The first stages of a blizzard swirled above the besieged capital of the Crystal Empire. The crystal ponies and their Equestrian allies had been forced to withdraw from the ancient walls once the Marked Legions blasted their way in. Staying on the battlements ran the risk of the defenders being cut off from their fellows and left to the mercies of the marauders, something Prince-Regent Shining Armor could not afford. Therefore, the good captain ordered his troops to pull back and regroup at key points around the towering Crystal Palace. He planned to make the Legions fight for every inch of his city. Unbeknownst to the Crystal and Solar Guards and their commander, their last bastion had already been compromised by an old enemy and his new minions.

“You!?” Crystal Princess Cadenza gasped as the wraith of Sombra manifested before her eyes from the closing portal. “Impossible! You were blow apart by the Heart!”

“So I was.” The phantom said coyly. “Fortunately, I always plan ahead. Or should I say a-horn?”

He held up his glowing horn and waggled it tauntingly in front of the Princess. Her eyes narrowed at the sinister appendage, her previous shock turning into anger. First the Lurker survived being obliterated and then Sombra. Did any villain in Equestria stay down for good? She decided she did not want an answered to that.

“It doesn't matter how many times you cheat death!” She spat contemptuously. “We've defeated you before, we will do it again!”

“I doubt that.” Sombra said darkly as he drifted about the now crowded throne room. “It’ll take a lot more than a purple dragon runt to save you this time.”

The tyrant left the Princess fuming as he swept his gaze over the other ponies surrounded by his enthralled legionaries. The Solar Guard unicorns, as per their training, maintained their stoic expressions but the less experienced crystal ponies were visibly afraid; checking for exits and sweating within their armor. There was one exception. Mica, her face set in a neutral expression, brought a bandaged hoof to her lips in a conspiratorial ‘shush’ gesture. Cadenza saw the slaver eyeing one of her subjects and moved between them, intending to shield the smaller pony from her former oppressor. This only caused Sombra to smirk at her.

“Well, aren’t you the kind and loving Princess.” The wraith said with false flattery. “Good. I could use that in my empire.”

“The Crystal Empire will never bow to you again.” The Alicorn declared with a tone of finality.

Sombra’s eyes flared wildly in barely contained rage. After it looked like he was about to rip off Cadenza’s wings and toss her out the window, he just laughed again as if she had told a good joke.

“If only you knew.” He chortled as he held up a translucent hoof to signal his troops. “Seize them.”

“Yes, master.” They droned in unison.

The throng of armored thugs silently closed in on the ponies. The royal bodyguards tried to put up a fight but even with all their training, they were overwhelmed by the sheer number of their foes. Cadenza, though not as well versed in combat as her senior Princesses, fared better. With what little magic she could conjure and her formidable Alicorn physique, she staved off the accosting thugs with powerful blasts of air from her wings and bone shattering strikes from her hooves.

“I will not-AHH!” Cadenza was cut off by a blast of vile magic courtesy of an enthralled unicorn.

The bolt would have been fatal to any lesser being but only stunned the immortal Alicorn. She staggered as the dark magic danced across her body, nearly falling over were it not for Mica rushing to her side as the bodyguards were finally subdued by the miniature horde.

“Don’t fight him, Princess.” Mica counseled Cadenza as she reached up to straighten her liege’s small crown. “He has every advantage. Save your strength.”

“I’d listen to her, Mi Amore.” The tyrant chided the stricken Alicorn of Love. “She possesses more savvy than most.”

It was a bitter pill to swallow, but the Alicorn of Love heeded her friend’s advice and remained silent. Seeing that his rival was not going to persist in her futile attempts to stop him, Sombra turned his malevolent eyes on the subdued guards. His minions had forced them into a kneeling position and held their heads up so that they could not look away from their master. The undead sorcerer met one of the hapless bodyguards at eyes level, locking gazes. The poor stallion resisted for as long as he could but ultimately he succumbed to the vile talents of the specter and his witch-fire eyes. One by one, Sombra enthralled the crystal ponies. By the time he got to the Solar Guards, they had grown wise to his method and kept their eyes shut. Undeterred, the dominating despot opted for a different, more physical tactic.

“Kill him.” He commanded the legionnaire holding one of the unicorns.

