Shining Armor thrashed against phantom hordes as the last bit of power in the Fear and Dread runes faded away. His horror induced hallucinations slowly receded and he snapped back to reality. He was lying in a cold sweat against the hard floor with his heart beating a mile a minute against his ribcage. His clothes were torn to shreds and his limbs were bruised and bloodied. The pain he had felt while being mauled by his mental monsters had been real but self-inflicted. The unicorn quickly tried to convince himself that the rest was just in his head.

“It wasn't real.” He reassured himself, trying to get his nerves under control by breathing in and out slowly like Cadenza had showed him. “You didn't kill Twily, Canterlot is not a smoldering ruin, and you’re not the father of a bunch of bugs. I hope.”

The Prince-Regent triple checked his surroundings to make sure his ordeal was well and truly over. There were no familiar zombies, no ancient ghosts, and no amorous changelings. The guards had unfortunately perished in their blind panic, leaving just him and Cadenza in the chamber.

“Cadence!” Armor exclaimed as he saw his prone wife.

She had been at the epicenter of the blast and, if what he had experienced was any indication, been subjected to the worst of the nightmares. The Alicorn was currently curled up in a ball, trembling like a leaf in a gale. Her husband cautiously approached, wary of starling the powerful mare.

“Cadence?” He said gently.

The stallion got no response. The Alicorn just murmured something about a tatzlwurm and invasive tentacles.

“Mi Amore Cadenza?” He said louder.

The Princess of Love looked behind her at Armor. The color had drained from her face and tears streamed down her cheeks. A look of relief crossed her distressed features.

“Shiny!” She cried.

Cadenza scrambled to her hooves and wrapped her fore legs around Armor in a bone crushing hug. He returned the gesture as best he could. They stayed locked in each other’s embrace, finding solace in each other’s company. In time, the Crystal Princess released the Prince-Regent. She had stopped shaking but the tears still flowed.

“You died right in front of me.” She said between sobs. “Turned to ash before my eyes.”

“Shh. I’m right here, alive and well.” He said comfortingly as he tore a strip of cloth from his ruined uniform and dabbed at her eyes.

She gave him a thankful and loving smile. She nuzzled up against his chest, letting his soft fur and warm body convince her that he was real. Armor cradled her head in his hooves and gently stroked her mane.

“I don’t want to even imagine what she went through.” He thought sympathetically. “She was right at the epicenter along with-“

“The Heart!” Cadenza exclaimed once she had calmed down.

Both ponies looked at the now vacant pedestal.

“Gone.” Armor said with an edge of anger in his voice. “Taken right under our noses.”

“And with enemies at the gates.” Cadenza added with a frown. “That confirms it; we have a spy among us.”

“An efficient and effective one at that.” The Solar Guard veteran had to admit he was impressed. "I'll be sure to complement him before I toss him into the darkest dungeon we have!"

“We will have to worry about that later.” The Princess shared her husband's outrage but there were bigger problems knocking at their door. "Without the Heart, what do we do now?"

“Can you create a shield like the one when the empire first returned?” Armor ventured.

The Alicorn of Love closed her eyes and focused. Armor watched hopefully as her horn glowed softly. Cadenza gritted her teeth as she attempted to summon the proper magic only for her horn to spark once then fail. She gasped and lost her balance. Armor caught her as she almost passed out from the exertion.

“I can’t.” She panted. “That curse took too much out of me; there is still too much fear in the air.”

Her husband held her until she could stand on her own.

“Let me try.” The expert in barrier spells said.

“Really should have tried first, dumbass.” He mentally slapped himself.

He knew he was able to create and maintain a shield at least the size of Canterlot but the Crystal City was considerably larger. He tried to bring up on of his patented shields but unlike Cadenza, he could not even get his horn to glow. He just felt a familiar numbness. It was the same feeling he got when Sombra encased his horn in black crystals.

“Anti-magic.” Armor realized. “How the Hell did they learn anti-magic of this caliber?”

The warhorse part of his mind was honestly impressed that the saboteur had not only managed to abscond with the Heart, but managed to drain both him and an Alicorn. He just hoped the malignant effect was temporary.

“Now what?” Cadenza asked.

The Solar Guard veteran stared at the pedestal and the insidious runes carved in them as the gears in his head churned out a plan C. It clicked. They really only had one choice.

“We adapt and overcome. They haven’t beaten us yet.” He said finally. “We still have a company of the best Canterlot can offer and a city’s worth of Crystal Guards. Not to mention ‘The Walls’.”

“We need to rally our ponies first.” The pink Alicorn interjected. “I don’t think we were the only ones affected by that blast.”

“Right, of course.” Her husband agreed.

