A side-story of what might have become of The Crystal Empire & It's inhabitants.
A stuggle for peace, a conflict of interests & the simple fact that war never does change...
Rather sad that such a pointless conflict costed so very many lives, and continues to cost lives to this very day.
All this destruction over mere gems and power...
But what of the Equestrian capitol best known for its brilliant city of gems? How was the Crystal Empire involved in the struggle between zebra and pony, and what was its ultimate fate as both nations were annihilated by one another?
A lone mare awakens to a world in shreds, uncertainty looms everywhere and so do those with evil intentions.
Once upon a time, In the magical land of Equestria, There ruled 4 beautiful princesses, The eldest princess used her powers to raise the sun above the land and bring harmony to all, Her younger sister, used her powers to set the night sky ablaze with brilliant light and benevolent dreams, The adopted niece of the eldest princess, shone a beacon that enveloped all the land in passion and protecting love, The youngest princess used her powers to create powerful new magical spells, Spells capaible of ensuring Equestria's freedom both defensively and offensively.
Their rule exceeded legendary and secured them a place in history for all time, bringing peace and equality to the magical land of Equestria for many years to come. Perpetual peace and eternal happiness seemed to flow through all of Equestria and no matter what threat the collective nation of Equestria faced. For all their harmony and negotiations with less peaceful nations, they seemed all too invulnerable.
4 Powerful, Honorable, Loving and Dedicated princesses, 6 legendary souls of harmony incarnate, Peaceful trade agreements with several other nations, A strong and rapidly expanding economy.
Equestria was certain to become an absolute superpower of serenity. . . . Just one disagreement, Changed all that...
. . .
Equestria, In peaceful times.
Snowflakes danced through the air merrily as the wind sent the one of a kind crystalline wonders, swirling into a delicate dance of diamonds. It was a few days before Hearth's Warming Eve and Cassandra was happily relaxing in the window as she contently watched the spectacle just outside her window. It seemed like just yesterday there were no snowflakes, no merriment and certainly no holiday celebration taking place in her homeland.
Hearth's Warming Eve was a holiday that originated in Mid-Equestria, back before the races of equine had united under one banner. It would take many years for the Crystal Empire to catch up with modern Equestria's customs, but this "Hearth's Warming Eve" was something made all the more enjoyable with such memories of darker times still fresh in so many crystal ponies minds.
~Flashback~ 1000 years ago.
Cassandra was little more than a filly when Sombra heartlessly struck down their caring leader, Princess Amore. The attack came from the shadows themselves when Amore's number one pupil challenged her for the crown. Amore was stricken most that her greatest student would ever think to turn on her, she had done everything in a princess's power to see Sombra had all the tools needed to become a great mage and an even greater leader. It was also no secret that Amore had personally taken Sombra under her care, giving him the maternal figure his life had lacked. It was Sombra's uncravable lust for power that ended up corrupting him and caused him to turn on his benevolent mentor.
Amore refused to step down, only asking why he felt she was unworthy to rule the Empire. Sombra's response was a vicious attack that sent the crystal diarch airborne with a crack of dark magic as onyx aeriths erupted from below Amore. Seeing how Amore was a unicorn and how the attack had greatly taken her by surprise, Amore's unaltered impact with the ground was heartbreaking for her ponies to see. Broken flesh and bone could never match the hurt in Amore's heart as she stared up at the beloved pupil whom felt like a son to her. Sombra claimed Amore's mantle of regency from the ground as he approached the Crystal Heart. Amore was now getting back on her hooves somewhat deshelved, eyes still pleading for answers towards his actions.
"Sombra, Why do you do this? Was I not at your disposal for any needs you requested? Did I not give you all the care a proud teacher and a loving mother could?"
Sombra's magic responded without a hint of remorse, sending Amore into the nearby leg of the castle. Again the princess refused to so much as defend herself from the assault. This only proved to provoke Sombra when their leader refused to fight for her kingdom, further driving his opinion of her unworthy rule. Something made a sharp, crystalline crack as Amore's delicate features collided against the rigid crystal with harsh velocity. By now, many of Amore's crystal ponies had gathered in concern for their princess, some pleading, others yelling for Sombra to cease his attacks upon their princess. Sombra's magic responded again before his muzzle did, a wave a lightning fast and deadly black aeriths screamed toward the offending ponies as they smashed into a azure blue barrier of powerful magic.
"Do not provoke him my beloved subjects, Dark magic has scorched his body, we must purify his heart before he can hope to be reasoned with."
Amore pleaded to the collected crystal ponies as she struggled to stand once more, Sombra's malicious grin only magnified at her struggle.
"So will you defend yourself now, or must I strip more than your crown away?"
Sombra chuckled sinisterly as he grinned at her subjects surrounding them.
"Sombra, I love you like a son from my own womb, I raised you, gave you the best upbringing possible in our lands, will you explain to me why you do this to my ponies? To me?"
Amore pleaded as her figure trembled with pain, her injuries would heal with time, but Sombra's actions left deep lashes upon a loving heart that would never truly heal. Sombra only responded with a sneer as his magic stilled her hooves, turning them into crystal as black as night. However the dark crystal did not stop there, continuing up her forelegs like some kind of living onyx ivy, paralyzing all they came in contact with.
"Sombra, Please, Don't continue down this path! It will only lead you to destruction and misery my dear student!"
Even facing certain death, Amore still only had concerns for her student's well being. The crystal ponies could do little more than watch as the dark crystal slowly swallowed their dear princess whole. Amore could feel her lungs going cold and solid as living darkness crept toward her neck, her eyes ran with tears as she looked to her beloved subjects, her beautiful empire and to the slowly setting sun. Her odds of ever seeing them again were fleeting quickly with the sun's fading rays.
"Be strong my lovely subjects, light will shine in our lands again one day, your love will save us all, I promise this with my final breath!"
The crystal princess declared. Sombra only grinned as he watched that stupid smile of hers, forever freeze on her precious face. Sombra grinned like a beast from Tartarus itself as the collection of shouts and demands from around him turned to silence, occasionally punctuated by a sniffle, sob or sound of disbelief.
"Now you see how pathetic our leader was, unwilling to fight for the Empire she claimed to love so very much. You all need to be taught a firm lesson, if you will not learn willingly, then I will have to teach you through punishment."
Sombra intoned as his aura surrounded the Crystal Heart, plucking it from it's perch below the palace. Without Amore's beacon of light and love, Sombra's dark presence twisted through the gleaming city, turning palace and all into lifeless black onyx, plunging a once bright and lovely empire into deep darkness. Sombra then turned back to Amore's frozen figure and smirked evily.
"Allow this to be your one and only lesson of what will become of anypony who stands in my way."
Sombra intoned as his horn shone with green magic, his aura surrounding the solid figure of Amore, lifting her into the air above her subjects as his magical aura intensified around her before reducing the loving figure of Amore into so many shattered pieces that were flung to every corner of Equestria. After that, the silence was broken by so very many screams that shook the Empire for many years to come.
~Present Day~
Cassandra shook the painful memories from her head as she looked to steady glow of the Crystal Heart below the castle nearby. It's glow felt like a warm blanket on the coldest winter night, Warming, comforting, protecting and bright. Amore was gone and nopony knew if it was even possible to bring her back again, but fate had smiled warmly upon them when a distant descendant of Amore's own bloodline was discovered by none other than Princess Celestia herself. The princess raised the filly into the regal mare that would become their new princess.
Most believed Amore's body was indeed destroyed, but that her soul lived on within their new princess. Princess Cadance's appearance, leadership and loving personality reminded the crystal ponies all too well of their dear Princess Amore. The Crystal Empire had seen hard times for certain, but with time and faith, their prayers for a world like the one they remembered so fondly, eventually came true, but not until after Sombra, in all his rage and thirst for control, banished the entire Empire rather than risk losing control over it.
His curse held their homeland prisoner for over a thousand years. Cassandra reminded herself to smile and allow the past to rest, Sombra was no more and with their leader's rule, it seemed nothing would surpass the shielding love Prince Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza shared.
Then everything around her disappeared in a single flash of brilliant light. . . .
"SURPRISE!!"
Emerald Light shouted as he rushed his mate, camera floating in his magical aura.
"Faust darn it Emmy!"
Cassandra shrieked as she blinked the stars from her eyes. Emerald Light laughed as he hugged his mate lovingly while she wiggled and nickered under his grip.
"Can I help it that I just love to get an adorable reaction out of you Cassy?"
Emerald Light laughed as his magic allowed the camera to rest upon the table nearby. Cassandra grumbled about him nearly getting a less-than-adorable "reaction" from her.
"So, What are you up to sweetie? Watching the snowflakes again are we?"
Emerald Light questioned, Cassandra looked back out the window and nodded her head.
"I heard that down south the pegasi actually control the weather instead of nature's own magic, I wonder what that's like Emmy, to control the weather, I could make it sunny all year long."
Cassandra spoke as Emerald Light shrugged and gave his mate a loving nip on the ear.
"I'd rather it be winter all year long frankly, the cold offers so many more chances to cuddle up close for warmth with the ones you love."
Emerald Light chuckled as Cassandra gave him a playful shove.
"Something tells me it's not just my wing you're wanting under Emmy."
Cassandra teased. Emerald Light blushed and nickered in embarrassment.
"Cassy, I love you with all my heart and you mean so much more to me than just tha-"
Emerald Light would have likely continued with his honest deceleration had Cassandra not placed her lips to his in a loving kiss. The two simply held each other close and watched the snow fall outside their home as all was content around them. Crystal ponies sung old songs around crystal Hearth's Warming trees, Hearts and hearths simply glowed with warmth all throughout the Empire as another day came to a close. Cassandra ended the kiss with a smile and draped a wing over her mate.
"Emmy, I was thinking about going on a trip for Hearths Warming, maybe going to Canterlot to see what it's like down there. Would you like to do that hun?"
Emerald Light raised a brow and looked at his mate quizzically.
"You mean go away from our home on it's first Hearth's Warming Eve ever dear?"
Emerald questioned his mate. Cassandra nodded her head in response, a soft smile always upon her face.
"It's beautiful here Emmy, and this will ALWAYS be home, but it's just so bitterly cold outside since they lowered the shield, I want to be outside more for Hearth's Warming dear, perhaps it's just my pegasus ways, but I long to be outside more often."
Cassandra spoke as she daydreamed quietly. Emerald Light closed his eyes and ran his cheek across his mate's delicate crystal feathers tenderly, sighing softly as he contemplated what his mate had proposed.
