Orion

by Crystal Shard

History of Crystal Edge

It was something Twilight never thought she would see, as available guard got ready to head for the Crystal Empire she was looking at herself in the mirror, in full royal battle armor. "Princess I don't know if I can do this." Twilight said, as she looked at Celestia, getting her mentors attention.

"Twilight you've face great odds before, what troubles you this time?" Twilight looked at Celestia then at her reflection. "Oh" Twilight looked at Celestia who had an understanding smile on her face. "You've faced great dangers before but you've never seen yourself as a warrior." Twilight nodded, and then felt her mentor put a comforting wing around her. "That's a good thing Twilight, it just means that you've always done the right thing when it needed to be done. To be honest I was terrified the first time I ever saw myself in battle armor."

"How did you get over it?"

"To be honest, I never have every time I have to wear my battle armor i worry that I’m going to fail to protect some pony or their family, it's the worst thing about situations like this."

"Yeah... now I just can't stop worrying about Cadance." Celestia nodded and pulled Twilight close to comfort her.

"I'm sure she's fine." Back at the Crystal Empire the doctors jumped back as Cadance quickly thrashed around and got to her feet, looked around dazed and confused until she realized where she was, and the soothing warm feeling seem to fill her body.

"What's going on here?" Cadance asked, as she looked to one of the Doctors.

"Well your majesty it would seem that the empire is under siege." the Doctor explained as he started to check her eyes. "We don't know much more, other then the attackers are Royal Guards from Canterlot."

"What?"

"I'll explain." Flash said, as he ran up getting Cadance to back away slightly. "Your majesty, I know i don't look it but i am Flash Sentry your captain of the guard, it would seem that the Royal Blue Guards from Canterlot are trying to take over the empire, me and the rest of the Crystal Guards got turned to stone by the Royal Blue's during their first attack, but we've been restored partly by a pony calling himself Orion, and currently Orion is going after a stone monster quickly approaching the edge of the Crystal empire."

"But the barrier from the Crystal Heart should prevent any monsters from entering." Cadance said, as she slowly made her way to a window to see the stone monster.

"Yes but it didn't prevent the Royal Blue Guards from entering, and from what Orion informed me he's some how activated a fortress mode of the barrier and all the Crystal Ponies are now inside the inner portion of the empire."

"Fortress mode? I don't know anything about a Fortress mode." Cadance said as she started to notice the shimmer of the barrier. "It seems more condensed." Her attention was drawn back ahead as she heard what sounded like thunder and could see the monster trying to lift up one of it's massive hands .

"It just took a swing, Orion must be there." Flash said, as he tried to make out a small black dot.

"He's there." Cadance said, as she could see Orion clearly. "He's trying to slow it down, It looks like he's using a form of Crystal Magic." As Orion circled the beast dodging it's massive limbs as it tried to swat him down, he was using his prism beam to try and encase the beast into crystal but it only seem to crystallize a area for a few moments slowing the beast down, but still shattering after. "I have to get out there, I have to help him buy us some time."

"Some time for what Princess?"

"For my Aunts and husband to bring the real Canterlot help, I left just as they had started to gather the guards." Flash smiled and quickly passed on the message to a fellow guard who ran down to inform the ponies. "Then we have a fighting chance, but we need you to remain here princess, the necklace around your neck is helping restore your magic, as well as help you young one."

"The young one?" Cadance looked at Flash with a bit of shock, who seemed just as shocked. "What young one?"

"Uh... well according to the small Alicorn that came from Orion's armor you are with foal." Flash stammered as he looked at his princess who seemed just as shocked by the news. "Once he heard this information he was very insistent on finding away to help restore your strength and magic, he gave you that necklace and then told us to tell the Citizens that you had given him apart of your magic to fight the stone monster, it seemed to help boost the power of the barrier around the palace." As Flash finished he noticed the stunned look on Cadance's face as she sat back down and then looked down.

"I'm with foal?"

"According to the little alicorn from Orion's armor." Flash knew how insane it sounded but he didn't dare take a chance with an expecting mother, certainly not with a royal mother. As Cadance looked out at the battle field she could see Orion struggling to fight against the beast. "His original plan was to just keep the citizens hopeful, but when you arrived everything started to go wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"When you arrived, we found out that your magic would restore over time, like any other unicorn, but then the Alcorn told him that she didn't know if it would be in enough time to save the little one, he asked if there was away to restore your magic with magic from the crystal heart and she informed that there was but the barrier was already very weak, that's when we noticed the rock monster, he then requested the necklace now around your neck and took off for the monster, and after we spread the word that you gave him magic and sent him after it the barrier seem to restore the barrier back to full strength, if not stronger." Cadance nodded then looked out the window at the golem as a concerned look spread across her face.