With a goal in mind, the two left the chamber and entered the quite halls. As Cadenza had predicted, the blast that had sent her and Armor into an abyss of terror had also engulfed the rest of the empire. The emergency efforts had stalled and the ponies were in disarray. What’s worse, there had been fatalities beyond the chamber guards from frenzied equines attacking each or themselves.

“This is horrible.” The Crystal Princess said as she helped a whimpering crystal pony to his hooves. “Who or what could have done this?”

“I have no idea.” Armor responded angrily. “They’re probably long gone by now, sharing a laugh with those barbarians outside.”

Armor briefly wondered if another one of Sombra's contingency plans had awoken of if the Lurker had dug itself out of its tomb. He ultimately decided that he was dwelling too much on the spy. They had already lost that battle but they still had a war to fight. Together, he and Cadenza made their way to the ground level of the palace, helping anypony they came across get over the shock of the terror wave. Just the sight of their rulers was enough for some to regain their courage. In time, they had made it outside to find almost the entire city in a mess. A few guards were trying to restore order but they were the minority.

“At least the invaders have slowed down.” Armor noticed beyond the outskirts of the city. “The blast must have affected them as well; made them more cautious. Good. That'll give must a bit more time”

“Everypony!" He shouted. "Listen up!”

Those closest to him gave him their attention but the vast majority continued to mill about aimlessly.

“ATTENTION!” Cadenza thundered in an impressive Royal Canterlot Voice.

Everypony immediately stopped and looked to the royal couple.

“Your Prince wants to speak.” The Princess finished in her normal tone.

“Thank you, dear.” Armor grimaced as the ringing in his ears subsided.

“Citizens of the Crystal Empire, take heed!” The unicorn began in an authoritative tone. “As I’m sure you are all well aware, we are surrounded by foes who want nothing more than to conquer this city.”

Conspiratorial murmurs and whispers of speculation rippled through the crowd. Cadenza made as if to shout again and they instantly fell silent. Armor knew he had to address the elephant in the room sooner rather than later, he just needed to make sure he worded it correctly.

“So what have they done?" He asked rhetorically. "They struck the coward’s blow! Rather than face us on the battlefield, they used lies and deception to strike at the very Heart of our fair city!”

He was being vague to cover up the fact he still did not know just how the saboteur bypassed their defenses. Addressing the incident seemed to work on the civilians but the hard looks he was getting from the guards told him otherwise.

“Yes, they used fear as a weapon. Why? Because they fear us!” Armor continued. “They fear the strength of our harmony; the power we gain from each other. They know that together, we are invincible! So they used trickery in hopes of breaking us!”

Angry whinnying and the stamping of hooves answered this statement. They seemed outraged by the mere notion that a single dirty trick could bring them low. Armor could tell that their previous fear and confusion was all but banished, he just needed to seal the deal.

“Are we going to let them?” He asked. “Are we just going to roll over and admit defeat just because of a little bad hoodoo?”

“No!” The crowd responded enthusiastically.

“That’s what I wanted to hear!” The stallion said proudly. “Now let’s show those barbarians that this is not an empire of helpless weaklings!”

With a determined cheer, the newly invigorated crowd dispersed to go about their duties. Cadenza trotted up alongside Armor and patted him on the back.

“I hate giving speeches.” The Prince-Regent grumbled.

“You did wonderfully, Shiny.” She complemented. “You inspired them.”

“Maybe, but it’ll take a lot more than words to defend the city.” He sighed knowingly.

“You saw Canterlot through the Changeling Invasion." His wife reminded him. "What’s a bunch of brutes with toys compared to that?”

Armor chuckled. Cadenza always had a knack for boosting his spirits. He draped a fore leg over her back and hugged her.

“I appreciate that.” He said affectionately. “Still, just to be safe, I’d like for you to remain in the palace. It’s our last bastion should the city fall.”

“I’m an Alicorn, Shiny.” The Princess of Love huffed indignantly. “I may not be Luna but I can handle myself.”

“I know, I know.” Armor said quickly. “But our subjects are not.”

The meaning of her husband’s words clicked in the Crystal Princess’s mind. As much as she despised the ‘helpless damsel in the tower’ shtick, she would be needed within the palace. The civilians would need somepony to safeguard them. She nodded in understanding.

“Alright.” She said. “I’ll send for help from Canterlot, too.”

“Is your magic coming back?” The Solar Guard veteran asked hopefully.

“A little.” The Alicorn lit up her horn to show him. “Not enough to shield the city.”

“Don’t strain yourself.” Armor warned. “I’ll send a few guards to help you out.”

Cadenza smiled gave him one last hug before they departed.

“Stay safe.” She said as her horn glowed softly. “I love you.”

She then kissed him. He felt an invigorating sensation spread from his lips to the rest of his body. It was faint but he could swear he felt a bit of her magic flow into him.

“You too.” He smiled. “We’ll get through this, I promise.”