With a grunt of conformation, the brute ran his blade through the back of the guard’s neck and out beneath his chin. He withdrew his weapon and let his victim fall to the floor. The horrific sound of his compatriot choking on his own blood and possibility of it happening to him was enough to weaken the surviving guard’s resolve. He barely put up a fight as Sombra brought him under his control. Cadenza watched it all, a storm of sorrow and righteous anger building within her. With his newest additions to his personal army fully under his command, the wraith turned back to the glaring Crystal Princess.

“You see, Cadenza?” He asked imperiously. “All the empire WILL kneel before me…or they. Will. Die!”

He pointed to the dead guard to emphasize his morbid point. Rather than be cowed, the pink Princess felt nothing but absolute loathing for the ghost in front of her. He had the audacity to attack her empire, brainwash and murder her subjects, and threaten her. She was not going to just stand there and take it. She had to act, consequences be damned. She pulled away from Mica’s support, ignoring the smaller mare’s efforts to stop her.

“Never!” Cadenza snapped as her wings flared in righteous fury. “So long as Shining and I are…are…”

The Alicorn suddenly felt numb, her tirade of a retort dying on her lips. Everything she had been feeling from the outrage of seeing her guards subjugated to her blinding hatred of Sombra drained away like something had pulled the stopper on her emotions. Darkness crept into the corners of her vision as a very familiar chorus of ethereal whispers echoed about her mind. One voice, clear, calm, and collected, spoke above them.

“Hush now.” It commanded like a king to a peasant. “Quiet now.”

The Crystal Princess swayed to and fro as if inebriated. Sombra watched her undignified display with amusement for a few moments before charging up his horn.

“Ah, you look tired, Mi A-whore-e.” He said, relishing in the afflicted Alicorns confusion. “You may want to sit…DOWN!”

He punctuated his malicious advice another blast from his crimson horn. Unlike the first time, Cadenza was blown off her hooves and across the room. The Crystal Princess crashed through the throne, breaking it to pieces and sending her crown rolling from the sudden impact. She lay on top of the fresh pile of rubble, numb to the world. She tried to fight against whatever had come over her but it was futile. The last thing she saw before blacking out was the leering grin of Sombra and the unreflective eyes of Mica as the two of them stood over her.

---

The Lurker possessed mare ceased her Khthonic muttering once she was sure the Alicorn of Love was down and out. It took some slight-of-hoof, but the hollow pony had managed to slip the cold iron ring over the Princess’s horn while she was in the middle of her verbal sparring match with Sombra. It was fortunate for Mica that the Alicorn was so focused on the wraith that she failed to notice her ploy.

“Apologies for interrupting your,er,debate.” She said plainly. “But I think she was one second away from obliterating everything in front of her.”

“Then it’s a good thing you acted.” Sombra said with a laugh. “Being obliterated is not something I want to go through again.”

“You and me both.” The Lurker agreed. "But you may not have a choice in the matter."

The ghostly king gazed down at his fallen rival, his expression a mix of hateful resentment and oddly lustful admiration. His eyes fell on the anti-magical ring and widened in recognition.

“That’s one of mine.” He realized. “I didn't know they were that powerful.”

“I made some improvements.” Mica informed him. “I’d keep your horn away from it. It might undo that soul binding enchantment.”

Sombra wisely heeded the fiendish creature’s advice and kept his horn a good few feet from the sinister band. While the two spoke, Spinel pushed past the stationary legionaries and stood over her former monarch.

“Did you kill her?” She asked them in a tone that sounded hopeful.

“Shit, I don’t know.” Sombra admitted. “Did I?”

“It takes a lot more than that to kill an Alicorn.” The possessed mare responded knowingly. “She’s fine but she’ll have a nasty headache when she wakes up.”

“Oh, good.” The wraith said relieved. "In my desire for vengeance, I thought I just shot part of my plans."

She prodded Cadenza’s unconscious body with a hoof and did not earn so much as a sleepy groan. She looked up at Sombra with a pleading look. Her phantom master nodded in encouragement.

“Go ahead." Sombra urged her on. "Help yourself.”

The thrall smiled and started looting Cadenza’s jewelry. It was a few sizes too big for her but she did not seem to care.

“Are you making her do that?” Mica asked curiously as Spinel continued to rob the unconscious Princess.

“Nope.” The undead slaver said simply. “I doubt Cadenza had a hundred percent approval rating. There were bound to be some ponies who wanted a change in government. This is just one of them.”

