"So what, exactly, is happening to me?"
It had taken a little over two hours to get this meeting set up. Nevermind the fact that Pen Stroke was ill, and even with his caretaker willing to assist, it was slow going, getting him moved to the throne room. Nevermind the fact that, in order for King Sombra to be present, a full-length mirror had to be brought in. Nevermind, even, the fact that it took a lot of convincing to allow Sombra to attend this meeting, given that Straight Arrow, Gold Coin, Wild Wing, and Pen Stroke had obvious reasons to be distrustful of the tyrant. What made the setup take so long was the fact that the Crystal Heart had to be discreetly relocated from its usual place of honor at the base of the palace to here, in the throne room.
The sun was now setting, and the rest of the palace was shutting down for the night for the most part. But here, in this room, the fate of the city, if not all of Equestria, was going to be determined. Present were both of the princesses, the Crystal Emperor, the chancellor and his son, the chancellor's caretaker, Shimmering Radiance, Straight Arrow, Wild Wing, King Sombra (via the previously mentioned mirror), and the Crystal Heart.
This was the second strangest meeting that Pan had ever attended.
The Crystal Heart, its radiance flickering in time with its words, stated matter-of-factly, "Upon being made a full-fledged citizen of the Crystal Empire, you became eligible for all of the benefits that come with that status. In addition to the removal of all curses that have been placed upon you, there are additional perks to be considered, the most important being that you are now linked to this unit. You are currently connected to the Crystal Network, meaning that your body is now linked both to the Crystal Heart and your fellow citizens."
After a moment, Sombra, via the mirror, added, "And since you're now linked to the heart, a metamorphosis has been triggered." The image of Sombra shifted, his expression turning thoughtful, and after a moment, he said, "The closest parallel I can give for your current state is the Axolotl..."
Celestia, chuckling, said, "You may want to explain a little bit more, for those present who aren't quite as knowledgable on such an unusual subject."
Pan would have almost sworn that Sombra blushed, then the former-tyrant cleared his throat, then said, "Ah, yes, sorry, I admit it is a somewhat obscure creature. I'll explain: The Axolotl is an amphibious salamander that is found in only a single lake a considerable distance south from Equestria. It lives in an extremely isolated region, where food is quite scarce. This creature is unique in that it has a 'adult' form that it almost never uses: At some point in the distant past, this fascinating specimen's ancestors stopped developing into this 'adult' form, a larger salamander that no longer possesses gills, and instead continued to exist in its juvenile state for the rest of its life. This is considered a survival trait that may have been brought about by scarcity of food or other vital nutrients: A small juvenile needs less food than a larger adult. However, under very specific circumstances, that 'adult' state can still be induced. Essentially, the body 'remembers' that this adult form exists, and under the right circumstances, the salamander can still mature."
Pan, nodding, asked, "And by being 'connected' to the Crystal Heart, and the Crystal Ponies, my body has 'remembered' that I'm not actually supposed to be a changeling, but something else?"
"Precisely," Sombra said with a nod. "Now, this metamorphosis is proceeding... well, I want to say slowly, but most metamorphoses move at a much slower pace. Yours is moving at almost breakneck speed in comparison, but it is still taking time to progress. At your body's current rate of change, from what I can determine from here, the entire process will take seventy-two hours, after which... well, your body will be what it was always intended to be."
Wild Wing, an eyebrow raised, asked, "A crystal pony?"
"Partially correct," the Crystal Heart interjected, "but also partially incorrect."
Luna and Celestia asked, almost in unison, "What does that mean?"
The heart remained silent.
Sombra rolled his eyes, on the other side of the looking glass, then said, "You'll have to forgive the heart. From what I have learned in my research, it can be difficult to work with, even in the best of times, and these are hardly the best of times. Between the actions of certain ponies inside of the Crystal Empire, and my own... ill-advised activities, the relic is not in the best of shape."
"What," Pan asked, his obviously confused, "do you mean, ponies inside of the Crystal Empire?"
With a long, weary sigh, Sombra asked, "If the Crystal Heart were working properly, do you really think that a warlock like myself, heavily saturated with dark magic, could have entered this city? That the dark entity that you saw a short time ago would be able to thrive in this place, instead of instantly being destroyed? That Winter, who should normally be unable to come within miles of this city, would be camped out on your doorstep, feeding on hate energy? There is a cancer here in the Crystal Empire, a cancer named The Circle. That cancer is weakening the city's defenses, so that forces normally unable to dwell here are thriving. A cancer that will eventually kill this city if it is not dealt with."
Pan's expression turned serious as he asked, "And where did this 'cancer' originate from?"
Looking over at Celestia, Sombra said, "I think you might have a better idea than I do, Celestia."
Her expression one of great sorrow, Celestia admitted, "I do. I recognized the make of that wight's armor." Looking over at Pan, the elder princess said, "Unless I miss my guess, the Circle began fifteen years ago, after what is now being called 'The Black Feather War'."
