Celestia, radiant Princess of Equestria and Solar Alicorn, allowed a prideful smile to cross her gentle features. From her balcony high in the capital city of Equestria, the mountain-side palace known as Canterlot, she had just raised her sun into the sky. Its brilliant light chased away the last vestiges of her beloved younger sister’s night and brought the realm into a beautiful new day.

“Good morning, my little ponies.” She said aloud as the source of her power bathed the magical land stretching out before her in its golden rays.

As much as the Solar Alicorn wanted to just stay outside and bask in the sun’s warm glow, her duties as a Princess overrode her personal desires. She looked over her lands one last time before she returned to her room. Once back inside, the regal alabaster Alicorn trotted over to her favorite floor pillow and made herself comfortable. After levitating over a freshly brewed cup of coffee, Celestia looked over the pile of paperwork that had accumulated while she slept.

“Alright, Equestria.” The Princess took a sip of her bitter brew before levitating the first item off the pile, a sealed letter. "What do you have in store for me today?

She immediately frowned when she saw who it was from.

“Prince Blueblood. Why does he insist on being called that? At best, he’s a lord. This is most likely a waste of parchment and time.” The adoptive aunt of the snobbish noble stallion was about to discard the letter but she hesitated. “Then again, I did promise my ponies that I read all their letters and this is just a single page as opposed to the book’s worth of 'ideas' he usually sends me…”

Celestia took another sip of her coffee then broke the seal on Blueblood’s letter. She barely got past the third line of the note before she crumpled it up and pitched it into her fireplace.

“I swear, Blueblood. If I hadn't promised your forefathers that I would safeguard their family line…” The Alicorn imagined launching the impudent unicorn into deep space. “Double taxes on non-ponies. The audacity!”

Celestia sighed and picked up another form.

“At least Cadence has proven worthy of the Crystal Throne.” The crystal princess's adoptive aunt reassured herself. "I can't even remember what I got out of the deal with Blueblood's ancestors. Hmph!"

As the sun rose higher in the sky, Celestia continued her morning routine of tedious paperwork. Some papers she replied to, others she discarded as junk, and a few even joined Blueblood’s in the fire. The Princess of the Day's previously sunny mood clouded over as she contended with the bleak and soulless machine that was Equestrian bureaucracy.

“They could have just as easily sent these to Luna or Twilight, but no.” The alabaster mare complained to the universe at large. “They all come to me: taxes, census numbers, budget reports…”

Celestia downed her third cup of coffee, the caffeine giving her the energy to forge ahead, and rubbed her temples with her hooves. He patience was already wearing thin.

“I miss Twilight and her friends’ friendship reports." The former teacher of the gifted former unicorn thought. "They were a great way to break up this tedium.”

The chime of a teleportation spell snapped the Alicorn out of her nostalgia. A letter sealed with wax and bearing the insignia of the Crystal Empire materialized out of thin air above her before dropping down onto her nose.

“Ah, this must be from Cadence.” Celestia thought as she levitated the letter off the end of her muzzle. “I wonder if she used that fertility spell I gave her.”

The princess broke the wax seal and began to read the contents of the letter.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I'm writing to inform you that there has been an incident here at the Empire. Just before sunrise, a creature that I can only describe as a cloud of black smoke appeared within the very walls of the Crystal Tower. It materialized through strange cracks in the air that leads me to believe that the thing tried to open a portal directly into the tower. For what purpose, I do not know. While Shining and I managed to expel the interloper from the empire with the Crystal Heart before any harm could befall us or our subjects, I can’t help but feel that the fiend is still lurking somewhere out in the Frozen North. The guards are on full alert and we are doing what we can to protect the crystal ponies and prevent a panic. I know some will think that this is the return of Sombra but considering the last time I saw him he was being obliterated by the Heart, both Shining and I doubt it. We await your response.

With love,

-Princess Cadenza

P.S. I tried that fertility spell. It felt like it worked but we were interrupted before Shining could plant his seed in my field. Just my luck ☹

“Well this is interesting.” Celestia mused as she rubbed her chin with an immaculate hoof. “This does sound like one of Sombra’s old tricks but all accounts say that he has been destroyed, completely."

The Solar Alicorn glanced up at an updated map of Equestria and its providences. The Frozen North and the Crystal Empire seemed so far away and isolated compared to everywhere else.

"Cadence seems certain that the matter is under control but nevertheless, I should assign some guards to the North as well as send somepony to investigate this…interloper. The protective Princess concluded. "Hope Twilight isn't busy.”

