Fallen Queendom

by Zeroraid

18

Despite how he looked, Gentle slept rather peacefully. Pale was happy about that, the same could be said for Sunset.

Still…

“Will he be alright?” The younger mare asked as she looked at the black veins that were racing across Gentle’s form. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

“He’ll be fine.” Pale stated, rubbing the young stallion’s head with her hoof. “He just needs rest.”

“You say that but…” Sunset muttered. “Look at him, what exactly happened?”
“Mana Overexertion.” Pale stated as Sunset looked at him.

“Mana Overexertion?” Sunset took a minute as Pale nodded her head. She started to think. Back when she was Celestia’s pupil, she had mentioned something about that during a lesson. If her memory was correct, then her words went something like this; all creatures have a certain amount of mana running through them, and in focusing that mana they could perform spells. That said, there was still a limit to how much mana they could pull from, and if one tried pulling out more mana than they had in reserve they could, but it came at a cost. The extra mana was said to come from their life force.

You burned out minutes, hours, days, even years fir more magical power to wield.

Sunset bit her lips. “How much…” She began. “How much did he burn out?”

“From the looks of it.” Pale muttered. “About a week’s worth.” She stated with a sigh of relief.

“Just a week?” Sunset muttered as she stared at the bedridden youth. “He released so much mana- enough to calm the entire Frozen North - and he only took a week from his lifeforce?” Sunset gulped. “How is that-”

“There were a number of triggers responsible for why that magic eruption happened as it did.” Pale Arts stated as she tapped a hoof on the floor. “Where we are, his rough understanding of emotionally-powered magic, and most likely a few other triggers I’m currently unaware of.” The mare stated. “Regardless, all of these triggers aligned at just the right time and place to allow him to pull forth so much magic.” Pale admitted. “He’s lucky, normally pulling that much magic would have put him at death’s door.” Sunset’s hair snapped in Pale’s direction, and the older mare just gave her this smile. “Rest assured, he’ll come back to us. As I said, things aligned just right for him. He’ll be fine after some rest.” The mare’s smile disappeared. “Speaking of which, you should get some rest.” The mare stated. “You could use it.”

“I will.” Sunset admitted as she looked back at Gentle. “In a minute.” Pale just nodded her head as she turned and started walking away, leaving the room that she had been set Gentle in and closed the door behind her.

Leaving, the mare made a face as she glanced around.

The Crystal Empire was empathic in nature, the more ‘light’ that echoed throughout the land the ‘brighter it came. In reverse, the more vile it became in accordance with the ‘darker’ feelings that ran through it. That was what she’d told her students earlier.

“Still, for his eruption to cause such ‘light’...” The mare thought as she looked at the walls. They were practically humming with energy. “Even if things aligned just right for him to purify the Empire… he shouldn’t have been able to cause the empire to resonate so well.” The mare muttered as she seemed to think, closing her eyes as she did and continued her walk. “What could have caused such a strong resonance?” She questioned, opening her eyes as she moved forward. “I might have to monitor him more, see if I can spot something that caused it.” She muttered as she stepped through the castle before moving outside. “Later though, right now… right now I should probably speak with the locals.”

---

If he was going to be totally honest; Shining Armor had an idea on what to expect when he and his wife were entrusted to handle whatever was going on with the Crystal Empire. The name itself gave him an idea on what it might look like; the Crystal Empire, so obviously it would have an appearance that was sort of aligned with crystals. Because of that, he expected it to be very shiny.

That being said…

“I was not ready for this…” Shining Armor mumbled as he looked around, attention shifting from one building to the next. This place was… beautiful. Crystal had been cultivated in such a way that it created everything, the buildings, the streets, the benches - all crystal. Beyond that though, everything seemed to ‘hum’, creating a tune he couldn’t quite make out. “Wow…”

“Yeah…” Cadence muttered in agreement as she walked through the streets and took everything in.

“So this is the Crystal Empire…”

“Yeah…”

“But… where is everyone?” Shining asked as Cadence seemed to pause.

“I don’t know… wait.” The mare muttered as she squinted. “It looks like there’s a crowd over there.”

Crowd might not have been the right word. A crowd might have been too small. It was like the entire Empire had gathered where they were heading. In the back of group, Shining Armor and Cadence looked over everypony and just stared ahead, stared at this mare that seemed to be at the center of it all.

“You must have a lot of questions.”

Her voice echoed across the grounds.

