//------------------------------// // Ch.1 Not Just a Dream.... // Story: Equestria: Darkness Rising // by Shocks //------------------------------// The Crystal Empire. The Jewel of Equestria. Well at least that was its recently appointed nickname, still it’s a nice thought. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza sighed contently as she gazed out at her kingdom before her. Better known as Cadence by her friends and relatives, the alicorn of love watched happily at the scene before her. The crystal ponies went about their daily business on the streets below, laughing, smiling and basking in the warm glow that was the day’s sun. Cadence couldn’t help but smile, seeing her ponies happy as can be. They day was perfect. Her Auntie Celestia had raised the sun to its perfect position in the sky, the weather was clear, the fields were a green with life, the shadows danced around the black crystals, the…. Wait. Dark crystals? “Cadence?” A familiar voice behind Cadence spoke. Not expecting the sudden interruption, she almost jumped, her cerise wings involuntarily unfolding. Bringing a hoof to her chest, she attempted to steady her heartbeat. ‘’Shiny! Don’t scare me….like….that?” Turning towards her husband, the princess’s voice caught in her throat. There standing behind her, was Shining Armor, captain of the royal guard, prince of the crystal empire, brother to the element of magic, and most importantly, her husband. But something was wrong, horribly wrong. Shining’s coat, once a beautiful white that had almost seemed to glow, was now a dirty and dull light grey. His eyes were dull, almost lifeless, heavy bags around them evidence of exhaustion. His mane, normally in perfect condition, was now disheveled and unkempt. What was worst was his body. Shining Armor was a powerful stallion, and had the muscle to back it up. But this Shining… he was weak, malnourished, his body wracked with bruises. To complete the horrifying transformation, his horn was covered in small black crystals and his ankles bore black shackles and heavy chains. Cadence could feel the searing pain in her chest, her heart breaking at the sight of her husband. Tears beginning to gather at the corner of her eyes as she lifted a shaking hoof towards her love. ‘’S-Shiny?’’ The new Shining Armor seemed to hardly react to her. He simply stared at the ground below him. “Cadence…..why…….why didn’t you…..stop them?” “W-What?” Cadence asked, her head tilting slightly, her confusion at the situation increasing. Her husband slowly looked up to meet her gaze. The pain in his eyes tore at her heart. “Why…why didn’t you stop them?’’ Them? “Them?” The world around her seemed to swirl, and suddenly she no longer stood on the crystal balcony, instead she was now on the crystal streets. Cadence looked around and was again horrified at the scene around her. The once green fields of the empire were now barren; the earth, cracked and dry, with jagged dark crystals sprouting everywhere. The city streets, normally a glow, reflecting the color of the sky, were now a dull eminence. The buildings faired no better. Once pristine crystal architecture was now covered in dark crystals, taking all the warmth and beauty the city once offered. The palace now loomed before her, a menacing structure with crystals jutting out of it, seemingly completing the nightmare city. Cadence instinctively back peddled. This is all wrong! Cadence almost shrieked as a hoof wrested on her shoulder. She reeled from the contact, coming face to face with one of her crystal ponies. Just as the Shining Armor from before, this crystal pony bore heavy shackles and chains. “Princess? Why didn’t you stop them?’’ the pony asked. ‘’Wha-I-‘’ the crystal princess tried to formulate words, but her brain had almost seemingly shut down. ‘’Princess?’’. Another voice asked from her right. Her head immediately snapped at the new voice, her gaze finding another slave pony to her right. ‘’Why didn’t you stop them?’’ ‘’Who are-‘’ Cadence was cut off as another voice spoke to her left. ‘’Princess?’’ another pony stood near her. She hadn’t realized it, but she had but ultimately been surrounded by crystal ponies, once happy subjects, now demoralized slaves. A sea of voices cried out to her. ‘’Princess?” “Why Princess?” “You could have stopped them” “Why didn’t you stop them princess?” “Why?” “Why?” “Why?” Cadence turned every which way, yet everywhere she turned she heard the same cries, saw the same depressed faces of her crystal ponies. “No! I-‘’ Again, she failed to formulate words as new figures materialized in the crowd, figures she instantly recognized, figures she loved. Her Aunts, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Her in laws, Twilight Velvet and Night Light. Her friend and sister in law, Twilight Sparkle. Her Husband, Shining Armor. All shackled, all chained, all slaves. They all looked to her, their pleading gazes boring into her soul. They spoke as one voice, asking the same question over and over. “Why didn’t you stop them?” Cadence screamed and the world around her shifted again. Now, she had returned to the balcony overlooking the now nightmarish crystal empire. ‘’No… This cant be happening… this is just a dream….’’ She was violently shaking, the energy in her body completely drained. She could barely stand, she felt as if the entire world were on top of her. Her blood instantly ran cold as dark laughter echoed from behind her. She knew that laugh. She had heard that laugh before. It can’t be… It can’t. Gathering her shattered courage, she shakily craned her neck backward, and her worst fears were realized. Behind her stood a grey unicorn clad in silver armor, a spiked crown adorned his head. A king’s robe covered his back, crimson with a white border. This unicorn’s most striking features were its curved horn similar to an upside-down fang, at its base it was a light grey, but quickly changed to a bright red along the horn. His eyes were the worst though. There were no irises, no pupils; they were completely covered in a brilliant green as wisps of a vivid violet smoke flowed from the corners of his eyes. S-Sombra…. The king smiled at the alicorn princess, clearly displaying his razor sharp teeth in all their glory. He suddenly began to chuckle, before throwing his head to the sky and laughing with his entire being. Cadence couldn’t tell if it was her own body that was shaking, or if it was the palace itself. Probably both. The crystal princess tried to retreat, but soon felt her backside hit something. It was the railing of the balcony. She couldn’t go back. Sombra stood before her, guarding the entrance to the balcony. Attempting to fly would only leave her an easy target. She was trapped. With King Sombra, the worst ruler Equestria had ever seen. Who banished an empire for a thousand years. Who enslaved the crystal ponies. Who….who was defeated! Sombra lost. We defeated him! How then?... ‘’SOMBRA!’’ Cadence roared, finding new found strength in the thought that he had been defeated once, he could be defeated again. ‘’What did you do?! You shouldn’t even be here! We defeated you! The crystal heart destroyed you!’’ Sombra seemed to consider the words for a moment. He then started to chuckle as his gaze narrowed on the princess. “Did you really think it was going to be that easy?” the dark king asked. Easy? “I was defeated once. I was not going to make the same mistake again”. He almost hissed out “mistake”. “But… to answer your first question, I didn’t do anything. They did.” As Sombra spoke, his body began to dissipate, turning into a cloud of shadows. The cloud seemed to swirl for a few moments before it began to shift and change. It broke into four different pieces. The shadows seemed to thicken and four silhouettes began to take shape. Cadence gasped. The shapes soon solidified, revealing four black…..creatures. They appeared to be crouching, except for one in the middle. They were tall, that much she could tell, the standing one easily her Aunt Luna’s height. Not only that, but at the end of their top limbs were 5 digits. She could only assume they were claws, just like Spikes. And they were black. Pure black. Except for their eyes, they each had Sombra’s eyes. And they were all looking at her. “Magnificent. Aren’t they?” Sombra’s disembodied voice spoke around her. “Who…What are they?” Cadence asked, despite fearing what the answer would be. The voice laughed again. “You are asking the wrong questions, crystal princess. The real question is… how do you stop them?” Cadence’s eyes widened. It was them. “Why didn’t you stop them?” the voices of her people, her friends, her family echoed in her head. These creatures, it was them, they did this to the empire, they were the cause of all of this! Her fear was gone. In its place was the outrage of an alicorn, a princess, and a wife. “I will stop them! We defeated you Sombra! We can defeat them! The crystal hearts love will destroy them and you!” she bellowed in the royal Canterlot voice. The voice laughed even louder now. This infuriated Cadence to no end. She looked around attempting to find the source of the voice, and silence it. Her horn glowed, its light blue aura preparing a devastating magical attack. Movement in the corner of vision brought her about, to again face the creatures that seemed to have not moved since forming. Her power instantly vanished as she spotted the standing creature was holding something in its grasp. It was the crystal heart. No…. “I would have much rather kept the heart intact… but this way works all the same” Sombra’s voice laughed. As if on cue, the standing creature shattered the crystal heart, sending fragments skittering across the balcony. NO……. “T-That can’t be…. That’s impossible…Tha-at…” Cadence couldn’t speak anymore. Tears were now freely flowing down her face. She shut her eyes; she wanted to wake up from this nightmare. Just wake up… “Cadence….” Her eyes shot open. The creatures were advancing on her. “Cadence…” They seemingly spoke, yet she saw no mouths move. “S-Stay back!” Cadence cried. “Cadence…” “No! Stay away from me!”. Sombra’s voice laughed at her pleas. The creatures were nearly on top of her. They’re claws reached out to her. Cadence closed her eyes and screamed. “GET AWAY FROM ME!!” “Ow!” Her ears immediately perked at the familiar voice. She immediately opened her eyes again. The sight that met her was possible the most beautiful she had ever seen. She was in her bed. In her room. In the crystal palace. The normal crystal palace! “Cadence?” She looked up, and was met with the sight of Shining Armor. The normal Shining Armor! He had one hoof to his snout, rubbing it slightly. ‘’Shiny!’’ Cadence all but leapt into him and they embraced. “Shiny! I so happy you’re ok! Everything’s ok!” Cadence cried, tears soaking into Shining’s coat. Shining tightened his grip on his wife and tried to comfort his distressed love . ‘’It’s ok Cadence. It’s ok. You were having a bad dream” He spoke calming. The crystal princess forced back a few sobs so she could speak to her husband. “No Shiny. Not a dream. A…A Nightmare.” She barely got the words out before renewing her crying. Shining Armor looked sadly at his wife, then at the small group of ponies around their bed. Numerous crystal guards, as well as a few nurses had surrounded the bed, worried expressions on their faces mirroring his own. He sighed. This was not good. Far below the crystal palace, in crystal caverns long since forgotten, a voice laughed in the darkness. So it begins.