“Can’t rule through love alone.” The dark creature mused. "Nor fear. You need a balance."

They waited for the covetous pony to finish before Sombra ordered her back in line. It was unlikely Cadenza had suffered any lasting harm but the tyrant did not want to risk permanently damaging her. Same could not be said for the Crystal Throne but he could replace that easily enough. He had an idea what to do with the Alicorn in the interim between reclaiming his empire and putting her to use.

“Get some rope.” He said as he addressed a few of his minions. “Bind this pretender and make sure she stays that way.”

“Yes.” The group responded automatically.

“Never was one for brainwashing.” The Lurker thought as he picked up the forgotten fleur-de-lis shaped crown. “Too many ways to break it.”

“So what is to be done with the good Princess?” Mica inquired while offering the crown to the slaver. “Hostage?”

“Not exactly.” Sombra answered slyly as he took the gold trinket from the hollow pony. “An Alicorn could make a powerful ally, if properly… persuaded.”

“Then we think alike.” The void stalker thought, images of the Lunar Princess coming to mind. "Ugh. I feel dirty now."

The phantom inspected the small token with a critical eye. He murmured something about it being unfit for an empress and passed it off to his thrall as they were leaving with their captive. Once the incapacitated Princess was carried out of the throne room, Sombra turned his attention back to the soulless mare. He was obviously quite pleased with the progress their little trifecta of terror had made.

“Cadenza is out of action, the Legions are taking the city, and Equestria is none the wiser.” He said excitedly. “Oh, don’t you just love it when a plan comes together?”

“I do but I celebrate after the fact.” The Lurker thought.

“Indeed.” Mica said in a less excited tone.

Sombra noticed the conspicuous heart-shaped bulge in Mica’s saddlebags.

“And you got the Crystal Heart.” He added. “Excellent. We can skip a few steps and get right to the final stages of my plan.”

“That had better include ‘Open the Black Library.’” Mica reminded the elated ghost. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten our deal.”

“Of course not.” Sombra assured his partner. “You’ll get what’s coming to you but first we need to take that Heart to the shrine.”

“After you then.” Mica said with a wave of her hoof.

The two departed the throne room along with Sombra’s brainwashed army. With most of the Solar and Crystal Guards concentrated in the lower levels and outside in the streets, the corridors of the palace were practically empty. They encountered the odd patrol but they were quickly subdued by the legionaries before they could send out an alarm. During a lull in the sporadic fighting, Sombra remembered something he wanted to ask the shadowy monster.

“I’ve been meaning to ask, Lurker, how exactly did you manage to nullify the Heart?” He inquired. "We felt whatever you did outside the city."

“He probably wants to know so he can prevent it from happening to him.” The Lurker thought before he answered. “It might be best to keep that option open.”

“Anti-magic.” Mica said simply. “Same thing that subdued Cadenza just on a bigger scale.”

While that was part of the truth, Sombra was not quite satisfied with that explanation. The wraith gave the possessed mare a sideways look.

“I didn’t know anti-magic could be weaponized like that.” He said testily.

“I could write a book on what you don’t know.” The Lurker quipped mentally.

“A wise stallion once said: ‘Give me a big enough lever, and I could move the world’.” Mica quoted. “I used a similar principle.”

Sombra had to think about the saying for a moment but he understood what the mare meant. It seemed that the shadowy monster using her as a meat puppet had a knack for leveling the playing field, be it physical or magical. His dark mind wandered toward what the Lurker could do if pointed at Canterlot. It then shifted to what the fiend could do to him should it so choose.

“I-I see.” A suddenly shifty Sombra said. “I'm glad you’re on our side.”

The undead unicorn ended the conversation and subtly put some distance between himself and the hollow horse. Before long, the group reached the final flight of stairs leading up the pinnacle of the central tower. While the spectral Sombra and possessed Mica had no trouble making the climb, the mortal minions were worn down by the effort, particularly the ones carrying Cadenza. The group was forced to stop to take a breather in front of a private dining hall used by the royal couple.

“I think another portal would have been faster.” Mica stated as she looked back at the exhausted legionaries.

“I know but I can’t create one in here.” Sombra said as he sparked his horn to illustrate his statement. “There are countermeasures in place. You’d have to be an Alicorn just to teleport and even then your aim would be skewed.”

“Seems rather inefficient.” The Lurker observed.

“Why?” Mica asked innocently.

“A precaution." He answered vaguely. "You’ll see.”