With that, the two parted ways. Under the direction of the royal couple, the Solar and Crystal Guards made good use of the time before the invading army’s siege engines got within range. Plazas and intersections were fortified with the Crystal Palace set up as their last stronghold. The civilians were escorted to the keep along with enough food and water to last for months. Soon, the only ponies left in the main city were guards and a few militia volunteers. As the Prince-Regent looked out over his city, he felt hope that they may just stave off the coming tide if only long enough for Canterlot to send aid. He turned to face the pedestal underneath the archways of the palace. While it had been used to display the heart, it also served a more practical purpose. It just required a bit of magic and a solid stamp. The unicorn was about to charge up when he stopped himself. He closely inspected the unassuming pillar of marble.

“With the barbarians at the gates, I missed the snake in the…snow.” He thought as he scanned for any tampering. “I don’t intend to get bit twice.”

The column appeared normal. Ready to back out at any sign of trouble, the white unicorn charged up a spell and reared back. He balanced on his hind legs for a few moments as the magic in his horn traveled down his body and gathered at his front hooves. Gritting his teeth, he slammed his charged hooves down on top of the pristine pedestal. His magic discharged into the pillar as it sank down into the courtyard with a dull boom. Immediately, the stallion could hear the muffled sounds of ancient crystals sliding past each other beneath the city. The ground began to rumble as crystalline spires emerged from their underground warrens at the tips of the city’s snowflake layout. Aided by magic, the towers reached into the overcast sky and loomed over all other building in the empire save the palace. After another round of tremors, walls split the earth and rose up alongside the towers. With a harsh grind of crystal on crystal, the last wall slid into place and surrounded the besieged metropolis. The intimidating fortifications stood in stark contrast to the pristine homesteads and markets of the city. With its spiked ramparts, looming towers, and numerous murder holes, the whole thing seemed to serve less to keep invaders out than to keep slaves in. This observation was not lost on the Equestrian stallion.

“I hate that I have to use something designed by Sombra’s evil ilk.” Armor thought as his troops took up positions along with their counter-siege equipment on and in the newly constructed walls. “But we need every advantage we can get.”

“Sir?” A unicorn guard levitating a large locker caught his attention. “Princess Cadenza sent this down for you. She thought you might need it.”

The guard set down the box with a heavy thud that caused a metal clattering from within. Armor knew exactly what was inside. Inserting his horn into the lock that bore the same shield and stars icon as his cutie mark, he unlocked the case and opened it. Inside was his old captain’s armor.

“Good on you, Cadence.” The Solar Guard veteran complimented as he lifted out the sturdy tyrian purple and gold armor.

The blue-maned stallion shed what remained of his ruined uniform and, with the other unicorn’s assistance, donned the suit of armor. As he slipped the crested helmet over his ears, a winded pegasus touched down nearby.

“Captain, er, your highness.” She saluted. “Our scouts have completed their fly over and we’ve learned more about our uninvited guests.”

“Well done.” The officer congratulated with a nod as he trotted out from under the palace, heading for the walls. “Tell me what you know.”

“They are very well equipped." The guard mare reported. "Military grade arms and armor for the most part.”

“They must have raided some armories.” The white unicorn mused. “That explains what happenedd to those forts we lost contact with. Damn blizzards.”

“They’re also diverse." The pegasus continued. "Bull minotaurs, diamond dogs from the South and North, war-hawk griffons, and ponies of all types…including crystal.”

“Press ganged into the horde, no doubt.” Armor though bitterly as he and the two other guards made their way to the walls to oversee the horde’s progress. “Still, I bet one of those traitors is responsible for sabotaging the Crystal Heart.”

“There’s one more thing, sir.” The pegasus said, regaining his attention. “They march under the banner of the Marked Legions.”

The Solar Guard veteran stopped dead in his tracks. He knew that name well. It was taught to all of the cadets at the academy as a lesson in horde tactics and what to do if faced with an enemy who used them.

“Quality versus quantity.” He recalled. “But the Legions were supposed to have been destroyed. So perhaps…”

“Copycats?” Armor asked hopefully as they climbed up a set of stairs leading to the battlements. "It's not unheard off for thugs to adopt infamous names to intimidate their victims."

“Possibly; hopefully.” The scout said in a tone that suggested she really wanted the Legions to be impostors. “They certainly have the look.”

Now on top of the ramparts, the mare handed a spyglass to her commanding officer and pointed in the general direction of what she was talking about. A diverse yet surly looking horde greeted Armor. He could pick out officers barking out orders and troops moving to and fro to operate the intimidating trebuchets. Banners bearing the tell-tale ‘dragon scratches’ stood tall amongst the invaders, likely rallying points.

“Impostors or not, these are no base foes.” The Prince-Regent said flatly. “They got the numbers and equipment to back up that legion claim.”

