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// The End (For Now) 
// Story: The Mare Who Fell In Love With The Wind 
// by canonkiller 
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Her father was foolish. He was unarmed and unarmored, and she had a spear and a body hardened by winter. It was over before it even began. 

She turned to her mother as her father's body was still falling, raising her spear in preparation for another fight. The mare shook her head, stepping aside without trouble. 

"Crystal, you must understand, the Crystal Ponies will die without a protector." She whispered as she passed. "We need something that will not falter, ever. A single pony cannot do that."

"You wouldn't give anyone the chance," Crystal replied. "That's why you were going to kill me!"

"There was nothing I could do to stop your father! I was never strong enough." She begged Crystal with her eyes, crumpling to the ground. "He's taken all of my children from me. I cannot go on without knowing that there will be a heir to protect us."

Crystal stepped up to what her father had been protecting; a small crib made entirely of blue crystal. Within, curled on a pile of blankets and shivering against the cold, a small pink foal was sleeping. Her forehead peaked with her young horn, and on either side of her back, a pair of wings were still downy with youth.

"He was going to kill an Alicorn for his people?" Crystal muttered.

The Queen nodded. "He knew I would not bear again, if I even lived another year. I am weak from holding up the barrier for so long; we couldn't allow ages of ponies to waste their lives protecting the city. By sacrificing one now, we could stop anyone from having to do it again."

She snorted, turning away from the crib. "By royal decree, you are banished from the empire. Turn to ice and stay with the other forgotten ones."

Her mother stumbled; the weight in her words was an Earth Pony magic, not one she could combat. She knelt to the ground and her coat bleached. The room chilled, and when she moved again it was with the crackling snow of a Windigo. She keened loudly and fled the room, leaving a trail of ice in her wake. 

"Shadow, I cannot leave my people to die."

You cannot be saying-

"With my final breath and my final blood," she continued, "I give my form to you; I will become the protector of the city and you will become the protector of my sister. Can I trust you to do this?"

I - Crystal, you cannot do this!

She turned to him, dropping the spear. The tip was wet with blood, as was her chest. "I already have."

He shot to her side, trying to lie her down gently. Please, you can't be going."

"Forgive me for being so foolish, Shadow. Sing... sing my songs like I used to. For her. Pick... a new leader. P-protect her."

Shadow pressed his head into her side. "Don't go."

"I love you, Shadow."

"I-I love you too."

When he opened his eyes, her body was gone. A large blue crystal lay in it's place, warm despite the chill of the city. It began letting off a low, melodious hum as he lay near it, and the temperature of the room rose. 

Slowly, a shimmering blue bubble expanded from the crystal, passing through him and continuing outward. It grew steadily warmer, and the noises of panic died down as the Windigoes were forced to retreat. The crystal had begun to hover in the air, spinning slowly.

Shadow hauled himself to his hooves and trotted over to the crib. He looked down at the young pony, so much like Crystal and yet so different. She was calm and safe now, warm within her crystal city.

"I will protect her," he whispered to the crystal. "She will always be safe."

It spun a little faster.