Princess Luna was no stranger to war. She had fought in many alongside her solar sister during the early years of Equestria. To her eternal shame, she had also waged a particularly bloody one against her. Still, the Alicorn viewed the concept as a necessary evil. While diplomacy and negotiation were Equestria’s first response to conflict, there would always be monsters and villains that could not be reasoned with. Such was the case with the Marked Legions and their warlord. Death was the only thing that could have stopped Dugore and she only regretted not being there to aid her beleaguered subjects. Instead, she had to make due with Grey conjuring mental projections as Shining Armor retold his battle with the armored pillager as his bloodthirsty reavers.

“You are to be commended, Prince-Regent Armor.” The Princess of the Night said approvingly as one of the pictures depicted the unicorn delivering the killing blow to the draconic warlord. “You have bested a truly mighty foe.”

“Thank you, your majesty.” Armor said solemnly. “Sadly, he was not the true enemy in this war.”

The motion pictures showed him looking up at the maelstrom swirling around the Crystal Palace while the dying Dugore informed him with the return of Sombra. The memory faded to black when the unicorn lost consciousness. Luna looked to the white stallion then the pale one, brow furrowed with skepticism.

“Sombra? Alive?” She inquired doubtfully. “Surely the brute was just being spiteful; attempting to spoil your glorious victory.”

“I wish he was.” Armor sighed. “I don’t know the details but Grey over here does.”

“That I do.” Grey said as he trotted forward. “Sombra was using Dugore's invasion as a screen.”

The stygian stallion gave his account of what the Prince-Regent had missed to the Nocturnal Alicorn. He was mostly reiterating what he had told Armor but with a few more details thrown in for their benefit. He started with how the specter of Sombra infiltrated the palace via a portal along with a company of legionaries. Cadenza and her bodyguards were caught by surprise and subdued. The ghostly slaver had then enthralled the defeated guards and knocked the Princess unconscious. As Grey was possessing one of the slaver’s former pleasure mares, he was able to dupe Sombra into believing ‘she’ was compliant with his re-established rule so the tyrant would bring 'her' along. This revelation came as a surprise to Armor.

“Mica was one of Sombra's harem?” The Prince-Regent interrupted. "I honestly had no idea."

"Likewise, Carbon Copy was one of the slaver's Blackguards." Grey added. "The history of the Crystal Empire and its inhabitants is a sordid one."

“I had always wondered...” Armor trailed off as his optimistic view of the crystal ponies crumbled. “I guess I was naive in thinking none were complacent in his tyranny.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Prince Armor.” Grey attempted to assuage the unicorn. "Your ignorance cannot be faulted."

The unicorn snorted irritably as he shot the patronizing stallion a look. Luna cleared her throat to regain their attention. She knew of the empire's past just as well as Grey but the present was more important.

“Focus you two.” She commanded impatiently. “After Sombra defeated Cadenza, what happened?”

“He took us all to the Crystal Heart…” The monochrome stallion re-conjured the visuals.

The pale horse continued to explain how the wraith merged his soul-bond horn with the core of the Heart, fully placing it under his power and restoring his physical form in the bargain. He used the poisoned heart analogy to describe how Sombra’s corruption spread through the palace.

“It was at this point he discovered I wasn’t completely obedient.” Grey winced slightly. “He did not like that at all.”

He produced the memory of Sombra painfully crystallizing Mica. Luna could not help but draw comparisons to the petrification of some of Equestria’s more reprehensible enemies. It also was not lost on her that Grey had managed to escape this fate, somehow. The pallid pony went on to tell of how most if not all of the legionnaires and surviving guardequines had been reorganized, willing or otherwise, into Sombra’s Blackguards and ‘imperial legion’ with the assistance of an brainwashed Princess-turned-Empress Cadenza.

“In short, Prince Armor and I are the only free-willed ponies left in the Crystal Empire.” Grey finished. "I sought him out and here we are."

Luna paced back and forth through the colorless grass as she processed this grave development. She did not know what disturbed her more, the fact that not one but two previously defeated foes of Equestria had returned or that they had conquered and occupied the Crystal Empire without the Royal Sisters’ notice.