“Begging your pardon, sir.” A crystal pony stationed on the wall cut in. “But I thought Princess Celestia toasted the Marked Legions.”

“Those reports appear to have been greatly exaggerated.” Armor said as he thought of the growing list of foes the Solar Alicorn had defeated only to return later. “There was no way to account for all of them.”

Peeking through the spy glass again, the armored captain saw the trebuchets launch their payload. A fair number were aimed at his section of the wall.

“Incoming!” He shouted.

The defenders along the wall braced themselves for the hail of projectiles. To their relief and some amusement, almost all of them fell short. Rounded stones impacted the ground a few feet away from the wall, the closest only managing to roll into it. It did not even leave a scratch. A few chuckles ran through the ponies on the wall at the pathetic display but Armor knew better.

“They’re finding their range!” He shouted. “Be ready when they do.”

Just as he said, the legions reloaded their siege weapons and unleashed another volley of stones. Unlike last time, these were more accurate. A few still fell short and some overshot the walls and crashed down on a few empty buildings. Most of them hit the walls themselves, each impact sending shocks through the defenders. Fortunately, the walls held; only sustaining superficial damage.

“It’ll be a hard pounding, gentleponies.” Armor said in as calm a voice he could muster. “We’ll see who gives in first.”

“Heads up!” A guard shouted.

A late released stone was arching down right on top of them. Thinking fast, Armor wrapped the projectile in a telekinetic field. He strained against the momentum of the stone but managed to bring it to a stop just before it turned him to paste. He glared at the heavy rock floating in front of him. Some cheeky legionnaire had carved ‘Hello’ and a smiley face on it.

“Very funny.” The prince-regent thought sarcastically as he rolled the stone aside. “Least my magic is back.”

---

Max watched as the last stone fell to the ground through a stolen telescope with a frown. If that unicorn had not caught it, it would have been dead on the mark but at least the other siege workers now had a range to go by.

“You think they got your message?” Stone Skin called out from below her.

“Probably.” She answered. “It was right on top of the wall so don’t adjust anything and we’ll hit it again.”

The big minotaur nodded and sent his trebuchet’s configuration down the line as Fleabag and a few other legionaries helped him reload. When the next rock was ready, they waited for their fellows to finish preparing their engines and the order to fire from the legion captain assigned to the artillery.

“Ready, release!” He shouted, bringing his hoof down for emphasis.

Stone’s engine fired first and, like a cascade, the ring of trebuchets unleashed another hail of projectiles with a whoosh of air. The spotters tracked their trajectory as they fell upon the walls. A few were caught or deflected by unicorns and some smacked harmlessly against the walls. Some, however, found their mark and reduced the unfortunate defenders caught beneath them to red smears. They now had their targets zeroed in.

“Bullseye!” Max chirped victoriously. “No offence to you, Stony.”

“None taken.” The bull grunted as a pair of crystal ponies and a unicorn approached them, pulling a covered cart of large crystals.

Despite the size of the stones, they did not pack enough of a punch to do more than chip off parts of the wall. They really only served as range finders. The crystals, meanwhile, were another matter. According to Sombra and confirmed by the turncoat crystal ponies, the natural formations for which the empire got its name could retain any type magic like batteries. The current regime used them as a light source. The legions had more militant use in mind.

“I thought all da unicorns were busy with dat mail-blocka magik.” Fleabag asked the unicorn as he and Stone carefully unloaded the evil-looking crystals.

“The masters are.” The novice mage said with a hint of resentment. “The rest of us are stuck with menial tasks.”

“I wouldn’t call helping us blow stuff up ‘menial’.” Max bristled at the unicorn’s attitude.

The mage turned up his nose at the griffon with a dismissive humph. Stone loaded the crystal into the sling of the trebuchet and gestured for the unicorn to do his stuff. He tapped his horn against the shiny gem and channeled a low powered offensive spell into it. The crystal began to glow an angry red. Once bolts of energy began cracking off it, the mage backed off and urged Stone to fire.

“Now, now!” Stone shouted to an inattentive Fleabag.

The diamond dog pulled on the release lever and the siege weapon fired its payload. The operators watched it sail through the air, trailing a red tracer like an angry comet. As it neared the walls, a few defenders tried to catch it like they had the rocks. Unfortunately for them, the crystal actually absorbed the magic shot at it. Combined with the magic already within it, the gem overloaded and exploded. Meter long shards of superheated crystal cut the defenders to ribbons and tore huge gashed in the wall.

“Woof! Oi felt dat from ‘ere!” The impressed Fleabag barked. "A propa boom, dat was."

“I’ll admit it’s spectacular in a violent sort of way.” The unicorn said. “But there are-“

He was cut off by a nearby explosion. A careless unicorn had overcharged one of the crystals and blew apart the trebuchet and the legionaries operating it. Those not killed instantly writhed on the ground with missing limbs and jagged bits of gem sticking out of them like pincushions.