"He's doing this because of my mistake." Cadance said, as a tear ran down her face. While Orion continued to fight but couldn't figure out how this massive monster was still moving.

"Spectra I see the golem, I can tell by the unnatural glow around this beast that some Unicorn is controlling it, but I can't see any unicorns around."

"Because they are inside the beast." Orion got as close to beast as he could running on it's chest at one point and quickly got a glimpse through a crack just before the beast neck and noticed a small invasion force sitting inside.

"They're using the beast as cover, if the Empire is destroyed and no witnesses left, then it could be blamed as a monster attack." Orion said, as he flew away from the swinging stone arms.

"Orion I don't think they ever intended for there to be witnesses."

"In other wards no survivors." Orion said, as he started to fly straight up.

"Exactly, and then offer to help with the clean up, all the while looking for their goal, Crystal Edge's lab." Orion started to fly faster and faster heading straight up. "Orion what are you doing?"

"Getting some distance." Orion could feel the air getting thinner as he started to slow down.

"Distance for what?" As Orion stopped flying up he looked around and see the curvature of Equestria and smiled, then looked down and could see a faint glint of the Crystal Palace. "Orion what are you going to do?"

"The barrier it's at full strength correct?"

"Yes the Crystal Ponies haven't noticed you leaving the battle yet, Princess Cadance hasn't informed anypony of your departure, and from what I can see the invaders haven't noticed your departure ether."

"Good." Back at the battle field the unicorn force inside the stone monster kept looking around, until one turned and looked at their commanding officer.

"Commander Iron Hoof, it seems that whatever was attacking us is gone."

"Good, continue on the assault, I want this empire crushed before any pony in Canterlot knows what's really going on." As the massive beast started to move forward once more there was a sound of several little pops. "What was that?" Iron hoof looked at his second in command, only to get a shrugged look of confusion. From Cadance and Flash's point of view all they heard was a pop, followed by a louder one, and then a loud boom just before what looked like black lightning bolt striking the rock monster shattering it.

"I have to get out there." Cadance insisted as she opened her wing but barely had enough strength to keep them open.

"Princess please, you used up way to much magic you have to rest, let Orion by us the time we need for you to regain your strength, and if at all possible enough time for the others to come." Cadance hated this, she wanted to defend her empire but she was drained worst then what she had been when she had used her magic to defend the empire before the Crystal Heart was found.

"He can't fight them all alone, as bad of an excuse those guards are they where still trained to be royal guards." with that Flash nodded then looked at the dust and smoke coming from the impact sight.

"Let's just hope he can hold out just a bit longer." Back at the crater Iron Hoof was slowly picking himself up from the rubble.

"REFORM!" he ordered, as he looked around and started to notice that many of the unicorn guards had been knocked out.

"Sir we can't, we've lost to many magic users we can reform the stone giant." Iron Hoof's assistant explained, as he walked up shacking the stars from his head.

"THEN GET THOSE FEATHER BRAINS FROM HIDDING AND TELL THEM WE NEED BACK UP!!" Iron Hoof glared down into the crater as smoke and dust started to settle. "I WANT EVER GUARD READY WHEN WE SEE THAT PUNKS BODY I WANT IT TORN APART AS AN EXAMPLE TO THOSE GLITTER BRAINS WHO IS IN CHARGE NOW!" several of the Unicorn guards still awake started to use their magic and form a giant construct around themselves in the form of a Cyclops, a Minotaur, and even a dragon.

"Looks like he has them scared." Flash said, as he saw the translucent shells from around their makers.

"And they should be." Cadance said, as Flash noticed a smile start to appear on her face.

"Princess?"

"Look at the smoke and dust above the crater." Flash looked and noticed crimson sparks made it look like a thunder storm. "I don't get it."

"When Baby Unicorns start having magical accidents their parents have to keep a close eye on magical build up, the first signs of this is normally sparks from the horn."

"Yes ma-am I know, but what does this have to do with that?" Cadance smiled as she pointed at the dust cloud above the crater, that was filled with red flashes of energy.