As the Alicorn was about to draft a letter to the Princess of Magic, she stopped herself.

“Twilight just stopped a trio of sirens from taking over the world, in another dimension no less.” Celestia looked down on the blank piece of parchment, rethinking her decision. “She’s been through a lot, especially after Tirek."

The ruler of the day suppressed a shudder at the recent memory of what had befallen her nation at the hands of the sadistic centaur. She could still smell the brimstone of the Infernal Prison.

The poor mare deserves a break. The Alicorn decided as she pushed the unpleasant thoughts out of her mind. "Besides, according to Cadence, the monster has already been defeated by the Crystal Heart. They just want a follow-up.”

Her mind made up, Celestia tried to think of who she could send to the distant Frozen North in place of her former pupil and her friends.

“They would need to be an expert in the magic of the north as well as in the zoology of the strange and unknown.” The Solar Princess ran over a mental list of candidates.

Her rose-colored eyes brightened as she thought of the perfect pair of ponies for the task. She quickly wrote a letter of summons to each of them and sent them in a blink of magic. After sending the letters, Celestia got up from her pillow and stared down at the remaining pile of papers and red tape.

“These will still be here when I get back.” She said dismissively, wishing she could just toss them all into the fire.

The Princess of the Sun trotted over to her wardrobe and opened it. She briefly considered wearing something different than her regular regalia but decided it was not worth the effort. She donned her golden set of shoes, a necklace, and the all-important tiara. Before she put her crown on, she noticed that there was a slight bend in one of the points.

"Thanks, Chrysalis." The alabaster Princess thought bitterly about the insidious insect. "You licentious parasite."

Straightening out the offending defect, Celestia placed the tiara atop her head, completing the ensemble. She turned to look at herself in a mirror. She looked every part the regal Solar Princess of Equestria.

"That'll do." She decided.

With that, the Solar Alicorn concentrated and teleported from her study directly to her throne room. After giving a quick nod to her steadfast Solar Guards, she sat on her golden throne, squirming slightly as she adjusted her flanks in the velvet cushions.

“This thing needs a new cushion again.” She thought to herself. "That or Luna was right about the cake getting to me."

Celestia eventually found a comfortable spot and waited patiently for her experts to arrive. She looked over at the stained glass windows lining the room, each one commemorating an important point in Equestria’s long history from the Unification of the Three Tribes to the recent Imprisonment of Tirek to pass the time. The Alicorn let a weary sigh escape her lips.

“There seems to be no end to the challenges the forces of evil throw at us." The Solar Princess mused. "We always endure but they always come back stronger than before.”

Celestia’s ruminations on the perpetual struggle between good and evil were interrupted by a pair of voices outside the throne room.

“I hope this is important.” A distinctly feminine and clearly annoyed voice said. “I don’t like being called away from my work.”

“I'm sure Princess Celestia wouldn't have bothered if she thought it wasn't.” A masculine and slightly excited voice responded. "Besides, we get an audience with a Princess!"

The doors opened to reveal a crystal pony and a bespectacled unicorn. The pair approached the throne and bow respectfully. Celestia smiled warmly as she gestured for them to rise.

“Thank you two for coming on such short notice.” She said respectfully.

The two exited their bows and stood before their ruler, waiting for her to speak. Celestia looked over at the crystal mare first.

“Mica, have you made any progress in your investigation?” She asked.

“Unfortunately not, your majesty.” The young pony reported with a twinge of annoyance in her voice. “Try as I might, I can’t find a single clue as to what happened to the original population of crystal unicorns. I can only assume that something occurred during our thousand years of imprisonment but none of the crystal ponies, myself included, can remember the details.”

Mica started grumbling something about 'useless ingrates' under her breath. Seeing as the crystal pony had nothing more to add, Celestia turned her attention to the horned stallion.

“What about you, Dusty Tomes? What strange and mythical creature has captured your interest as of late?” She silently hoped that the answer was 'no' so that she could get right to business but, sadly, it was not meant to be.

“Oh, now that you mention it, I have been somewhat obsessing over a most interesting species of animal.” The excited unicorn fished out a worn book and flipped over to a certain page. “They were called…pardon my pronunciation…‘heck-ah-ton-hair-ees’. According to this book, they were gigantic monsters with hundreds of limbs and heads, maybe a sub-species of hydra, that were strong enough to use mountains as skipping stones! Can you imagine such a creature?”

“No, and I don’t want to.” Celestia blocked out the thought of what such an abomination could do to Equestria.

