The day started as any other day in the Crystal Empire. Ponies were setting up their shops and waking to a peaceful morning. Most of them were ready for yet another regular day in the city. And it seemed like it for a while.
In the Crystal Palace, a unicorn with a white coat and a blue mane was standing on a balcony overlooking the city.He was busy focusing on a personal matter that has been on his mind for a long while.
"Where could you be" he said to himself.
Soon his wife, a pink Alicorn princess trotted up beside the stallion and looked out towards the Empire.
"Any news about Twilight, Shining?" She asked him.
He looked towards her. "None since the attack on Sombras' castle 2 months ago." he replied. "The Royal guards, the Pegasus patrols, the Royal Sisters and even I couldn't seem to find her. I should be out there looking for her again."
"Shining," Cadance started. "You spent a whole month trying to find Twilight dear. But you don't need to push yourself over the edge to get it done." She then wraps her hoof around him. "I know you miss her. I miss her too, but even you have your limits. I'm sure that we'll find her soon and this will be all over and done with."
He looked toward her. "I hope your right about that."
They both turned their heads when they heard somepony knocking on the door to their room. Shining walked up to the door and opened it up to see his second in command.
"Captain, I need you to come with me. It's urgent!" he told him. So Shinning followed him towards the Guards barracks. The Guards were getting ready for something and arming themselves.
"What's going on Shield Hoof?" Shining asked.
"The Crystal Heart!" he replied. "It's been stolen!"
"WHAT!?"
-----
A hooded mare was galloping through the streets of the Crystal Empire with her saddle bag. Most Ponies around her didn't seem to mind much but little did they knew that this mare was not just another mare. She was delivering something very important to her Husband.
"I've got to hurry," she thought. "I've got to get this to Sombra before anyone knows what has happened."
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"What do you mean it's been stolen!" Shining yelled.
"Several Guards were out on patrol and saw that it was missing." Shield replied. "We're preparing the guards to go on a search for the thief."
"How long until their ready?"
"Could be a couple of minutes sir."
"Make it sooner Shield. We need that Heart. I'm got to inform Cadence."
"Yes sir."
-----
The hooded mare was now away from the city and was moving up a hill with King Sombra waiting at the top. He was watching as she made her way as fast as she could towards him.He could only smile as his wife completed her part in the plan.
"You have been great my Queen" he said as she came close enough to him. She stopped a meter away from him and pulled off her hood. The was a Unicorn with a green coat and purple mane. But her horn glowed, there was a flash the then the green Unicorn was replaced with Twilight Sparkle, Sombras' Queen of Shadows.
"Anything for our Kindom, Sombra" she replied, using her magic to pull the Crystal Heart from her saddle bag, passing it to him.
"Let the age of Shadow and Fear be known to these ponies." he shouted in which the army behing him cheered to and began the march towards the Empire. "LET THEM KNOW OF THE RISE OF SOMBRA AND TWILIGHT!"
Thus, the battle had begun and Sombra led the charge.
-----
The Guards Barracks was full of many stallions preparing too go out searching for the heart. Shield Hoof was giving groups a location in the city to search.
"Flash Sentry, you search around the market. Silver Blade, you check th..."
"SARGENT!" a guard came rushing saying. "YOU NEED TO SEE THIS!" Shield Hoof followed the panicking guard to the East Watch Tower.
"What's the problem? Shield asked.The guard only pointed his hoof towards the edge of the city. When Shield looked to where was pointing, he was suddenly overwhelmed with shock and fear.
"Get the Captain up here. Now!"
The gurad rushed out and Shining joined Shield in the watch tower.
"What is it Sargent?" he asked as he entered.
He passed a pair of binoculars to Shining and pointed to where he was looking at.
"We're gonna have a lot of company, sir."
Charging down the hill was a massive army of dark ponies. They didn't look normal with off the darkness on their armor and in their coats. What made it worse was that a very disturbing presence was leading the charge, with someone Shining cared about following right behind him.
"Twily," he thought to himself. " what has he done to you?"
"Sir?" Shield asked.
"Get all the guards informed and prepare for the worst."
-----
By know the army was entering the city from all over the east and were swarming the streets. Ponies was panicking all over the streets and the dark soldiers were rounding up the guards they Captured and forcing the civilians indoors. Sombra wanted everypony in the city to fear him once again.
The guards had lost over half the ground between the east entrance and the Crystal Palace. While the soldiers were fighting the guards head on, Sombra was bust forcing them into surrendering by hitting them with a powerful attack of using his infamous fear spell, scaring the ponies into dropping their weapons, while Twilight was recreating any of the troops they lost to fighting.
Shining tried to stop Sombra as soon as possible and fought him one on one. While he seemed to have the upper hoof at the start, he was struck with a powerful blow and Sombra rendered the unicorns horn powerless. After the battle the guards hurried their Prince back to the Palace.
Sombra used a large amount of magic to combat Shining but was still able to continue. So he rejoined the army at another guard position. He looked ahead and saw that there were more guards waiting to try their best against the army. One thing Sombra knew was that this was going to be a long battle.