“…risks.” The unicorn finished.

Learning their lesson from the unfortunate siege crew, the remaining operators meticulously loaded, charged, and fired the volatile ammo. The air was filled with red contrails as the legions created a rhythm of destruction that hammered the defenders of the Crystal Empire. Soon the ancient fortifications became pot marked and crimson stained from both artillery shrapnel and the blood of the defenders. Yet they still stood. For all their destructive power, the explosive crystals could only soften the empires lines rather than break them entirely. To that end, Dugore signaled for the rams, ladders and their escorts to advance under the cover of artillery.

“I’m up.” Max said excitedly as she took to the air. “I’ll try to leave some for you boys.”

She flew off before they could respond. As she flew low over the heads of the legions, she was joined by other griffons and pegasi. They linked up with the ram teams and circled above them in wait for the inevitable strike from the pegasi of the empire. Sure enough, once the rams were half-way across the empty field between the legion lines and the walls, the familiar shapes of armored Solar Guard pegasi appeared from behind the wall.

“Here they come!” A legion flight leader called out. "Keep them off the rams!"

The imperials flew in formation toward them. As they drew closer, Max noticed that some of them flew slower than others, as if weighed down by something. She did not have time to dwell on it when the unencumbered pegasi speed toward them in attack formation. The two air forces clashed in midair, the once elegant formations devolving into individual duels. Max tangled with an armored pegasus, trying to both avoid his bladed hooves and wings while looking for a weak spot to sink her talons into. She found one: a joint at the base of the wing to allow the winged horses to fly in their armor. The griffoness ducked a swing at her neck and slashed at the weak spot. The guard must have realized what she was trying to do and juked hard to his left, causing her swing at empty air. Her opponent took advantage of her miss and slammed an armored hoof into her side. Her own armor cushioned the blow but not enough to save her ribs from a bruising.

“Gah! Prick!” She squawked painfully.

She adjusted her position and kicked out with her lion legs. She caught the guard in the chest and sent him back flipping away from her. By the worst luck imaginable, he reoriented himself directly in the path of an incoming crystal. He disappeared in a streak of crimson as the projectile took him along to an explosive end against the wall.

“I guess that counts as one.” Max guessed as she scratched a tally into the metal of her arm guard.

On the ground, the ram teams had learned the hard way that the legions were not the only ones with the idea to weaponize the crystals. With their escorts tied up with the imperial fighters, they were vulnerable to the pegasi carrying satchels filled with charged gems. They would dive on the slow and cumbersome rams and drop their bombs with devastating effect. The ladders fared better due to their comparatively faster speed and agility. The only reprieve both teams got was from the fact that the pegasi could only bomb them once before having to return to the walls to reload. That respite mattered little as the surviving legionaries rolled into range of the defenders on the walls. Despite the harrowing barrage of the trebuchets, there were still ponies able to repulse them. Bolts, from both unicorn and ballistae, fell upon them. In a reverse, the ram teams weathered the hail under their shelters while the ladders were cut down. Only a few made it to the walls but the imperials did not let up. In a feat of poetic irony, they heaved the same stones the legions used over the walls to crush the wooden engines to splinters with the unfortunate thugs within. As gruesome a fate that was, it was nothing compared to the ladder teams. The ponies dumped barrels of boiling pitch down on them as they climbed. The sticky tar clung to exposed flesh, burning it down to the bone. They turned a deaf ear to the horrific screaming that followed.

"Hmm. Sombra was not exaggerating when he claimed the walls could withstand dragons." The Lash of the Legions grumbled to himself.

The draconic Dugore observed all of this, his calm exterior belying a building fury beneath his armored hide. His captains had reported similar failures all around the empire. His rams and ladders could get to the wall but could not do enough damage before being destroyed, even with the trebuchets helping. He knew the longer this siege went on, the more likely the imperials would find a way to summon reinforcements and catch him and his legions between a hammer and an anvil. They needed a way to bring down the walls quickly. The warlord glanced over at one of the trebuchets and found his solutions. He stomped down from his vantage point and approached.

“You there! Hold!” He called out to the minotaur in charge of the engine.

“Problem, sir?” Stone Skin asked guardedly.

“Yes and the answers are stacked up behind you.” His boss said, pointing to the crystals. “You and your team gather what you can and bring them to the reserve rams.”

“Yes, sir!” Stone saluted.

The warmonger adjusted his bear hide cloak as he headed for the trio of backup rams. The once temperate climes of the empire had been replaced with the all too familiar chill of winter. If he had to guess, without the Heart, the city was vulnerable to the wild weather of the Frozen North. The wasteland was moving in along with his legions to claim the city. As if to reinforce his observation, a single snowflake drifted across his vision.