She decided that the ice was broken enough for now and that it is time to get to the matter at hoof. She cleared her throat to signal that she wished to speak.

“Ahem. I'm sure you’re both wondering why I summoned you here.” The Princess said seriously.

“I have a feeling you’re about to tell us.” The crystal mare said not quite under her breath.

Celestia raised an eyebrow at Mica’s snide remark but did not say anything. She had dealt with far worse forms of rudeness from far more brazen ponies.

“There has been an incident at the Crystal Empire." The Solar Alicorn informed them. "Some creature of unknown origin infiltrated the Crystal Tower.”

Both researchers gasped at the fact that something had managed to break into one of the safest places in Equestria. The previously incensed Mica visibly paled as her mind conjured up all types of nightmarish possibilities of what the intruder could be. Tomes, however, immediately lit up with excitement.

“What sort of creature?" He asked, giddy with excitement. "What did it look like? What did it do?”

“According to Princess Cadenza, it had the appearance of black smoke, if that helps.” Celestia answered.

“Black smoke…” Tomes repeated to himself. “Might be a type of wraith or perhaps a form of demon…”

As the bookish unicorn pondered on the creature, Mica hesitantly asked a question.

“You don’t think it’s…him…do you, princess?” She ventured nervously.

Celestia could read the fear evident on the crystal pony’s face. She gave her a reassuring smile. She could not fault her or any other crystal pony for their trepidation when it came to their loathed tyrant.

“Neither Princess Cadenza nor I think that Sombra…” The Princess paused as Mica winced at the mention of the former slave driver. “…is involved. I assure you, Mica, that the Tyrant of the North is no longer among the living.”

“I guess so.” The young mare looked down at her legs where the faint scars left by shackles were just barely visible.

The Solar Alicorn detected that she had just tread upon an understandably uncomfortable topic for the crystal pony. She quickly shifted focus back to the Empire.

“I want the two of you to go to the Crystal Empire, by train, and aid Princess Cadenza and Prince-Regent Armor in any way you can. I'm hoping you can shed some light on the nature of this interloper." Celestia announced. "I'm also sending a company of Solar Guards along with you if nothing but to help calm the citizens of the empire.”

“Huh? Oh, of course, your highness.” Tomes said as he came out of his pontificating.

Mica remained silent but nodded nonetheless. Celestia smiled proudly at both of them.

“Good luck, my little ponies, and safe travels.” She said warmly.

The pair of newly dubbed agents gave one last bow before departing to gather their things for the trip. As the golden doors close behind them, one of the Solar Guards broke his statue-like stillness and approached the throne.

“Requesting permission to speak freely, your highness.” He asked.

“Granted.” The Princess nodded.

The guard relaxed his stance and adjusted his helmet before speaking.

“With all due respect, Princess Celestia, is sending a whole company of Solar Guards to the Frozen North necessary?" He asked warily. "There’s already a sizable garrison within the city and…”

A hard look from Celestia forced him to trail off.

“An unknown entity has threatened the most isolated part of Equestria." The Alicorn said firmly with the slightest hint of anger. "I will not sit idly by while my ponies may still be in danger!”

“Of course, your highness!" The guard gave a series of bows as he backed away. "My apologies!”

The guard quickly returned to his post as Celestia let out another tired sigh. She had first-hoof experience with the price of inaction; a price those closest to her had paid for with interest. Setting those thoughts aside, she conjured up a piece of stationary and a quill.

“I should let Cadence know that I'm sending help.” The Solar Princess thought.

The throne room was filled with the scratching of quill on paper as Celestia wrote her letter. Once she was done, she read it back to herself.

Dear Princess Cadenza,

I'm relieved to hear that you and your ponies are unharmed. I am sending a company of Solar Guards to aid you in securing the empire. Accompanying them are experts in northern magic and mythical zoology. They are to help you and Armor identify this interloper. Based on your description, I can’t say I have encountered anything like it before but, like you, I doubt Sombra is responsible. Let us hope this is the end of it and not the start of another dark chapter in the history of the Crystal Empire.

Stay Safe,

-Princess Celestia

P.S. When Shining tends to your field again, make sure he is using the fertility spell as well. Your's should last a few days so don't double up it unless you want a bumper crop.

“A little grim there at the end, but it gets the point across.” The Princess concluded in her review of the main text.

