Gems of Power

by WezzaHD

Granite and Gagate

Shining ran as fast as he could. Word of a scorpion- like monster suddenly appearing in the middle of the castle was beyond surprising to him. He wouldn't let anything hurt the ponies, no matter what, so he immediately got his armour and rushed to the scene, where guards were struggling to deal with the beast and he finally saw it for himself. Three tails, large, a dark exoskeleton, coupled with pincers snapping at his guards. He glared at the beast and drew his sword, slashing at the scorpion's arm. It let out a shriek, before focusing its eyes on Shining, mercilessly snapping at him. He dodged twice, blocking one that came point blank with his sword before cutting back at the claw, earning another shriek from the scorpion. The guards started to cheer him on.

"He's stopped it!"

"Go Prince Armour!"

"Be quiet! We need to keep holding this thing off!" Shining growled.

"Yes Prince Armour!" They yelled before attacking different parts of the monster. Just as Shining was fighting, another guard knocked him down to the side.

"Apologies Prince Armour, but you need to be careful, it plunges its stingers into the floor for a surprise attack!" The guard gestured to the stinger that had shot up where Shining once stood. The prince nodded and got up, thanking the guard. He looked at the scorpion with a frown. Pony armours didn't protect the underside, so it was crucial that the guards stayed alert, as it swung its claws at more of the ponies, before digging its stingers back into the floor.

"Stay alert, everypony, and keep moving!" He roared. The guards ran around the scorpion, and as its stinger show up it constantly missed. However, it started to catch the rhythm of the ponies as it stabbed several of them. Shining growled, and former a barrier around the scorpion. It rammed into the barrier with its body, its pincers and stingers, but it held strong. Whilst it was distracted, Shining teleported under it and rammed his sword into its underside. It suddenly stopped its assault as it felt the stab. The captain- turned Prince pushed his sword deeper, and the beast suddenly vanished in a puff of smoke.

Shining still held his sword in the air where the monster used to be, not quite sure what happened. Everyone was silent, until he heard something tap on the ground. He looked down, to see a gem. As he frowned, the guards cheered and congratulated him.

---

All Granite's thoughts were "run". That's exactly what he did. He dashed through the hallway as spires arose from the floor and stalagmites fell on him from the ceiling. All the while, a mount of earth trailed behind him. The only distance between the two covered by the spires, which either didn't affect Gagate or just went right past him. Not to mention the corrupted scorpion gem that was running amok. Right now, his only concern was getting away from the golem. He sprouted his wings again and propelled himself forward, managing to finally lose the shadow gem.

"The enemy is gone..." He thought. "Now I await my master's..." His train of thought slowed down. "Of course... My master... Is gone..." He looked down, but before he had time to contemplate more, a stone fist was brought down on Granite's face, knocking him into the ground.

"Crap!" The synthesised gem thought, before jumping back.

"You cannot escape me that easily." Gagate stated. "You will align yourself with King Sombra whether you like it or not."

"I won't allow that to happen." Granite landed, summoning a pair of stone whips, grabbing Gagate's arm, the golem pulling back when he was grabbed, but Granite held his ground albeit barely. He then cracked the whips, grey energy building up in them and crashing into Gagate. The golem was knocked back, but he refused to fall.

The synthesised growled, but was suddenly knocked over from a punch that came from his side. He rubbed his face and looked up to see another Gagate.

"How long do you think you can win?" The first Gagate asked as the two advanced on Granite, who spin dashed over them to the back, before trying to pull one away with the whip, only to end up getting pulled back by both of them. But as they went to punch him, he activated his skull helmet and shot into the chest of one, knocking it into a wall. The other ran at the grey gem, headbutting him away. He began to advance, but a blast of powerful magic shot his right arm. His face was shocked and he snapped towards the source. He saw a pink alicorn glaring at him, her horn ablaze.

"Both of you stop where you are!" Both gems looked around to see that guards appeared in the halls blocking off all exits, spears pointed at them.

"It appears I've worn out my welcome." The golem said. "Goodbye to all of you."

"You're not going anywhere!" The guards and Cadence advanced on them, but Gagate's copy then ran at the princess, who attacked it another large blast of magic, while the copy was blasted to pieces, the original was gone, only leaving Granite. They warily approached the grey gem, who fought back none.

"We'll need you to come with us." One guard spoke to Granite, who did not respond.

"Hey, we need you to get up." Another poked him with the spear, but he did nothing.

"You caused a lot of damage here, I don't think you have much right to give anyone the silent treatment." Still, the gem stared into space, not acknowledging anyone.