"Cassy, Hearth's Warming Eve is about keeping each other warm in these colder months, Warm in our hooves, but especially warm in each others hearts love. If you want to spend it elsewhere than here, I have no qualms about that sweetie, as I will follow you straight into Tartarus if you ever feel the need to vacation there."
The two crystal ponies kissed once again, hearts warm as hearths as the snow fell silently outside. . . .
In the distant Future . . .
Low droning filled the dark room as something within the alarm on the wall gave out with a final crackling buzz. The light level was ominously low and the only dim illumination came from slowly spinning amber lights, on their last thousand or so rotations before they ground to a halt forever. For a time yet unknown they had remained on, singing an eerie song of imminent danger that had long since past, perhaps.
The only movement around came from the same room that recently fell silent, a room of vials and clipboards, charts and readouts. Most noticeable however were the 4 large capsules to the lefthoof corner of the room. One of them seemed to have leaked a fluid that still clung to the floor with an icy cold that refused to thaw. Another seemed to have been opened or had never been shut to begin with, either way it was empty and various cables and hoses dangled from within the capsule, like some sort of machine. The last two were as dark as the others with the exception of a panel upon one of the capsules that flickered so dimly it was barely to be seen, even in all the darkness that surrounded it. A crackly chime sounded as a puff of acrid smoke rose from the capsule, scrambling the barely live panel in a final burst of bright life before mechanical death took it.
-OPENING CAPSULE 26-
A shrill whistle of air scrambled its way from the opening crevices on the capsule as it ground unseen gears into pulp as it opened it's icy maw, dropping the fair temperature in the room to levels one would think deadly to anything living as it revealed it's contents. Inside, a pretty young mare seemed at rest, seemingly composed of beautiful, solid crystal, evidently frozen solid by this contraption. For whatever reason, the capsule had opened shortly before it's energy supply was exhausted. Had that not happened, the machine would have ceased it's watch over the mare and left her to an icy tomb forever. Originally the machine likely would have some routine to bringing the pony-cicle back to the realm of the living, but the capsule's last burst of arcane life had shorted something out and delivered a heart-stopping jolt of electricity through the dead mare.
Perhaps it was by a miracle that such a burst of energy that could kill a living pony, . . . Could also save a dying pony. . .
Flakes of ice sailed across the dim room as the mare's lungs seized up in a violent clenching intended to remove foreign matter from inside her airway, in laymares terms, She coughed.
Over and over again she did so as air just barely warmer than her frigid lungs filled them for the first time in what seemed like. . . Well, It seemed like she was alive, well and warm just yesterday. But what was this place? The dark silence surrounded her as she struggled to move, her legs feeling like they hadn't moved in centuries. The thought was insane of course, even as a crystal pony she knew she lived and died just like any other mortal pony, so she couldn't have just laid here for that long without keeling over.
The mare blinked her eyes and carefully stretched as her body slowly warmed itself against all odds. Realizing what she was and feeling the sensation at both her sides she attempted to open her wings. Her reward for such efforts was a pain beyond comprehension as hundreds of sensitive feathers pulled and cracked under the cold and strain.
"Owwww!"
The mare cried out in knee-jerk reaction to the rather unplesant sensation of painful pulling in her frozen wings.
"Alright, I need to give myself more time before I go trying something like that again, first I need to find out where I am, if it's a safe place or not and lastly how to get back home."
The crystal pegasus looked around in the dim light as she read barely legible names and words on the wall nearby.
The pegasus looked closer at the second bit she had found as the ice fell from her brilliant coat of crystal.
"Ca#sa#dr# #c#rat" "Cr#st#l E#pi#e"
The mare looked around for more that stuck out, but all she found was more lab reports about testing and possible genetic mutations on some unique species of equine. Frustrated, the pegasus mare made her way toward the open doorway, ever so slowly peeking her head out into the hallway.
The hallway was active with the spinning lights that had illuminated the room she first found herself inside. What was odd was how something kept dimly reflecting the amber light back, like light reflecting off of a lake or pond's surface. When she moved, the reflections of light moved, when she stopped moving, so did the reflections. The mare looked around until the sound of another chunk of ice hitting the hard floor, as it fell from her chest, caught her attention. Then the mare found the source of the reflections. It was her coat, her entire coat was a warm ruby hue, No... She was ruby, her coat was brilliant crystal just like her...
. . .
The mare's thought process finally found purchase as her memories came flooding back into her mind.
"Crystal... I'm a crystal pony, I have a mate, I live in an Empire of Crystal."
The mare looked around at her vastly darker surroundings, compared to what her memory last recalled of home, she wanted to be away from the place very soon and back in the warm hooves of her mate and safe in their solid home of bright protecting crystal. Cassandra nearly crawled through the halls, not knowing which way to go, or what she might find with each turn of the hallways. Many little rooms, Medical supplies, Stretchers and machines she rather wished not to know their purpose. The halls went on and on before Cassandra stopped in her tracks as a single empty can rolled across the floor before her. Petrified with fear she crouched until her belly clinked against the floor, hoping, praying if it was something dangerous it would leave her be.
A form filled the hallway as it rounded the corner, seemingly stopping like it might have heard her presence. Cassandra's heart tinkled madly in her chest like a marble caught in a jar that was being tossed about.
Cassandra mentally prayed over and over in her head as the figure turned it head toward her, a single, bright red light aiming toward her as she closed her eyes tightly and began to cry.
Paperwork, So VERY much paperwork that had to be done now. Seems the appearance of a new civilization popping up in the northern Equestrain tundra came with a tidal wave of legal matters and whatnot. Seeing how marrying Princess Cadance made him Prince Shining Armor, it was their equal duty as rulers to deal with such matters. Shining Armor was more than happy to do his share of the bureaucratic burden, It just seemed alicorns had this unearthly talent with the quill, Cadance could be like some kind of pink photocopier at times when she really got into her work as princess of document signing.
Twilight had been quite the quill-pusher though all of her life so far, but now that she had ascended into Alicornhood, her habit of writing had exploded with all the new friendship lessons and magic involved with becoming such a magnificent being of ponykind. Not to mention becoming the princess of Friendship itself.
Shining Armor began to wonder where the Empire was getting all of their paper from, seeing how there was still paperwork to work out trade arrangements between the other holds of Equestria, it was unlikely they were getting all this blank paper from outside sources. So just where exactly was it all coming from?
Shining Armor craned his neck as he looked around outside the palace, looking for just a single one... for just one tree. The Crystal Empire was known for many things, lumber products was NOT one of them.
Just where in Tartarus was all this Faust damn paper coming from anyways? What supplier did he have to sever so this never-endingly growing tidal wave of paperwork would finally cease once and for all?
Shining Armor looked up as far as his neck would allow, Just how HAD this huge palace composed entirely of crystal come into being also?
Shining Armor took a moment to admire his new home, and how much it confused and scared the horseapples out of him sometimes.
. . .
Paperwork aside, Shining Armor did miss the simple days of being Captain of the Canterlot Guard. Those days were so much easier than being 50% responsible for an entire empire of ponies and all their needs. Things got easier once the royal couple had filled the palace with a royal staff of various workers, but before those days it was just Shining Armor and Cadance at the helm of an entire empire of shocked ponies that had been ruled over by an evil dictator and were 1000 years behind the times now.
By himself, Shining Armor would have certainly lost his last shred of sanity and ran for the northern mountains long ago just to find peace and quiet. Some kind of Faust blessed miracle saw to it that he did not have make this Empire function alone.
Cadance, His mate and what drove him to be at his very best each and every morning he got out of bed. (After the pink mare allowed him to do so of course, haste on his part was rarely utilized.)
Meeting her had certainly changed his life in so many ways it made his head spin to wonder where he'd be if they had never crossed paths, then he would shake the blasphemous thought from his head and banish it from ever returning to his present state of mind. Nothing could have made Shining Armor's life happier or more fulfilled than having the very light and love of his life, forever mate and gorgeous princess by his side.
Back in High School she had been the mare every stallion dreamed of being with, but it was school-wide taboo to ask a princess out on a date. Seeing how Celestia, Goddess of the very sun and heavens was her caretaker, few ever did question this logic.
It wasn't until Buck Withers decided to use his ties in the upper class to challenge this taboo and make himself some kind of hero or something.
Although he could remember the past quite well (in full Crayola glory) it still evaded him just how he actually won the heart of Mi Amore Cadenza. Perhaps it was his masculine charm? His debonaire personality? or maybe she just took pity on the poor colt.
Shining Armor laughed to himself as he waved hello to a random passerby and imagined it was likely the latter.
In the distant future
A massive hoof reduced a long since discarded and empty Merri-Carrot can into a compact pancake of steel. An arcane enchanted Ruby matrix eye implant scanned the room of anything useable, such a tool was a long lost technology from Canterlot and highly sought after.
The eye scanned the hallway with meticulous detail, picking up every speck of dirt, scrap of metal and dust mite.
The giant stallion's scowl sweeped to and fro as something on his form made a sharp chirp, causing the stallion to jerk his head back down the hallway. The implant had picked up something and it had spiked the stallion's interest obviously. Dust and particles of rust fell from the ceiling with every hoofstep from the hulking stallion as he observed movement as another unidentified can rolled down the hall.
The ruby matrix focused upon the can as something else caught the stallion's attention. A cloud of dust, wafting into the air lazily from the left hallways. Something sizable had disturbed the air very recently...
The large stallion's horn glowed from within some sort of transparent cone covering it, a sizable blade rising from his side as he focused his magic and vision upon the left hallway. Anything down here had to be a leftover from who knows how long ago, perhaps the circulation system was malfunctioning?
Magic hummed as he rounded the corner, sword rising beside him, ready to dispatch anything possibly hostile. Only the can of Flam-Cram moved from his reaction. The hallway was otherwise empty as every other hallway he had explored here. As he turned to check the other hallways, another sharp chirp from somewhere on the mountain of a pony sounded. Looking back as his vision focused upon something very strange upon the floor.
Observing his surroundings as being very clear of any hostiles, the stallion proceeded forward, toward the smoking, white material upon the floor that was making his implant go bonkers.
COMPOSITION: Hydrous Oxide TEMPERATURE: -25C
The stallion stopped in his tracks and focused upon his readout with scrutiny.
CONTAMINATES DETECTED: None 100% sterile
The stallion let out a gruff snort.
"Now I know the damn thing's on the fritz again, that's absolutely impossible..." his deep voice rumbled, Lowering his head as he prodded the material with his nose, recoiling as he observed it was indeed very cold. Eyes of inclined interest closed upon the bit of what indeed appeared to be Ice.
