"Draven, stop!" Gin yelled at the stubborn dragon as he stormed down the long hallway of the arena's dungeon.

Draven said nothing, and his eyes narrowed; ignoring Gin and the others as he kept moving forward. After the events of Spike and Coba's fight, Sombra and Armandura were taken to the prison for questioning. Draven on the other hand was overflowing with anger. He had no intention of questioning.

"Draven, please stop!" Gin screamed as she grabbed his shoulder.

Draven batted her hand away and knocked on the prison door.

"For Celestia's sake Draven, try to think for a second!" Spike said as he blocked the door.

"Get out of my way." Draven's voice was cold and emotionless; full of hate.

"What do you plan on doing?" Twilight asked the enraged dragon.

Draven ignored Twilight, pushed Spike out of the way, and knocked on the door again. The metal slot in the cell door opened- a guard standing on the other side.

"We are in the middle of an interrogation, sir please-." The guard was cut off as Draven smashed his hand through the wooden door and opened it from the inside. "You can't be in here!"

Draven's eyes met with the guard as he raised his hand to his face; sparks shooting out of his clawed fingertips. "Get out."

The guard obeyed and raced out of the prison cell. Spike and the others entered the cell and faced Sombra; Armandura leaning up against the nearby stone wall behind the dark mage. Draven tossed the table separating them aside and grabbed Sombra; slamming him against the wall. Armandura did nothing and looked away.

Spike grasped his arm and tugged, but Draven did not budge. "Draven, put him-."

"Let him go." Sombra commanded the young dragon, and although reluctant, he did.

"I should kill you right now, you filthy piece of trash!" Draven shouted at the silent wizard.

"Then do it," Sombra said calmly. "I will not stop you."

"You wiped out my entire race!" Draven exploded.

"I know what I did," Sombra replied as he lowered his head in shame, "and I know it means nothing to you... but I think about it every day. I still hear the screams of those I slaughtered in my dreams to this day."

"You... you expect me to believe your shite!" Draven cried.

"No, but if you really want to kill me, I wanted you to know... that I am truly sorry for what I did." Sombra's remained calm as his eyes met Draven's. "Kill me if you wish, it is your choice."

"Draven, I know what he did to you, but killing him will not ease your pain." Twilight tried to calm Draven down. "I've seen this kind of hatred and violence before... it never ends well."

Draven closed his eyes tightly in frustration and let out a ferocious roar as he released a flash of lightning that demolished the stone wall adjacent to him. After venting his anger, he took a deep breath, and relaxed. Although a grim expression still remained plastered on his face as he lowered Sombra to the floor. With a huff, he backed up against the shattered door behind him and leaned against it; sarcastically inviting Twilight and the others with a wave of his hand, and signalling them to "go ahead".

"Why are you here?" Twilight wondered although she had many other questions racing through her mind. "More importantly, how are you even here?!"

"It is a long story, but I shall try to sum it up." Sombra continued as he sat down at his chair in the corner of the cell. "It all began two and a half years ago when I was vanquished at the hands of Princess Cadence. You remember, don't you?"

"Yes, but... we saw you get destroyed. Your entire body was obliterated!" Twilight recalled past memories of her adventures in the Crystal Empire.

"Yes, my physical body was destroyed," Sombra hinted, "but my spirit was intact."

"But, that's impossible. The Crystal Heart was said to wipe away all evil, and it failed to kill you?" Twilight was flummoxed by what she was hearing.

"Despite what you may think, no being is pure evil, Twilight Sparkle. On that day, my soul was infused with the positive energy of the Crystal Heart." Sombra explained. "I cannot explain my resurrection, however, but I awakened later on- somewhere in Everfree. I suffered amnesia, and I had no idea who or what I was. But in my dreams, I came in contact with the beings that salvaged my soul. They spoke of an ancient order, a sect of wizards that called themselves-."

"The Agents of Order?" Twilight made an educated guess.

"Yes." Sombra nodded. "They offered me a second chance and taught me their ways. I learned about my past little by little as time went on, and eventually... I remembered it all. The lives I took, the villages I burned, the darkness that clawed at my mind and took hold of me. That is when I promised myself, the friends I made, and the Agents of Order that I would never become that stallion again."

"Friends..." Draven scoffed under his breath as he looked down at the floor.

"And... who's this?" Spike pointed at Armandura, who looked away; trying to ignore their conversation.

Twilight crossed her arms and approached the masked stallion; reaching for his face-mask. However, Armandura grabbed her forearm and looked at her with troubled eyes.

"Are you sure you want to see this face?" Armandura warned Twilight as he grasped her wrist.