“Yet another failure.” The Alicorn thought bitterly. “And Our subjects pay the price.”

“We’re in dire straits up here, Princess.” Armor said pleadingly when the Alicorn did not respond right away. “We need all the help we can get.”

“And a plan.” Grey added. “It will take more than strength of arms to correct this.”

“Oh, like We would deny ponies in need!” An indignant part of Luna scoffed. “Celestia may be the wait and see type but We are a mare of action!”

“Then let us not waste any time!” Luna said suddenly, coming out of her inner thoughts. “Every second Sombra spends on the crystal throne is one too many!”

“Do lets.” The monochromatic stallion said evenly. “I know just the place to put our minds together…metaphorically speaking.”

He stamped his bident once and the tranquil field melted away. After a moment of confusion, the two Equestrians found themselves in a cavernous room with a wide, round stone alter in the center. The only illumination was provided by corpse lights contained in braziers held aloft by two towering statues on opposite sides of the room.

One was carved in the shape of a familiar and powerful stallion clad in bronze armor, a blood stained mace and demonic shield as his choice in arms. His scarred face and burning eyes were wild with the type of bloodlust that could only be satiated in the frenzy of war. The warrior seemed to struggle against the chains that held him in his alcove; keeping him from the slaughter he so desperately craved. To Prince-Regent Armor, it looked as though he could break free at any minute and lay waste to all who dared challenge him.

"A statue of your nephew?" Luna asked as she recalled her first venture into the ancient stallion's dreams.

"Commissioned in better days when he was worth respecting." Grey said flatly.

The statue on the opposite end of the room was sculpted in the likeness of a dour mare in a practical yet flattering battle dress. By her side were a master-crafted spear and a shield polished to a mirror-sheen. Her flawless face was the picture of calm but her icy and calculating gaze seemed to drink in every minute detail in front of her. These unnerving eyes followed Luna as she moved to the table, as if watching for the perfect time to strike her down.

"And who would this be?" Armor asked.

"My niece and his half-sister." The pale horse answered. "Warriors both but she preferred the planned, patient and precise strike while he just cracked your skull open with that pain stick."

"We could use a bit of both at the moment." The Prince-Regent glanced at both icons.

The two guests found empty seats at the table while their host circled around it.

“Welcome to the war room.” Grey announced as he took a seat at the stone disk. “It is here that we shall chart a course for war before heading into the maelstrom of battle.”

The greyscale pony tapped the table with his staff and the once featureless surface began to shimmer. Water, dirt, and stone spread out across the disk, pooling and collecting in specific ways until and scale model of Equestria emerged before them. Armor leaned in closer, his eyes following familiar landmarks until he found Ponyville.

“Huh Twilight has something similar.” He said, impressed. “You even got her crystal tree-castle thing.”

“You must have found an atlas.” Luna guessed as she looked over a faithful representation of Canterlot.

“A few of the books I read had maps for references.” The robed stallion admitted. “And yes, I did.”

He made a swiping motion and the geo-map shifted northward. The water froze and dirt became snow as the Frozen North came into view. In the center stood the Crystal Empire under Sombra’s rule. The walls remained standing but broken and smoke coiled up out of the model.

“Prince Armor and I are here, in the dungeons.” Grey said as a token bearing his sigil against Armor’s shield cutie mark slid beneath the palace. “The Black Heart, for lack of a better label, is here.”

A volcanic obsidian gem appeared atop the donjon and shone like a malignant lighthouse.

“If the legions are playing for keeps, they’ve probably entrenched themselves in and around the city.” Armor contributed as mini banners displaying the dragon claw marks cropped up. “It will take an army to dislodge them.”

“Then you shall have it!” Luna declared. “My sister and I can be at the empire by midday with an army at our backs!”

Two more tokens, each with the Alicorn’s respective cutie marks, and the Equestrian banner appeared on the southern edge of the wastes. Armor nodded approvingly but the stone faced Grey still looked doubtful.