“The cold of death…” He murmured absently to himself. “To come all this way just to die up here…”

“Sir?” An earth pony tending the rams asked as the pillager moved toward him.

“Take out the logs.” Dugore ordered, pushing the morbid thoughts from his mind. “Hang up nets in their place.”

“Uh…as you order, sir.” The legion horse said, smart enough not to question his superior.

The ram teams did as commanded and removed the heavy logs from their moorings. They hung up twine nets once meant to entangle pegasi in their place. The legionaries carrying the crystals put two and two together and placed their unstable cargo into the nets like baskets of lethal fruit.

“Heh. Da old pack use ta make bomb kartz like dez.” Fleabag said nostalgically. "Good timez."

“What for?” Stone asked, keeping a wary eye on the free hanging explosives.

“Dragon bustin’.” The dog answered casually. "Feed one to ah lizard n' BOOM! All da loot n' dragon meat ah dog could want."

His minotaur companion could not help but chuckle at the idea of the simple diamond dog taking on a dragon. He decided not to ask for details. If the bomb carts could take out the gold hoarding drakes, the walls should be child’s play. Now actually getting the bombs to the walls, that was a different matter.

“We’ll need at least one cart to break through.” Dugore informed the assembled legionaries.

The troops looked pass their warlord to the killing fields behind him. They were not so eager to march across open ground into the teeth of the defenders. The bodies dropping from the ongoing air battle did not help any. The Lash of the Legions caught on to their trepidations and decided to live up to that title.

“I know the siege has not gone as well as planned, but I just want you all to remember one thing.” He said encouragingly.

His soldiers leaned in to hear what words of wisdom their master was about to impart on them.

“Whatever happens, I will be right behind you.” He said in a low and dangerous tone.

Some of the legionaries interpreted that as encouragement; their leader would be joining them on their mission. Others, as a subtle threat that retribution would be not far away if they failed. Regardless of which, the army mobilized and set out along with the jerry-rigged bomb carts across the once verdant fields as a steady snow began to fall. Unfortunately for them, that was not the only thing that fell. The Equestrian bombers spotted them and nosed down into a dive, satchels of explosive crystals at the ready.

“Dodge!” Dugore shouted.

It was easier said than done. The tortoise like constructs could only lazily zigzag which did little to throw off the pegasi’s aim. Just when it looked like Dugore’s plan was about to blow up in his face, legion fliers intercepted the Solar Guards. They forced the Equestrians to break off their attack with the exception of one who was either too focused on his target or too eager to blow them up. He paid for his lapse in judgement when Max tackled him from behind, fouling his dive and sending both of them crashing into the hard ground.

“Max! You alright?” Stone called out as he rushed to help his fellow legionnaire and potential lover.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” The griffoness groaned as she rolled off the dead pegasus. “Better than him at any rate.”

The Solar Guard had landed awkwardly and twisted his neck. His payload hung off a wing like an ornament. Stone retrieved the small bomb and checked inside. About a dozen apple-sized crystals glowed within.

“I’m up to five.” Max interrupted his thoughts as she prepared to rejoin the dogfight. “You?”

“None.” The minotaur admitted irritably. “Unless you count the ones I killed with the trebuchet.”

“I don’t.” The lion-eagle smirked. “You better pick up the pace.”

She flew off before Stone could take the last word. He jogged back to the rams before they got too far away. Dugore noticed him.

“What did you find?” The brutish warlord rumbled.

“One of the featherhead’s bombs.” Stone answered, showing the satchel to his boss.

“Keep that close, we may need it.” The armored warrior grunted. “Now, get back to your post.”

The scarred bull nodded and rejoined his fellows beside the cart. As icy wind blew past them as the crystal walls grew ever closer. The bare-back Stone shivered.

“Shit, I forgot my cloak.” He complained.

“He’s not going to need his.” A legion pony pointed to the corpse of a fallen Equestrian.

With no qualms against corpse looting, Stone leaned down and snatched the cloak of the dead horse as they passed. It was made of linen as opposed to hide or fur and a bit too small for the burley minotaur. Still, it was better than nothing.

“You look like a super-hero from one of those com-herk!” The earth pony was cut off by a ballistae bolt transecting his throat and impacting the ground behind him, leaving him standing like a scarecrow.

The rest immediately ducked under the shelter of the cart as a hail of magic and steel fell upon them. In the scramble, one of the carts ran afoul of some soft mud and overturned. The troops pushing it tried to flip it over with little success.

“Leave it!” Dugore roared at them. “Help the others!”