Celestia sent the letter to her adopted niece in a flash of magic. Not wanting to return to the pile of red tape waiting for her in her room, the Solar Princess ordered a servant to begin the Day Court, the time where she held an audience for all who wish to attend, usually nobles. As the noisy gaggle of rich early arrivals streamed into the room, one of the guards leaned over to whisper to the unfortunate one that had spoken to the alabaster Princess.

“If you thought that was bad, you should mention Sombra to Luna; she breaks stuff!” He told him with a laugh.

Dugore’s fiery gaze swept over his latest challenge. A few hours after breaking camp and mobilizing west toward the empire, his scouts had found a small fort perched atop a ridge. The fortification was obviously built during Sombra’s reign as it was made of the same obsidian crystals that were the hallmark of his style. It had fallen into ruin after his imprisonment but the current garrison had attempted to reinforce the walls with wood and packed snow, of all things. In the warlord’s opinion, he could take the fort by himself but it had been a while since his legion had been on a good raid and he felt it would be a good way to improve morale after such a long march through ice and snow.

"Its a shame, isn't it?" The spectral slaver said as he floated up alongside the warrior. "Just one of these bastions was enough to keep a hold in their place. Now look at it."

"Their pathetic engineering is our advantage." Dugore said boisterously, the battle to come putting him in a relatively good mood as opposed to his usual grumpy self.

"Indeed." Sombra nodded in agreement. "I must admit, after what you did to those diamond dogs, I'm anxious to see what you'll do to actual soldiers."

"You won't have to wait long." The dragon rumbled.

Dugore turned away from the fort and stomped down to his motley crew of eager legionaries. Committing his entire horde to one small fort would have been illogical and a rather extreme example of overkill so he had brought about a hundred or so of the newest recruits. Taking the fort would be an excellent test of their skill; baptism by fire, so to speak.

"Legion, take heed." The warlord spoke loudly over the din of conversation between his troops. "Behind me is a fort garrisoned by crystal imperials and their Equestrian masters."

The assembled marauders booed and hissed at the mention of the hated ponies.

"They arrogantly believe that their magic will protect them." Dugore continued as he unslung his weapon of choice, a massive two-handed hammer, and held it over his head. "Let us enlighten them!"

The legionaries drew their weapons with glee. Swords, clubs, claws, and hooves trembled with anticipation of the battle to come. Their Lash turned toward the unsuspecting fort and pointed to it with his hammer.

"Legion! March!" He roared.

His troops shouted their personal war cries and followed their leader as he trudged through the snow to the front gate of the fortification. In the early hours of the morning, the few guards on the walls were more concerned with catching a few extra minutes of shut-eye than watching the normally peaceful wasteland. One guard was in the middle of a pleasant dream involving twins and soap when the sound of clattering metal brought him back to the waking world. Curious, he looked over the wall barrister to see the armored force slowly but surely hike their way up the ridge. By the state of their dress and the drawn weapons, they did not look friendly.

"Alarm! We're under attack!" He shouted.

The defenders roused from their stupor. Weary ponies of all types rushed out of the barracks, some still pulling on their armor, and took up positions. The unicorns galloped up along the wall to take pot shots at the advancing army while the earth and crystal ponies fortified the shoddy walls as best they could. The small squadron of pegasi they had took to the air and flew toward the legionaries in formation. Their plan was to dive on the attackers, take out a few at a time, and then return to air before they could retaliate. Dugore had expected this, however.

"Flyers! Kill the pegasi!" He bellowed.

From within his ranks, griffons and pegasi spread their wings and leaped into the air to meet their Equestrian foes before they could dive on their comrades. The two flights clashed in mid-air, the experience and training of the pegasi guards against the raw savagery of the legion. Hooves smacked against heads and ribs as talons slashed at throats and wings. Legion and Equestrian flyers alike fell to earth, dead or crippled, as the main legion body continued to advanced. They began to pick up speed once the ridge flattened out and were soon charging the gates.

"Unicorns! Fire at will!" The garrison commander shouted, having extracted himself from his warm bed and finally joined the defense.

Bolts and beams of magic streaked out from the battlements and torn into the ranks of the legion, dropping the more lightly armored troops and stunning he tougher ones. Dugore continued to march forward, his warped heavy armor shrugging of the magical missiles as if they were snowflakes.

"Fan out! Don't bunch up!" He ordered. "Five is an opportunity! One is a waste of magic!"