“Are you sure that’s wise?” He ventured. “The last army sent to the Frozen North fell under Sombra’s rule. What’s stopping that from happening again?”

To illustrate, the army banner turned into the legion’s and started thwacking the Princess tokens.

“Hmm, good point.” Armor grumbled. “Princess Luna, do you have any suggestions?”

The nocturnal Alicorn held a hoof to her chin as she mulled over this predicament. The main body of the Guard, while steadfast, did not have an outstanding track record when it came to magical threats. There was an alternative, however.

“My Umbral Thestrals worship the very ground I trot on.” Luna thought. “And Celestia’s Luminous Solarii are as fanatical as the zealots of old. They will do.”

“Worry not.” She said confidently. “We possess warriors who are up to the task.”

The Equestrian banner evaporated and two more took its place. One was emblazoned with a golden sun against a pure white background while the other bore the icon of a winged horse skull against a midnight black.

“Ah, the elites. Good.” Armor nodded approvingly. “Is there anything else you can think of, Grey?”

“If the Princesses are indeed bringing an army, they need to be able to get inside.” The robed stallion replied. “The Heart may be corrupted, but it still guards the city.”

A translucent dome of vile magic formed over the city. The pale stallion tapped it a few times to reinforce his point.

“ And I don’t think Princess Sparkle and her draconic ward will be able to retrieve it this time.” Grey added.

“We’ll do the same thing they did to us then!” The brother of the newest Princess said with an almost vengeful glint in his eye. “You and I are already inside the palace. It’s just a matter of reaching the Heart and disabling it.”

His representative chip moved up the palace and stood triumphantly at the pinnacle, dimming the crimson glow and dispersing the barrier. Luna nodded in agreement with the Prince-Regent's plan. If anypony could nullify the now dark artifact, it would be the battle tested veteran and the caliginous cleric with their respective knowledge of barriers and esoteric magic.

“A sound stratagem.” She said approvingly. “Once you and Grey reclaim the Heart, We can move into the city and drive out the marauders.”

The model Equestrians pushed into the city and began knocking down legion banners.

“Like the sword and hammer.” Armor mused, referring to the strategy of mixing precision and brute force. “That just leaves freeing Cadence. If Sombra falls, then that should…”

“The tyrant’s magic worms itself into the very core of its victims, I'm afraid.” Luna interrupted. “Even if he were to die, his influence would remain. Such is the case with the crystal ponies and their memories.”

“Oh.” Armor deflated. “So…”

“Every domination spell has a weakness.” Grey spoke up. “It’s just a matter of finding it and hitting it hard enough.”

He gave Luna a knowing look. She looked away sheepishly as she recalled her less than graceful method of breaking Mica’s memory block.

“Thank the Stars for that.” Armor sighed, relieved that his wife would not be a slave to Sombra forever. “If there is nothing else…”

The Prince-Regent trailed off to allow one of the older equines to interject if need be. When neither of them did, he continued.

“Let’s get started!" He said determinedly. "We have a tyrant to depose!”

“Well said.” Luna commented. “I’ll inform Celestia of your plight and bring reinforcements.”

The geo-map collapsed into a featureless disk as she turned to leave. Before she could go far, Grey came around the table and caught her attention.

“Pardon me, Princess.” He said with a serious look. “But may I have a word… in private?”

He glanced behind him at a now guarded Armor. The unicorn was about to protest against leaving his superior alone with the lugubrious animus but Luna raised an authoritative hoof.

“It’s quite alright, Prince-Regent Armor.” She said reassuringly. “He is no threat to us.”

“As you wish, your highness.” The unicorn relented but not before giving Grey the ‘I’m watching you’ signal with his hoof.

Once Armor had moved off a ways to inspect the warrior statues, Grey confided with Luna in hushed tones.

“I didn’t want to suggest this in front of the good prince…” He said, gesturing to Armor with his staff. “But the Crystal Empire may be beyond saving.”

“Oh?” Luna raised an eyebrow. “Explain.”