Against everything he'd been taught, a curious tongue tested the pool of clear liquid slowly surrounding it.
A second, longer biological test insued, followed by him crushing and collecting said ice. It was completely void of taste and fascinated taste buds that had become accustomed to the taste of copper and contamination.
After confirming it was indeed ice, the stallion observed there was another piece further down the hallway. Actually, Make that an entire path of it scattered about the hallway willy nilly. Something was very weird about this now, First something disturbed the air, now there's this fresh trail of pure ice in a hallway with a tempeature that would melt it in mere minutes. Eyes narrowed as he followed the trail at a slow trot, keeping his head on a swivel as he watched for any movement whatsoever.
An unusual tinkle of sound caught his attention as he observed the path of ice seemed to come from the same direction as the sound. Being somewhat limited in the magical arts, the stallion opted to continue using his magic to hover his blade beside him, opting instead to illuminate an auxiliary light upon his shoulder, flooding the room with light as his eyes followed the path of ice to the base of a small locker.
The stallion raised his sword and considered just running his sword through the locker and going about his way. A deep chuckle accompanied his hopes it was indeed hostile just so he could show it what happens to something that wished him unwell.
The sword lowered as he used his magic to open the locker and greet whatever might or might not be in it, priming his legs to buck the teeth out of whatever thought could trick him this easily and take him by surprise from behind, only a foal could think up an attack plan so simple.
What he wasn't expecting was a siren to go off when the door to the locker was opened, his enhanced hearing was overloaded by a piercing wail of some alarm. Throwing his head back as his hearing adjusted to the noise, identifying it as a more of a scream than a siren. Suddenly, the stallion's previous idea for his sword came to the front of his mind with renewed vigor.
"CEASE THIS NOISE OR I'LL CEASE IT FOR YOU!" he bellowed like thunder from above.
Cassandra wailed and curled into the fetal position as best as possible for a mare while inside of a locker far too small to fit inside of properly. The stallion exhaled deeply as the piercing attack upon his hearing dulled to a soft whimpering, accompanied by sniffles. Just what in Tartarus's name had he come across? Some kind of pre-war sonic-wave emission weapon?
"Please, I'm scared and I don't know what's going on! I have a family and I just want to go home!" Cassandra whimpered. The stallion stepped forward, lowering his blade to the floor and drooped his head so it was just outside the locker, his light lowering to a soft glow.
"Are you a mare?" his deep voice questioned. The question asked by the voice that belonged to the figure outside the locker terrified Cassandra. What if this stallion intended to hurt her or worse? Why did he want to know is she was a mare? Oh Faust help me... What if he's from Manehatten? I've heard of what happens to mares in dark places in Manehatten...
The figure outside didn't seem to be going anywhere and Cassandra had nowhere else to go, so she forced her eyes open and looked toward the voice.
"Pl..Please, don't hurt me, I am a mare and I... I just want to go home sir." Cassandra spoke as clearly as she could through her tears, her heart was pounding and she was so afraid that she was looking into the shrouded face of her own undoing.
The massive stallion raised his head and moved a hoof towards her, Cassandra cowered with fear as the hoof knocked a chunk of ice from the mare's hide, noticing she was a crystal pony.
"Where is your home?" the deep voice rumbled. Cassandra was almost afraid to answer, but it was the first and safest place she could think of.
"Th..The Crystal Empire." she almost squeaked. At this, the stallion stepped closer as his armored hoof brushed across her forehead.
"Come out of there, I mean you no harm." the deep voice offered.
Cassandra barely felt safe where she was in the locker, but she'd never seen a pony as massive as this one talking to her. She worried what he might do to her if she did as he said, but also worried what it might do if she didn't respect his wishes. Seeing no other option, Cassandra stepped out of the locker slowly, allowing herself to be fully seen by the stallion. He had to be at least three times her size and looked absolutely terrifying. He seemed to be wearing some kind of armor she'd never seen before, it looked like something futuristic, right out of a science fiction novel, yet it looked rather worn and quite old at the same time.
"My name is Cassandra Carat, I want to go home to the Crystal Empire, can you tell me where I am?" Cassandra asked the mysterious stallion. The hulking stallion backed into the flickering light of the hallway, better illuminating himself for the mare to see.
"My name is Golem Gembreaker, though most just call me "Goliath", You're currently in a research stable far below Canterlot." Goliath's deep voice rumbled again.
Cassandra felt her blood run cold at the mention of his name. Gembreaker? Oh Celestia above, please don't let that be his special talent... Cassandra felt her knees go weak at the thought as she stared at the stallion before her.
"You don't belong here Cassandra, I don't know what you're doing here, but your cutiemark tells me you came from a peaceful world long gone." the deep voice spoke. Cassandra looked to her cutiemark of two sapphire crystal roses entwined around a heart.
"Wha..What's so wrong with my cutiemark?" she asked a bit hurt by his remark.
"You should come with me Cassandra, Equestria's no longer safe for a mare like yourself. I'll do my best to protect you, but it's unlikely you will survive very long." Goliath replied as he made his way out of the room they were in, retrieving his blade with his magic.
Cassandra chased after him, very confused by everything going on.
"Wait, Can you just tell me how to get back home? I don't want to be anymore of a bother to you then I already have been, but I really am scared sir."
Goliath stopped and turned to look at her.
"I make you no promises Cassandra, last I knew, the Crystal Empire was decimated over 300 years ago... Now follow me if you wish to live beyond tonight, you're much to beautiful to be eaten by a Diamond Raddog." Goliath finished, making his way down the hallway again.
Just when Cassandra thought she couldn't be any more fearful, her entire world came crashing down, just like her home may very well have...
The stars twinkled and shone above as tireless eyes watched the slowly changing colors of the Amora Borealis as it slowly flowed through the sky like a living ribbon of rainbow. Luna was not used to sharing her sky with the creation of another's will, but she had to admit the site was most mystifying and beautiful. It only made the Lunar diarch happier to know it was within her lovely realm of the night that the spectacle above was best viewed.
Luna took a moment to dwell upon the fact that while her sister and herself shared half of Equestria's day cycle, Cadenza kept this rainbow specticle going all hours of the day and night. Perhaps it had something to do with the Crystal Heart at the center of her kingdom? Was it truly Cadenza's love for her ponies that powered the artifact eternally? Further more, how did the Amora Borealis continue even when it's caretaker was away from her Empire?
Luna sighed and shook her head as she allowed the many questions with unknown answers to sift from her thoughts. Much of the Crystal Empire was an enigma outside of Celestia and Luna's rule from before. It would seem possible the Crystal Empire actually outdated Canterlot by at least a thousand years. Such information was likely lost forever when she herself brought ruin to the archives in the castle she once shared with her sister, now in ruins deep within the Everfree.
It was also said that Sombra saw to it that all previous history of the Crystal Empire before his rule was reduced to nothing more than ashes. So, it would seem just how the Empire came to be might never be answered. The only being that might have known was blasted into oblivion by Sombra himself when he took the Empire from Princess Amore by force. Luna reminded herself to set aside enough time in her busy life to go to the Empire personally and research any possible leads to some of these questions still caught in her thoughts. Perhaps ask the princess herself as well, no pony should know better about the Empire's mysteries than it's heiress and her shiny citizens.
Luna returned her attention back to the skies, re-arranging the stars to form a crystal heart in the skies. To her utter surprise, the Amora Borealis slowly moved across the skies toward her shining figure in the stars, appearing to loosely wrap around it, causing the stars to twinkle like diamonds. Luna cocked her head with a very confused expression, had the Amora Borealis just reacted to her arrangement in the stars?
. . .
Heavy hoof steps shook the crusted rust from the ceiling as Cassandra followed behind "Goliath". She knew not if the pony inside all that armor was indeed that big, but she rather think he was just an average pony in a small mountain of armor, rather than think of a massive pony in just a lot of armor. Cassandra couldn't help but steal glances at all the things this mysterious stallion wore.
She had yet to see his face, as it had remained hidden behind a helmet that looked more like it was made for underwater exploration than protection. She also took note of the rather large blade at his side, she had yet to get a good look at it, but she swore to Celestia a couple times she'd seen the familiar glimmer of crystal ever so often as a source of light would play upon it's wicked edge. Furthermore was the odd contraption upon his horn, that she was certain was made of some kind of glass or crystal. It formed an almost perfect dome over his horn and seemed to give off a soft glow constantly, as if constantly charged with energy.
It seemed like they had been wandering the dimly lit hallways for quite some time. With each passing minute, she felt her shallow pool of bravery evaporating away as the stallion ahead of her said absolutely nothing ever since they left the room she had hid inside. She considered making small talk, asking him about himself perhaps or just what a "Diamond Rad-dog" was exactly. Being a Crystal pony, she had read about Diamond Dogs plenty of times before, they had been a common issue in the Empire shortly after it's re-appearance. While it wasn't fully understood just why they craved to hoard gems like they did, the appearance of a city made of crystal had certainly garnered the attention of a few nearby packs of Diamond Dogs just outside the Frozen North's tundras.
Cassandra considered asking "Goliath" where exactly he was taking her when she noticed a bright beam light ahead of them. It was a warm and natural light much like the sun would give off, shining down a set of stairs ahead of them. Cassandra went to approach the stairs as a hoof thick as an oak tree blocked her path to the stairway.
"Stay behind me, that leads outside and one cannot be too careful above or below ground." Goliath rumbled a response to her confused expression.
Cassandra didn't understand why he was so cautious, but obeyed and remained behind him as he led her towards the stairs. Cassandra's eyes strained to adjust to the light from above as they ascended the stairway slowly. With each step the light grew brighter and Cassandra began to believe the sun had possibly landed on Equestria at this rate. Shortly after this thought, the stairs mercifully ended and Cassandra found herself in a room with a particularly massive gear at the other end.
As they drew closer she realized the massive gear might actually have been a door, as it seemed like it would fit almost perfectly inside the massive hole in the wall they were going through. The gear had to be at least two hoof-lengths thick and so tall Goliath didn't even have to duck to easily clear it, Cassandra couldn't imagine why anypony would make a door so big and thick. Then she found herself ascending more stairs, just when it seemed she wouldn't be able to keep her eyes open any longer her hooves once again crested the last step. What she saw made her actually retreat a few steps back down into the safety of the staircase.
The walls of the room the stairs entered were scorched and seemed to have been blown apart by some force unthinkable to her. There was no ceiling at all and the sun shined down upon a barren and scorched city. Goliath took note of Cassandra's retreat and turned back toward her.