"Fine if you're going to be difficult then we'll levitate you." Some of the guards did exactly that, a few magical auras surrounding Granite and picking him up. Cadence looked at the gem with a frown, before giving him a small smile and looking back in front of her.

---

"Cadence!" Shining ran to where the guards said his wife was, giving her a hug. "Are you alright?"

"You don't need to worry about me Shining. I'm fine. I have gotten the hang of magic more." She smiled.

"I know, I just can't help but worry. A monster came in the castle out of nowhere and caused a storm, not to mention the other intruders." Shining sighed. "I just want to know how this happened so I can put my mind at ease, how our walls were so easily breached."

"I know, and we'll find out." Cadence nuzzled her husband. "You're worried, but don't let this get the best of you."

"But I'm meant to be a Prince now, yet something like this so easily happened under my watch. Some of my guards are heavily injured and I don't know if they'll be alright."

"The doctors will make sure they are. I'm sure of it."

"Cadence..." Shining said, pulling something out of his armour. "After we beat the monster, it disappeared in a puff of smoke. This was all that was left." He showed her the gem he found, wrapped in a forcefield.

"A... Gem?"

"Yes..."

"But aren't the only gems the ones that decided to guard the Empire?"

"I don't know... Apparently not... I guess Equestria is a big place. But it just up and appeared in the castle. There's no way it's a coincidence."

"Well seeing it gives me more of an idea on our prisoner."

"Prisoner? Weren't there two intruders where you were?"

"There were, but one managed to get away. I'm thinking, after your story, they booth were gems. They certainly looks like it and this all but confirms my suspicions."

"Now I'm worried how our gems are doing. You don't think they're in trouble do you? It's been a good number of hours."

"While the thought of Sombra's secrets makes me worry, the gems know how to handle themselves. If anything's too much for them they'll come back, asking for backup."

"Well in the meantime, I'd like to see this prisoner."

"Alright. Let's go to him." The two trotted to the prison block.

---

Granite sat alone in his cell, two guards planted on both parts of the outside. He hadn't made a move since Gagate went. There was no need to. Now that the arrogant gem was no longer there, he had no reason to fight. But he needed to stay there to find out more about what was happening, and where his master was. Then he looked as he heard trotting. Two ponies stopped in front of his cell, one of which being the pony who ambushed him after his fight.

"Hello." Cadence gave a small smile. Granite stayed silent, continuing to stare at the pair, so the princess continued. "I'm Princess Cadence, and this is my husband Shining Armour." The stallion in question eased up on his glare. "Do you have a name?"

"...Granite." He finally said.

"It's nice to meet you Granite." Cadence said, but got no response from him. "Yeah, I wish the circumstances could be nicer, but we need to clear some things up so we know what happened and why you're here. Is it okay if we ask you some questions?" Granite slowly nodded, so Cadence started. "Since we've goten your name, who was the one you were with?"

"I wasn't 'with' anyone. I have no allies at the moment."

"That doesn't answer the question. Do you know the name of the other gem or not?" Shining stepped forward.

"He called himself Gagate."

"I also fought a gem. Should I assume it was with this Gagate?" The prince asked.

"Most likely. He was the one who released it."

"Released? From where?"

"The same room I was in."

"What room would that be?"

"The room where I was trapped in a bubble like that one."

"Wait... Are you talking about where the gems keep the bubbles?" Cadence's brow furrowed, but Gagate merely shrugged.

"Gagate popped another bubble as well as mine. That was when the gem you're currently keeping in the barrier was released."

"Okay. Why were you two fighting?"

"He wanted me to join his master. But I already have a master I need to return to. He did not take my answer well so he attempted to forcefully take me."

"Oh... Who did he say his master was?"

"Someone called King Sombra." From the moment Granite said that name, the room went silent. The eyes of every pony there went to pinpricks.

"King... Sombra?" Cadence finally spoke up.

"That is what he said."

"That's impossible... King Sombra is dead. Killed by magic of the Crystal Heart. He's dead." Shining growled.

"Well I don't know. All I know is what Gagate told me."

"...Cadence..."

"...I know. But I really don't want to assume anything." The Alicorn threw out her worried expression and donned a calm face for the guards who were beyond worried at hearing this.

"Fine... We'll wait for the gems to come back."

"Well in the meantime, what are your intentions Granite?"

"Finding my master."

"Who is your master?" Shining frowned.

"That's not something you need to know."

"Alright. Do you plan to harm any of the ponies here?" Cadence asked.