“Sombra is a threat to the realm, there’s no denying that.” Grey explained. “But I fear he is but a product of his environment. Even if he were to fall, sooner or later another may rise to fill his shoes.”

Luna’s ears folded against her head. The pale horse’s words had some measure of truth to them. The history of the Frozen North was written in blood and conflict with the reigns of kings and queens ranging from tyranny to madness. The royal couple’s was the only one that could be considered peaceful but look at where they were now. Was the empire cursed to never know lasting peace?

“You and I have seen the evil the crystal ponies are capable of.” The robed pony continued. “The genocide of the crystal unicorns, high treason against their nation, collaboration with the likes of Dugore and Sombra…”

“I know.” Luna said flatly. “But…”

She could not immediately think of a strong counter example to argue. Grey placed a dull hoof on her shoulder and looked her dead in the eye. His stone face betraying but the faintest hint of concern. For her or the empire, she did not know.

“There were similar city-states in my time as well.” He told her. “When left unchecked, they unleashed untold destruction upon the land, as you’ve seen.”

The dream striding Alicorn remembered the brief glimpse of a world long gone Grey had shown her during their first meeting. She could not imagine such cataclysms befalling Equestria, not to the point where they were the norm.

“They were a constant thorn in the side of the just.” The pallid pony said in a low tone. “When all else had failed, they were put to the torch: cities razed to the ground, the earth and water salted and poisoned, and the populace scattered to the winds.”

Luna was silent for a contemplative moment. The pale horse’s suggestion was extreme but was it necessary? The Frozen North did have a long history of strife. Things only began to turn around for them when Morose reformed it into an empire and again when Princess Cadenza and Prince Armor took the throne. Evil may have left its defiling touch on the realm but there was still some capacity for good left in them, however small. She returned Grey’s gaze and shook her head slowly.

“This is not your time, Grey. We have been through this before.” She reminded him plainly. “The crystal ponies may be tainted but, given time, I believe they may yet redeem themselves. It is Sombra who is lost to evil and worthy of nothing but destruction.”

Rather than be outraged or insulted like she expected, the dark maned stallion merely nodded as if in understanding.

“Of course.” He said calmly as he removed his hoof from her. “I have forgotten times and standards have changed. My sincerest apologizes.”

“I’ve made the same mistake.” Luna said knowingly. “But learning from them makes us all the better for it.”

“So it does.” Grey agreed.

Luna let a small smile pass her lips. Grey may be out of touch with some of the finer workings of Equestria but at least he was not completely entombed in his pragmatic ways. There was hope for him yet. He glanced behind him to check on Armor before returning his attention to her.

“One more thing before we depart.” He said. “Just in case we don’t see each other again…”

Before the Princess of the Night could ask, the monochrome stallion leaned in and kissed her right below her horn. It may have felt cold and dry but she still felt her horn and wings twitch excitedly. When Grey pulled back, she fixed him with a hard stare in spite of the blush creeping into her cheeks.

“Not many would be so bold or so foolish as to touch the Alicorn of the Night, much less in such an intimate manner.” Luna said in an imperious tone before smirking slyly. “It pleases me that you are.”

“Fortune favors the brave.” He said with a ghost of a smile on his thin lips. “But I’ve kept you long enough. Let us be about our tasks.”

A portal to the Realm of Dreams cracked open and awaited Luna’s departure. Armor took that as his signal to rejoin the group. He gave Grey a sideways look before he took Luna aside.

"Alright, my turn." He said firmly. "Grey? Do you mind?"

"Not at all." The robed stallion shook his head and back away out of earshot or so Armor thought.

"Something you wish to discuss, Prince Armor?" Luna asked with a slight hint of annoyance. "Time is against us."

"I'll be quick." Armor whispered conspiratorially. "It is about our mutual friend there. I mean no disrespect but you act like you two have met before."

"We have." The dream strider nodded. "When your wife asked me to visit Mica in her dreams."

"She asked you to do that? I didn't know. I am discovering a lot of things I didn't know today." The Prince-Regent mulled over this for a moment before he refocused. "Then I take it you know he is-"

"The Lurker, yes." The navy Alicorn confirmed. "I imagine we had similar reactions to that revelation."

