//------------------------------//
// Chapter 11: Sound the Drums of War 
// Story: The Prince of the Crystal Empire 
// by Prince_Dark_Bane 
//------------------------------//

Five in the morning after Dark Bane's attack on Celestia:
Nine ponies could be seen talking to each other even though the sun hasn't come out yet, and a tenth pony could be seen walking down the stairs looking at the others with an unsurprised look on her face.
"Did any of you sleep at all last night?" Eclipse asked as she looked at the seven mares and the two stallions with a raised eye brow.
"No. We need to defeat Dark Bane as fast as possible. Now more than ever." Luna answered with a yawn while she looked at the shadow pony.
"I hope Dark Bane won't do anything painful to those foals." the unicorn stated as she looked worried for the younger ponies.
"What would he do to them?" Twilight asked as she took a gulp of air after asking her question.
"He might force them to work as servants, or just keep them in the dungeon." the shadow pony answered as she looked at the other ponies in the room.
"That doesn't seem like him. Why would he do that?" Pinkie Pie asked as she looked like she wasn't tired at all. (I believe that party crazed pony could easily stay up for two nights in a row.)
"Even before he vanished, he always went easy on kids. I believe his father might have used dark magic to turn him into a weapon." Eclipse answered as she moved to the kitchen to start breakfast since Spike was still asleep. (Spike was a little glad that Eclipse was a natural early raiser and that he didn't have to make food most of the time now.)
Before any of them could join the shadow pony, a knock on the front door grabbed the attention of everypony in the room. Twilight walked over to the door and opened it to see who it was. The young mare saw one of Luna's Lunar Guards and one of Celestia's Solaris Unicorn Guards. Both of them had grave looks on their faces.
"Miss Sparkle, is Princess Luna within your home?" asked the unicorn guard as he looked at the unicorn mare with an empty look in his eyes.
"Yes. Why do you need her?" Twilight asked as she looked at the two guards with worry in her eyes and voice.
"Yes, we need to tell her, the rest of the element bearers, and the two order leaders grave news about Princess Celestia." answered the Lunar Guard as he lowered his head.
"Then please come in. They're already here." Twilight replied as she opened the door fully letting the guards enter her home.
"What seems to be the problem honorable guards ponies?" Clockwork asked as he looked at the two law enforcers.
"Yes our loyal guards, what does the problem seem to be?" Luna asked slipping back to her old speech pattern from the lack of sleep. (I know everyone has Luna talk like that, but it has been at least a year since the first episode to the season three premiere, so I had Luna learn to control how she talks as long as she isn't in a rage, or near fainting from the lack of sleep.)
"Princess Luna, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Pinkamena Diane Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Grand Master Clockwork, and Sensei Snake Eyes. Late last night, Princess Celestia was attacked by Dark Bane." the Solaris Guard answered as he gave the grave news to everypony in the room.
"Surely our sister was able to send him running so he could lick his wounds." Luna replied with a small smile on her lips.
"Unfortunately, from what we know, Dark Bane didn't receive a single injury while he was able to poison Princess Celestia." the Lunar Guard countered as the nine ponies had different degrees of shock.
"How is that possible? Princess Celestia is unstoppable." Rainbow Dash asked as she flared her wings out in anger.
"I'll make Dark Bane pay for what he's done!" Luna yelled causing a thud to be heard coming from the second floor.
"I think I'm going to go check on Spike. He might have fallen down the stairs in our room." Twilight stated as she moved to her room to check on the baby dragon.
"This can't be happening. Mother Celestia can't be killed so easily like this." Clockwork stated out of shock with his jaw open.
"That reminds me, why do you call Princess Celestia mother? Your order was formed from parents that lost their children." Snake Eyes asked and got looks of shock from the mares and the two guards.
"Some of your order's members joined mine hundreds of years ago, just like how some of members from mine order most likely joined your order, and they got the children to call Princess Celestia mother. We don't try to correct them since they are so young and they need a parent figure." Clockwork answered right as Twilight came back down the stairs with a tired Spike with a bump on the top of his head.
"You ok Spike?" Applejack asked as she took a closer look at the bump.
"I'll be fine, but I would like to know which one of you yelled." Spike replied as he sent a glare at everypony in the room except Twilight.
"Uh why?" Pinkie Pie asked as she looked at the dragon with confusion.
"Because that scream startled me and caused me to jump. Unfortunately I jumped towards the stairs and went past all of them." Spike answered as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"We are very sorry about that Spike the Dragon. How about we get you a large emerald as an apologia?" Luna asked as she looked ashamed for hurting the dragon.
"As long as it's not too much trouble, Princess Luna." Spike answered as he didn't want the lunar princess getting in trouble.
"It's no trouble for us, but now we need to take our leave." Luna replied as she knew that until her sister gets cured that she will need all her strength to resist the poison.
