//------------------------------//
// Prologue 
// Story: What Lies Within 
// by KidatHeart5 
//------------------------------//

	Once upon a time, there was a crystalline kingdom. It was renowned for its beauty and the love it radiated across Equestria. At the center of the Crystal Empire was the Crystal Heart, a powerful item that protected the kingdom and all who lived in it from harm. One day, a dragon stole the Crystal Heart and the Umbrum moved in to attack the Empire. The shadow ponies were driven back by Star Swirl the Bearded and banished to the Arctic Wastes of the Frozen North.
When the Crystal Heart was returned, the Crystal ponies thought they were safe and secure…until she came.
The Umbrum were once again renewed thanks to their self-proclaimed princess, Belladonna. Her origins were shrouded in mystery, but her evil was far greater than that of any villain in Equestria. She overthrew the two princesses ruling the Empire and twisted the kingdom in her own image. When they received word that Belladonna had taken over the Empire, Celestia and Sombra raced to stop her. Using the power of their love for each other, they managed to defeat the dark pony and banish her to the far reaches of the icy tundra. 
For years, the Arctic Wastes that served as a prison for the worst of the worst remained quiet and foreboding. But then, during a solar eclipse, the crystal that encased a formidable foe had broken.
She was finally free.