"Let me be the first and only pony to welcome you to Canterlot Cassandra, I'm afraid the Equestria you may have known has long since died. What you see is all that's left now, Ashes and bones we once called home." Goliath intoned to the silent city.
Cassandra made to crane her neck out to observe the absolute devastation around her again, but was quick to retreat back into the "safety" of the stairway once again. A sound that split the silent air apart resounded off the ruined walls around them an instant before Cassandra ducked her head back into the stairway, a clean hole punched it's way into the concrete wall where her leg would have been a mere moment ago.
"FAR-EYE! CEASE FIRE FAUST DAMMIT!" Goliath thundered to seemingly no pony.
A crackly voice came from his left hoof.
"Saw eyes from the staircase, be damned if it didn't look like a Crystal, tried to take it alive."
Goliath turned from the stairway as his throat rumbled with so many silenced curses.
"She IS a Crystal Far Eye, From the looks of her I'd say she's pre-war too, pretty shaken up and wants to go home." Goliath grumbled into a device on his left hoof.
Crackly laughter sounded from his left hoof.
"Aww, Does the widdle kwistal ponie wanna go homesies to her shiny widdle city? I hate to "break" it to her but her hopes are bout' ta get "shattered" just like dear ol' home." the voice taunted as maniacal laughter followed.
Goliath let out a deep exhale and pressed a button on the device upon his left hoof, silencing the continuing laughter.
Cassandra remained in her hiding place, still petrified by the sound she'd heard, not aware she'd narrowly avoided serious harm. Goliath made his way toward her slowly, trying not to frighten the mare further. She really didn't belong here, she would have to learn how to survive among the bones of the world she once knew, or her crystal hide would seal her fate. Truth be told, she was the first crystal pony he had ever seen in his life. They mostly stayed up North, or so he'd read from a few surviving pre-war books, but that was before... all this. Now they were unheard of, prized for their absolute rarity and unique beauty. There was no breed of pony worth more to the slavers than a crystal mare. They were referred to as "Love's Children" and were worth more than their weight in gold dead, to find one alive was something entirely different. This mare was not only of Crystal origin, but seemed to have been perfectly preserved below, before Equestria had breathed it's last breath of fresh air. In all senses of the matter, she was absolutely priceless, quite possibly one-of-a-kind.
. . . "Please... Tell me I can still go home Goliath... Don't tell me I woke up to everything I know being gone for centuries." Cassandra whispered from down below.
Goliath went against all his years of survival experience and used his magic to un-latch the helmet from his head, removing it as he approached the crystal mare carefully. A short, pale straw colored mane was released from the helmet as he shook it free from his charcoal fur. Hazel eyes looked into amber eyes as Goliath set upon his haunches.
"Cassandra, I know you want to go home as soon as possible, I just can't promise you anything miss. I don't know if you'll survive that long, I don't even know if it's even still there." Goliath spoke softly, his voice loosing some of it's rumbling thunder from his helmet being taken off.
Cassandra stepped from the stairway again and set before Goliath timidly, her eyes still straining against the light of the sun. Goliath swore to himself if he heard that bat shit mare shoot that rifle at this mare one more time, he was going to tear every damn feather from her wings one at a time.
The air remained quiet for a short time before Cassandra spoke.
"Will you at least try, if not for simply knowing for yourself, then at least for letting a mare know if she's all alone in this world?" Cassandra begged.
Goliath looked to the mare with pity, if he didn't at least try, this mare didn't stand a chance at all. It was already clear in his mind once he saw her eyes for the first time as she hid from him in a locker, the innocence and sheer fear within them. How many ways this world would shatter her mind and soul. There was no way to protect her from the truth of what Equestria had become, all he could do was offer her protection from a world she would need to learn about very quickly, and the slim chance to return to a home that had a snowball's chance in Tartarus of existing beyond mere ruins. Goliath's left hoof crackled as he pressed a button upon the device that had been previously laughing,
"We got a pack of ferals approaching from the East boss, recommend you get your shiny new toy over here before they see her." Far-Eye spoke.
Goliath nodded his head and brought the device to his face as his magic placed the helmet back upon his head.
"Affirmative, fall back to the outpost, we'll meet you there." Goliath's response rumbled.
"Don't get distracted by that crystal cunt now Golly, you know Can-neighdayan plot ain't all it's "cracked" up to be, you just might "shatter" her chances at survival." Far-Eye responded, her manacle laughter starting up again.
"I fail to understand how that mare has survived as a sniper with her habit of laughing uncontrollably so often. Don't mind her words Cassandra, she's a few rads from kicking the bucket anyways. Now please follow me so we can get you somewhere safe before nightfall." Goliath grumbled.
Once again, Cassandra was hesitant to follow this stallion to wherever he intended to take her, she'd much rather have just stayed hidden in the stairway until Emerald Light or the princess came to find her. Deep down, there was a stirring fear inside her that she'd never see anypony she knew ever again. With her courage running empty she stood and followed behind the stallion, just barely suppressing the growing sadness inside of her heart.
Somepony, please tell me I'm not alone, Somepony I know has to have survived. Cassandra looked to the empty and devastated city around her, to the barely identifiable ruins of the once great castle of Canterlot. None of it's grand spires remained standing, all had toppled over or been destroyed, half of the castle's foundations had crumbled, allowing a great deal of the grand structure to collapse down the mountainside.
Goliath had told her more than once that she would not survive without him, and as she looked around her it was obvious the rest of her world had not survived what had happened either. Cassandra forced her eyes shut to keep from breaking out into tears. All she saw behind her tears were the faces of ponies she would never see again.
. . .
Her home on 158 Amethyst Avenue, The sweet and loving royal couple, Emerald Light's warm smile, Peaceful nights warm by a fireplace, Perhaps even the light of the Crystal Heart. . . . Never again. . . .
The marketplace bustled with activity as Twilight surveyed the landscape before her, before long they'd be making preperations for the upcoming winter wrap-up. Life in Ponyville since her move here from Canterlot had certainly been a learning experience beyond anything she could ever hope to explain in words. Twilight deeply wanted to write a book about all the many travels she had already shared with her friends across many differents parts of Equestria. The learning, the lessons in life, the sights they got to share and all the precious memories they had made together as the best of friends in such a short time already.
Twlight promised herself and all of Equestria, one day she would do just that and document all their journeys for future generations of Equestria to read and hopefully inspire them to carry on the same morals and values in their own lives and choices. But there was still so very much for Twilight to learn and share together with all her friends, she felt it would make for a much richer story to be told when she had fully learned about the magic of Friendship and had settled down a bit more.
Granted,
Being the Princess of Friendship meant her life may never settle down as much as a normal pony's life would in their later years, but Twilight had no idea what to make of her new alicorn status. The ability of flight was an amazing yet tricky ability for a (previously) unicorn to master. She was still nowhere near being what she would call an accomplished flyer, but she could make use of them at least. To this day she still had a fear of falling, and wondered when her instincts would realize she could actually fly.
Becoming an alicorn had been such a change in lifestyle, it expanded her already impressive magical font to near-legendary power, her body had begun to change somewhat, her horn growing about an inch and her legs beginning to grow longer. At one point she had begun to wonder if she might need to re-fit the library with new doorways and furniture.
Twilight sighed as she heard the tinkle of the many gems that hung from the oak chandiler above, each one holding a different memory from all of her friends, brushing against one another in the soft breeze through the windows. Twilight rested her head on the crystal balcony railing and smiled softly as the breeze blew through her mane softly.
"Guess I can cross that little lifestyle change off my list."
Was she and Cadance going to live for countless millienia like Celestia and Luna had? Were they not the same kind of alicorn as the regal sisters? Might their own lifespans be just significantly longer?
Twilight felt it to be a rather odd question to ask such a thing to any of her other alicorn kind, and thus had refrained from asking any of them such question.
Twillight shrugged her shoulders and decided to continue to enjoy life one day at a time, with time she'd learn just how long she was going to be a princess. Perhaps one day she'd have a child who could carry on her role of Princess of Friendship. Until she learned the thousand or so answers to the countless amount of questions her mind had formulated, life would be lived by Princess of Friendship,
One beautiful day at a time.
. . .
Being above ground made Cassandra almost wish she was back in those many hallways she had been lost in not so long ago. Buildings lie in ruins at every turn, their remains spilled out upon the ruined pavement. From their height upon the mountain of Canterlot, one could see the long and eerie marks upon the earth where the land was turned to shiny black glass. Cassandra dared not to wonder what could have created such long and terrible marks upon Equestria.
Goliath snorted from ahead as she saw they were coming upon what looked like the remains of a fair sized public building, perhaps a school or library. There was an odd collection of what appeared to be scraps of buildings and carts surrounding the partially standing building.
From here Far-Eye could make out her cutiemark and count every crystal feather on her wings through her high power scope. Just one squeeze of her trigger, say it was simply an accident as she was inspecting the mare through her scope for a better look. Far-Eye could be rich and famous, such a prize simply didn't offer itself up on a platter like this crystal pony had.
Her highly magnified point of view shifted to the mountain of a stallion leading this mare to their home in this hellish land. Far-Eye would never live long enough to enjoy her wealth and fame if she killed this mare, Goliath had already made that much clear through their last conversation.
Far-Eye went back to inspecting that mare, how her coat shone with a light like nothing in Equestria ever would again. She didn't belong here, there were no crystal stallions here for her. Far-Eye considered for a moment if a "normal" stallion could ever have crystal children with this mare. Far- Eye's eyes shot open in astonishment.
"That clever son-of-a-whorse, He thinks he can make more little crystal cunts with her, sell them off, and be made for life!" exclaimed Far-Eye.
Far-Eye considered the possibilities for a few moments as her scope combed over the mare, taking in every luscious curve of her frame.
. . .
Goliath stopped a few lengths from the building, now plain to see that a makeshift sort of fence had indeed been erected around the building. What the purpose of this fence was evaded her however. Was there something they were trying to keep inside the fence, or was it meant to keep something else from getting inside the building?
Cassandra's thoughts were interrupted when Goliath spoke to her.
"I must ask you to keep very close to my side at all times, Understand?" questioned Goliath in his deep voice.
"Uhm, I feel like I can trust you sir, can I ask why you sound like this place is dangerous? I thought you had friends here?" Cassandra asked submissively.
Goliath looked back toward the building and Cassandra almost swore to Celestia she could feel him glaring darkly at the structure and possibly it's inhabitants.