"I tried to break his face and he tossed me into a tree." Armor rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "So do you trust him?"

"I do." Luna decided not to get into degrees and just picked an absolute.

"Then I suppose I can as well." The white unicorn smirked. "He did come forward with the truth...eventually."

Armor turned to their patently waiting host and indicated they were done with a nod. Grey rejoined them as the dream strider took to the air.

“Fare thee well, noble stallions.” Luna called down to them as she neared the shimmering threshold of the dreamscape. “The Sun and Moon watch over you.”

“We won’t let you down, your majesty.” Armor replied with a respectful bow along with Grey

Princess Luna climbed higher into the air until she nosed over and dove. She leveled out just above the heads of the ground trotters, forcing them to duck much to her amusement. The Princess shot into the portal at high speed. Once back in the ethereal dreamscape, she used her momentum to followed the astral tether back to her body. Time was of the essence and the Alicorns would need to summon their elite troops with all due haste.

“Then we can finally rid the world of that wretched empire.” A sinister voice whispered in the dark corners of her mind. “The dark horse is right. We must finish what we started over a millennium ago!”

Luna ignored the dark whispers and continued on. In the past, she may have considered what Grey had suggested but that was not who she was anymore. She had been offered a second chance after her return by Celestia and she would extend the same mercy to the crystal ponies.

“Ah, but we are not Celestia.” The voice retorted. “We were once something far greater…”

The Princess of the Night felt a chill crawl up her spine. She shook her head to dispel the dark thoughts and doubled her efforts to return to her body, unaware of a malevolent presence observing her every move with dark amusement.

“Muh huh huh huh… Very good. Orchestrate another catastrophe, my little Princess.” It's regal laugh echoed about the dead space. “Let the cold harmonics of darkness and despair shall spread all across Equestria once more.”

---

"It puts my mind at ease knowing the military elite are on their way." Grey pontificated aloud. "You are fortunate to equines like Luna ruling your realm."

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you and her were dating.” Armor said in jest with a smirk. “Wait, are you?”

“I can’t speak for her but I’m quite fond of the fair Princess Luna.” Grey said candidly. “As for properly courting her, the opportunity sadly hasn’t presented itself.”

“She’s a bit out of your league, don’t you think?” The Prince-Regent asked, curious as to how a romance between an immortal Alicorn and an undead earth pony would work out.

“Said the humble guard unicorn married to the highborn Princess of Love.” The robed stallion deadpanned.

“Right...heh. I trotted right into that one.” Armor laughed nervously. “*Ahem* Speaking of Princesses, we need to save mine. Now!”

“That we do.” Grey agreed. “To that end, you need to wake up.”

The seasoned stallion hefted his bident and tapped the unicorn’s horn with the business end. Grey and the war room vanished in a burst of darkness. Prince-Regent Shining Armor’s eyes snapped open. He was back in his dingy cell, laying on his back against the cold hard floor. He groaned and wiped his face as if he had just awakened from a deep sleep. For all he knew, he had. A quick scan of the room revealed that he was completely alone with no sign of the Lurker.

“You in there, Grey?” Armor asked aloud as he tapped the side of his head.

“I am.” The disembodied voice of the animus responded. “Your mind is surprisingly spacious.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” The Solar Guard veteran grumbled. “Well then, if you’re along for the ride, let’s get to work.”

Tentatively, the unicorn sat up. To his surprise and relief, the crippling agony of shattered bones did not force him back down. If anything he felt better than he had in a long time. His dark passenger must have read his thoughts as he explained.

“I have mended ruined flesh and knitted shattered bone while you were out.” The shadowy stallion said simply. “Not to mention a few improvements.”

“Such as?” The healed horse asked as he tore off his bandages to see for himself.

True to this word, Grey had restored his body to pre-Dugore mauling status. He also noticed that his muscles seemed a bit more defined against his coat.

“Why don’t you find out for yourself?” Grey offered. “Try getting out of this cell.”