"What happened?" Spike asked Twilight as the princess left with the guards to return to Canterlot.
"Dark Bane attacked Princess Celestia, and to add to that horrible news, he also poisoned her. He's such a brute." Rarity explained as she looked ready to pass out.
"Well I say you all need to at least take a short rest. You won't be any help to anything if you're about to faint from lack of sleep." Eclipse stated as she walked back into the main room with a look telling the other ponies that they need to rest now.
"Snake Eyes and I have to go anyway. We must tell our orders about the recent abductions. The Guardians of the Light are going to war." Clockwork stated as he began to leave with the other order leader.
"And so will the Children of the Night. We will stand with Equestria and the Guardians of the Light." Snake Eyes added as he turned to the Temple of the Moon while Clockwork turned to the Temple of the Sun.
Seven in the morning at the Castle of Death:
Dark Bane, Trixie, Sombra, Nightengale, Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, Scootaloo, Wolf Bane, Silver Shield, and Blizzard where sitting at a large rectangular dining table with platters of breakfast foods covering it. Even though it was quiet at the table, there was a great silence in the air. Scootaloo, Silver Shield, and Wolf Bane kept sending glares towards Blizzard while Sweetie Belle and Applebloom just kept their distance from him. Nightengale was trying to figure out why all of her new friends didn't want to talk.
"So how was everyponies sleep last night?" Trixie asked as she wanted to end the silence that had taken over the room.
"I would sleep better if I was back home in Ponyville." Applebloom answered getting nods from four other young ponies.
"That will happen after the war is over." Dark Bane replied as he used his magic to raise a crystal flask filled with some kind of juice.
"What is that you're drinking Prince Dark Bane?" Blizzard asked as he tried to ignore the heated glares he was receiving from the two order members and the filly.
"It's a blend of apple and orange juice. I only have it when I have completed a plan." Dark Bane answered as he took a sip of the drink.
"You did something to her." Silver Shield suddenly stated as he sent a glare at the prince.
"You'll have to be more clear about who she is." Dark Bane replied as he sent a glare at colt.
"What did you do to Princess Celestia?" Silver Shield demanded as he increased the glare he had.
"I don't have the foggiest idea what you mean." Dark Bane replied as he tried to hold in his smile.
"I know you did something to Princess Celestia. The sun rise felt different today. The magic that was used for was different then it was yesterday." the colt countered as he glared at the unicorn.
"Well, I did pay her a visit last night." the unicorn stallion replied as his smile grew in size.
"So you did use my plan. How long before the poison kills her?" Trixie asked while gaining the attention of everypony in the room.
"Most likely never." Dark Bane answered after finishing his drink.
"What about my plan?" Trixie asked as she looked at her husband with big pleading eyes which made Nightengale gag.
"I agree with you." Sweetie Belle whispered to the alicorn filly as she tried to look away from the older unicorns.
"Why kill what you can control?" Dark Bane countered his wife's question with one of his own getting his father's attention.
"You're a monster." Silver Shield stated as he glared at the unicorn.
"Watch what you say young one." Dark Bane replied as he looked at the colt with emotionless eyes.
"Am I going to be a big sister now?" Nightengale asked as she gained a large smile on her face.
"Maybe my little filly." Trixie answered and got the other fillies and colts in the room to laugh at the alicorn filly.
"MOM!" Nightengale yelled with a large blush on her cheeks.
"Now I know why my sister likes to tease me." Sweetie Belle stated as she tried to stop laughing.
"Makes me wish I had a sibling." Wolf Bane stated as he kept himself from laughing long enough to say something.
"It's not all that fun. Trust me." Silver Shield replied as he gave a great sigh.
"What would you know of siblings? Your order is filled with monks, and every member is raised as a monk." Wolf Bane asked as he looked at the monk like order member.
"We're raised as one big family. So every member is seen as a sibling." Silver Shield answered as he looked at the unicorn colt.
"I wonder what my family is going to do to make it look like they're worried?" Blizzard asked himself as he looked at the fancy looking hash browns with a glass of orange juice.
"I could always ask your father if you want." Dark Bane stated as he turned his head towards the large winged pegasus colt.
"There's no need for you to do that my lord." the colt replied as he lowered his head out of respect. (And fear.)
"Never look a gift horse in the mouth." Sombra stated out of nowhere surprising everypony there since this was the first time he spoke today.
"I'll remember that King Sombra." Blizzard replied as he did his best not to look into the dark king's eyes.
"What are we going to learn today?" Sweetie Belle asked as she decided that it would be better for the king to stay silent.
"All seven of you will learn some basic healing magic first." Dark Bane answered as he brought an apple to his fang like teeth.
"I still want to learn fire magic." Nightengale muttered as she had a sour look on her face.