The legionaries put some distance between themselves in order to give the defensive mages a smaller target. The increased space allowed the more nimble of their number to dodge the spells hurled their way but as they drew closer to the fort, it became easier for the unicorns to find their targets. The advance stalled as the attackers took cover from the constant hail of magic behind rocks and ledges. With Sombra a non-combatant and no unicorns currently under his command, Dugore knew he had to get inside the fort quickly or risk losing too many of his troops out in the open.

"I'm going to open a door!" He shouted above the constant sounds of spells being cast. "When I do, you had better come through!"

Dugore ducked his head and charged the wooden gate like a runaway train. He ignored the rain of beams and blasts the exploded against him, relying on his armor to protect him. As the armored warlord drew closer to the entrance of the fort, he dropped a shoulder braced himself for impact. He jumped at the last second, allowing his forward momentum and sheer mass to carry him into the wooden door. He burst through the gate like it was made of balsa wood, scattering the ponies on the other side trying to reinforce it. The war master landed hard on an earth pony, reducing the unlucky equine to a crimson paste beneath his considerable bulk.

"One." Dugore counted.

With the way open, the other legionaries charged into the fortress, bringing the fight to close quarters. The battle did not last long. Despite the valiant efforts of the ponies, without their range advantage, they were outnumbered and overwhelmed. The defenders on the ground were quickly routed by the sheer brutality of the eager legion recruits. The unicorns fared slightly better with their magic but they were trapped on the walls and flanked on both sides. They were killed to the equine. Surrender would be the only thing that would spare the survivors from the murderous horde. Backed against a wall, the remaining garrison laid down their weapons and hoped that their attackers took prisoners. The fort now belonged to the Marked Legions.

To the victor go the spoils and with the battle over, the victorious legionaries were now in the process of dismantling the fortifications, taking the food rations out of storage, and generally ransacking the place. Beneath his face-concealing helmet, the warlord smiled as he counted up his kills.

“...and two unicorns makes seventeen.” He tallied. "A fair toll but I have done better."

He turned to face the surviving garrison of the fort; a dozen crystal ponies lead by a youthful Equestrian pegasus. Each had been stripped of their weapons and armor and forced to lay in the snow. Dugore waited until each one is looking at him before he addresses them.

“Equestrians, take heed!” the armored warrior bellowed. “I am Dugore the Marked, Scourge of the South and the Lash of the Marked Legions! What you have witnessed today is but a prelude of what I have in store for your pathetic rulers and their Crystal Empire!”

The assembled ponies gasp in shock at this declaration. A few turned to each other, questioning the seriousness of the blood-soaked warlord in front of them. The garrison commander just stared at the brute, as if trying to incinerate him with his eyes. The ponies fell silent when Dugore started up again.

“Their walls will crumble! Their magic will be severed! Their armies will be ground to gristle beneath our hooves, talons, paws, and claws!” A cheer rose up from the legionaries as their leader’s words echo around the fort. “Yes...the Crystal Empire and those foolish enough to defend it will fall, but you do not have to fall with it.”

Dugore lowered his voice as he addresses the captured ponies in an almost conversational manner.

“If you have the strength to cast off weakness; to abandon the coddling dogma of the princesses, you can avoid sharing their fate.” The head of the legions took a few steps toward the prisoners until he was a few steps in front of them. “Swear your allegiance to me. Bear the mark of the legions and march under our banner, and you too can all share in the glory of conquest as well as all the treasures that entails."

He let this statement sink into the minds of the prisoners.

"What say you?” He finally asked.

The crystal ponies looked to and from each other, unsure what to do. The pegasus, however, got to his hooves and approached the warlord. With a flap of his wings, he rose to Dugore’s height and looked at him dead in his golden eyes.

“Fuck you.” The commander said with a straight face. “I don’t care who or what you are. The Crystal Empire will never fall to the likes of you or your ilk. So you can take your offer and shove it!”

A tense silence hung between the two. Dugore leaned in slightly, his gore strewn armor creaking.

“My boy, you have the heart of a manticore…” he said in a dangerously calm tone. “…but the brain and bones of a bird.”

Dugore pulled back and slammed an armored fist right into the pegasus’ face, crushing his muzzle and shattering his teeth. The commander sailed through the air and smacked against a crystalline wall with a sickening crunch. His broken body fell to the ground and laid still. The armored dragon returned his attention to the remaining captives.

“I trust he did not speak for all of you.” He said, flexing his fist to punctuate the obvious warning.

They looked from the warlord to the corpse of their commander then back to the warlord. One of the crystal ponies stood up.

“L-Long live the legion!” He stammered.

A mare beside him glanced one last time at the dead pegasus before standing as well.