"We are a loosely grouped band of ponies just trying to survive day to day Cassandra. I did not say were were brothers and sisters, We do not all think the same way nor have the same values." answered Goliath as he looked back toward Cassandra.
"I'm quite certain very few of them will share the oath I made to you either." Goliath finished.
At first, this building they were going toward sounded welcoming, despite it's appearance. After what Goliath had said, Cassandra wasn't so sure she wanted to go inside this building anymore. Cassandra was having a hard time understanding why everypony was treating her so strangely, She wasn't that different from them was she? She had heard tales of how the ponies here were welcoming and accepting of all races and breeds of equine. Perhaps whatever horrible thing had happened here had changed all that?
Cassandra did her best to swallow her fears and summon the last drops of bravery she had left and followed Goliath toward the building before them.
As they approached, ponies came from their places of hiding and began coming toward them. Cassandra felt a very real tingle of fear wash over her as she realized these ponies all had weapons.
"Golem, Always one to bring something interesting back home as usual." spoke a rather rough looking green stallion.
"Found her in one of the vaults below Canterlot Emerald, Figure she's been there since before the days Equestria keeled over." replied Goliath as he noticed Cassandra fidgeting out of the corner of his vision.
Had he just mentioned the name "Emerald?" Cassandra was startled by this stallion's appearance, but she had to know if it was possible, and thus stepped forward toward the stallion.
"Excuse me sir, but I heard Goliath say your name was "Emerald", Would you happen to know of anypony from the Crystal Empire with that same name?" Cassandra asked hopefully.
The green stallion turned toward her so he was looking right at her and smirked.
"Come closer mare." Was the green stallion's response.
Cassandra looked back to Goliath for his approval or denial, Goliath only nickered deeply and motioned for her to do as the stallion had asked. Cassandra felt reason for alarm when she felt something peculiar, like she could sense something on or about Goliath change when he made the motion for her to step forward.
Cassandra took a few steps forward and set before the green stallion quietly.
Cassandra couldn't help but feel uneasy as this dangerous looking male looked her over, raising a scorched eyebrow for some reason or another.
"Yep, no doubt about it missy, a Faust damn crystal just walked right into my flankhole of a camp." the green stallion spoke.
Cassandra didn't like the way this stallion was looking at her, her concerns more than doubled when she realized plenty more of the mostly male group was looking at her with the same expression.
"Please, why does everypony act like there's something wrong with me? I'm a pony just like the rest of you, I can't help it my coat is different than yours, please don't treat me different just because I'm a crystal pony." Cassandra pleaded
The green stallion that was circling her stopped and grinned at her again, lifting a metal hoof from the ground as it changed into some sort of multiple limbed maw and held her by the chin with it. Cassandra tried to pull her head back but this device on his hoof was very strong. Her worries began to boil over as she found herself held against her will now by this stallion that was looking at her in a way she only wanted her Emerald Light to look at her.
"You don't know a damn thing do ya? You're a fuckin crystal, we don't EVER see a crystal around here missy." the green stallion sniffed her cheek and gave it an experimental lick that caused Cassandra to shiver with disgust, his breath was beyond horrible.
"Its been rumored for ages before I was even around, that your kind was wiped from the face of Equestria when she died. You are the first crystal I've ever seen and I'll let you in on a little secret girly." The green stallion released Cassandra from his grasp and gave her another circling as his eyes roamed all over her figure.
"Your flank is worth more than half the slave labor in all of Manehatten. Your shiny appearance could give you away over a mile away, that's not good for you at all when every stallion who sees you is gonna want to crack you open like the fine bottle of wine you resemble." the green stallion finished fiery passion deep within his eyes.
"Golem, what do you intend to do with your little find here hmm?" asked the green stallion as he looked toward the large figure he was questioning.
"She wishes to return home." was Goliath's simple response.
The camp was overtaken by rapacious laughter after Goliath's response to the green stallion's question as only Goliath and the green stallion kept their cool.
The green stallion cleared his throat and threw an arm over the sparkling mare, she had to resist the instinct to buck him as he placed more than a gentlemanly amount of weight upon her as he addressed the large armored stallion.
"Got a proposition for you Golem, you plan on actually taking this mare all the way up to what's left of that city of glass?" the green stallion asked.
Goliath gave a confirming nod of his helmet before answering.
"It's what the mare wants Emerald Acid, She wishes to go home and I swore to her I would take her to whatever remains there, what she does after I take her there, It's up to her what she does afterward. I just know she has no chance of making it there alone, she's from the old Equestria, the wasteland will eat her alive. I don't want it on my conscious that someday I'd find her crystal bones one day if I don't help her."
Emerald Acid nodded his head and clucked his tongue as he thought to himself.
"How about you leave the mare here Golem, leave her with me and save her the trouble of being shattered so far from the comfort of others, I'll make sure she's well taken care of and always well fed."
Goliath shook his head and took a step forward.
"I made her a promise and I aim to stick to it, Until I see it for myself, I refuse to think of her as a trophy. That's exactly what you want her for Emerald, a trophy to parade around make a name for yourself. You only want her around because of the coat she wears, if there's a chance she's not alone, then it's worth the wait don't you think?"
Emerald Acid rolled his eyes as he laughed.
"Please Golem, I used my old trophies for target practice long ago, I want her for no different reason than any other stallion in the wastes. This wasteland has so few mares worth rutting anymore Golem, perhaps I can persuade you with first dibs, hmm?"
Goliath nickered and walked toward Cassandra.
The crystal mare felt a very real shiver of terror as the hulking male she had just begun to trust walked toward her at such a proposition. Cassandra closed her eyes and sunk submissively, she was surrounded and there was no pony who was going to save her from what was about to happen to her. As Goliath arrived at her side, she looked up at him pleading for mercy with all the heart she had.
Emerald Acid watched as Goliath nudged Cassandra's side to get her to move back as he stood between her and Emerald Acid.
"The only thing that breaks this mare is if she has to see how much she has indeed lost, it will be hard for her to bear, but she'll still have a freedom to choose what she wishes to do with the rest of her life." Goliath responded to Emerald's proposition.
Emerald Acid withdrew a peculiar looking weapon from his side and aimed it at Goliath's face.
"You know not even that AF-42D armor could save your ass if I wanted to take this mare from you by force."]/b] Emerald Acid spat.
Goliath stomped his hoof into the pavement with a thundering impact, cracking the pavement and sending a few carrion crows scattering in the distance.
]i]"The thick skull inside this heavy armor would last long enough to see to it you never touched her Emerald." Goliath droned emotionlessly.
The two shared a silence only a wildcard and a cloaked crusader could before Emerald laughed and shrugged.
[i0"I don't know Golem, maybe, just MAYBE you can actually get her all the way there in one piece with that thick skull. Just keep your horn North and your mind outta the gutter Golem, she doesn't look like she could support you very long should you choose to give into temptation. I want her brought back in one piece when you find her home in ruins. She deserves to live, she's much to rare to go to waste."
Goliath motioned for Cassandra to head back the way they came from, out of the camp as night was beginning to fall upon the scorched earth.
Once they were presumably out of earshot of the camp, Cassandra spoke up.
"I thought it was dangerous to be out at night Goliath, why are we out here at night?" Cassandra asked as she looked to the forlorn buildings around them, looking over twice as spooky in the fading light as they cast so many bizarre shadows.
"It is very dangerous to be out at night Cassandra." Goliath responded.
Cassandra frowned and looked at what was possibly her only protector in all of Equestria.
"Can I call you Golem, it's a name I'm more comfortable saying." Cassandra asked.
"Refer to me however you wish Cassandra, Think of me as imposing or dangerous, I only mean to protect you along this long journey."]/b] Goliath rumbled.
Cassandra nodded her head as she looked up at the blank sky above them.
"I know what those stallions were going to do to me..."
Goliath stopped where he was behind her.
"Do you think I intend to do the same to you Cassandra?" Goliath questioned
Cassandra set upon the crumbled road and curled her tail around her. Looking at the destruction around her again, taking in what had happened to all those ponies that once lived here. Her eyes eventually fell upon Goliath behind her, awaiting her response silently.
"If you did then I imagine you would have done so back there." Cassandra replied meekly.
Goliath stood and walked so he was right before her, standing over the mare as that emotionless helmet looked down at her.
"You are beauty beyond anything this world will ever see again Cassandra, but you spoke of a stallion in the Empire back at the camp, You're not just scared of what the world has become. I understand now what you meant when you spoke of not wanting to be alone in this world. I see now why you so wish to return home, but I implore you to consider that it has been at least 300 years since you last saw the light of day, Whoever the lucky stallion is, It's very unlikely he still lives." replied Goliath as he continued forward.
Cassandra set in the middle of a ruined street filled with rubble for a few long moments before slowly standing up and following the mysterious stallion she had come to know as Golem.
What she did not see however, was the shadowed figure following them from behind, keeping to the shadows and always keeping it's sights locked on that crystal mare.
. . .
The mind behind those eyes wished many things, none of them of good intention.
The sunshine gleamed off the brilliant spires of Canterlot Castle as another beautiful and peaceful day was already near it's zenith. Ponies filled the streets below and the sounds of conversation and economy filled the air with so much busy commotion.
Celestia beamed down at her beautiful kingdom from above, watching as her subjects went about their daily business. Celestia may very well have been the heart of Equestria herself, but all these wonderful ponies below, they were the very lifeblood of these lands, carrying her influence and teachings though all the lands. Were it not for her little ponies below, Equestria simply would not be.
A knock came from behind her as somepony began knocking upon the large doors that lead to her chambers.
Celestia took a moment to wonder whom could be visiting her right now, Twilight was off with her friends and family on a vacation in Hoofulu for a week and there were no scheduled appointments for at least an hour...
Celestia shrugged and opened the door with her magical aura, allowing the pony whom knocked entry.
"Your highness, I'm terribly sorry to bother you but I bring a matter of most importance." spoke Captain Cerulean Cobaltheart, a unicorn whom Celestia had promoted to captain at Shining Armor's suggestion before he left for the Crystal Empire to be with his wife.
"Please Cobalt, come speak with me then." Celestia replied in her ever pleasant and calm demeanor.
"Your highness, reports indicate the Gryphon Kingdom has been rebuilding ever since the visit from the element bearers." Cobalt spoke with gusto.
Celestia nodded her head and smiled warmly.
"So I am aware my dear captain, If I don't do something about those 6 girls soon, I'm likely to lose my position."
Cerulean Cobaltheart looked up at his princess with respect to her position while still looking aghast.