"My baby is growing up so fast." Trixie stated as she then started to hug the filly who was trying to get her mother to let her go.
"This is comedy gold." Scootaloo laughed as she watched this happen.
The young pegasus filly stopped laughing when she suddenly felt a chill in the air and moved her eyes to see that Dark Bane was looking at her with an emotionless stare. She stopped laughing right after that and tried to avoid his stare.
"Mr. Dark Bane." Applebloom stated getting said unicorn’s attention.
"That would be Prince Dark Bane young one." Dark Bane stated as he looked at the Apple Family filly.
"Well, can't only unicorns and alicorns use magic?" Applebloom asked as she looked at the large unicorn.
"Why does everypony think that?" Dark Bane asked out loud telling everypony that he was tired of this question.
"What do you mean?" Sweetie Belle asked as she looked at the unicorn that technically could be as old as the princesses.
"Every living thing has magic in them. Ponies have the most magic in them." Dark Bane stated as he looked at the young unicorn filly.
"So, how does that mean we can all use healing magic?" Sweetie Belle asked as she looked at the older unicorn.
"Everypony can use healing magic because it doesn't fall under earth, sky, or arcane magic." the unicorn stallion answered as he started to leave the table.
"Where are you going Daddy?" Nightengale asked as she looked at her father.
"I need to get everything ready for the lesson." the older pony replied as he left the dining room.
"Evil beast." Silver Shield muttered as he glared at the older stallion.
"I heard that colt. Remember, the only reason you're a guest in my home is my daughter." Dark Bane's voice sounded through the castle surprising the younger ponies in the room.
"I wonder what Night Veil is doing now?" Blizzard asked himself as he looked at what remained of his breakfast.
"Learning Little Brother." Nigh Veil stated as she appeared walking towards her sibling.
"What are you doing here?" Silver Shield demanded as he glared at the unicorn mare.
"Hold your tongue. I'm not even here little boy." Night Veil answered as her head turned to the wrong way.
"Sis, he's the other way." Blizzard stated as his sister turned her head the other way.
"I need to work on this spell." the young mare muttered as her horn glowed and a notepad appeared.
"What spell are you working on now?" the young pegasus colt asked as he looked at his older sister.
"I call it Spirit Projecting. While I'm using it, it looks like my body is asleep, but I can send my spirit anywhere I want. I still need to work on it so I can use the Sixth Sense spell with it." the blind mare stated telling everypony that she was using mostly hearing to judge where ponies where.
"So then, why are you here?" Sombra asked as he sent shivers down the spines of the CMC.
"I'm going to be joining my brother here soon. No matter what, I'm going to protect my brother." the unicorn mare answered unafraid of the tyrant king. (Then again, she can't see him and was looking the wrong way, again.)
"I'm over here." Sombra stated as his voice caused the blind mare to turn her head towards him.
"I don't think Daddy will let you stay here." Nightengale stated to the grey mare.
"Well Princess Nightengale, I'm coming and nothing Prince Dark Bane says will change my mind." Night Veil replied as her brother had a bright red blush from embarrassment.
"I think you're embarrassing your little brother." Trixie stated as she looked at the snow white pegasus colt trying to hide his reddening cheeks but was failing.
"I'll tell Daddy to expect you then." the alicorn filly replied as she was ready to begin her first lesson with her dad.
"I can't believe my luck. It's like something is trying to make my life as embarrassing as possible. [I have no idea what he's talking about.]" Blizzard stated as he wanted to disappear.
Eight in the morning, Canterlot Castle, Medical Wing:
Luna was standing over the sleeping form of her older sister. The princess of the moon could tell that her sister was having a nightmare, but something was keeping her from entering her sister's dream.
"Dark Bane, I know you're the reason why my sister is having a nightmare. You're also keeping me from entering her dreams. When I get my hooves on you Dark Bane, not even the reaper will be able to help you." Luna thought as her thoughts started to take on darker forms while thinking of different ways to hurt the prince.
"Princess Luna, ponies are starting to show up to the Day Court. We need you do take your sister's place until she recovers." a white unicorn stallion advisor stated as he along with the other three advisors waited for her to respond to them.
"My sister lies her most likely dyeing, and you're asking me to leave her side." Luna growled at all four advisors with an angry glare that many believed would make even the tyrant king scared.
"Your majesty, we're not asking you to abandoned your sister. We're asking you to hope for her recovering and to make sure that there's a home for her to come back to." a blue unicorn mare replied hoping the alicorn of the night would see that somepony has to take charge of the government with the main leader unable to lead.
"Very well. Have coffee ready for me when I arrive to the throne room." Luna spoke with an edge of anger in her voice, making the advisors hope was either towards Dark Bane or the lack of sleep this alicorn has had. (Anger makes a great wakeup call some times.)
"Yes your majesty." all four advisors answered as they left to get coffee ready for the mostly night alicorn so she could stay up for the Day Court.