Down a bomb, the two remaining carts pressed on. It only got worse for them as the terrain became increasingly muddy, slowing their progress to a painful crawl. One cart stopped completely in the quagmire and became a sitting duck. The team was pinned beneath the shelter as the imperial defenders shifted their aim to the easier target. The rain of missiles chipped away the covering and exposed the unstable crystals beneath. They absorbed the magical projectiles greedily until they reached critical mass. Dugore knew what was coming.

“Down!” He shouted.

The bomb detonated with a cacophonous boom, sending debris and legion gibs thousands of feet into the air. The shock from the blast halted the barrage from the defenders, granting the remaining cart a brief reprieve. The team capitalized on this, despite their new found case of tinnitus.

“Up, get to cover and get that satchel ready!” Dugore ordered over the ringing in his ears.

The legionaries found cover behind some ridges as their lone warmaster positioned himself behind the cart and pushed with his unnatural might. He ground his teeth as he muscled the wooden mass through the muddy ground. Even as the ponies on the walls renewed their barrage, breaking off the wheels and tearing apart the roof, he pushed on, relying on his thick armor to protect him. His perseverance paid off and with one last heave, he slammed the ruined cart up against the wall.

“Get ready!” He shouted to his remaining legionaries as he hustled back to cover, bolts bouncing off his armor.

The barrage from the defenders suddenly stopped. They must have figured out the legion's plan and moved off the wall in a bid to save their own skins. Dugore vaulted over a rock beside his surviving team. As soon as he hit the ground, Stone emerged from behind the ridge. He whipped the explosive satchel around like a sling a few times before hurling it at the bomb. His aim was true. With a crack of apocalyptic thunder, the bomb detonated. The blast vaporized a good portion of the wall and sent thick web-like cracks throughout the rest. The ancient crystal walls of the empire held for what felt like an eternity before gravity did its work. The entire section of wall fell in a cascade of battlements, towers, and hapless ponies.

"Get down!" Dugore shouted as the fine dust cloud washed over them.

A huge cloud of sparkling dust obscured the extent of the damage. The lines of legionaries waited anxiously for the order to advance. A few even wondered if the blast had killed their leader. These fears were put to rest when Dugore and the surviving siege team, covered helms to boots in dust, mud, and blood, stomped out of the cloud. He held his hammer high and proud.

“LEGIONS! FORWARD!” He roared.

The Legions marched forward as the cloud began to clear. They could see that a massive breach had been created in the wall. Beyond lay the Crystal Empire, ripe for the taking. The horde increased its pace, their tantalizing prize now within reach. Behind the legion lines, Sombra watched as Dugore led his troops to the now exposed city. He grinned widely as he rubbed his spectral hooves together fiendishly.

“All according to plan.” He chuckled darkly.

“We await your command, master.” A sultry voice said behind him.

The tyrant turned to find the sensual Spinel and roughly a hundred legionaries kneeling before him. All of them shared the red-green coloration in their eyes as he did. It had taken some time, but between himself and his alluring thrall, they had managed to enthrall some choice fighter’s right from under Dugore’s nose. Sombra took great pleasure in this undertaking.

“Minions.” The specter addressed them. “You have been granted the prestigious honor of being my Black Guards. The time has come to prove your worth.”

The newly dubbed Black Guards remained silent. Their lord made a mental note to fine tune their brainwashing so that they were not completely mindless drones. They needed some form of autonomy, however limited, if they were to be the sword and lash of his empire. Fortunately, he had practice with Spinel.

“Dugore may burn their bodies…” He pontificated aloud as he withdrew his horn. “…and the Lurker can crush their souls…”

The ghost held his horn out and concentrated. He imagined a very specific room within the palace; one where the fate of the empire had been both decreed and defied numerous times. His disembodied horn glowed with his foul magic and a swirling vortex of darkness manifested in front of the phantom and his small army.

“…But it falls to me to destroy their minds.” He finished.

His minions just stared ahead, his little speech going completely over their heads. Sombra sighed. He hoped that once he reclaimed his throne that he could find stimulating conversation that did not involve battle plans or fears for his soul. First things first though.

“Quickly, into the portal!” He ordered his staring minions.

“Yes.” His troops said in unison.

All together, they rushed into the rift and vanished from sight. Sombra hesitated for but a moment to make sure the portal was able to sustain the amount of traffic that just went in. When it didn’t collapse, he entered. His plans were coming to fruition and he intended to harvest their bounty.

---

High in the towers of the Crystal Palace, far from the maelstrom of battle, Mica watched with passing interest as the marauders of the legions advanced on the newly created breach in the city walls. She had decided to hold up in the empty throne room until either the legions took the city or the ponies repulsed the invaders. The dark creature within her speculated that the victor would return to the throne once the battle was decided. Until then, he would wait.

“Can’t really do much else.” The Lurker thought as he turned away from the window.