"Your highness, Mayne was attacked by gryphons earlier today, They report heavy casualties."
The magical grasp upon Celestia's intricate teacup wavered as it fell, landing upon the marble floor below, suddenly the air of peace she had been enjoying wasn't the only thing shattered.
"An... Attack you say? On Mayne? And by the Gryphons?" Celestia sputtered.
Cobalt nodded his head curtly.
"Forgive me for making you repeat yourself Captain, but did you say something about casualties?" Celestia questioned, not having used that last word in over a thousand years.
"Affirmative your highness, Mayne's central districts were pillaged of their goods and over half of the guard are reported missing there." Cobalt responded with an almost emotionless military tone.
"I see... See to it that a regiment is sent to aid those poor souls in Mayne captain." Celestia responded remorsefully.
Captain Cobalt bowed his head and turned to take his leave.
"Captain?" Celestia questioned.
Cobalt stopped and turned in place. "Yes your grace?"
"Please also see to it that the castle staff are made aware we're to have company." Celestia replied slowly.
Cobalt saluted his princess and left her quarters at once.
Celestia then used her magical aura to retrieve the shattered remains of her favorite teacup, bringing them together and after a quick blink of light, placing her flawless, albeit empty, teacup back upon her desk. The princess of the sun opened a drawer and removed two scrolls of blank paper as she refilled her teacup and set upon her favorite cushion. Celestia closed her eyes and unrolled both scrolls simultaneously and wrote two separate letters at once as she silently sipped her tea with closed eyes.
"Dear Princess Twilight,""Dear Princess Cadance,"
. . .
Upon a beaten trail Cassandra followed behind Goliath as they made their way out of Canterlot proper. Cassandra somewhat hoped to find that the damages she saw in Canterlot would have become less prevelant as they made their way into the countryside. While there was less to be destroyed out here, there was still clear evidence in the moonlight that immense damage would have been done to anything above ground out here as well.
There appeared to be the remains of a small town nestled down in a valley off in the southern distance.
Cassandra paused to get a better look at the distant town, it appeared to have been completely destroyed but it was still obvious there had been a town there at one time in the past.
Goliath stood next to her, taking in the view as well, he could tell she was curious about the scorched landmark in the valley.
"From what others have scavenged from it, we've come to know it was called Ponyville, a small hamlet just south of Canterlot where all the bearers of the "Elements of Harmony" once lived."
Goliath raised a hoof and pointed it toward the ruined village.
"One can still make out the ruins of "Friendship Castle" among the remains, it's lone surviving base retains a fraction of it's original glimmer amongst the scorched timber and masonry surronding it." Goliath spoke.
"Elements of Harmony..." Cassandra dug at the ashen ground with a hoof as her mind worked.
"I... I remember them coming to the Crystal Empire before, They were all young mares. They were summoned by Celestia herself to save our homeland from King Sombra's return." Cassandra recalled.
Goliath looked down at the mare next to him, still needing to remind himself that this mare was indeed alive to see Equestria in all it's glory, back before everything was brought to utter ruin.
"You saw them you say? Were they just ordinary mares?" Goliath questioned.
Cassandra looked back at Goliath and nodded her head.
"Yes, there was nothing really different about them, they looked like they could have still been in their later years of school, They just had this... aura about them... Like they were... magical beyond our own understanding of Equestrain magic, They truly were the embodiments of Harmony itself..." Cassandra spoke.
Goliath drew his vision across the horizon as he exhaled deeply.
"We should continue on Cassandra, We have a very long journey ahead of us and remaining stationary out in the open at night is unadvisable." spoke Goliath as he lead Cassandra North.
Goliath had decided they should follow what remained of the train tracks leading Northwest, It would make their journey much longer than heading directly North, but it was much safer to travel the tracks than travel through the open wilds of Equestria.
Once they arrived in the Unicorn Ranges, they should expect a rather safe journey from there on. Goliath's only concern past there was Galloping Gorge, a ravine full of hazzardous outcroppings and deadly drops. Goliath did have concern for his own saftey once they reached the Frozen North. Crystal ponies were rumored to be very hardy to the cold, so Cassandra's crystal pony body was likely to survive the North's icy weather far better than his own Canterlot born Unicorn body.
For a moment, Goliath actually considered heading East instead. Their trip would be almost cut in half, but the east rails would take them past Hallow Shades. Ponies from his camp had ventured out that way and did not return. Groups that had been sent out to locate their whereabouts came back scarred and broken shells of their former selves. Tales of malgimations of equine nightmares and visions of absolute terror, beasts beyond explination and an overall feeling of dread that soaked them to the bone for the rest of their natural lives.
So, Northwest it was.
. . .
Goliath knew they would not make this trip without some sort of complications along the way and he hoped against all the danger that awaited them along this journey, against all that, Hopefully he could keep this mare alive long enough to see her back home at least. Looking off to his left as he could barely make out the border of the massive Everfree, making a silent prayer that Everfree Wraiths did not venture out this far.
. . .
In the distance, a figure stirs from within the remains of a shack, not terribly far from the railway.
The moonlight reflects off a sinister grin as the figure watches the pair settle down for the evening though her high-powered scope. She would wait until that bucketheaded pain in the ass nods off for some shuteye, then she'll make her move.
Far-Eye scopes the surronding area, making her plans as she takes note of any and all places of hiding, any terrain that might give away her position, and most importantly, where that sparkly cunt decides to call it a night at.
It's little more than half an hour later and their little camp is silent, the fire is dying down and the amount of light around them is quickly fading. Far-Eye does another scan of the horizon and her immediate surrondings, can't have some random fauna interrupting a score that would change her life forever. This must be perfect, no mistakes and certainly no interruptions.
Far-Eye makes her way across the ground like a silent shadow, crossing the ground like the effortless wind. An onlooker might comment she was supprisingly silent for a lunatic.
Far-Eye made her way to the area where "Crystal Cunt" had went to sleep. She could not make out where her knight in crappy armor had gone. While asleep, Far-Eye knew well of him from years in close proximity, (and from attempting to steal from him on numerous occasions) even while he slept, his multiple implants kept guard. His augmented hearing would damn near hear a feather fall on the surface of water. His sense of smell was even augmented, Far-Eye took a moment to acess herself and realized soon after even the dead could probably smell her musky mix of overall filth and cloud of musk she was extruding from being around another mare.
Far-Eye steeled her nerves and tried to forget the fact that if for any reason Golem detected her and found her near this crystal mare, he could and likely WOULD tear her clean in two without a second thought.
Far-Eye approached the sleeping mare and marveled again at her shimmering coat, each slow and steady breath caused her beautiful pelt to rise and fall in the moonlight, causing the light to dance upon her with brilliance. Far-Eye began to wonder if she was warm and soft, or hard and cold. Just before her hoof reached out to touch her, Far-Eye collected her senses and halted such an action.
Emerald Acid would certainly give her plenty of time alone with this mare to figure that one out for herself, all good things come to a mare who waits.
Far-Eye nodded her head as she assured herself tomorrow was going to be a very good day and placed the barrel of her shotgun to the crystal cunt's head.
. . .
Cassandra had been having nightmares about Goliath escorting her all the way home, only to find everypony she knew and loved gone without a trace, a silent city of glass without a warmth to make it home, without a voice she could speak with.
Then everything switched and the city was in a completely destroyed state. All the beautiful shops, her own home and the entire palace all lay in ruins around her. Jagged razors of crystal had impaled so many ponies she had come to love and admire. The Crystal Heart lay on it's side, emitting a feeble light that pulsed like a slowing heartbeat.
Cassandra bore witniss to visions of such horror and visions of utter brutalisim, The Princess herself had been impaled upon a spire of crystal just inches out of reach of her dear prince, whimpering and screaming as she tore herself away from it, just so she could hold his already deceased figure one last time as her own body grew colder as the seconds passed her by.
Cassandra galloped over to her princess's side immediately in a panic.
"Your highness, is there anything I can do to help? What has happened to our home?" Cassandra exclaimed.
Princess Cadance looked up at her with tears in her eyes and made the best smile she could.
"Please... address me as Cadance... I do not know what happened... It happened so quickly... You must go Cassandra... I hear the sound of my dear citizens passing on, I can feel the Crystal Heart's magic fading as each precious light goes out..." the princess responded sadly.
Princess Cadance lay her head down on her dear Shining Armor's shoulder.
"The Empire will soon be no more without its citizens, preserve you own life and leave Cassandra, find a new home where you may continue to grow and live." Cadance intoned remorsefully.
Unable to stand the sight of the heart wrenching scene any more, Cassandra heeded her princess's advice and ran.
Cassandra ran without direction aimlessly, running this way and that, unknowingly running in circles before ending up right back where she started.
Cassandra felt as if her world was crashing down around her, the quiet whimpering behind her of the dying royal had stopped as the soft blue light of the Crystal Heart nearby faded into darkness.
When it seemed her world could get no darker, Cassandra heard his voice...
"Cassy... Dear... Please go back to Canterlot, please do NOT turn around my love..."
Cassandra felt her blood run colder than the ice particles slowly falling from the sky, her mind screamed at her to heed his words, but the prospect of hearing his voice caused her to do so anyways.
Emerald Light was before her, impaled like the rest of those whom she held dear. Still alive and speaking to her from his immobile prison.
"No, Sweetheart... I'm sorry... Please... Go back sweetie." Emerald struggled to say.
Cassandra went to touch his face when a stabbing pain rippled through her midsection. It would have been truly poetic if it the pain was only in her heart...
. . .
Cassandra awoke to the sight of something odd being pointed at her.
Her eyes followed the metal tube up to the grinning face behind it.
The mare holding the presumed weapon put a hoof to her mouth in a "shush" motion, then motioned for Cassandra to follow her. Cassandra's eyes ran wet for more than one reason as she shook her head in reffusal.
The mare with the weapon pointed at her again and made a motion to follow her, then the mare made another motion Cassandra understood. The mare ran a hoof across her throat and pointed her weapon right at Cassandra's head. Indicating this mare would kill her if she didn't do as she said.
"Please don't hurt me..." was all Cassandra got out before Goilath rose in the fraction of an instant.
Far-Eye reached out and took the mare by the throat, pressing her shotgun to Cassandra's skull.
"Make one step toward her and I swear to Faust Goliath, I'll plaster the countryside with her pretty little crystal brains!"
The hulking metal stallion stood in place silently as Cassandra gasped for air, this mare was not only crushing her windpipe, but smelled absoutely horrid.