"Don't worry Tia. I'll make sure Equestria stays strong while you recover." Luna replied and was about to leave when she saw her sister's closed eyes glow for a split second.
Too scared to let this not be known, Luna told one of the doctors what she saw, and they told her that it might just be her magic trying to purge the poison out of her system.
Five minutes later, Day Court:
Everypony was waiting for Princess Celestia to arrive so they could begin, but most were surprised when a royal guard brought in a coffee mug and a pot of freshly made coffee. They have never seen Princess Celestia drink coffee before. When they saw Princess Luna walk in, they were very surprised to see her take her sister's throne. Whispers started to go through the court with most of them about how Luna most likely casting a spell of sleep on Celestia.
“Ponies of my sister’s Day Court. Due to resent events, my sister’s health has deteriorated greatly. Until she recovers back to health I will take her place until then.” Luna stated as she looked at all the nobles including her unofficial nephew Prince Blueblood.
“What happened to Auntie Celestia?” Blueblood asked making most of the guards and nobles sigh at how he acts.
“She was attacked by Dark Bane last night and was injured.” Luna answered the white coated unicorn then taking a sip of her freshly made black coffee.
“This is an act of war. What nation is he from?” asked a grey unicorn stallion with a pair of glasses on his nose.
“He was originally from the Crystal Empire.” the alicorn of the night answered with a visible glare of hatred.
“Does that mean that my sister and the ex-captain of the guards have gone to war with us?” Blueblood asked as this got the other nobles in the room to start to panic slightly.
“He is the son of King Sombra. Both father and son plan on enslaving the entire world.” Luna answered as the entire room went silent as everypony let this information set in.
“Please stop talking about me and my family as if I’m not here.” Dark Bane’s voice sounded through the room making many there shake with fear.
“SHOW THYSELF!” Luna ordered with her royal voice causing the dark magic user to laugh at her.
“Very well your highness.” the prince of shadows replied as his outline came out of Blueblood’s shadow and then seemed to peel itself off the floor then took Dark Bane’s physical form.
“That ruffian was using me as a shield!” Blueblood complained as he started to check himself for something that showed illness.
“If I didn’t need this empire as weak as possible, I would have killed you.” Dark Bane countered as he sent an annoyed glare at the unicorn nobles.
“What’s with that look? We are nobles of Equestria.” a mare yelled at the prince as she glared at the metal covered stallion.
“After I was turned into a statue by your princesses, I watched over this entire empire. In this empire’s government, you ‘nobles’ cause more problems than you solve. Especially that joke of prince over there.” the dark prince replied while putting extra amounts of distain in the word noble.
“Do you know who I am?” Blueblood asked as he glared at the metal covered unicorn.
“You are ‘Prince’ Blueblood. You are the younger brother to Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. You are self-adsorbent and you think everypony that is not a part of your family is beneath you. You also have a soft spot for Princess Celestia’s student. Need I go on?” the dark unicorn answered and then went into detail about the white unicorn surprising everypony there with how much he knew and then cocked an eye brow at the other stallion as if challenging him to speak.
“How do you know all of that?” Blueblood demanded as everypony in the room noticed that he was actually serious for once in his life.
“I’ve had an eye on every noble house in this empire even before my petrification.” the armor clad pony answered as all the other ponies noticed that he seemed to be counting for some reason.
“What seems to be the problem Dark Bane?” Luna asked with a small smile knowing she was playing a dangerous game with him.
“That’s Prince Dark Bane, and the noble house of Princess Platinum has been missing for the last 150 years.” the unicorn answered the alicorn with a raised eye brow.
“Princess Platinum’s family has died out. The children never married nor had children of their own.” replied a mint green mare with too much make up on.
“I can still feel the power of that family’s blood. The group is small, but there are at least 2 direct decedents of her majesty.” Dark Bane replied as this news made many of the court look towards each other while all thinking the same thing. (They wanted to bring both of these decedents into their families for more political power.)
“Why are you here?” Luna demanded as she knew what all these ‘nobles’ were thinking.
“Why it wouldn’t be proper if I didn’t send a declaration of war.” the stallion answered as he used his magic to summon a scroll into the room.
“You declared war with us the moment you attacked the Crystal Empire.” Luna replied as she summoned twin short swords.
“Well then, I did this for nothing, but I will give you my ultimatum. Surrender now or everypony either dies or gets enslaved.” Dark Bane stated as he glared at Luna.
“We will fight to our last breath for our freedom!” Luna yelled her reply as she glared at the unicorn.
“Very well, it’s to war.” the dark stallion countered and then seemed to evaporate away.
“The draft will begin within this week. Any and all able bodied pony will be called upon for this war if need be. Do I make myself clear?” Luna stated as the nobles saw the differences of the 2 sisters now.