With that, he turned his attention to his struggling minions.

“You there.” He said to the thugs holding the pink pony. “Take her in there and guard her. Keep an eye on the wings and horn. The rest of you, guard this level.”

“Of…course.” They panted.

Leaving their escorts behind, the two reached the top of the palace alone. There, they found two Solar Guard unicorns with telescopes observing the battle below and sending updates on legion positions to defenders with their magic. They barely had time to react to the sudden appearance of the pair before the wraith-king blasted them both off the edge. He did not want any interruptions for what he had planned with the shrine.

“Give me a moment.” The tyrant told his compatriot as he prepped the foreboding ritual site. “This calls for precision.”

“Don’t want a repeat of last time, do we.” The voidian monster quipped, remembering what had transpired in Tartarus just over a thousand years ago.

Mica took the moment of respite to look out over the besieged city. The wind had picked up and a steady snowfall brought the empire into winter’s cold embrace. The bad weather had forced the ongoing fight for air supremacy to go to ground as icy wings were a death sentence to both Equestrian and Legionnaire. It was difficult to tell with the snow but judging by the fires, it seemed the imperial defenders had lost about half the city to the Marked Legions. The two sides had reached a deadlock in what appeared to be a market plaza but the Lurker could make out no further details.

“Sombra’s going to rule an empire of ashes if Dugore keeps this up.” The Hidden One thought. “Then again, that might be his plan: Build a new one out of the ashes of the old.”

“Ah, there.” Sombra said from the now ready shrine. “Now, my friend, the Heart if you please.”

The phantom held out his translucent hooves. Mica reached into her bags and withdrew the glowing artifact. Between the two of them, the heart dimmed as if it was afraid. Sombra took it out of Mica’s hooves and looked it over, his face splitting into an ecstatic smile.

“Finally! Returned to its rightful owner!” He shouted triumphantly. “The key to the empire and my restoration!”

“You’re welcome.” The stygian fiend thought indignantly.

Sombra carefully placed the Crystal Heart within the shrine where it floated a few feet off the floor. Keeping an eye out for any signs of trouble, the sorcerer drew out his crimson horn and began to put the final stage of his plan into effect.

“I’ve gone through Hell itself for this empire.” He said aloud as he channeled his dark magic into his horn. “Only to have it stolen from me.”

He raised his horn above the heart like a sacrificial knife. The already overcast sky above darkened as rolls of thunder accompanied the undead tyrant’s proclamation.

“Today, I take back what is rightfully mine!” He finished as he plunged his crackling horn into the Crystal Heart.

A horrid screeching filled the air. Bolts of vile and malignant lightning arced across the pinnacle of the tower. Mica was forced to lay low to avoid being blasted over the edge. At the epicenter of the chaotic storm, Sombra, the Heart, and the shrine were enveloped in a jet black sphere of dark magic. The bubble pulsated and riled as both light and sound seemed to be sucked into it. After a moment of sudden silence, the sphere exploded violently. Mica braced herself as the shockwave washed over her. In its wake, the once pristine crystals that made up the floor turned black and jagged.

“Why does every ritual have to be so violent?” The Lurker wondered.

"You still there, Sombra?" Mica asked aloud.

Movement from the center of the shrine answered her question. Slowly, the tyrant rose to all fours. Gone was the translucent pale ectoplasm of the wraith. In its place was Sombra’s charcoal coat and now attached curved crimson horn amongst a wild black mane. The resurrected king ran a solid hoof across his face, assuring himself that it was of flesh and fur. He inhaled through his nose and exhaled out his mouth, his first clean breath in many years.

“Oh, I’ve missed this!” He said in an ecstatic voice. “To be of flesh and blood again!”

“Preaching to the choir.” The abyssal animus thought.

As Sombra rediscovered his body, Mica looked past him to the Crystal Heart. The artifact was now made of dark obsidian with a pulsating volcanic core. It emitted waves of darkness in small intervals, like a heartbeat. Dark crystals spread further from the source after each beat. The Lurker thought of a proper analogy for the sight.

“A poisoned heart pumping corruption through the rest of the body.” He observed.

As much as the hollow mare was impressed by the effects of the new Black Heart, she still had bigger things on her mind. She had accomplished her mission and it was high time to collect her reward. She approached the now living Sombra who was looking beneath him, quite happy with what he saw.

