Dawn of Crystal Empire

by TopWanted

Twilight/Lullaby - Chapter 1

Twilight stared at the date on the first entry. It was well over a thousand years ago.

This book predates even Princess Celestia. I think it might even be as old as the original Hearth’s Warming Eve. But wait? That’s impossible. I don’t think the Crystal Empire was created until a while after that.

Suddenly a thought occurred to Twilight.

Wait, just how old is the Crystal Empire? I’ve read plenty of history books here and they’re all quite fascinating but I can’t seem to recall anything mentioning the events surrounding the creation of the Crystal Empire.

Twilight took another look around. It hadn’t been obvious before due to the dim light but now that her eyes had adjusted she couldn’t help but notice it. There was no crystal. This room and the long tunnel that led here was cut from a section of the castle’s foundation that was mere stone.

That makes no sense. The entire kingdom is composed of crystal. Sombra’s crystal staircase goes pretty deep into the earth too.

She recalled a geological essay she had read a couple months back that stated the kingdom’s foundation was composed of crystal all the way to 200 cubic hooves below the surface. Twilight was quite sure she had only gone down a hundred hooves at most.

Why haven’t I been asking these questions this whole time? A lost kingdom reappears after a thousand years and I don’t question its existence? How were the crystal ponies created when Equestria was still being colonized? Every bit of history I’ve read corroborates that they weren’t around first. And that date…

Twilight took another look at the date on the page. There was something about that particular year that she couldn’t quite place.
Twilight wrinkled her brow in thought until her eyes began to slowly close. She shot back up in alarm, having nodded off for a second. She rubbed her eyes, exhaustion finally hitting her.

Regardless of all this, I’d better get some sleep.

Twilight lifted the dragon skin bound tome into her saddle and walked back to the door. She paused in the doorway considering if she should take anything else. The chest looked like it could hold more books. She slowly nodded off again and this time bonked her horn on the door frame.

Ow! Guess I can just come back for anything tomorrow. Oh, and I can show Cadance this place too.

Twilight left the small stone room and followed the tunnel once more until she was at the hole. She flew out and was greeted by a familiar sleeping face.

Time for little dragons and little ponies to go to bed.

Once more she lifted Spike and placed him on her back as she walked out of the library.

On the ceiling where the pillar once stood there now was a rune. The archaic symbol no longer on the bottom of the pillar blocking the hole. From deep beneath the library floor, past the twisting tunnel of rock, in the small room of stone, inside the ancient chest there comes a sound. The lid opens ever so slightly. An eerie blue glow illuminates the room.

“So what do you think? Doesn’t that sound amazing?” Twilight voice was frantic. She could barely get any sleep last night wanting to tell Cadance about what she had discovered. Now at breakfast, she was excited to know what her loving sister-in-law/foal sitter thought about it.

Cadance slowly wiped her face with a napkin as she excused herself from the table. When she had finally pushed her chair back in politely she turned to Twilight.

“That is the most amazing thing ever!” The older alicorn princess exclaimed excitedly. “I mean I know this old place has literally hundreds of secret passages and alcoves but what you’re describing sounds like it could predate even the castle.”
“You think so?”

“Absolutely! I have a pet project going right now. I’m trying to map out a history of the castle’s construction since I want to get rid of some of the more dangerous stuff that’s still hanging around. You’d never believe how many pitfalls Sombra installed while he was in charge.”

A member of the staff who was clearing the table suddenly disappeared down a hole that appeared where he was standing. There was a crash of plates followed by a soft grumble of affirmation to the fact that he was okay.

“Anyway,” the older alicorn coughed embarrassedly. “I’d love to go check that out! I just need to wrap up the festival and should be done by the afternoon.”

“Great! I’ll check out more of that book.”

“Okay but don’t spend the entire day reading, Twilight. Last day of the Festival.”

“I know, I just want to read the first couple entries.”

The two sisters walked out of the room leaving behind a slightly confused Shining Armor who still sat at the table, a Manish pastry on his plate. He turned to an orange Pegasus guard standing beside him.

“Do you think they even noticed I was in the room?”

“Nope,” the Pegasus sighed.

“Women and their archaeology, huh?”