“I pledge my life to serve you, and you only!" She threw up the salute of the legion. "Long live Lord Dugore!”

A stallion leaped to his hooves.

“To Tartarus with the princess!” He loudly proclaimed.

“Yeah! Screw Cadenza and her pet prince!” Another concurred.

Soon all of the crystal ponies were affirming their allegiances to the legions. Their new master gestured for them to come forward.

"You all can take the official oath later." He rumbled. "For now, help your new brothers and sisters in arms."

As the new legionaries dispersed to aid in the pillaging of their old station, the warlord regarded the corpse of the commander. He gained the attention of one of his legionaries.

“Once we leave this place, be sure to burn the bodies.” The brute ordered.

From the fortress keep, a single guardsmare looked out in horror as her former comrades donned the armor and mark of the legions. When the legions had breached the fortress walls, she had managed to elude the marauding troops and hid in the garrison commander’s war room. After the sounds of battle had died down, she had planned to slip out unnoticed, free her fellow soldiers, and make a break for the Empire but that had all quickly fallen apart after witnessing her former friends betray their nation.

“What the hay are they doing?” she asked aloud, not believing her own eyes.

“What does it look like?” An oily voice replied behind her. “They don’t want to die so they’re signing on with the legions.”

The mare whirled around to find the ghostly visage of Sombra leering behind her.

“Wha-? Sombra?!" She recoiled in shock. "But you’re dead!”

“Undead, actually.” The wraith indicated his ectoplasmic form. “The flesh may be ash and dust but the spirit is made of sterner stuff.”

The crystal pony tried to stealthily shimmy her way to the door as the ghost talked but he caught her.

“I wouldn't go out there if I were you.” Sombra warned. “You’ll never make it past all those brutes and I doubt the dragon will extend an invitation to join a second time.”

The mare stopped. She looked at the door then to the smiling Sombra. Realizing that stepping outside would be suicide, she moved back to the window.

“No.” the mare whispered, her resolve breaking. “No, there has to be a way out of here! There must be!”

“I'm afraid not, my dear.” The ghost glided up to the guardsmare. “You’re probably going to die in here; torn apart by your fellow crystal ponies. Unless…”

“What?” the mare looked at the phantom to find him grinning widely.

“I suppose I could convince Dugore that you are worth more alive…” The former tyrant brushed a translucent hoof across her cheek, causing her to shiver at the unnatural cold. “…but you’ll have to prove that you’re worth it, my pretty little mare.”

The guardsmare’s face dropped as what the wraith was insinuating clicked in her mind. She slapped his hoof away, causing it to dissipate in a wisp of ectoplasm, and backed away from him.

“Get away from me! You sick bastard!” She shouted at the wraith.

“Oh come now…” Sombra scoffed “…that’s no way to talk to your king.”

The undead slaver advanced on the disgusted pony, who was now back up against a wall.

“You’re no king of mine!” she yelled defiantly. “Go to Hell!”

Sombra grasped the mare’s head between his hooves.

“Sorry, I don’t plan on going back any time soon.” He said, his playful tone taking on a serious note.

The crystal pony continued to struggle. She would buck and punch the ghost as hard as she could but he merely reformed the parts of himself that she struck. She was only tiring herself out and Sombra knew it.

"You may be able to resist." The tyrant crooned smoothly. "But you can not disobey."

The mare made a grave mistake; she looked Sombra in the eyes. Even in his undead state, the eyes of the tyrant still glowed with sinister power. The mare’s mind grew numb as the will to fight left her body.

“No….get…please…” She slurred as the will of her former king flooded her mind.

Sombra grinned even wider as the last of the crystal pony’s will evaporated, leaving her staring blankly into space; a puppet to his wills.

“You are mine now, slave.” He said. "What is your name?"

"Spinel." The guardsmare answered simply.

The specter let go of her and floated to the center of the room.

“Come here, Spinel.” He commanded.

“Yes.” The mare droned as she trotted over to the ghost without a hint of hesitation.

“Good. Now…” Sombra paused as he thought of a few tasks for his new slave. “…take off your armor. That Equestrian built trash offends me.”

“As you wish.” She droned.

Obediently, the mare lifted off her helmet, allowing her two-tone gradient mane to fall free. She then kicked off her leg guards and unbuckled the pieces of armor covering her chest and back. Finally, she wiggled her way out of the flank guards. Now stripped to her crystalline coat, the pony resumed staring off into space as Sombra circled around her.