"It seems that Orion is powering up." with that Flash looked back at the scene at the edge of the empire and smiled slightly. After a few minutes of nothing Iron Hoof smirked, as he turned and started to head for the Palace.

"Nothing that small could have survived an impact like that, follow me Royal Blue if we can still take this empire, and then our lord can find Crystal Edge's lab." As the small horde marched for the palace, the citizens could see them coming and fear of being conquered again, and enslaved filled them, but as that fear turned to hate Cadance could see that the shield was starting to falter.

"I better get ready." Cadance used her magic and conjured up battle armor and prepared for the attack.

"Princess look." Flash pointed to the creator as the smoke and dust seem to start forming a tornado, an action that also started to get the attention of the invaders who turned to see what was going on, just before a black bolt of lighting shot up from the top of the Tornado turning it inside out and dissipating it.

As the black lighting arched across the sky and struck just in front of the barrier another smaller cloud emerged, getting everypony's attention inside and outside the barrier. As red crystal like batwings emerged followed by a more war like armor, eyes now red gems and the front hooves looked like Griffin claws. The Crystal Ponies inside the barrier watched as this new armor look over it's shoulder and nodded once at them before looking back at the invaders, a surge of hope and joy hit the Crystal Heart like a train hitting a brick wall and with the surge the translucent barrier that once surrounded the inner empire started to become solid and form a crystal dome reaching up to the tip of the crystal palace.

"Princess what's happening?" Flash asked, as he watched the new Crystal shell appear.

"It's the citizens, their feeding so much hope into the Crystal Heart that it's able to form this new protective layer." Cadance said, as a smile spread across her face. "He just gave them a massive does of security." Cadance could see that this new sign of defiance wasn't setting well with Iron Hoof as he stamped his front hooves several time in anger.

"Orion I must advise against this, you can't let the armor feed off these emotions much longer or they will corrupt your thoughts."

"I have no other choice, you must use all the positive emotions to protect the Crystal Ponies."

"But you can't beat them."

"I don't have to beat them." As the standoff started Orion took inventory on what he was facing, three unicorns using construct battle armor the size of full grown dragons, at least two dozen Pegasus flying around caring explosive spears, and wearing wing blades, and five unicorns in royal guard battle armor on the ground ready to strike, and last but not least Iron Hoof. "I just have to hold them off." As Orion flared his wings out and got into a battle stance, Iron Hoof snarled and took the first shot, sending a massive blast of energy at Orion only to have Orion back flip and kick off the barrier into charge.

"DESTROY HIM!!" as the Unicorns started to shoot magical bolts, and the Pegasus started to throw their spears, Orion did not stop as he continued to charge forward dogging right and left before he reached the first adversary, pushing his weight to his hind legs and struck one of the few unicorn guards with a crystal blade that extended from his right fore-hoof encasing the unicorn in Crystal, and continued to use his momentum to dart back and forth to avoid the attacks he cut down several more unicorns before a large construct's fist slammed on top of him, stopping Orion.

At first it seemed as if the battle was over, concerning Cadance as she thought about how it would effect the Crystal Ponies, as she noticed the barrier start to shimmer slightly and begin to change back to it's normal state, until she watched as the construct get lifted off the ground from it's fist and slammed onto it's back shattering the image as well as knocking out the unicorn inside due to magical feedback. Cadance was shocked but then smiled as she watched the barrier turn rock hard once more. "He's doing it." Cadance said, smiling as she watched the fight, she could feel the emotions through the necklace around her neck, the pride, the hope, the joy all flowing into her. "He's going to do it."

As Orion turned and took off like a shot from a cannon, he punctured through another construct, as it faded the unicorn that was inside fell encased in Crystal, while Orion kicked off a building and hit the remaining construct in the face sending the towering creation staggering backward and slamming into several pegasus and unicorns as it hit the ground. AS he landed on the ground and let the last construct fade, two pegasus dove down and tried to finish Orion with their wing blades only to have Orion jump over them and struck both of them between their wings with his crystal blade sending their encased bodies flying into a few unicorns that had started to get up from the impact of the construct and slamming them into a building.