The unicorn trotted over to the sturdy iron bars. He gave them a once over before he shrugged and turned around. With a small grunt of effort, he reared back his hind legs and slammed them into the door of his prison. The bars buckled inward like tin foil while the door itself flew off its hinges and embedded itself in the far wall.

“Whoa!” Armor gasped as he trotted out of his cell. “This is more than a power boost, you've turned me into an 'überpferd'.”

“We’re going against an entire army.” Grey said matter-of-factly. “Of course I did.”

The empowered stallion made his way through the corridor until he came across the corpse of Diamond Cutter. The treasonous guard had a second smile carved below his jaw. His ghastly features told the prince that he had died in terror. Looking down at him, Armor could not say he felt any pity for the pony.

“Take his armor.” Grey instructed. “You’re formidable but not infallible. Plus you’ll blend in with the Blackguards.”

“Something tells me you've done this before.” Armor inferred as he inspected the cadaver’s kit.

“I have.” The stealthy stallion said with a hint of nostalgia. “Remaining hidden is a special talent of mine.”

“He does looks about my size.” The Prince-Regent murmured as he tried to levitate the plates off the cadaver. “What the-?”

Rather than his characteristic rosy glow, a shadowy claw reached out from his horn to the corpse. He looked up to see that his horn had been restored to its pearly state but was enveloped in an aura of negative light. It was cold and alien compared to the magic he was use to but he could not deny a strange sense of power and superiority he felt from using it.

“While I was able to restore your horn, replenishing magic is a bit beyond my experience.” Grey explained as the ethereal limb removed Cutter's armor. “To compensate, I dedicated part of my animus to the void where your magic would be.”

“So you’re literally lending me a hoof, er, claw.” Armor surmised as the nether-magic outfitted him with the turncoat’s crystal raiment including punching a hole in the helm for his horn. “I got to say, I kind of like it.”

“Just don't let it go to your head.” His mental companion warned. "There are enough power-crazed unicorns in this city already."

“Cutter? Can you hear me?” A female voice called out from around the corner. “Emperor Sombra wished to make a public example of Armor! Bring him to the central plaza!”

“That's not going to happen.” Armor said beneath his breath.

“We must maintain stealth for as long as possible.” Grey advised his host. “Deal with her quietly.”

Armor pressed himself against the wall as the sound of clopping hooves echoed down the hall. The guard was getting closer, likely searching for the AWOL Diamond Cutter. What little light there was revealed the pegasus who had once oversaw the vanguards. Armor concentrated and his horn began to glow black again.

“Cutter? Did you fall asleep while on duty again?" The militant former legionnaire rounded the corner and froze when she saw Armor right in front of her. "Shit! Alert! We-ack!"

She tried to call for help but the moment her mouth opened, a spear of shadow shot through her throat and out the back of her neck. The lance split in two like a pair of scissors and withdrew smoothly. The mare stared dumbly at the Prince-Regent before her head rolled off her neck. It fell to the floor and rolled to a stop at Armor's hooves as her body collapsed into an undignified heap . Armor narrowed his eyes in contempt as blood pooled around the decapitated guard.

“You came to the wrong empire.” He said coldly to the sightless eyes staring up at him before he kicked it away.

“That she did.” Grey concurred. “I think you can take it from here. I’ll be going through your mind if you need me.”

“I guess I can't stop you.” Armor relented. “Just don’t mess up anything in there.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” The Lurker assured his host.

Leaving the guard where she lay, the unicorn made his way through the dismal dungeons to the stairway leading to the central lobby. The lower levels were mostly vacant save a skeleton crew of patrols. In the deep shadows of the under levels, it was foals play for the unicorn to evade them by pretending to be just another patrolling Blackguard. In time, the muffled sounds of hooves on crystal and the clattering of chains told him he was close to the surface.

“Prince Armor?” Grey gained the Prince-Regent’s attention. “Quick question, if I may.”

“What is it?” Armor whispered.

“What’s this about owing the Lurker, me, a brewery’s worth of cider?” The animus asked.

“Brewery’s worth of…oh.” Armor felt his cheeks flush in embarrassment.