“Hello, old friend.” He told his stallionhood. “I have missed you.”

“*Ahem*" Mica cleared her throat to get his attention. "While I’m sure you’re exceptionally virile, there’s still the matter of-”

“Yes, yes. The Black Library. I haven’t forgotten.” Sombra sighed. “I swear you and Dugore are obsessive.”

“Hello pot. My name is kettle. You’re black.” Mica retorted with a frown.

“What? No! I’m a dark gray. There…” He trailed off when he remembered what the saying meant. “Oh. Right. Touché.”

The dark unicorn took a few tentative steps toward the stairs leading back down the tower. He wobbled a few times but soon became accustomed to having legs again.

“Follow me.” He told Mica. “I’ll take you right to it.”

The possessed pony followed the revived regent once again to the stairs. Before she descended into the tower, Mica felt compelled to look back at the corrupted heart. It was as if something wanted to speak with her. The dark relic had encased itself in a protective chamber of transparent crystal but continued to send out dark pulses of magic, further spreading Sombra’s architectural style across the palace. In the sky above, wicked looking black clouds swirled over the shrine like a hurricane with a dull red glow in the eye. The white snow turned an ashen gray like soot from a furnace. A distant and distorted chorus of voices rode across the next wave and reached Mica’s alert ears.

“Avenge us, Hidden One!” They pleaded in a pained tone. “Their sins must know retribution!”

Mica resumed her descent into the tower. The stygian being controlling had no wish to postpone claiming his prize. The Black Library and the records contained within were the only lead he had on finding his home. Only once he had reaped what he could from the archive could he turn his attention to the fate of the Crystal Empire and its inhabitants.

“In due time, crystal unicorns.” The Lord of Shades thought, unsure if the disembodied representative of the damned equines could hear him. “I have some business to conclude first.”

---

While Sombra and the Lurker took control of the palace with contemptuous ease, Shining Armor was hard pressed to prevent the legions from taking what was left of his city. Blind luck had prevented the loss of the walls from turning into a catastrophe. He had managed to get most of his guards off the battlements before the legions blasted through and redeploy them in the streets as their invaders breached the city. The side streets and back allies were filled with skirmishers from both sides but the focus of the battle was in the main thoroughfares. It was here that the Solar Guard veteran was able to put the discipline and training of his troops to good use. Standing side-by-side in several rows, the first rank of guards would hold the line against the onslaught of the barbarians. After a few rounds, they would go to the back of their ranks while the second row moved up, keeping fresh and ready troops at the front before fatigue set in.

Against the unrefined horde tactics of the Marked Legions, the equine formations were able to stall and, in some cases, repulse their attackers. That was, until Dugore and his more experienced legionaries took the field. Under his guidance, the horde regained the advantage. Rather than smash ranks of troops against the imperial bulwark, he went for their vulnerable flanks. By literally smashing through the buildings bordering the main street and attacking them from the sides, the legionnaires disrupted the pony’s formations and made them easier targets for the advancing line of the Marked Legions.

Slowly, block by bloody block, the marauders pushed the guards toward the center of the city. In the shadow of the palace, Shining Armor rallied his beleaguered soldiers in a large market plaza. If he lost ground here, the palace and the innocents within would be next.

“I can’t fail here.” The Prince-Regent told himself. “Not this time.”

His troops were arranged in a rather standard formation: Armored units in the front, pegasi skirmishers covering the sides, and ranged unicorns at the rear in a support role. Through the falling snow, he could see the veritable wall of steel that was the legion ranks advancing on their position. They made more impressive targets to the blue maned stallion, however.

“Fire at will!” Armor commanded.

His unicorns fired a volley of magical missiles into the ranks of the legions. In the narrow confines of the street, the invaders could not dodge effectively and were forced to rely on their armor to protect them. Some stood strong but others crumpled over and fell to the ground. The legion did not slow, even as they trampled over the corpses of their fallen fellows.

“Don’t let up!” The captain turned Prince urged his fellow unicorns. “Take down as many as you can!”

While the unicorns unleashed a withering hail of magic, Armor held back and charged up his horn. He still had a few tricks up his sleeve and this one was specially designed to counter numerically superior foes. He only wished his magic was strong enough to use it earlier.

“Might have saved a few lives and the walls.” The stallion thought as the marauders drew closer.