"I'LL MOUNT YOUR HEAD AT THE CRYSTAL GATES!!!" Iron Hoof yelled, as he charged Orion forming three sabers with his magic only to have them get deflected Orion's Crystal blade, leaving Orion opened to an attack from behind by the remaining unicorns sending Orion staggering forward before a rope wrapped around his neck and pull him into the air by a pegasus. "FINISH HIM OFF!!"

"With pleasure sir." the pegasus responded, as he looked down to Iron Hoof and noticed Orion now holding onto the rope, and breaking the noose around his neck with his spare claw. "SIR!" the Pegasus didn't say much more as Orion's wings flapped, as he pulled on the rope jerking the pegasus around getting Orion to notice the rope tied to the Pegasus’s left fore-leg, he could see the look of panic on the pegasus guard's face. "No, no, no,no" the guard started to try and get himself free only to feel the rope go taunt again as Orion started to swing him around liked hammer throw from the Equestrian game only to release him into the unicorns that had just attacked him behind.

"More." Orion nearly growled, as he looked at what remained of the attacking force ready to strike them all down.

"Orion, listen to me you can't keep going like this the armor must be returned normal." Spectra tried to reason with Orion only to watch as he dove back into the fight. "I have to set things back to normal, if he doesn't stop fighting on rage and hate he'll be corrupted forever." On the battle field those that hadn't been encased in Crystal or knocked out had made the smart move to run, all except Iron Hoof who was now using his magic to form stronger battle armor around his normal armor and had several weapon constructs at the ready.

"I refuse to be stopped."

"Then I refuse to show you mercy." Orion responded as the tips of the griffin claws started to glow bright red. As the two charged forward at each other both ready to take the other's life a beam of magic struck Orion in the chest sending him flying backwards and shattering through the crystal barrier, Iron Hoof stopped his attack, stunned by this turn of events but then watched as Luna landed next to him with a look of rage on her face, in her battle armor, and her horn smoking from her last attack.

"Princess Luna?"

"Fear not guard your princess has arrived to aid in vanquishing this villain." Inside the crystal barrier Orion started to climb out of a wall from a home that the blast had sent him crashing into.

"I'm going to kill her, I’m going to rip off her wing, one feather at a time, and,..." Orion stopped and shook his head free of the images he had started to think about, as the rage started to wash away from him. "Spectra?"

"It's about time you snapped out of it, it'll be a while before your back to normal but at least your showing signs of getting better." As the barrier started to lower Orion climbed out of the house as his armor turned back to normal. As he walked out into the outer part of the empire he looked at Luna who didn't seem very happy as she was facing Iron Hoof, when he spotted Cadance he had an idea of what had happened.

"Oh thank my Aunt Celestia that you're alright." Cadance said, as she ran up and looked at Orion. "I just finished explaining everything to my Aunt Luna." Orion didn't stop walking as he marched up to Luna and sat down in front of her.

"Do you have any idea of how much that stings?" Orion asked, getting Luna's attention.

"We are glade to see you are unharmed, and we extend our apologies for the miss understanding." Orion nodded then looked at Iron Hoof.

"You're lucky she stepped in, I was just about to finish you off." Iron Hoof warned, as he smirked at Orion.

"Princess Luna, I know that by Equestrian laws once an enemy has been captured they are to be treated with respect and not harmed, but can I knock that grin off his muzzle?" Orion asked, as he pointed at Iron Hoof.

"You most certainly can not, no harm will befall him while he is under my watchful gaze."

"In short, you can't touch me tin can." Luna didn't much care of the arrogance in Iron Hoof's tone, but then smiled as she looked at Cadance.

"We believe it would be best to talk with your citizens to prove that both Canterlot and the Crystal Empire, are still on good terms, which could take our attention for several minutes." Cadance knew what her aunt was getting at and smiled.

"I agree Aunt Luna, and i'm sure Orion wouldn't mind watching Iron Hoof while we do that."

"Wait what?" As shock and fear washed over Iron Hoof both Cadance and Luna turned their backs on him, leaving him to Orion's mercy. "But they can't."

"Yeah well they just did." a few minutes later Celestia arrived with Twilight, Shinning Armor and Blue Blood, as they landed it was clear that Luna and Cadance weren't happy, while the newly de-stoned Royal Crystal Guards glared at Blue Blood, and the Royal Blue Guards were still encased in crystal.

"It would seem we are to late Twilight." Celestia said, as she walked up and took in the scene. "But I am rather confused sister, why are Blue Blood's guard trapped in crystal?"