“Tell me about it.”

Twilight lifted the tome from her saddle and placed it on her desk, opening it to the first entry.

“It is foolish to assume you are alone. Those are the words I lived by growing up. No doubt, Lullaby’s constant utterance of the phrase contributed to my motto. However in these last few years of my life I have come to the realization that some forms of loneliness cannot be helped. Never mind the friends and allies I have made nor the sense of accomplishment and prestige I have achieved over the course of my life. At the heart of all ponies in my position, there will be a loneliness.

I am Bedim Haze. I write this record of my life for two purposes. That my story may live on in some form and that what I have been through never reiterates itself upon another.”

Twilight shifted slightly, a intrigued expression growing on her face. She read on.

“I suppose all memoirs must start at the beginning, yet to the utmost of my knowledge I have none. Lullaby told me everything she could before her passing but I cannot say if it is all truly definitive or if some is the nonsense of dying mind. My love for the only mother I’ve ever known inclines me to the former. Regardless I do not wish to speak of such dark foundations even in my own tome and will carry those secrets to my grave. I will begin at my first established memory. The wings…

----------

The baby foal playfully batted her wing as Lullaby walked down the street. She carried the basket with her mouth now, keeping a close eye on the rambunctious contents. A forceful shove pushed her attention elsewhere.

“Watch it! I’m walking over here!”

Lullaby gave a glare at the blue earth pony that had just pushed her in the street nearly knocking the basket out of her mouth. As he slowly passed with his wagon in tow she gave a swift kick with the back of her legs to the front wheel. The wheel shattered and toppled forward spilling its contents of bags and bags of flour onto the hapless wagon driver. He turned back to scowl at the black Pegasus but she was already gone. Slipped into the crowd. “Oops,” she whispered through her open mouth.

Lullaby had arrived late last night. The city was a settlement in the north known as Crystal Falls located a day’s walk from the northern mountains. The name was more of an inside joke though since Crystal Falls had neither crystals nor water falls. The settlement had been established as a mining community. A home for those ponies that thought they could make their fortune with the minerals found in and around the mountains.

It was merely a two lane town. One street housing the various shops and trade posts that kept the ponies living in decent comfort and the other housing the ponies themselves. Lullaby had found a small shed on the outskirts of town. It was no palace by any stretch of the word but it was enough for now. She had to find ways of making a living.

The main street was bustling with ponies today. Nearly every bit of the dirt road covered in ponies’ hooves walking from this store to that. Lullaby kept an eye out for any “Help Wanted” signs.

She was confident that she could accomplish any job no matter how menial. In her previous life she had been a jack of all trades. But then, her previous circumstances sort of called for that. It was here in the new world, Equestria, that many ponies were finding themselves put into niches. The earth ponies till the land. The Pegasi direct the weather. The unicorns studied magic. Not that the country she came from was very different but at least there was a sense of community.

Here, the leaders of three strictly species pure races had become friends and demanded that their people share the same friendship and camaraderie. Racial tensions do not dissipate that easily. The street was filled with every kind of pony. Yet none were talking to each other unless it was to yell.

At the end of lane near the settlement’s forest edge Lullaby finally found what she was looking for. A small school house, recently built, was sporting a sign that said “Teacher Needed.” She out on her best smile and walked in.

The inside looked to still be under construction. Earth ponies hung from the rafter nailing into the roof while on the floor others sawed and sanded down desks and chairs. At the far end stood a tan maned filly with a green coat and glasses. A sensible dark blue dress obscured her cutie mark. She seemed to be at the forefront of the operation, looking at blueprints spread out on top of a small desk and giving out directions to anyone who might approach her.

Lullaby walked up and placed the basket down beside her. “Ahem.”

The green earth pony looked up from her blueprints. Her smile appeared completely genuine. “Yes, how can I help you?”

“I’m here about the teacher position.”

“Oh!” The bespectacled pony appeared slightly perturbed at this comment.

“I’m sorry if I’m catching you at a bad time.” Lullaby rubbed her hoof behind her head in a noncommittal manner.

“Oh, no, it’s perfectly alright!” she rolled up her blueprints and placed them in the desk. “I just didn’t expect a Pegasus to be the first to apply.”