Once the first line of legionaries engaged the formations of guards, Armor cast his spell. A beam of magenta magic shot into the air. One of the captain’s trademark barriers formed over the plaza and enclosed it securely, effective trapping a portion of the invaders in with them.

“Divide and conquer.” The Solar Guard veteran observed confidently.

The idea was to break off the horde into manageable chunks, like taking bites of a big meal rather than trying to scarf the whole thing. Once one batch was defeated, his troops would advance and engage the enemy again. He would then create another shield and repeat the tactic. Only problem was that he had to focus on maintaining the shield which left him vulnerable, hence him being in the middle of his troops. Also, those on the outside were trying their damnedest to get in. If the Changeling Invasion of Canterlot was any indication, even at his most powerful, his shields had limits. Armor felt every blow, both magical and physical, from the exterior legionaries.

“They’re tenacious, I’ll give them that.” The white unicorn said aloud, visibly straining to keep his shield up.

Just when his soldiers were about to finish off the last of the trapped invaders, a tremendous force struck the dome. Armor gasped in pain as what felt like a runaway freight car shot through his horn to the rest of his body. A web of cracks crawled up his barrier at the front, followed by another titanic blow. This one outright breached the shield, creating a huge gash for the legions to rejoin their compatriots. The Prince-Regent tried to repair the damage but the strain was too great. His magic failed with a burst of sparks and with it, the shield. The Marked Legions wasted no time and crashed against the formations of the imperials.

"Hold fast!" Armor shouted even as his vision swam. "Make them pay for every inch!"

The fighting was brutal; steel rending flesh, hoof crushing bone, and blood staining the fresh snow red. The Equestrians stood valiantly but it soon became clear that their opponents were simply too many. The legions could replace every loss with ten more while each pony that fell was felt by the rest. Unless their commander had some last trick to pull, defeat seemed inevitable.

“Ugh…” Armor groaned as the backlash from his failed magic finally caught up with him.

“You alright sir?” A guard asked as he steadied his commander. “Perhaps we should fall back.”

“No! No.” The Prince-Regent said. “We can hold them here. We have to.”

The armored captain tried his magic and was rewarded with a steady, if weak, glow. He was sure he would not be able to perform anything above point defense but he was at least still in the fight. The guard who had spoken to him still did not look convinced.

“With all due respect, sir, our lines can’t hold against this!” He insisted. “From the palace we can at least-“

“CAPTAIN!” A mighty bellow cut off the guard.

Armor turned to face the source of the interruption only to find a mangled pony hurtling through the air toward him. He ducked out of the way but his fellow guard was not so lucky. The corpse bowled into him and knocked him away. The Prince-Regent could not worry about them, however. He had a much bigger problem. A short distance away, a massive bipedal dragon pointed at him with a bloodied hammer. It was clear to Armor that he was being challenged.

“It’s high time we met, Prince-Regent Shining Armor!” The horned warrior growled like derailing freight train. “Let’s see what you go! So far, I'm not impressed!”

It took Armor a moment but he recognized the brute. The academy had extensive records of the Lash of the Marked Legions and his presence here all but confirmed what the stallion feared. They were indeed under siege from the Marked Legions reborn. Still, even with the odds stacked against him, he was not about to back down from this villain.

“I don't intend to disappoint, Dugore.” The white stallion said steadily, answering the challenge with a brief flare of magic.

The armored dragon began building speed into a charge, hammer at the ready. Armor ignited his horn and broke into a gallop as if to meet the massive monster head on. As the two closed the distance, Dugore pulled back his hammer in preparation for a sideways bash. The Prince-Regent saw it coming and leapt into the air, leaving the brute swinging at thin air. The unicorn just barely cleared the warmonger’s head between his horns and landed behind him. Before he could fire a bolt into his foe's back, the dragon's tail swung low and cut out his legs from underneath him. Dugore twisted around with his hammer held high and brought it down. Armor rolled out of the way at last second, leaving the weapon to crack the crystal street with a thunderous blow. While still laying prone, the white unicorn pelted the warlord with magical bolts. While they pinged off his armor, they had enough force behind them to cause Dugore to stumble back. Before he could recover, Armor took careful aim and shot the warrior in the eye slit of his face-plate.

"Argh!" The warlord slapped a armored claw over his face as his vision exploded into stars. "Accursed magic!"