"I want to know..." Twilight said as she slowly removed Armandura's face mask.

She gasped, and Spike's eyes widened. Twilight dropped the mask and covered her mouth.

For a moment, she could see the handsome face of her brother. However, as he turned his head to face her, she saw his other half. His left side was terribly mangled and burnt. Strands of flesh were all that was left of his cheek, and his left eye was white... empty. Underneath his charred skin were blue glowing veins that stretched out past his neck like a hideous spider web.

"Your face..." Twilight attempted to touch Shining Armor's charred left-half, but he caught her hand once again.

"I am not the brother you know today..." Shining Armor grunted; a wheeze escaping the left side of his face as air passed through his torn lips.

"What do you mean?" Twilight was almost brought to tears seeing her brother so emotionless and scarred.

"I am not of this time." Shining Armor explained. "I am from Equestria, ten years in the future."

"That's... unbelievable." Twilight shook her head as she tried processing all that she was told.

"Yes, but your friend already knew that... correct Winslow?" Shining Armor asked the quiet stallion who stood next to Fluttershy by the door.

"Yes..." Winslow admitted after letting out a long sigh.

"What is he talking about Winslow?" Fluttershy looked up at Winslow with pleading eyes.

"My eye saw it in his first fight..." Winslow said. "A temporal disruption."

"Why are you in this time-period?" Twilight asked the scarred stallion.

"In my time, Leere had lost the war. All was well in Equestria." Shining Armor grunted. "However, one day... something went terribly, terribly wrong. Something changed the course of history, something that wasn't there before. The world started to collapse around us, and soon... all of Equestria was burning. I had to go back to fix it, so the Twilight of my time narrowed down where the anomaly originated from and sent me back in time."

"How long have you been here?" Twilight wondered; tilting her head to the side.

"Around a year." Shining Armor answered. "You sent me back a year earlier to identify the threat and prepare the ponies of this altered timeline."

"And have you found this 'threat'?" Gin asked.

"No, I've yet to find out who or what caused the distortion in the timeline... but I think I have a good idea." Shining Armor continued. "Constantine. He was not in my time period's records, and I don't think he belongs here. He belongs... somewhere else, but I don't know where he came from. His presence has altered the flow of time."

"Yes, it is odd..." Draven joined in the conversation; having calmed down enough to organize his thoughts. "While he has for many years, it seems as if the stallion appeared out of thin air."

"Precisely." Shining Armor added.

"But why did you join the tournament?" Twilight inquired. "Do you even represent the Crystal Empire?"

"Yes," Sombra interjected as he rose from his chair. "Me and Shining Armor have been working together for the past year now. We were recruited by Princess Cadence herself as the first members of her espionage agency, The Black Crystal. Our mission is simple. We seek out and destroy dark powers that threaten the safety of our future, anything tied to Leere in some way."

"Does my brother... here, know about you?" Twilight asked the scarred Shining Armor.

"No, Princess Cadence has kept our identities a secret from the public, and Celestia and Luna as well," Sombra answered for the Shining Armor, as the burned stallion rested his head against the wall once again. "We were tasked with joining the tournament and identifying the one who would defeat Haki."

"And who is this 'chosen one'?" Draven said with a hint of rudeness in his voice.

"I think you already know..." Sombra said as he looked towards Spike.

"Me?" Spike thought Sombra was insane. "Why is it always me? What is so special about me?"

"I do not know for sure, but for whatever reason... someone up there has taken a liking to you," Sombra said calmly as he pointed at the sky. "There's something about you Spike, I saw it when I looked into your soul. Something mysterious and ancient that you've yet to discover."

"But I still don't understand. Why did you go easy on us?" Spike asked; still extremely confused.

"To see if you were ready, and you passed. You have the potential to be the most powerful Lord-Dragon in generations. However, you have not attained this level of power yet." Sombra continued as he placed his hand on Spike's shoulder. "You have won by default, due to our arrest. This means you and Coba are the winners, and they will announce it soon."

"And what will happen to you two?" Twilight said as she looked at her brother.

"Princess Cadence shall have us freed soon once I contact her." Shining Armor answered. "We will then go back into hiding until we are needed."

"So that's it? You're just going to roam free after she frees you two?" Draven grunted as he looked down at Sombra.

"No, there is still much work to be done. I am sworn to keep the world in balance, and that I what I shall do." Sombra replied as he stood up. "You may not forgive me now, but I promise... one day I will make up for the things I did to you."

"I think I heard the announcer." Draven sighed and walked out the door, with Gin following not far behind. "Let's get going."