"Because sister it would seem we where wrong in our assumptions, when we saw the stone guards and the black armor we thought the one in the armor was the attacker, in truth it would seem that he was the empires protector." Luna explained, then turned to her nephew. "Something that we are all interested in hearing explained dear nephew." Blue Blood started to back away from his aunts glare only to stop when he backed into something. As he turned around he found himself looking at the black armor of Orion standing behind him.

"Blue Blood I would like to introduce you to the one resistant fighter that stood against your forces, Orion this is my nephew Blue Blood." Blue Blood quickly collected himself and straitened his shirt.

"Yes well I am unaware of what has transpired here, but i am grateful for your quick action. If there is anything i can help you with."

"Resist arrest." Orion said, as he glared at Blue Blood.

"Excuse me?"

"Resist arrest, I want you to fight and try to stop me from place you in cuffs and throwing you into a dungeon cell."

"What on Equestria for?" Shocked by this request Blue Blood started to glare at Orion, making it clear he wasn't amused by his request.

"Because I made a promise to your cousin and aunt that I wouldn't knock the blue blood out of your veins if you didn't resist arrest." Orion said this with such a calm demeanor that it sent a cold chill down Blue Bloods spin.
"I-I am a p-princes of Equestria, AND I WILL NOT (*SMACK!*)" Blue Blood was knocked to the ground as Orion back hoofed him. "HOW DARE YOU!" Blue Blood yelled, as he got back to his hooves.

"Like this (*SMACK!*)" Again to the ground only this time Orion placed a hoof on his head. "Don't move or this is really going to hurt... on second thought struggle all you want." before anypony knew what was going on Orion shoved his left hoof into Blue Blood's chest getting the Princesses to gasp in shock but stopped as Orion removed his hoof and produced a black Crystal, leaving no trace of injure on Blue Blood. "Well now that would explain things a little better."

"Explain what?" Twilight asked, as she looked at Orion and then got a closer look at the crystal that started to dissipate into a dark mist. "What is that."

"Consider it essence of Sombra, or rather what Sombra is. It's Umbra, which could only mean some how Blue Blood came in contact with an Umbra Crystal."

"But how? the last sighting of an Umbra Crystal was over 1000 years ago when King Sombra was in power." Celestia said, as she looked at Orion.

"Is there any dig locations around the empire?" Orion asked, as he looked at Cadance.

"None that I know of, but then again he has been coming up here often." Cadance looked at Blue Blood who was now curled in the fetal position. " And I don't think he's in any condition to tell us anything about where he might have come in contact with an Umbra crystal."

"Well at least this will cut down on a trial, all of his guard where corrupted by these things, Blue Blood just seemed to have the largest one."

"But how could he possibly have kept such a thing a secret?" Flash asked, as he looked at Orion.

"Not really sure, from what information I do know of the Umbra, they are creatures of shadows so maybe it was just able to hide it self from everypony inside of Blue Blood, and it seems that as Blue Blood was a carrier he managed to infect his guards alone."

"But why not the others, why not the Princesses?" Shinning asked, as he looked at Orion and pointed to Cadance.

"I can only assume that your love prevented it from infecting you Prince Armor, Celestia and Luna were to powerful to be controlled, as well as Princess Twilight's friendship with her group would have sent up some red flags and caught the attention of both the royal sisters, if she started to act different, the only reason I can figure for it not trying to infect the other royal guards is that it figured that since the Royal Blue Guard already had a bad reputation no pony would notice if they acted mean." Orion explained, as he looked at Blue Blood. "But right now we need to know how long he's been infected, and what has he been doing since then, but we won't know that until he recovers from the crystal-ectomy."

"Very well then, but what was the Umbra making him do?" Celestia asked, as she looked at Orion.

"Well his guards kept demanding to know the location of Crystal Edge's Lab." Flash stated getting the royal families attention. "Sorry if I over stepped."

"No you're right, the first wave of bent on finding Crystal Edge's lab, so it's safe to assume that something in that lab is able to stop them, and they fear it more then the Crystal Heart."

"That or something that might be able to destroy the heart." Celestia said, as she tapped her chin in thought. "It's been a very long time since I've heard the name Crystal Edge, I believe the rest of this conversation should be held in private."

"I would agree but I must rest, could we not carry this on in the morning?" Orion asked, then let out a yawn getting Celestia to smile.