“And I’m afraid that many of those questions are something I cannot answer, at least not yet.”

She told them.

“What I can tell you is this.”

“My name is Pale Arts., and I came here to defeat the one known as Sombra.”

The mare stated as her magic started to pull something from her bag as she continued.

“Is that a horn?” Shining Armor whispered, a bit of concern in his voice as he stared at the severed appendage.

“It is… but.” Cadence muttered. ‘The air around it… I eel so much malice.’

“You all may recognize this as Sombra’s horn.”

The mare stated.

“Let it be proof that the dark one is no more. And may his shadow never creep from beyond the horizon again.”

The mare stated as he horn pulsed, the magic that was encasing the horn turning into a flame that quickly made work of the appendage and caused it to disappear. As soon as it was gone her magic again pulled something from her bag as the ponies gasped in surprise.

“And this…”

“That’s…”

“The Crystal Heart.”

“She found it.”

“But I thought it was lost forever.”

“The Crystal Heart?” Cadence muttered. “What’s that?”

“This belongs to you.”

---

Pale’s resulting speech wasn’t that one might find from a hero, it wasn’t one belonging to someone who sought the crown either. In her own words she was simply fulfilling a request to an old friend,and as it stood she had no reason or desire to stay in the Empire. She was here on business, nothing more, and nothing less; and now that her business was concluded, she’d be on her way. Or rather she would be as soon as one of her students was feeling better. After that she simply retreated back into the castle, leaving the Crystal Heart in their capable hooves.

Her words had caused the crystal ponies to try figuring things out themselves, wondering what might happen to them now.

That though, left Cadence and Shining Armor unsure of what to do with themselves at the moment.

They had come to the Empire to protect it from Sombra, but it appears someone had beaten them to it.

Their objective had been fulfilled, but it didn’t feel right to them.

They’d come all this way and in the end it was for nothing.

Following after the mare and entering the Crystal Palace. The two ponies found her just staring at the one of the stained glass images that hadn’t changed since Sombra’s reign.

It showed the old Princess, as well as what looked like her heir - her child - likely a newborn following their birth and what seemed to be the Crystal Heart as well.

“Ah~” The mare whispered as she glanced to the side for a moment. “You made it inside.” The mare, Pale Arts greeted the two. “I was wondering if you’d follow me or not.”

“Sorry.” Shining Armor apologized as he stared at the mare. She was tall, no doubt taller than his wife, and likely as tall as Princess Celestia, but she wasn’t as lithe. “We weren’t really sure if we should come in.” The mare just chuckled lightly.

“Did you believe you’d be rejected at the door?” She asked. “Rest assured, so I have no intention of turning you away, at least not yet.” She stated as she made a humored face.“I must admit though, I’d hoped I’d be gone before you arrived but I guess this is fine as well.” The mare swung a hoof to the side and started walking off. “Please, follow. We have… things to discuss, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, and Prince Shining Armor.”

She knew who they were.

For whatever reasons that set off a few alarms in their heads. The mare knew who they were. Looking at each other, the married couple couldn’t help hold a silent conversation before following after the mare.

“You know who we are.” Cadence muttered. “I’m afraid I can’t say the same.” She admitted. “Who are you?”

“As I said outside, I am Pale Arts, and as of right now, I am no one but a wanderer.”

“And yet your wandering led you to the Crystal Empire.” Shining muttered, noticing the next stained glass window as it showed the coronation of a previous princess. “It led you here shortly after it returned?” He made a noise. “That’s quite a coincidence.”

“I assure you, it was no coincidence.” The mare stated looking at another stained glass, this one depicting Celestia herself doing battle with a great drake. “A request from an old friend sent me here, and I chose to not ignore it.”

“And that request was to defeat Sombra and return the Crystal Heart.” Cadence muttered. “Who… gave you that request, if you don’t mind me asking.”

“Someone you may meet one day.” Was all the mare said as she glanced at another stained glass and saw the founding of the great Empire under the first. “Hopefully you won’t anger her. I’d hate for the last of this bloodline to fade away.” The mare stated.

“Last of this bloodline?” Cadence muttered. “What are you talking about?”

“Ah~ So you don’t know.” The mare whispered. “Mi Amore Cadenza.” The mare said the name not as if she was addressing the alicorn in question, but getting a feel for the word. “You were not given that name without reason.” She looked back at the alicorn. “Mi Amore, that is the name given to this Empire’s royal Bloodline.” both Shining Armor and Cadence fell silent as the mare simply nodded her head.