The unicorn quickly got to all fours and circled around his foe to his hopefully weaker back. Dugore must have heard his approach as he nearly knocked his head off with a blind swing. Minding the thrashing tail, Armor charged up as much magic as he dared and blasted the brute in the back. Dugore stumbled forward, his bear hide cloak now in flames and a noticeable scorch mark on plated body. Armor pressed his advantage and charged again with his horn aglow, hoping that it be enough to piece the thick plates. Even as his cloak burned off his shoulders, the warlord managed to turn around and lock Armor’s horn against the shaft of his hammer. The two grunted and shoved as sparks leapt off the meeting point of their weapons.

“I’ll admit that was a nice bit of hoof work.” Dugore grunted as his vision cleared. “But it’ll take more than that to kill me!”

“Duly noted.” Armor said through clenched teeth.

The dueling enemies maintained the lock for a few more moments before Dugore suddenly twisted to the side. Not anticipating the move, Armor lurched forward involuntarily. The warlord swung his armored foot up from below and caught the underside of the stallion, kicking him into the air. Armor came down hard and bounced a few times off the hard ground and came to a stop. To his surprise, while a little dizzy, he did not feel like he had just been punted by a dragon. He checked his underside to find, not crumpled armor and ruined flesh, but a faint azure layer of magic shimmering just above his armor. The Crystal Prince-Regent smiled.

“Thanks Cadence.” He thought, remembering the sensation he had felt when she had kissed last.

The lucky pony did not have long to rest. Dugore was upon him, hammer raised over his head for another crushing blow. Armor again rolled away just in time to avoid an overhead smash that shattered part of the street and sent small tremors through the ground. He countered with a spell to the larger creature’s helm. Dugore grunted in pain as his bell was rung, giving Armor enough time to completely recover.

“Note to self: do not get hit by him again.” He though in regards to the wicked war monger. “Don’t want to test the limits of Cadence’s charm.”

The armored warmaster shook his head to clear away the ringing in his ears and rounded on the unicorn. Armor squared himself, ready for the brute’s next assault. Dugore laughed once as if he was enjoying himself and charged. The unicorn stood his ground, firing spells at his foe while waiting for a sign as to what direction the hammer blow was to come from. The warrior pulled back, indicating another sideways swipe. Armor dodged to the side just as Dugore swung where his head used to be. The imperial leader took advantage of Dugore’s miss and aimed his rear hooves at the monster’s legs, hoping to unbalance him. Hoofs met warped steel with a solid clang. The biped grunted and dropped to one knee. Armor ducked a wild swing and fired a repel spell into the kneeling brute, knocking him completely on his back. The stallion pounced on his downed foe and began wailing on his faceplate. Blow after blow fell upon the helm until Armor managed to knock it off, sending it bouncing away like an empty bucket. The commander balked at what lay underneath. Durgore’s face was horribly disfigured. A mask of cracked, leathery skin with a waxy sheen flecked with sun-bleached scales glared back at the unicorn.

“You are one ugly mother-” Armor was cut off by a blast of dragon fire that erupted from the warlord.

Again, his wife’s charm protected him but it did not stop him from being knocked off the charred conqueror. He landed on his back with a dull thud. He righted himself just in time to see a flame-cloaked Dugore bring his hammer down on him with a furious roar. The blow connected and crated the Prince-Regent into the street. The charm flickered weakly, in danger of failing. As Dugore pulled back for a second swing, Armor scrambled out of the depression while lunching a flurry of magic against the tough plates of the monster. Dugore recoiled slightly then retaliated with a scorching fireball. The stallion ducked the comet of dragon fire only to be showered with burning debris as the blast leveled a building behind him. Even with his misstep, the stallion managed to put some distance between himself and the lethal legion lord.

“Damn, that armor is thick.” He thought as the two duelists circled each other. “Only got one spell that could work but I need to charge it.”