"Of course my little pony, you've had a trying day, rest, and tomorrow morning I will expect that you will attend a meeting with the royal family so that we can privately discuss these turn of events." with that Orion nodded and then vanished in a flash of light. later the royal family did meet in the royal chambers, as the four princesses and one prince sat around a table drinking tea, Luna seemed to be pondering something before she finally turned to Celestia.

"Sister why did you say Orion will be in attendance tomorrow?" Luna asked, as she looked at her elder sister.

"Because of the armor he wears Luna."

"What about it Princess?" Twilight asked, curios on the information.

"The armor that Orion wears, was once known as the Edge Armor, it was forged with powerful magic by Crystal Edge himself, with the aid of me, Luna, and Star Swirl the bearded."

"But I've never heard of this Crystal Edge pony before Aunt Celestia." Cadance said, as she looked at Celestia.

"And for good reason, Edge was from a time before me and Luna took control, he was what you could consider the first Royal Guard."

"What do you mean?" Shinning Armor listened in, never knowing anything about this pony of Royal Guard history. Celestia smiled as she
sipped her tea then set it on the table.

"Alright I'll tell you the tale of Crystal Edge... In a time before me and Luna took our places on the thrones, the land was being ruled by Royals."

"You mean like us?" Cadance asked, only to get Luna to snicker.

"Not quite my niece, the Royals of that time where more like the nobles of this time." Luna explained as she smiled at Cadance.

"Which isn't to far from the truth, back then during the dark times, wars were always being fought, mostly between Unicorns and Pegasus with the earth ponies trapped in the middle, each side had their warriors, their knights as they were known during that time. It was a very dark and troubling time until one pony stood up and said enough was enough, this pony was a war mage known Crystal Edge, he was so sickened by the mistreatment of his fellow pony that he took his armor and stained it back, then denounced the unicorn royal he once served."

"Princess Celestia you said Crystal Edge was a war mage?" Twilight asked, as she seemed to be intrigued by this new information.

"Yes Twilight."

"But according to the history books all the war mages destroyed themselves."

"Which is partly true young Twilight." Luna corrected as she smiled at Twilight's knowledge. "The war mages of that time was like the royal's most powerful fighters, their so called aces in the hole, and many times the royals would just send out their war mages to wage a war against entire armies, or against another war mage."

"And sometimes the war mages would deliberately just go after another war mage to make a reputation for themselves." Celestia continued cutting off her younger sister, before Luna could go into great detail of the things the war mages could do.

"And what about Crystal Edge?" Celestia smiled at her former students inquisitive nature.

"Crystal Edge was not like most war mages, he used his skills to defend those that couldn't defend them selves, many times having to stand against war mages, some of them sent by their rulers, others just looking to make names for them selves, in the end Edge managed to survive onslaught after onslaught until finally they stopped coming."

"In other words the history books aren't wrong, they just don't mention that Crystal Edge was the last one standing." Luna added, as she
smiled at Twilight, who had started to write this information down.

"Now as I was saying Crystal Edge stained his armor black in rebellion against the cruel rulers of pony kind."

"One legend of the time was that he dove into Tartarus to fight a demon monster known as Metlar before it could surface." Luna added with a smile, getting Celestia to smirk slightly as she remembered the stories of old.

"Oh trust me there was a lot of rumors consisting of Crystal Edge back then, but we can talk about that later. At first he started to only fight and protect the earth ponies in areas of unrest, moving from one battle field to the next, he gained a lot of respect of many knights getting many of them to follow him."

"And the royals were not happy that their forces would abandon them and join some pony else." Luna added, getting Celestia to smile.

"But it wasn't until a period of peace came that things started to get complicated."

"How can a period of peace be complicated?" Twilight asked, as she looked at her mentor.

"Well during this time both Unicorn and Pegasus kingdoms started to tax the earth ponies, leaving them with barely anything to live on. Crystal Edge and his knights started to raid these tax collectors."

"To a point that Edge had very large bounties put on his head, I remember many times he would have poor earth ponies turn him in so they could collect the reward, but by the time they got the carriage that was carrying him to which ever castle they were taking him to he would be gone."

"Yes sister, Edge and his band fought only for those in need, but never attacked a kingdom that Edge would determine to be a noble kingdom. Which if I remember correctly the only kingdom that he ever said was worthy of that title was one that Fancy Pants is descended from." Celestia thought for a second and then shook her head. "Sorry, as I was saying him and his group only served to protect earth ponies and give them a fighting chance to survive, it wasn't until the species wars that it changed."