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Later immortalized in plays on both the equine and griffonic sides, the Black Feather War would, a thousand years from now, still considered one of the bloodiest wars ever fought on Equestrian soil. While the Griffin Kingdoms had long been at peace with Equestria, unrest had been brewing for several generations, practically since griffins and ponies first encountered one another. This unrest would eventually result in a full scale invasion...
The ruler of the Griffin Kingdoms, and the majority of his subjects, was elated to find, during maritime explorations of distant lands, a new race of sapient creatures that were friendly, peaceful, and happy to engage in commerce. Trade began immediately, and before long, the two races were amongst the closest of allies. However, there were some who, upon finding out just how abundant in natural resources Equestria was, thought that instead of being friends, the griffins should be masters, and the ponies their slaves... or perhaps just food. Part of this may have had to do with the fact that griffins were omnivores, and ponies were herbivores. Regardless of the reasons, for several generations, there was a faction in the GK that made it clear they thought that ponies were inferior, and tried to pressure their king into a war of conquest.
The king, naturally, refused, having a far better idea than the 'Black Feather' faction did of Equestria's true strength, but over time, the Feathers grew in influence, and in power. For generations, they secretly built a force to conquer Equestria. Once their hold on Equestria was secure and they had the wealth and power of the realm at their disposal, they planned to return home and seize control of the Griffonic throne for themselves. Finally, fifteen years ago, the Black Feather faction took to their ships and sailed across the ocean.
The war that ensued was a bloodbath on both sides. The invading griffins had superior strength, armor, weaponry, and unlike ponies (or the majority of griffinkind), they were more than willing to employ dark magic. Further, the griffins, due to the combination of their nature, and their history of internal strife, were far superior warriors than the ponies, possessing a great deal more genuine combat experience.
But being superior warriors did not make them superior soldiers. The Black Feathers had drastically underestimated the fighting spirit of ponykind, and while the ponies were peace-loving, they were not afraid to fight to protect their homes.
Equestria's standing army was easily twice the size of the entire invading force (and this included all of the camp followers that came with the Black Feathers), and when you take into account each settlement's militia, and the number of young stallions who would happily enlist in time of war, as well as the number that, in an emergency, be conscripted to serve, the army that Equestria could field was more than twenty times greater. Equestria's standing army is also considered the best trained and most disciplined in the world: There is just something in equine nature that makes them naturals at working together. The variety in the forces that Equestria could field was also a major factor: Pegasai brought vicious storms down, preventing the griffins from taking to the air; unicorns unleashed potent battle spells, raining destruction upon enemy formations; earth pony heavy infantry smashed their foes with sheer brute strength. And when Celestia and Luna took the field...
Well, it's a testament to the strength of the invading force that they were able to hold as well as they did in the face of such awesome power.
All of this put together meant that the two forces were equally matched. Over the course of one year, the Equestrians and the Black Feathers fought against one another, and while more ponies died in that year than had died in the last decade, the griffins could make no lasting progress towards a real victory. Even with Celestia's and Luna's involvement, the war was locked in a stalemate...
...until an army from the Griffin Kingdoms arrived, flanked the Black Feather forces, and, working together with the Equestrian army, annihilated the Black Feathers utterly. There was peace between pony and griffin again, the prerequisite 'much rejoicing' was experienced, and everypony returned home, hoping to rebuild their lives.
But very quickly, the princesses found that something had happened to their subjects.
It is unknown if it was simply the trauma of war, the influence of the dark magic unleashed upon the battlefield, or if the violent bloodshed had revealed to some ponies an 'appetite' that they'd never known they'd had. Regardless of the reasons, among the veterans of the Black Feather War were now psychotics, sadists, and dabblers in the black arts. Not all of the veterans were of this vile ilk, naturally, but nearly all of the individuals suddenly indulging in these villainous activities were either part of the army when the war was on... or had been victims of the cruelties inflicted by the Black Feather army whenever an equine settlement was captured.
A sickness had taken root in Equestria, and both Celestia and Luna were working hard to expel it as quickly as possible. While they were making great strides, there was still a long ways to go before the matter was fully resolved...
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"Blessedly, the Crystal Empire had seemed to be completely devoid of such dark doings," Celestia concluded, "but it seems, now, that instead of being absent, it was simply hidden beneath the surface, festering."
Looking at Sombra, Pan said, "So, the presence of this... 'Circle' was what allowed you to enter the Crystal Empire in the first place?"
Nodding somberly, the former tyrant admitted, "Yes. The Crystal Heart was intended to protect the Crystal Ponies from evil outside influences. However, it was not intended to protect them from themselves." Sighing, Sombra added, "When the members of the Circle returned from the war, they were different from the ponies who had left. Some had developed a taste for sadism, having found pleasure in torturing prisoners of war for information. Some had a new-found urge to commit murder, acquired from fighting for so long on bloody, violent battlefields. Others had taken an interest in dark magic, having witnessed its effectiveness firsthoof. These ponies, realizing that they were now radically different from their fellows, banded together in order to sate their dark desires without their true selves revealed to the world at large. Their actions weakened the Crystal Heart: They no longer supplied hope and love to the relic, and many of their actions instead fed it hatred and despair. After fifteen years of such abuse, the relic was weak enough that I could walk right in and take it without even feeling the slightest tingle."