“Oh my.” Grey said as the stallion’s memory of the moments leading up to the Lurker’s intrusion came up. “It appears Princess Cadenza was ready to add a new branch or two to the family tree.”

“I know.” The stallion said glumly. “I didn't think I was ready to be a dad; Cadenza and I haven’t even been married that long. If I had known what was coming our way…”

“Strange how a bit of war puts things in perspective.” The entity in Armor’s head said as he keyed in on certain parts of the memory. “Hmm, that’s interesting.”

“What?” The unicorn asked in concern.

"It looks like just as you were about to...disarm your little soldiers, Cadenza was casting a spell." The observant Lurker answered. "I know she can use the power of love to make equines more agreeable with each other-"

"Let me stop you right there." The Prince-Regent interrupted curtly. "I love my wife and she loves me, unconditionally. What you are seeing is just what happens when an amorous Alicorn brushes horns with a unicorn."

“Of course.” Grey decided not the press the issue. “We’re almost to the central lobby. Keep your guard up.”

Armor refocused on where he was going. After a few more turns, he was in the cavernous atrium of the palace along with several dozen ex-legionaries and long lines of chained ponies. The taskmasters shouted orders and cracked whips over and on the heads of the slaves, driving them outside to do their lord’s bidding. The empire had been all but ruined in the siege and it was the perfect opportunity to rebuild it in the tyrant’s image.

“These are my ponies!” Armor growled through clenched teeth.

“Don’t do anything foolish.” The stygian stalker cautioned the irate Prince-Regent. “Focus on our goals, their time will come.”

The white stallion bit back his outrage and moved through the crowd of guards toward the stairway leading up the tower. His pilfered armor allowed him to avoid notice from the legionnaires but as he passed a line of slaves waiting for orders, a young colt eyed him curiously.

“Hey, aren’t you-“ The small pony began before Armor put a silencing hoof to his lips.

“Shh, you never saw me.” He whispered.

The colt was pulled away by what Armor assumed was his mother. She cradled him against her chest and shot the offending guard a death glare.

“Don’t you dare touch him, you monster!” She snapped.

The mare’s outburst had gained the attention of some of the other slavers. Armor knew he would hate himself for it, but he had to save face or risk jeopardizing everything. He pulled back and backhoofed the protective mother across her mouth. She fell to the floor with a pained cry.

“Bitch, don’t tell me what to do!” Armor snarled in his harshest voice.

He turned his back to the slaves and moved on, the approving nods and laughter of the masters making him sick to his stomach. Trying to not call any more attention to himself, Armor made it about halfway to the steps before one of the drivers noticed the odd guard.

“Hey, you alright there?” The brute asked as he turned away from his slaves. “You’re bleeding.”

“Not my blood.” Armor responded truthfully in his surliest voice. “Get back to work, filth!”

“Well excuse me for being considerate.” The legionnaire grumbled as he unfurled his whip and cracked it against the hide of a lagging slave.

“Sombra will pay for this cruelty.” Armor vowed darkly. “I swear it.”

“That he will.” Grey agreed. “But why don’t you start with his herald, up there?”

The unicorn looked up toward the landing where a crystal mare with the same witch-fire eyes as Sombra was directing the other slavers. She was flanked by a pair of vicious looking griffons. All three wore the steel armor of the legions.

“She was the first to fall into his thrall.” The abyssal animus told him. “He used her to spread his vile influence amongst the legion and form his Blackguard.”

“Then she must know a lot.” Armor assumed.

“Get her alone and we can find out.” Grey suggested.

Keeping inconspicuous, the Prince-Regent trotted up the stairs to the same level as his target. It was not long before he was within earshot of the thrall and her companions.

“Stupid, worthless peons!” Spinel groaned as she turned away from the slaves and trotted down a hall. “Why do I have to explain every little detail to them?”

“Poor motivation, I guess.” One of the griffons said. “Lord Sombra isn’t exactly a good boss.”

The three moved from the balcony to a corridor leading deeper into the palace. Armor silently crept behind them, horn aglow.