"Species wars, I think I remember reading up on that, wasn't that where Griffins, and Minotaur’s fought to try and take over Equestria."

"Many more then that Twilight, but those where some of the most powerful factions yes, Edge and his group stood and fought against all of them, but never took more land then what rightful belong to pony kind. Which didn't set well with many of the royals who demanded that they take over the other kingdoms, but earned the respect of the other species, and after awhile they stopped fighting, and again a time of peace arrived, and Crystal Edge and his followers now over 1,000 at the time and joined by several fighters from the other kingdoms had to reserve them selves into hiding once more, again the royals weren't happy with Edge's actions, except for lord Chain Mail who was more then happy to let them live peacefully in his lands."

"Lord Chain Mail?"

"The one royal Edge approved of." Luna answered, as she looked at Twilight.

"I remember reading about him in a history book, His kingdom was a shinning beacon during the dark times."

"Yes, and is one of the examples me and Luna thought back to when Canterlot was being formed, but as I was saying everything was peaceful until the Dragon war."

"I remember that one sister, I wanted to fight in it, but you told me I was to young." Luna said, as she looked at Celestia.

"Well at the time you where still just a filly by alicorn standards, besides we where in good hooves at the time."

"Wait the Dragon war I think I remember reading about those." with that Twilight used her magic and had a book appeared in front of her, and quickly flipped thought eh pages until she reached the section she was looking for. "Ah here it is, the dragon war was started when a dragon wizard by the name Dreadwing was able to control other dragon with a type of mental magic, the only dragon unaffected by this was the Dragon queen who rose up and defeated Dreadwing after three months."

"That is only part of the story my faithful student, what the history books don't talk about is Edge's contribution to Dreadwing’s down fall.
You can ask Tamara herself in a few weeks."

"Tamara?" Shinning looked slightly confused as he looked to his wife.

"The Dragon Queen." Cadance explained getting Shinning Armor to node. "Wait she was alive back then?"

"She was the queen way back then to, from what she told me years ago was that Crystal Edge arrived in her cell after he had made his way across dragon territory and snuck past all the guards of the dragon keep, during the day he would sneak out and poison Dreadwing’s food, and during the night he would sleep in a small hole in one of the stone walls of her cell. He did this for months before the first signs of Dreadwing’s powers wearing off started to show, as the guards started to break free of his hold, that was when the attacked happened." with that Celestia flipped the page and showed an image of Tamara sitting on her treasure hoard. As she used her magic and projected the image in front of everpony present she zoomed in on Tamara's right foot. "Do you see that strange shadow?"

"No." Cadance, Twilight, and Shinning Armor said in unison.

"Allow me sister." Luna used her magic and altered the lighting slightly until it was clear an armored pony stood in the shadow of the dragon queen.

"I didn't even know this image of Edge still existed until a few years after I had banished Luna, and Tamara tried to comfort me by telling me the story, she told me that no matter how long it took I should never give up hope, not on my friends, or on my family, and it was remembering that story and looking at this image that helped me on many nights when I missed Luna the most." with that Luna walked over to Celestia and hugged her.
"Then this is one of my favorite stories as well."

"But I don't understand, why has no pony every heard of Crystal Edge before, and what about hearth warming?"

"Ah, well when Edge returned from the dragon war he realized he was getting old, but during that time the land had turned cold, so he packed up and started to move, most of his followers had fallen during the dragon war fighting to protect ponies, and those that remained still followed him in hopes that things would get much better, it wasn't until we reached the new land of Equestria that he had stopped traveling, and started to teach."

"Teach what?"

"Well teach us really, we where still very young at the time, and he mostly taught us how to be just and fair. It wasn't until one day in the woods that we fought off a Temberwolf, that the other ponies started to look to us as their new rulers."

"We tried to tell them no, but they wouldn't listen." Luna said, as she smiled slightly.

"They built a house around us one night while we slept." Celestia said in a deadpan tone. "So instead of fighting it Edge told us to go along with it, so we did, and when the council of Rulers was formed Edge was there by our side, as well as helping us make trade deals with the other species. Many of the rulers that had been around long enough knew of Edge, they had great respect for him. All the while we sat by watching and listening, and afterwards he would talk us through what had happened, explaining how it worked.
As time went on Edge stopped being in the foreground, and slowly started to move to the shadows, once he realized we no longer needed him watching over us, he started teaching the ones he would leave to protect us."