“What…” Cadence muttered. “I’m…”

“An Heiress to the house of Mi Amore, the line who ruled over this empire for roughly a thousand years before Sombra took the reins.”

“That’s impossible.” Cadence muttered. “I can’t be an heiress to the Crystal Empire.” The mare stated. They’re line ended a thousand years ago, Princess Celestia said as such.”

“And you believed her?” Pale Arts asked as she returned her attention to the glass. “When Sombra took over the Empire, there is no doubt that he attempted to purge your bloodline - ensure that no descendents would rise to unite the ponies of the Crystal Empire and end his reign.” She sighed. “I’m afraid that’s just how things go.” She muttered as she started walking towards the pair, Shining taking the time to stand infront of his wife protectively as Pale Arts just nodded her head. “But it appears, during his purge, Sombra missed you.” She glanced ove Shining Armor and stared at Cadence for a moment before nodding. “And I see how.”

“What do you mean?” Cadence muttered, unsure of what the mare was getting at. “What do you mean he ‘missed me’? If I am a descendent of the Mi Amore line than wouldn’t that mean that my predecessor was the one he missed?”

“Normally, yes.” Pale Arts nodded. “Normally your ancestor would be one to escape the purge and likely live out the rest of their life in hiding, waiting to return to the Empire. But with the Empire vanishing all those centuries ago, they would likely just live out as a normal pony, they would marry, they would have children and they grow old watching their children grow and have children of their own.” Pale Arts admitted. “That’s how things would normally be. But this isn’t the ‘normal’ situation.” The mare stated.

“What do you mean?”

Cadence, you are the Crystal Princess, you are the rightful heir… from a thousand years ago.”

The married couple stayed silent as they stared at the mare.

“That…” Cadence fell silent a moment longer before shaking her head. “That’s a lie if I ever heard one.” The mare stated. “I’m not a thousand years old, buck I’m barely 30.” The mare stated. “I can’t be from a thousand years ago.”

“That’s what your echoes say.” That got Cadence to fall silent again.

“Her… echoes?” Shining Armor asked.

“Her echoes in time.” The mare stated. “It happens when one moves through time. Think of them like~” She paused, trying to find the right words. “Well, if you call out into a cave, you hear an echo yes, one that is always a few seconds behind you. A Time echo is very similar to that, your echo is bouncing through time, and it has been for a thousand years.” Pale Arts stated as Shining looked at his wife who seemed as confused as he was, but slightly worried as well. “One thousand years ago, when Sombra began his Purge, you were sent through time in order to survive it.” The mare stated as she turned away and started walking away. “If I had to guess, you were found by a random couple and lived out your life till you ascended, After words you were taken in my Celestia and raised as her own.”

“That’s a guess?” Cadence was more than just a little troubled by this apparent guess. A guess that summed up her life frightening well. “There’s no way that was just a guess.”

“You’re right, it wasn’t.” The mare stated as winked at the younger mare. “Time Echoes are… very useful when you understand time magic.” Her smirk disappeared. “Regardless. I’m curious as to why Celestia didn’t tell you. But to be fair, that mare does love her secrets.” She stated. “She should be careful though, they will no doubt be her downfall one day.” The mare muttered as Cadence seemed to follow her more on instinct than anything, with Shining Armor following behind the two.

“Just who are you?” Cadence asked after a while. “No regular mare would know this kind of stuff.”

“I am Pale Arts.” The older mare stated. “And I am a ghost.” She declared. “As for who I was…” The mare stopped in front of another stained glass as she smiled, shaking her head. “That’s a different story altogether. Cadence looked at the stained glass, as it told a story. The story of a village lost in the snow till a stranger came, giving them what seemed to be the Crystal Heart.

“That’s…” Shining Armor looked at the stained glass and the mare a few times before his mouth dropped. “That’s you…”

The mare just smiled at the pair and gave this light nod. “You two should get some rest.” Pale Arts stated. “Take a bath, warm up, and turn in for a while.” She recommended. “We can talk more later. Hopefully when that time comes I won’t start subject you to the rambling of an old mare.”

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

You respond to comments by moving your mouse over to the right-hand corner of the comment you want to reply to and clicking on the >> that appears. Is this story based off of Dragon Ball Kakumi?

[Zeroraid]

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No this story isn't based on Dragon Ball Kakumi.