Lullaby felt a twinge in her eye. “You don’t say?”

The pony in the dress looked at Lullaby in a confused manner and immediately gasped. “Oh! I am so sorry! I didn’t mean for it to come out that way. It’s just- I think- Sorry, actually this is my first time meeting a Pegasus in pony.” She gently extended a hoof in greeting. “Honey Crisp.”

Lullaby returned the apologetic greeting. “Lullaby Hush.”

Honey’s smile brightened. “What a lovely name!”

Lullaby blushed slightly, the memory of getting angry earlier making her embarrassed.

Honey opened another drawer and removed some formal looking papers. “So, are you new in town?”

“Yeah, just got in last night so I haven’t been able to find a job yet. You’re the first one that popped out so here I am.”

“Great, though I’m surprised you didn’t try the trading post first. They’re always looking for new Pegasus delivery ponies.”

“Yeah, but then I’d have no one to watch this little guy when I’m away.”

Lullaby motioned to the basket at her feet and rocked it gently with her hoof.

Honey looked into the mass of blankets. The small black unicorn foal now slept soundly, his horn now as black as his mane.

Last night Lullaby made sure to rub ash over it. There was no need for anypony to ask too many questions.

“Aw, he’s adorable,” Honey cooed. “So you’re married to a unicorn?”

“Ah, it’s a little more complicated than that.”

Honey smiled warmly. “I think I can understand. The wild frontier makes strange bedfellows.”

Lullaby blushed once more.

“In fact,” Honey continued. “I have my own little bundle sleeping in the back.”

She pointed to a small crib in the back corner of the school house, well away from the construction ponies. Lullaby trotted over to peer at the sleeping baby. He had a tan mane with dark yellow coat.

“What’s his name?” asked Lullaby.

“Apple Crisp,” Honey replied. “After his father.” Honey’s voice sadly trailing off.

Lullaby turned to her. “Where is he?”

“Oh, he just works at the mines. Not doing anything dangerous like going into those holes, thank goodness. No, he’s just a cook for the camp.”

“I saw those cabins and tents on the mountain side of town. Must be a lot of workers there?”

Honey sighed. “Pretty much every filly in town has a colt that works in those mines.” Her eyes trailed out the window gazing northward. “They’re all just a walk away and yet we rarely see them.”

“I’m sorry,” Lullaby stammered. “I didn’t mean to bring up anything difficult.”

“Oh, it’s perfectly alright sweetie.” Honey placed a reassuring hoof on Lullaby and smiled warmly. “Now back to the position.”

They both walked over to the desk again. Honey picking up the papers she had pulled out previously.

“Do you have any previous experience?”

“Actually, yes!” Lullaby replied enthusiastically. “I used to train Pegasus fillies at flight camp.”

“That’s good!” Honey wrote something down. “So you’re familiar with child discipline?”

“Uh huh. Though I never really had to deal with too much insubordination.”

“Insubordination?”

“Uh, I mean-“ Lullaby stammered. “They were never enough of a handful to warrant too much discipline.”

“Oh,” Honey scribbled something else down and flipped a page. “What topics are you familiar with?”

“I know quite a bit about Pegasus and unicorn history. Earth pony too, to an extent. I’m fluent in Prench and Horse Latin. I have a firm grasp of euclopian geometry and algebra. Anything else I should know for the job?”

“That sounds like a wonderful resume. I really think you’ve got the basics.” Honey gave her another dazzling smile and walked around the desk.

They shook hooves once more. “The school won’t be done until the end of the week and I do need to accept other applicants. First thing next week we’re holding a couple practice sessions with the children to determine which applicant has the best chemistry. Oh! Know any of that?”

“I know a little bit about science.” Lullaby smiled to herself.

“Great, we’ll expect you next week then.”

Suddenly there was the sound of a frantic bell. In the distance there was the sound of ponies screaming and running in terror. Honey’s faced went pale.

“Oh no.”

“What?” asked Lullaby.

“They’re back.”

The sound of heavy wings flew past the roof of the school house. Lullaby rushed to the window to see the commotion. Baring down and closing in fast were creatures of both bird and beast. A literal swarm of griffins were approaching the edge of town.