"Though at the time we didn't know what he was doing, until the day of our coronation."

"What happened then, did he just leave with out saying goodbye?" Cadance asked, sounding like she was getting choked up.

"No, for everything he had done for us we offered him one royal request, anything he wanted and we would grant it, if he would have asked us then and there to make him into an Alicorn we would have." Celestia said, as she started to look down at her tea cup, looking at the leafs. "But we never expected what he asked for." Celestia and Luna both seemed somber now, their smiles of past memories now gone, and the others looked on.

"What did he ask for Princess?"

"That he be erased from history." Celestia set he cup down as a tear rolled down her face. "We asked if we had done something wrong to make him request such a thing, and he only smiled and told us that he was very proud of both me and Luna, but he had spent his entire life like a shadow, a ghost, and he wanted history to remember him like that... so we agreed."

"In a since." Luna said, as she used her napkin to clean the tears from her face. "He asked, us to have no mention of him in history, and even the other rulers agreed to it."

"What do you mean?"

"Well Twilight Sparkle you remember how we had to change the picture slightly so that you could see Edge clearly?" Luna asked, as she smiled at Twilight. "Look though your history books and you will see that many of them have pictures that contain an image of Edge in the background." Twilight smiled, she now had a new reason to look over all the history books she could get her hoofs on.
"But what happened to Edge?" Cadance asked, as she looked to her aunt Celestia.

"Well he helped found the Crystal Empire, in fact he helped design the Crystal heart."

"So he did have a lab." Twilight's eyes light up like a neon sign, as she thought about how many hidden treasures could be inside of the long lost lab.

"Not in a since Twilight, you see we made Edge a deal, we would follow through with his request only if he kept his knowledge and creations hidden in a place that only a worthy successor could ever enter, on the day that he completed his end of the bargain he showed us the Crystal Nexus, and it's guardian, Spectra, she was the one that would choose who could enter the Nexus and earn the right to learn any of his secrets."

"And the armor that Orion wore?"

"It was the only thing Edge ever asked us to help with, when we completed it he sealed it away inside the Crystal Nexus... It was also the last time we heard from him, until Princess Amore contacted us and informed us that he had past. We sealed him in a tomb up here in the frozen north over 1000 years ago, the landscape has changed so much I couldn't even begin to tell you where it is."

"Wait the tomb, what if Blue Blood stumbled over something about Crystal Edge, and thought his tomb was his lab, and that's where he was infected." Twilight surmised as she looked at Celestia, only to jump slightly as Luna slammed a hoof on the table.

"Then are nephew will be answering to a much harsher punishment for trying to desecrate that hollowed ground." It was clear Luna wasn't happy, and it wasn't until Celestia wrapped a fore-leg around her that she seemed to calm down.

"We will get to the bottom of that soon enough, but what we do know is that Spectra has chosen one to wear the armor, so that means there might be trying times ahead, or due to the attack upon the empire she feared the link to the Crystal Nexus would be severed and chose the best option at the time, ether way me and Luna will have to notify the Council of Rulers and inform them of this turn of events."

Back in the Crystal Nexus, Orion rested as he laid in bedroom of a very large crystal palace that Spectra had made. "How are you feeling?"

"My head is killing me."

"With good reason, I warned you about using the armor in such away."

"You did, but it was the best option at the time."

"I suppose so, but it was also very reckless, I told you what would happen if you only fought with negative emotions powering the armor."

"You also told me I wouldn't be able to beat them." Orion said, as he sat up and looked at Spectra.

"Yes, because all the possible futures I saw had you beaten by them, smashed and broken." Orion smiled as he looked up at Spectra.

"In other words, I made my own future." Spectra could hear a since of pride in Orion's voice, and smirked as she bopped him lightly on the head.

"That you did, which you are an anomaly."

"I'm a what?"

"It's something that can't be accounted for, something about you helped defy all the possible futures and create your own. It's like any scientist will tell you, through any experiment there is one factor that they cannot account for, that can alter the results slightly."

"So I'm that unknown factor."

"It would seem so."

Author's Note:

I hope everyone had fun reading this.
I had fun writing it.