"Release her Far-Eye, if you hurt her, there will be no place in all of Equestria where you can sleep peacefully, I WILL find you." Goliath spoke.
Far-Eye spat at him and forced the cold metal of her weapon into Cassandra's skull, meriting a whinny of pain from the crystal mare as Far-Eye grinned evily.
"I'm taking her back to Canterlot, Emerald will pay me a FORTUNE for her and I'll see to it she's well looked after." Far-Eye laughed as she gave the mare's cheek a lick.
Golem was at least 3 lengths from them and had no way of attacking Far-Eye before she could kill Cassandra. What bothered Golem more than anything else was knowing this mare would have no qualms with killing Cassandra if she needed to. Cassandra hadn't done anything to wrong Far-Eye, but that didn't matter to Far-Eye, to her this mare was just another prize to be stolen and sold off to the highest bidder, after she had her way with Cassandra of course.
Golem snorted and made a proposition.
"Far-Eye, I am taking this mare to her homeland, if it still exists, there will no doubt be many more of her kind there. You could follow us and start a new slaving buisness there and be known all over Equestria for what you could offer." Golem spoke, bluffing of course, intending to pop this nutjob of a mare's skull like a grape the first chance he got. His primary desire was to get Cassandra away from this highly unpredictable mare as quickly as possible.
Far-Eye seemed to contemplate it for a moment and then grinned in a way he'd never seen her grin before, it was absoutely terrifying, a mask of abhorrant insanity and evil.
"How about you go to Tartarus you lying Canterlot stallion sucker." Far-Eye droned as she pulled the trigger.
It all happened faster than Golem could react, her words came an instant after her expression changed. By the time his magic grasped the hilt of his sword,
It was already too late.
The report of the weapon deafened Golem's hearing as a red boquet of gore exploded from Cassandra's skull, her lifeless body dropping to the ground with a ghost of her scared expression still frozen on her sparkling face.
With one hammerfall, their journey had come to sudden and bloody end.
The green hills of rural Equestria whisked past the windows of the shimmering train as it made it's way toward Canterlot. The letter had come right as Shining Armor and Cadance were having lunch together. While she made no apparent reason for alarm or urgency, a summons from Celestia was a matter of upmost importance and Shining Armor needed not insist to his wife a second time before she departed from The Crystal Empire at once.
As the green hills rolled by, Cadance recalled her distant past from when she was no more than a simple filly in a small camp. How much her life had changed since then, never in all her young life did she ever think her present lifestyle could have been her future back then.
Empress of her own Empire of devoted and beautiful subjects, married to a stallion more loyal, loving and dependable then a mare could ever dream of, and most importantly, being a part of creating Equestria's bright future in a way no pony ever thinks they could.
She loved making others happy and finding the good in others, she gave a soft giggle as she realised how simple her desires seemed to her, yet how a wide affect they could have on an entire nation.
The train's pace slowed as it neared it's destination, coming to an unusually quiet stop compared to other trains of Equestria. One might attribute this to it being the new and shiny train of The Crystal Empire, but the truth rested in the fact the train was actually aincent, being created in a time before Sombra's rule, rumor was the crystal ponies gifted Princess Amore the train. It would seem whatever crystal the brakes had been made of had endured the ages AND Sombra's misuse of it for his own ends.
The curvy princess of crystal made her way from the train as a guard of merely two stallions trailed her eminence closely. While they were indeed well trained guards, Any princess of Equestria needed them more for errands and message delivering then actual protection. Any creature that dare attack a princess of Equestria fared a far greater threat then their dedicated and well trained guards.
Cadance was happy to see her most beloved filly to set for, now a grown mare and newly crowned princess of Equestria in attendance. The two shared their trademark childhood greeting, causing a snicker from the eldest of alicorns as Celestia warmly greeted them both and asked them to acompany her. Twilight and Cadance shared another hug before following Celestia to Luna's royal quarters.
"We thank you both for coming with such haste." greeted Luna as she turned to face them as Celestia led them inside a room of many dark hues.
"Please, maketh thou selves comfortable as you please, We have much to speak about and I wish thee both much comfort. My dwelling is at thou disposal dearest friends." Luna insisted as Celestia set upon a cushion set next to Luna.
Twilight and Cadance agreed to share Luna's bed as they made themselves comfortable as Luna had requested.
"Can I have the staff get either of you anything to drink or snack on before we begin?" Celestia questioned.
"Yes, your travels were long and came at a time most inconvinent, we insist thou takest up thy sister on her offer, we doth not mind crumbs in thy royal sheets." Luna replied, finishing with a laugh.
After a few moments, two glasses of fresh apple cider, two slices of Celestia's own royal cake, and an assortment of fruits were whisked up to Luna's quarters for the two visiting princess.
"Now that we are all contented and hospitiable, allow us to speak of matters most important." Luna spoke before continuing.
"Whilst we are most certain you both art well aware that the Gryphon Kingdom hath been rebuilding since the elements bearers made their journey to the land of Gryphons, I must speak of matters concerning the gryphons you art not aware of." Luna took only a moments pause before mentally steeling herself for what she said next.
"Earlier today, we received word that the settlement of Manye hath been attacked by none other than the Gryphons." Luna finished.
Twilight and Cadance both gasped at this and a barrage of questions quickly followed before Luna raised her hoof dismissively.
"We expected thou both would have many concerns and questions, exactly why thy sister and I invited thou both, so we might come to an agreement as to what we think should be done to deal with this pre-meditated attack on our precious soil." Luna commented as Twilight and Cadance stared at each other with worried expressions.
"I don't understand, we've have peace arrangements with the Gryphons for generations, Why would they attack us in such an unprovoked manner like this?" Cadance questioned.
"We do not yet know, there were no reports of hostility from our last contact with the royal court, nor from young Rainbow Dash and Miss Pinkie's mission there recently. We art as confused as thou must be Cadance."
"Why Mayne, why us Luna? We provoked no such action that would cause such a violent and harmful reaction." Twilight added.
At this, Celestia stood from her place and sighed.
"As much as my sister might disagree, I feel we need to meet this attack without seeking equal violence, sisters of Equestria. Peace has gotten us this far and we must think of Equestria's young and her generations yet to be born, All we've built up to this point has been under peaceful rule and that peace must continue to prevail." Celestia spoke.
"What thy sister doth not understand is there cometh a time when peace must be enforced with conflict, Were we not to protect our freedoms and lands then we art more oppressed then free! This attack was unprovoked and these Gryphons hath violated a peaceful treaty, an example MUST be made hastily or other nations might see us as weak and attack as well. Equestria MUST be strong if she is to survive." Luna barked as she shook the floor with a stomp to express her emotion as she spoke the word "MUST".
Cadance and Twilight shared another look at each other as they relized there was more to their visit than they could have ever imagined. Celestia merely watched as Luna stood before the two younger princess and stared at them.
"We ask what you both feel on such a subject, tell me, what doth thou think of this matter young Twilight? Doth thou feel we should roll over for these war hungry Gryphons? Allow them course to launch another attack upon our peaceful nation and end the lives of more our own kin?"]/b] Luna questioned the young alicorn.
Twilight shook her head as she took a deep breath.
"No, Their leader signed a legal document of promise to maintain peaceful relations though all matters of strife and hardship. Did you ever manage to contact the Gryphon King for clarification if he knew of this attack?" Twilight questioned.
Luna turned her attention back to her sister as Celestia already knew what Luna was about to say.
"Dear sister, just what WAS their fair king's response to such questioning?" Luna nearly purred.
Celestia didn't so much as blink as she replied.
"There was no such response to our questions, I feel my communications were ignored." Celestia responded.
Luna returned her attention to Twilight after Celestia had finished.
]i]"So, whilest still under oath to maintain peaceful relations, it would seem their good king hath ignored a royal qwery upon matters most severe. What wouldst thou think we should take these decisions of the Gryphons as, Peaceful benevolence, or warring of the wits?"
Twilight wasn't one to rush into a situation without thinking it out first, but Luna had a point. There was no excuse for this attack upon Mayne and an example had to be made if Equestria wished to maintain it's image of a respectful but powerful nation.
"I agree with Luna, They need to be brought up on the crimes they've comitted." answered Twilight.
Luna's attention fell upon the other princess whom had chosen to remain silent so far.
"What say you Cadenza? Doth thou think likest thine sister doth? Would it be in our best intentions to re-apply a peace that was not held up on their end to beginst with?"
Cadance stood from the lunar diarch's bed and consoled her dear aunt as she replied to Luna's questioning.
"I have spoken many a time with the king of the Gryphons, he does not seem the kind to lash out like this at a developed ally. While the Gryphons do tend to be violent and quick to anger, they value respect and honor over all else. Something both our nations have spent generations proving to one another. This attack makes no sense to me, something just seems very off about it all." Cadance responded.
Luna set next to Twilight as she stared at her sister from her luxirous lunar perch.
"It seems we art at an impass yet again dear sister, one feels I am right, while the other disgraces a proud empire with pointless promises of peace."
At this, Celestia's wings flared open, her scornful gaze was likely capable of effortlessly drilling through the alabaster of Luna's place of resting and falling upon their target with wrathful intent.
"You will not speak of my neice or the prospect of peace in such a disrespectful manner sister! I respect Twilight's decision as much as I do Cadance's... Do not belittle my precious ponies based upon their choices Luna." Celestia warned, her anger evident but kept in check.
"Celestia, You're like a mother to me, but this is how you protect ponies. Cadance, Sometimes we have to fight to preserve peace. You should know that running your own empire." Twilight remarked.
"There is more to being a leader than choosing when to make peace and when to pick fights Twilight, Celestia taught you better than that sweetie, I just want you to know I'm not mad at you Twily." Cadance replied as Celestia drew Cadance into a motherly embrace with her wing.
"So, art we at war or shall we donate thy sheets for our glorious white flag of submission?" Chortled Luna.
Celestia proceeded to plant her sister's face into the bed's mattress so forcefully that the lunar diarch bounced from the impact, launching the princess of Friendship into the air in the process, Celestia huffing out of her sister's room as the princess of the night landed back upon her bed before it too waved the white flag and collapsed to the floor.
]i]"War! What is it good for!?" exclaimed Celestia from outside in the hallway.
. . .
The moonlight shone from above as a wind rather unplesantly cold blew across the lands. Not too far off a Yellow throated Yarper, an avian native to the equis Valley, made it's drawn out call.
It was not this wind or bird however that sent a tremor across the land as a sizeable creature stirred, causing nearby wildlife to flee and scatter from the scene with haste.