Luna, her expression grave, asked, "But surely it's recovering now?"
Nodding, Sombra admitted, "It is, for now. The Crystal Ponies now have, thanks to their new leader, renewed hope for a brighter tomorrow. However, it cannot remain at this level of intensity forever. If the Circle is not dealt with, and soon, then eventually the Crystal Heart will begin to weaken again."
Scowling, Pen Stroke admitted, "While I am loath to admit it, I have to agree with Sombra. There's been something... off about the city since the end of the war. I could never put my hoof on it, but it seemed as though the realm did not shine as brightly as it did in my youth. I had, initially, put it down as nostalgia, and later to depression over the loss of my wife, but now..." The pony began to experience a coughing fit, preventing him from going on.
Tender Loving Care, the chancellor's nursemaid, began administering a medication to the ill pony, then added, "I can testify to something similar: When I was but five summers old, my father brought me here. When he and I first crossed the threshold into the city proper, this place was so bright it was dazzling. I could not have imagined a city more radiant, more incredibly beautiful, than this one. However, when I entered the city just a couple of days ago, it seemed nowhere near as glorious as it did in my youth. It was still bright, and beautiful, but it was somehow... subdued, almost as if the city was smiling, even though it was badly injured. Like Pen Stroke, I wrote it off as nostalgia."
"I think..." Pan began, his expression grave, "it goes deeper than that: When I first came here, there seemed to be some sort of... apathy amongst the citizens. I mean, yes, everypony was happy Sombra was gone, but..." Clearing his throat, he added, "Maybe it's just the difference between how ponies are now and how they'll be a thousand years from now, but..."
Shimmering Radiance, formerly 'Urchin', smiled and asked, "But in the time you come from, the idea of a five year old filly living on the streets with nopony to watch over her would have been unthinkable?"
Bright girl, that one. "Exactly," Pan said, nodding. "There you were, in a crowd of ponies, obviously underfed, unwashed, and alone. The Equestria I saw a thousand years from now would have had a fight break out over who got to adopt you, but here, you were practically invisible to everyone but me." His expression turning thoughtful, the changeling said, "If the Crystal Ponies and the Crystal Heart are connected, and the actions of the Circle are corrupting the relic..."
Straight Arrow, his eyes widening, caught on faster than anypony else in the room (Which does him credit, since the room contained several of the smartest ponies in Equestria, as well as the only true expert in the world on the subject of the Crystal Heart), and exclaimed, "Then the corruption is spreading from the Circle, to the Crystal Heart, and then into the rest of the Crystal Ponies here!"
"Affirmative," the Crystal Heart stated in a dull monotone.
The looks of horror on every pony in the room would have to be seen to be believed. Even Sombra looked mortified, which was saying something. This was... worse than any kind of mind control that the tyrant had used. Instead of the ponies being made too fearful, too meek to resist the wizard's reign, the Circle's actions were eating away at everything that made ponies what they were...
Nodding, Pan stated, "Exactly. Sombra compared the Circle to a cancer, and I can think of no better way to describe it. When one suffers from a cancer, a small 'rebellion' in a single organ, left untreated, slowly kills off the body as a whole. These... monsters are eating away at the heart and soul of this city, and left untreated, it will not be long until every pony becomes as vicious and corrupt as they are. This... Circle needs to be removed, as soon as possible."
Nodding, Luna said, "Agreed." Turning towards the mirror, she asked, "Sombra, would you be able to tell us the identities of the members of this 'Circle'?"
Shaking his head, Sombra said, "I cannot." At the surprised expressions of the ponies around the room, he clarified, "It's not a matter of not wanting to: Though I rule Tartarus, I am bound by magical restrictions that minimize the influence I have with the outside world. I have exploited certain loopholes in order to aid you thus far, but there are limits to what I can accomplish." With a snort, the tyrant admitted, "I had to play a three hour word game with a noble named Golden Grace in order to tell him how to prevent a series of assassinations that were planned just a short time ago. I cannot give the specific names of any individuals if doing so will result in that individual's secrets being revealed." After a moment, the wizard's expression perked up, and he added, "Ah, speaking of, I should probably check on him..." The tyrant turned away from the mirror and vanished...
Was it Pan's imagination, or did Tender Loving Care suddenly look very uncomfortable at the mention of assassinations? Well, he couldn't blame her: All of this madness was making the changeling himself feel uncomfortable, and he'd grown up in an atmosphere like this...
Sombra returned, his expression horrified. "I... your highnesses, something terrible has happened. It... it would be better if you just looked out over the balcony.."
Looking outside, towards the city, Pan saw it first, against a sky having finally turned black: There was a mansion burning brightly in the distance...