The imperial commander began building magic in his horn. He was still free to move about but it would take long than if he stayed still and focused. Dugore seemed ready to dodge at a moments noticed, the tell-tale glow of Armor’s horn tipping him off. He then stopped and looked to the ground then back at the pony. The massive marauder dropped his hammer and plunged his claws into the cracks in the street and tore a large chuck of crystal out of the ground. He hefted it once and bowled it at the stallion. Armor dived clumsily out of the way as the hunk of rock smashed into the wall of a shop. He returned to all fours just in time for Dugore to swing his mauler at him, the blazing brute having rushed behind the rock after he tossed it as cover. The heavy hammer slammed into the Prince-Regent’s side. The Alicorn of Love’s charm held for but a moment before shattering like glass. Armor heard the sickening crunch of his ribs breaking beneath the force of the attack. The blow sent the unicorn sprawling across the hard crystal street trailing blood. Dugore stomped after him, eager to maintain his newfound advantage. Armor struggled to stand, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He lifted his head only to catch the upswing of the hammer in his chest. The Solar Guard veteran felt what was left of his armor crumple like tin foil and blood flood his mouth. He was sent rolling until he was left in a seated position with his back against a wall. Dugore stood over him with his hammer held high for what would surely be the killing blow.

“Can’t miss when he’s this close.” Armor thought darkly.

Armor focused the pain racking his body into his magic and fired a concentrated beam at his opponent. Dugore’s golden eyes widened in surprise as the blast caught him dead center in the chest, burning clean through him and out his back between the slots in his armor. The warlord fell to one knee, clutching his wound as the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. He stared at Armor, his face contorted mostly in pain but with a faint air of admiration.

“I actually felt that.” He growled around a mouthful of blood. “Impressive, even if you did use magic.”

Armor ignored the beast as he tried to stand tall. That last spell had taken a lot out of him and his earlier injuries were beginning to set in. Blood was flowing out of his nose and mouth with more starting to seep our from beneath his ruined armor. He needed a medic, badly.

“Uurgh. But don’t think this means you’ve won.” Dugore continued, using his hammer to keep himself upright even as his dragon fire went out. “My legions have taken this city and crushed your troops.”

Armor looked past the wounded warlord at the battlefield. To his despair, he found that the imperial defenders had been routed and forced out of the plaza. There was now nothing between the legions and the palace.

“No.” The Prince-Regent groaned, shooting a death glare at Dugore. “It’s not over yet.”

Dugore was silent for a moment. Then he laughed; a deep, raspy sound choked with blood and bile.

“Rahahahaha! Open your eyes, Armor.” He rumbled. “Neither of us won this battle.”

The warmaster pointed skyward. The Prince-Regent followed his claw to the top of the Crystal Palace. The clouds above swirled in a maelstrom of black and crimson. Obsidian crystals crept down the towers like a spreading virus. There could only be one pony behind this corruption and the former Solar Guard Captain knew who it was.

“Sombra?!” He gasped in disbelief.

“Yes.” Dugore coughed out along with a mouthful of blood. “Do a dying dragon a favor, captain. Make his end a slow one.”

The scorched legion lord let out a painful sounding groan as his broken body began shutting down. He stared off into space, looking at something no living eyes could see. His features, for the first time in years, relaxed as the fog of ages began to clear. The fires of war and battle that had driven him for so long were slowly going out, leaving nothing but an ancient purpose set for him long ago by a power he had all but forgotten.

“I do not fear death.” He said calmly. “My spirit will haunt the winds all across Equestria.”

Warlord Dugore the Marked let out a low sigh as the light of his eyes was extinguished. His armored body went slack but remained defiantly upright, supported by the death grip on his hammer. Purifying fire began to flicker across his body, burning away the ruined and scorched flesh until all that remained were bleached bones with his leering skull staring heavenward. Fresh snow began to accumulate on the cooling corpse as the stricken metal creaked and settled. It could have been his grievous wounds but the dragon's vanquisher swore he saw something leave the fallen warrior and vanish into the ether. Armor could not dwell on his victory, great though it may have been. He started trudging toward the palace, each step sending waves of pain through his tortured body. A trail of blood marked his progress through the snow.

“Cadence…” He whispered hoarsely. “Please be safe…”

Armor just got beneath the archways of the palace before his body reached its absolute limit. He fell before the center of the courtyard where the Crystal Heart would have been displayed. His burning city became a blur in his vision that eventually giving way to blackness as he finally succumbed to a dreamless sleep.

Columns of smoke and fire mixed with the stormy sky as the marauding horde swept through the once proud city, their lash’s death hindering them not in the slightest. What was left of the Solar and Crystal Guard mustered a last stand in the palace but both sides knew they were only delaying the inevitable. Without the leadership of Shining Armor or Cadenza, they simply lacked the numbers and resolve to hold out. In time, their defenses crumbled and the legionaries took the slowly transforming palace.

The Crystal Empire, jewel of the Frozen North and bastion of civilization, had fallen.

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