Goliath stood amongst a slowly spreading ocean of warm, red, vicious liquid. The thought of what he was standing in should have mortified him, but his eyes were locked straight ahead of him, an ear involuntarly twitching as he focused intently. Cassandra's motionless form lie quietly nearby.
Goliath stood as if he were made of stone, his pulse hammered in his ears as his eyes scanned the horizon, enhanced vision and hearing combing the landscape for anything remotely hostile.
Beyond the now still winds, calling wildlife, nearby stream and the slow but steady pulse of the resting mare's heart nearby.
Something else had tripped his senses into full alert.
. . .
The wind carried a very familar smell.
. . .
Goliath sensed something beyond his explination, perhaps a sense developed from surviving years in this wasteland, perhaps further defined by a purpose, a living part of the past was relying completely upon his protection.
Goliath couldn't say what it was, but SOMETHING was certainly out there.
The mountain of a stallion made his way out the back of the shack without a sound, moving with fluid and precise purpose.
The winds continued to bring the foul scent of evil with them, so his well-honed mind established the odor was being brought from the Southeast, along with the wind, back in the direction of Canterlot, back where Goliath had last seen her...
She had followed them...
Goliath knew all too well how Far-Eye engaged in combat, from a cowardly distance, blowing the brains right out of her target before they even had the chance to consider they might be a target.
The shack Cassandra lie in would offer her next to no protection from the evil that lurked out amongst the darkness. Even with his enhanced senses, this was still all wrong, Cassandra and he would be dead long ago if that were Far-Eye's intentions. From their short introduction to each other, Goliath was left to believe Far-Eye intended to take the crystal mare alive, a fate worse than death likely awaited the innocent mare.
As Goliath continued to scan the horizon slowly, his mind continued to attempt to distract him with the unnerving reality of just what that wicked whorse likely had in mind.
Capture the crystal mare alive, run a shiv through my heart and drag Cassandra back to Canterlot, likely selling her off to Acid or Musky perhaps. From there, Acid and Musky would both sell her off to what remained of Equestria's "citizens", all would have their way with her and slowly but surely destroy the last breath Equestria gave.
Goliath suppressed an urge to blast the countryside with horn-fire, keeping his horn dark and silent as he continued to watch toward the Southeast. Two bushes had moved recently and in a most peciluar pattern, it could have been just another critter, but those don't typically move in a zig-zag pattern.
In a matter of miniutes, the disturbance had made itself known, though the amount of her stench in the air was unmistakable over half an hour ago.
Far-Eye crept across the land more like a snake than an equine, her direction heading straight for Cassandra, her senses alert and ever vigilant as she had obviously yet to spot the crystal mare's protector.
Goliath watched from a short distance away as Far-Eye approached Cassandra with dead silence. Goliath had to gave the whorse credit where it was due, she was silent death incarnate with a soul to match. Goliath's horn hummed with energy void of light as the winged assassin seemed to silently admire the crystal mare.
As Far-Eye put the bore of her shotgun to this cunt's head, she tried to think of something badflank to say,
"Looks like it's your time to shine."
"Your shiny ass is all mine."
"It's crystal clear I win."
"Don't make me shatter your ass."
At first she thought the process was leaving her breathless. It was when the mare attempted to take in a breath that she realised it wasn't her train of thought that left her breathless, she simply couldn't breathe.
Far-Eye was frozen in place as her throat was compressed viciously, instinct was to kick and flounder in some attempt to re-establish resperation, but her hooves merely kicked in the air, her wings plastered to her sides with agonizing force as she was now held aloft in a softly glowing magical aura.
Even with her mind cursing for air, she could still put two and two together and four eyes locked with each other in silence. Goliath stood in silence as his horn's aura now cast across his features, the light casting long shadows on his face as she drew near him. She didn't care how creepy he looked, when they came within close proximity, she would have spit or pissed on him if her body was able to do so.
Far-Eye could do nothing but glare at him as her lungs burned with fire only fresh air could hope to extinguish. As the moments ticked by like hours, Far-Eye began to believe Goliath was just going to stand there and watch her slowly die.
The world was starting to lose focus as Goliath's voice came though a lead wall.
"You deserve much worse than what you were going to submit that sweet mare to." Goliath spoke, his vision looking toward the crystal mare nearby, unaware of the invisable dome of magic around her, protecting her from the world and all it's noises.
Goliath's focus then returned to Far-Eye as he gave a smirk.
"Never before have I relished the thought or act of killing, but hearing that wicked heart of your's giving out brings me a sense of peace I've never felt before." Goliath looked straight into the eyes of the dying mare as he contemplated how the next few moments should go.
"I could just watch you slowly die right here like this." Goliath spoke, his arcane hold on her suddenly growing immense as her skeleton strained under the force placed upon it.
"Then again, I COULD just crush you like the cockroach you are Fritz." Goliath then gave the mare sour frown, his magical aura loosening it's hold upon her throat only as he drew her closer.
"Maybe I could get creative, what do you think hmm?" Goliath spoke, his eyes hiding no lies of his willingness to destroy her by any means necessary.
Far-Eye spat at him fully in the face, to which Goliath wiped the stringy, blood laiden mucus off his face calmly.
"Go on then you bucking stallion, rip me wide open from the rear! I don't give a damn, but don't let that Crystal cunt see what you really are! Wake up you stupid shiny whorse!" Far-Eye bellowed, blood streaming out the side of her muzzle as she saw the glimmer of magic around said mare, whom was still sleeping peacefully, unaware of anything that had happened, unaware how close she came to losing her life.
"Why my putrid lady, it seems I might have hurt you a bit." Goliath smirked as he motioned at her muzzle.
Far-Eye spat at him again, missing this time, due to her body's needs for air coming first.
"So who were you going to sell her off to? How much did they offer for this mare's life? What was her innocence worth to you?" Goliath questioned, his aura torquing and compressing her experimentally, seeing how far the mare's body could bend this way and that, compressing and stretching her limbs till his enhanced hearing picked up the sound of her tendons succumbing to the torture.
"Why do you ca..ahhh..re? Maybe I was just ...enh... going to rend her apart my ...mmmh... self hmm? You know i'm into mares Gol... Ow! I'm not you Faust damn play thing! ...engh... STOP IT YOU DAMN SADISTIC UNICORN!" Far-Eye spat, cringing though her punishment.
Goliath shrugged and ceased his torture upon her, confident he knew a fair deal more about how much punishment the equine muscular system could handle from this handy horn-on opportunity.
"Do me a favor and just kill me already pebble nuts, You might be getting your rocks off here but I'm already bored of this." Far-Eye coughed, feeling as if she'd just fought off a pack of Timberwolves with bare hooves.
Goliath checked the sleeping mare nearby once more, confiriming she was still very asleep. For a moment he wished he could see what beautiful dreams she might be having of an Equestria he would never know of.
"Your secret's safe flankhole... she sleeps deeper than I do, maybe you'll take advantage of that one night stalagmite dick?" Far-Eye smirked, genuinely not afraid of her coming demise, her only regret was not getting a piece of that mare, a bloody one preferably.
The pressure of Goliath's aura forced down around her neck again, her head feeling as if it were swelling as Faust knows what began to pop inside her neck.
"It's true, I DO wish to kill you, my instincts say it would be the best way to protect Cassandra from you, a better part of me thinks I should take you as a prisioner. Should any part of her Empire yet remain, allow them to decide your punishment for threatening one of their own." Goliath let his thoughts play war inside his mind as the mare's supply of oxygen in her bloodstream begain dropping below life sustaining levels.
Fear began to rear it's head in Far-Eye's mind as she felt something wrong in her neck, a lack of feeling creeping over her body as the vertebre in her windpipe began to crumple.
"I would never be able to take my eye off you however, you'd wait for that one opportunity to kill us both, you'd live for that one moment." Goliath finished, turning his attention back towards the sleeping mare.
"She's going to make it home, I'll give my life to see to that. Should it be gone as the rumors say, I will not abandon her. I swore an oath to her majesty and this mare is the last of her kingdom, so honor bound to her I am until I am dismissed or expire."
Goliath sighed as he looked into those closing bloodshot eyes of Far-Eye.
"I knew I had to be there first when the system of our stable registered a failure on caspule number 26. We'd already lost one, I reffused to allow Sweetie's death to be in vain." Goliath explained.
Far-Eye would have just spit at him again if her body still could, she merely hung limply in his magical aura.
Goliath used his aura to dig a shallow trench and laid the mare in the ground, burying all but her head in shallow dirt. A weak pulse still fed blood to her vitals, he would leave her fate in a higher power's hooves if she awoke from her sleep or not.
. . .
"I spared you only because I still remember the mare you one were Featherfall... Let Fritz Far-Eye never leave this place again, I don't regret whatever harm I caused you and I shall not regret crushing you should I ever see you again."
. . .
Goliath bowed his head and perhaps paid his last respects to the past memory before him, making his way back to their camp, fully confident the mare he'd just "buried" would not wake until mid-day tomorrow at the earliest, if ever again.
Goliath was admiring the stars above when Cassandra woke up in most rapid fashion.
Goliath tilted his head as he heard her awake with a start, given how her pulse had recently become elevated, he figured she was having a nightmare and would wake soon.
"NO!! Wha..What? I... Oh thank goodness..." Cassandra looked around sheepishly with wide eyes fresh with tears.
"Bad dream I assume?" Goliath replied, inviting her over to his side calmly.
"Uhm, yes actually... It was about that one mare from yesterday, the one who acted like she wanted under my tail..." Cassandra replied meekly.
Goliath raised a brow from within his helmet in surprise. "Really now? Did you have a nightmare about her horrid breath? I wouldn't be able to sleep for weeks after a nightmare like that."
Cassandra shook her head slowly, still wiping away a few tears.
"No, she put that weapon to... my head... I was terrified." Cassandra whispered.
Goliath was no longer watching the stars anymore at this point, only watching her in placid interest.
Cassandra closed her eyes and rested her head against his side.
"I don't think I've ever thanked you before, for just being here... I'm still so scared by everything, even you scare me sometimes Golem, but you're all I've seen I feel I can trust to any extent. Please don't leave me, I... Can I sleep a little bit longer?" Cassandra asked quietly.
Goliath nodded and gently wiped her tears away with the best cloth he had.
"Nothing will hurt you as long as I breathe Cassandra, no more nightmares now, you will need your sleep for tomorrow, we make our approach to dangerous territory tomorrow." Goliath responded as he returned to watching the stars.
Goliath felt the mare exhale and lay her head down, a soft voice from below spoke.