task most of the kingdom feels that it is unnecessary what with war on the horizon. Writing Glory, Star Swirl the Bearded, and Clover the Clever, discuss what they will do about Shadow, and The Crystal Empire.

"Princess i highly recommend we don't give him the war he wants."

Writing Glory paces around the throne room.

"If we don't retaliate he will just continue attacking. He's turned Crystaania into a separate nation, i cannot allow this outrage to continue, The Crystal Empire is apart of Equestria whether he wishes it or not."

Star Swirl the Bearded sips some tea then carefully places the cup on a little plate and looks at the Princess. 

"This "emperor" as he claims himself to be, is preparing for war and will not back down. I agree with the princess, we must go to war and bring The Crystal Empire under Equestrian control lest we risk extermination."  

Clover disagrees but is forced to listen to Writing Glory.

"Shall i prepare the army?"

Writing glory nods. "Yes, and the Army will need new recruits... i don't expect this scuffle to end quickly..." Writing Glory is filled with worry and fear for her ponies.

Clover goes to the guard house to rally troops and prepare the training and recruitment process to make the troops battle ready.

"Mother?"

Clover looks in Destiny Charges direction.

"Oh Destiny i didn't see you i'm sorry."

"It's alright ." Destiny smiles and approaches Clover stopping a few feet away. "Are you okay Mom? you look stressed."

Clover shakes her head. "No no I'm fine just... just tired."

Destiny shows great concern. "Mother, please go home and rest, I'll take over the training and recruiting."

Clover smiles. "Whatever you say, captain of the guard." Clover takes flight and flies home.

Destiny smiles and watches her mother fly home, she then turns and faces the troops, stands tall in a militaristic fashion and clears throat. 

"All right everypony listen up!"

In the meantime Writing Glory was trying her best to explain to Mira Silverblood that she was her auntie not her mother. Mira understands quickly and accepts this, they then hug each other before Wonder Bolt enters. Writing Glory looks at the door to see her love then turns back and looks at Mira.

"Run along sweetie, and be careful."

"I will Aunt Writing Glory." Mira runs off past Wonder Bolt.

"Wonder Bolt smiles as she runs past. "Hey Mira."

"Hello Mister Blinding Flash." Mira keeps running own the hall.

Wonder Bolt looks at Writing Glory smiling, she smiles back. He gets closer to her and kisses her softly then sits beside her.

"You okay?"

"I'm alright Wonder I'm just shaken up. Its been so long since I lead ponies into war with a clearly more advanced army... " 

Writing Glory looks down closing her eye, shedding tears, her voice sounding strained like she had been crying a long time, her throat hurts.  

"I guess i'm afraid of letting everypoy down, i care so much for my subjects and I want to protect them but i love you and my niece and a part of me wants to take you two away some where safe and let everypony kill each other while we live happily... I feel like a monster and a failure sometimes....." 

The fausticorn buries her face in her hooves and cries her eyes out, Wonder puts his right wing over the princess and nuzzles her. 

"Lauren... look at me, please look at me dear..."

Writing Glory looks at Wonder Bolt sadly.

"You are not a monster, and you are most certainly not a failure. you will lead Equestria to victory against this renegade faction. I know we will win."

Writing Glory sniffles and nods, Wonder Bolt smiles and kisses Writing Glory again, the fausticorn returns the kiss until thunder claps frightening the princess and causing her to scream in terror. She dashes for the bed and hides under the blanket bed sheets. Wonder Bolt goes over to the bed and hops into it.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Writing Glory snuggles closely to Wonder Bolt afraid, of the thunder.

"It's late, i'll go find Mira." Wonder is about to get up.

"No... please stay..." The fausticorn sniffles.

Wonder Bolt stays in bed with Writing Glory so she doesn't feel alone. Destiny Charge puts Mira to bed. By the next morning many castle staff, guards, even soldiers begin to doubt whether Writing Glory will be able to lead them during the coming battle, Clover notes that Writing Glory has become mentally unstable since the attack, the mental instabilities was likely brought on by her personal fears, something she should not let get the better of her. 

"The war hasn't even started... and she's already letting it effect her, this isn't good."

Star Swirl the Bearded looks down thinking deeply.

"I have seen this before, when Platinum was princess and we were going to war with the earthponies. she was afraid of losing her throne."

Clover sighs. "Which she did."

Clover turns her head to the stairs as a crystal pony defector comes up the stairs. The pony was neon green with yellow amber eyes, he had a gray mane and tail.

"I'm here to see the princess, I have information that could be useful."

Clover and Star Swirl the Bearded look at each other then back at the crystal pony standing before them, and try to decide whether to believe him or cast him out.

Meanwhile at The Crystal Empire, Emperor Shadow was inspecting the army, and the citizens of this renegade nation. Shadow looks in the direction of Canterlot and laughs slightly. He stomps his foot into the ground, cracking and nearly shattering it.

"The Crystal Empire will wipe you off the face of Equestria Fausticorn, just you wait." Shadow laughs loudly.


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