"Right now I simply wish to find my master. Nothing else." Gagate stated. Cadence and Shining paused for a moment before trotting out of the room.

"Alright, what do you think?" Cadence asked.

"I don't know, he says he has no intention of hurting the ponies, but we still know next to nothing about him."

"He doesn't trust us Shining, he's not going to be willing to give too much away."

"Well I'm not sure I have much reason to trust him in the first place. For all we know he's the one working for Sombra, assuming that aspect is even true in the first place."

"Even if it's not, we have to take it into consideration."

"I know... But we also need to assume he might be lying. Quite frankly, I don't like the idea of him going free until we learn more about him."

"I'm not saying we should just let him go free, but I don't think he'll open up to us more if we don't offer our hoof first."

"Well... I suppose at the very least he hasn't tried to harm ponies. If he wanted to attack us outright, he'd have done it. But I still want an eye to be kept on him, in case he's planning anything."

"Yeah. I don't feel comfortable with leaving him alone either." The alicorn looked back at the room for a moment, before turning to her husband again. "I say we let him out of the cell, but we have someone watch him. We want him to trust us, so let's show him at least a little bit."

"Alright... But I never want him to be alone and unwatched until I know i can trust him."

"Alright." Cadence nodded as they both went back into the castle jail. Granite stared at them once again.

"I take it you've reached your decision?"

"We have." Shining replied.

"We've decided to let you go, but under supervision." Cadence said.

"I see." Granite nodded.

"And we have the right soldiers to supervise you, but until they get back, we have some other guards to watch you." Shining gestured for two crystal guards to stand by Granite.

"And these two are to accompany me until your chosen soldiers return?"

"That is correct." Cadence gave him a small smile, whilst Granite simply shifted his armour slightly.

"Though we'd like it if you stayed in the castle until they got back." Shining added.

"Very well." Granite replied. "I shall wait."

---

Various footsteps trailed along the snow, along with one set of hooves. The blizzard raged as a group walked through the frozen north.

"Damn... Could we really have not teleported farther?" Sodalite sighed.

"Yeah! The nature here sucks ass!" Fluorite bellowed, yelling over the blizzard.

"Stop making so much noise Fluorite. You're louder than the blizzard we're trying to get out of." Chalcanthite folded her arms.

"Mrrg..."

"Yeah but, come on, this place is a dump. Let's find a place to crash already. We need somewhere to live before we take back the Empire. I still kinda wish we'd just done that from the get- go." Cinnabar sighed.

"I hope you're not doubting our king Cinnabar." Azurite glared at the red gem.

"I wasn't saying that, so stop putting words in my mouth already. I'll shatter you if you call me a doubter again." Cinnabar looked back at Azurite with her own glare.

"We should appreciate this place. It is where our king was made after all." Azurite suggested. Said king was ahead of them all, Mercury following. He didn't acknowledge any of them, just walking forward without any destination. Not one that the shadow gems could tell anyway. Perhaps there was one in his mind, or perhaps even he was as aimless as the rest of them. Just then, a mound rose up from the snowy path. Sombra stopped and looked at the rising mound expectantly. The snow cleared around the lump in the ground, showing the earthen gem himself.

"My king." He bowed before Sombra. "I beg your forgiveness, I was unable to recruit Granite to our efforts. The crystal princess interfered."

"...Her..." Sombra growled. "I'll deal with her later. Do you have a layout of the castle?"

"Yes my king." Gagate nodded.

"Are there any significant changes?"

"None, merely minor aspects so far, my King. I have also found a base of operations for us until we reclaim what is rightfully your's. It is quite farther north, it I doubt they will venture into those mountains. May I bring us there?"

"You may." Sombra replied. At that, stone rose up from the snow, a floor and falls forming around them, shielding them from the blizzard. The stone room the golem created, then began to shift.

"It was quite an interesting place, and there is some civilisation quite close by as well. It seems very closed off from Equestria."

"Interesting. Investigate once we've arrived at this base of operations you've found."

"Yes my king." The stone barriers moved faster, towards a series of mountains far from the Empire.

Author's Note:

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter.

This story is open for crossovers once again by the way, so if anyone wants to do one, they can send me a PM.

Comments

[nightmaster0]

Man things have really taken a interesting turn, with these Shadow Gems, and Sombra return. I LOVE IT!

[DiscountDiscord]

Cool story so far. Especially your take on Sombra and his Gem interests.

[Frogace55]

Interesting...

I must keep a eye on this one...