As the mare trotted toward the throne, the weight of the dulled Crystal Heart jostled against her side. The only change from it was that it had regained its warm glow, likely from when the royal couple rallied the ponies, but it was still in no condition to save anyone. Still, it could be a powerful bargaining chip should the need arise.

“Particularly to Sombra or Cadenza.” The voidian fiend mused as he inspected the ornate throne the tyrant sought to reclaim from the Alicorn of Love.

As his thoughts drifted toward home and his own throne, he heard hurried voices and the rapid clip-clop of hooves outside the rooms. The hollow pony ducked behind the large throne and waited for the unknown party to enter. The large doors banged open and a pair of Solar Guard unicorns rushed in, alert and magic at the ready. They scanned the long room for interlopers, lingering on the throne longer than the Lurker was comfortable with.

“Coast is clear, your majesty.” They called out behind them after a tense few seconds.

Princess Cadenza entered the room surrounded by a quartet of solid Crystal Guards. Once she was inside, one of her bodyguards barred the doors and rejoined his group.

“We should be safe in here.” He reassured the anxious looking Alicorn.

“It’s not us I’m worried about.” The pink Princess said softly as she looked out the window. “Shining was on that wall.”

“Please, the Prince-Regent is as tough as they come.” One of the unicorns said confidently. “You know that better than all of us.”

“If he can bleed, he can die.” The Lurker thought candidly. Same as anyone else.

Cadenza did not respond. She continued gazing out across the city, searching for the tell-tale purple armor of her husband amongst the sea of rubble. Judging by the way her expression changed and her stance relaxed, she must have spotted him.

“Oh, thank Celestia.” The Alicorn sighed heavily.

“Speaking of her majesty.” A guard interjected. “Has your magic recovered enough to send her that letter, ma’am?”

The Crystal Princess levitated the piece of parchment in question in front of her and concentrated. Her magic sparked and the scroll shimmered but it ultimately fell to the floor. Cadenza huffed irritably.

“That should have worked.” She said while looking about the room. “Something or somepony is causing interference.”

“The legion unicorns must be running interference.” The Lurker mused. "I probably did them a favor in stunting her magic for a bit."

The hollow pony absently patted the Crystal Heart in her bags, reassuring herself it was there. To her surprise, the relic let out a muffled but still audible thrum. The Khthonic creature whispered a harsh phrase in his native tongue to suppress the resurgent magic just as the Alicorn focused on the throne and narrowed her eyes.

“Somepony’s back there.” She announced to the embarrassment of the unicorns.

“Keep your head, old boy. Play the victim.” The abyssal horror planned as his host peeked her head out from behind the throne.

The investigating guards kept their weapons trained on her as their charge recognized the unassuming pony.

“Mica?” Cadenza asked, her expression softening. “What are you doing here? You should be in the shelters with the others.”

The bandaged mare came out from behind the fancy chair and trotted toward the group, all eyes on her. She made a point of appearing fearful and shaken. It had worked when the royal couple interrogated her before, it should work now.

“The doctors and I were on our way there.” She said weakly. “Then everything went crazy; They started tearing each other apart. I fled and hid in here.”

A look of understanding crossed the features of the Princess and her bodyguards. Their suspicions of the mare abated as they saw she was wounded and obviously afraid. This was not the insidious saboteur they were looking for.

“That conk on the head must have prevented you from behind affected by that wave.” One of them surmised, gesturing to the mare’s bandaged head. “Lucky you.”

“Sure, let’s go with that.” The dark creature thought.

Cadenza closed the gap between her and Mica and draped a downy wing over the latter’s quivering body. The researcher stopped shaking and cuddled up closer to the pink monarch like a filly would to a mother.

“I'm so sorry you had to go through this.” The Princess said gently. “You're one of the strongest mares I know.”

“You might not feel that way in a minute, Mi Amore.” The stygian stalker though as he pulled away from the feathery embrace of Cadenza.

“Your letter?” Mica asked, pointing to the scroll.

Just before Cadenza was about to try to send the message again, a boom of magic echoed throughout the throne room. The Princess whirled around along with her body guards to find a black crack manifest in mid-air in the middle of the room. The countenance of the non-possessed ponies took on a pale pallor as the crack lengthened and widened into a vortex of swirling darkness.

“Another Lurker?” One of the guards voiced what most of them were thinking.

As if to answer the pony, the portal pulsed once and out charged a horde of armored legionnaires. The bodyguards quickly formed a protective ring around their Princess and her friend as the thugs surrounded them, an array of spears, crossbows, talons, and magic keeping the ponies on their guard. The vortex the invaders emerged from stirred again and the specter of a certain undead tyrant strutted into the throne room, a victorious smile on his face.

“Ah, Mi Amore Cadenza!” The wraith of King Sombra greeted the shocked princess. “Did you miss me?”

Next Chapter: Kingdom Come Estimated time remaining: 4 Hours, 6 Minutes