All but Twilight and Spike left the room, as they still had so many questions that needed answers. Twilight tried asking first, but the words seemed to fall out of her mouth as she turned to Shining Armor. Her question was a sensitive topic.

"Shining Armor... what happened to Cadence, and the other me?" Twilight said in an ever so soft tone of voice.

Shining Armor said nothing, and simply lowered his head; staring at the floor. Realizing she had crossed a line, Twilight tried to ease the situation.

"I'm so sorry..." Twilight sympathized with the poor stallion who hung his head in sadness. "I should go. Come on Spike..."

"Hold up. I have one more question... for Sombra." Spike requested as he grabbed Twilight's arm. "If it's okay."

"Go ahead..." Twilight said as she choked back a few tears. "I'll be outside."

Spike turned to face Sombra. "All those memories... those visions... how did you deal with them?"

Sombra said nothing and pulled a ring from his middle finger; raising it up to Spike's face. "I had someone to face them with me."

****

"Ladies and gentlecolts! I am pleased to announce the winners of our tournament!" The announcer shouted with joy as he pointed to Coba and Spike, who sat in the pit. "The Equestrians- Coba and Spike!"

Twilight, the King of Wantthai, and the others watched as the champions walked to the center of the arena. Spike was still uneasy about what was in store for him as he walked down the purple carpet laid down that lead to the center. Coba followed, and watched his father, then looked to his brother who was with the headdress in the center.

"Now, as per tradition... the victors must choose their roles. Shaman, or warrior?" The announcer asked the crowd.

"What is he talking about?" Fluttershy asked Winslow.

"It is symbolic. Haki had two brothers- a warrior, and a shaman. The warrior went off to fight his sister whilst the shaman stayed behind and protected the kingdom. They must decide amongst themselves." Winslow replied as he pointed at Coba and Spike.

"What will you choose, champions?" Wantinga asked Spike and his brother.

"I will be the shaman, you must be the warrior," Coba whispered to Spike.

"What? You actually believe what Sombra said, I told you I'm not a warrior.-" Spike was cut off by Coba, who raised his hand to silence him.

"You are a lot stronger than I am, you must be the warrior," Coba demanded the confused dragon.

"Okay..." Spike said nervously as he turned to Wantinga."I will be the warrior?"

"Very well." Wantinga smiled as he placed the headdress on Spike, then turned around to face the audience. "I present to you, your champions! The Shaman- Coba, and The Warrior-."

"Help! Someone! Help!" A voice cried out in the distance.

The arena remained silent as everyone tried honing in on the source of the cry. The screams grew louder and louder as a young and frightened stallion make his way into the arena; approaching Prince Wantinga, and kneeling.

"You dare interrupt the tournament? This is sacred ground you stand on!" Wantinga was appalled by the audacity of the terrified soldier. "Explain your actions!"

"I am sorry, your majesty... but an enemy approaches! The Changelings are marching towards us!" The scout cried. "We are under attack!"

"It's happening... too soon," Winslow muttered.

"My word..." Wantinga uttered in disbelief. "We must stop the tournament! Soldiers with me! We are under attack! We must protect the city!"

"Wantinga, what is going on?" Coba asked his panicked brother.

"The Changelings are approaching, we have little time to prepare for the attack! We must go, now!" Wantinga informed the champions, then turned to the audience. "Citizens, follow my soldiers! They will escort you to shelters underground!"

The civilians scrambled to the lower levels of the arena in a way best described as an ordered chaos. They ran in single file to the courtyard outside, as did soldiers who accompanied them. Coba and Spike followed Wantinga, who told them to follow.

"We have to get going!" Draven ordered Twilight and the others. "We have to protect the city as well! Winslow, Gin! You two come with me! We'll find Spike and Coba!"

"What about Fluttershy and I?" Twilight asked with great urgency in her voice. "We can help too!"

"No, you are a princess, and Fluttershy is not fit to fight," Draven commanded the determined alicorn. "The Changeling soldiers will kill you first if you go out and help. You are a prime target."

Realizing his point was more than valid Twilight sighed, and aided the king to his feet. "Alright, but if things get hairy, I will help... whether you like it or not."

"Fair enough..." Draven smiled; admiring the princess' determination. "C'mon crew, let's get going."

"Where are we going... exactly?" Gin asked Draven as she followed him down the nearby staircase leading into the main courtyard of the arena.

"When this place isn't an arena, it functions as the Wantthai military base of operations. Now let's go, we have to win this battle before Haki challenges the victor. I'd rather not face two evils at once tonight!" Draven said with a gritty expression as he ran down the spiral staircase with his crew.

Author's Notes:

The battle for the Wantthai begins! As always I hope you enjoyed! See you in the next chapter!