“Doesn’t help that most of them are half asleep.” The other guard said. “I don’t think any of them have eaten either.”

“Maybe we should have waited until sunri-Hey!” One of the griffons noticed the out of place unicorn.

The disguised Prince-Regent came up between the two griffons. Before either of them could react to his sudden appearance, a pair of needle thin tendrils flashed from his dark horn and pierced the base of their skulls. The two were dead before they hit the ground.

“Did you two-!” The thrall turned around to find a very sinister looking Armor charging her.

She barely had time to raise her hooves in defense before he tackled her to the ground. The heavier stallion pinned the mare beneath him and pressed a hoof against her throat to stop her from screaming for help.

“Got her.” He grunted as Spinel struggled against him. “Now what?”

"Now we see what she knows." Grey stated plainly. "Observe."

Involuntarily, the tenebrous claws emerged from Armor’s horn and gripped the mare’s head between them. The scalpel-like blades phased into her skull, causing her expression to shift from indignant outrage to sheer terror. Armor felt himself slip away for a moment, a dark presence taking his place.

“Do not resist!” A voice not his own passed his lips, commanding the mortal mare to obey.

The mare’s red and green eyes faded until they turned a baleful white. He face contorted in pain as Armor felt something course through his body and into hers. The other entity withdrew and the Prince-Regent returned to the helm of his body.

“Ask your questions and she will answer them truthfully.”Grey informed him, his own voice back to normal.

"If one can trust a traitor." Armor said bitterly.

"Oh, trust has nothing to do with it." The Lurker explain candidly. "Her thoughts cannot lie."

Deciding to question just how the dark horse probed her thoughts later, the unicorn moved his hoof off the thrall’s throat. She was starting to bleed out her mouth and nose so he narrowed his questions into one.

“Where. Is. Cadence?” He asked bluntly.

“Ahh! S-She’s up in the tower with Emp…Ah!...with Sombra.” The former guard mare said between gasps of pain. “They’re in…Urgh!...in the royal suite…Ah!...planning the reconstruction of t-the empire!”

Snapshots of the mare’s recent memory flashed before Armor’s eyes. They showed the Emperor and his Empress discussing empire building over maps and tomes surrounded by stone faced guards. As Grey had said, she was speaking the truth. His relief turned to shock, however, when the memory showed Sombra pull Cadenza in for a kiss. He felt his rage boil when his wife returned the gesture and the two trotted toward the bed, the mare’s tail flagging invitingly and a rather noticeable length swaying between the tyrant’s hind legs. The image cut off before any more could be shown.

"Armor..." Grey said sympathetically. "I am sorry. No husband should suffer this."

Armor did not say a word. He just stared blankly ahead as a storm of fury, betrayal, and hate raged within him. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He held it for a four count and exhaled. When his eyes opened, they were cold and dull.

“I am going to fucking kill him.” He said in a dangerously calm tone. “Tear off his horn and gouge out his damn eyes.”

“We can’t go after them now.” The lurking animus cautioned. “Not while their power is amplified by the Black Heart. That must be our first priority.”

“Right.” Armor said begrudgingly. “We’re done here.”

The claws withdrew from the tortured mare. Once they had gone, sight returned to her eyes. Gone was the corrupted thrall of Sombra. In its place was the long suffering crystal guard pony. Even as blood trickled from her every orifice, she managed to give her Prince-Regent a small, grateful smile.

“Thank…you…” Spinel said weakly before she closed her eyes for good, a serene expression on her face.

“At least you died free.” Armor murmured as he trotted further into the palace at a brisk pace.

“It was the best we could do.” Grey said reverently. “A mercy, really.”

The white stallion grunted as he galloped to the stairs leading up the central palace tower. They had a long climb ahead of them, not to mention any legionaries or Blackguards standing between them and their goal. But, they had made it this far and he was not about to quit now.

“The empire will be free again.” Armor focused on his ultimate objectives, using what he had seen to fuel his righteous rage. “And I’ll see Sombra back in Hell if I have to drag him there myself!”

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