“Hmm.” The wraith took a moment to admire her fit form. “You may have been a member of my harem. Give you flanks a shake for you king.”

“For you.” Spinel droned as she wiggled her hindquarters.

Sombra leaned in and ran his hooves across her toned flanks. She remained silent as he felt up her rump. The wraith took a peek under her tail to check her assets only to be disappointed in her rather unremarkable marehood and petite teats.

“Hmm, perhaps not.” He said critically. “But we can fix that later.”

Sombra ceased his ministrations and leaned on her rear.

“Now normally, I would rut you until you couldn't see straight but, alas, I lack certain…facilities…at the moment.” The slaver glanced down at his ethereal body and lamented his lack of a functioning member.

Spinel did not respond.

“Also, if you were just going to stand there and take it, that takes the fun out of it.” The ghost added with a frown.

He spanked her rump as he circled back in front of her.

“So until then, perhaps we can find a different use for you.” The tyrant tapped his chin with a spectral hoof.

His devious train of thought was derailed by Dugore bargaining in through the door.

“Sombra, there you are." The brute grunted. "We’re…”

He paused as he noticed the unclothed mare staring vacantly at the wraith.

“Isn't that a crystal pony?” Dugore pointed an armored claw at the equine.

“Indeed, she is.” The wraith nodded as he patted his new minion on the head affectionately.

The warlord approached the mare and waved his claws in front of her face to no effect.

“She appears to be in a trance.” He deduced. "Is that your doing?"

“Correct.” Sombra confirmed with a prideful grin. “I have this…let’s call it a ‘special talent’… that allows me to influence others. As you can see, I have completely dominated this mare; she is a slave to my whims.”

Dugore prodded the brainwashed pony with his foot. He received no response, not even a flinch.

“Would your ‘special talent’ work on an Alicorn?” He asked.

“Why, Dugore!" Sombra chuckled dryly at his partner's question. "I didn't know you liked them big.”

The warlord growled dangerously at the wraith. Sombra stopped laughing and mulled over the question for a moment as Spinel obeyed a mental command to find something more appropriate to wear.

“Alicorns and particularly strong-willed individuals are tricky. They require a certain finesse.” The undead tyrant cocked his head to the side as he thought about the limits of his talents. “Even then, they can’t be completely subjugated like this mare here but they can be…corrupted.”

“It sounds like you speak from experience.” The warlord mused.

“Perceptive as always, my friend.” The spectral slaver smiled wickedly.

Spinel returned at the moment wearing a plain cloth version of the legion uniform. At Sombra's command, she stripped off parts of it until her legs and barrel were exposed. The slaver applauded her new 'camp follower' appearance.

“Well done, slave. Your master is pleased.” Sombra turned to find Dugore staring down at him in a manner that said he did not approve. “What? I thought you were on board with this.”

“I approve of it as means of bringing destruction upon our enemies, not building a harem.” The warlord rumbled.

“Ah, but a harem is one of the perks of being king.” Sombra retorted teasingly.

Dugore snorted and brushed past the king to be and his minion. He moved to the commander’s ornate desk and began opening drawers.

“Once the new recruits are ready, we march.” The armored warrior informed the wraith as he started rifling through the desk, looking for maps, charts, and other important documents. “Make sure you and your whore are ready to move once I give the order.”

“Of course, oh serious one.” Sombra gave a mock bow before regarding his slave. “Alright, my slutty pony, you heard the warlord.”

Spinel cocked her head to the side, perplexed. Sombra face-hooved with a groan. He realized he would have to be specific in some of his instructions.

“Find a grooming kit and make yourself presentable.” He clarified as he grasped her head and gazed into her vacant eyes. "I've got an important task for you..."

A small plume of smoke wound its way through the rocky outcrops and snowy ridges of the treacherous mountain range creating a natural border between the Frozen North and the Equestrian Heartlands. It moved with purpose, ignoring the frigid temperature and broken terrain. As the wisp rounded a bend, it met an exact copy of itself. Without a moment's hesitation, the two merged into a larger form and continued on their way. In time, the tenebrous tendril came upon an open valley where numerous other copies of itself had already congregated into an amorphous, black mass of pulsating darkness. It joined its innumerable brethren in the blob as more plumes arrived from all directions. With each one that merged with the mass, it grew larger and taller. Soon a pained groan emanated from the body as it took shape. Arms sprouted and lengthened. A chest and set of shoulders formed into a torso. A head emerged from atop the shoulders with a distorted moan. As the last plume of smoke fused into the body, baleful white eyes snapped open.

“Gah!” The void lurker fell forward and braced itself on the compact snow.

It stayed there, gasping and panting as an indescribable pain tore through its murky body.

“Aaargh!” It groaned. "Pain! Everything is pain!"

The agony of being shredded, obliterated and then reformed in short succession eventually passed and the figure slowly brought itself upright.

“Bah...alright...so interrupting two lovers was a bad idea after all.” The dimensional interloper admitted as it straightened itself to its full height. “Truth be told, that could have gone much worse.”

The reformed apparition felt a cold breeze pass over its stygian body, alerting it to the fact that it could feel anything as opposed to the indescribable nothingness of the Void. It looked around the snowy vista, hesitant to believe its eyes.

“Wait, is this…snow?” The shadowy figure raised an arm and let a frail snowflake fall on it. “It is cold…it is wet…it is real.”

It looked up at the surrounding landscape. It could see the snow-covered ground broken by jagged rocks, the bare lifeless trees and grey, overcast skies. It heard the chilling moan of arctic wind blowing through the mountains. It felt the icy touch of winter upon its ethereal body.

“This is all real! Yes! I have done it!" The eldritch creature could barely contain itself. "I AM BACK!”

To its great delight, the stalker had done the impossible and successfully breached the boundaries of reality and void with naught but brute force. Even after being torn apart by the trip then blown up by some form of magic it did not recognize, it had emerged from the ordeal intact.

“YEAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” The voidian being exploded in triumphant laughter that echoed across the mountainous terrain.

“Hahaha…ohohoho...hmm...ha." After it’s round of celebratory chortling, the smoky being asked itself an important question. "Alright, now what?”

The abyssal creature scanned the surrounding area again, looking for anything that might give it a clue as to where it was. It was clear it was in some northern alpine region of a world inhabited by equines with access to powerful magic. Beyond that, it knew absolutely nothing about the dimension it had broken into.

“I am alone with no idea where I am or even what year it is. It is possible this is not even my original universe.” Without a guide, the lost creature started floating off in a random direction in a semi-corporeal form. “I guess the best course of action is to find some form of archive or library. That means looking for civilization.”

“I also need to stop voicing my thoughts." The void stalker reminded itself. "No need to do that now that I'm out of the Void.”

As the creature continued to glide across the snowy landscape, it also continued to dwell on the best course of action.

“I suppose I could try and find those ponies again but I doubt they would have me if our last encounter was anything to go by.”It winced at the thought, the pain of its previous encounter still fresh in its mind. “What type of magic was that, anyway?”

The figure carried on into the jagged range. The hitherto manageable weather took a turn for the worse as the wind increased in intensity and visibility dropped. The wanderer held an arm out in front of its eyes to shield them from the harsh gusts.

“Floating around in a blizzard isn't going to accomplish anything.” It stated mentally. “I need to find shelter; a cave or crevice of some sort.”

As the blizzard gained strength, the abyssal shambler stumbled upon and nearly fell off of a cliff.

“Nine Hells!" It exclaimed as it regained its balance. "Where did the ground go?”

From what it could tell, it appeared that someone had carved out a huge chunk of a mountain, creating a large quarry.

“This looks promising.” The creature floated off the edge and silently landed in the middle of the excavation. “Ah, an abandoned mine. Lucky me.”

All around the pit were dilapidated shacks and lean-to sheds as well as a rusted and disused rail cart track. The figure turned around to find a large set of weathered yet sturdy iron doors set into the cliff face.

“I would have taken a hole in the wall. Doors are a bonus.” It approached the imposing mine entrance and shifted into a completely nebulous form. “I can hold up in here until this blizzard passes.”

The amorphous cloud slid between the doors and into the mine beyond. Inside, the cold and empty tunnels were faintly illuminated by glowing crystals housed in lanterns, giving the abandoned mine an almost haunted appearance. The interloper resumed its upright form and looked around its new shelter.

“Hmm, rather ingenious use of magically charged crystals.” It said as it tapped one of the lanterns experimentally only to receive a small shock. “Ow! And still potent even after possibly years of neglect.”

The ethereal being moved down the gaping tunnel, eventually coming to a junction where the tunnel T-boned. In the middle of the junction was an old table with some dust-covered papers. It fanned off some of the dust and held one of the pieces to the dim light, hoping to gain some insight into the surrounding area. The ancient creature cursed when it discovered that the papers were written in a language it did not understand.

“Damn. I should have known a language barrier would have sprung up during my absence.” It crumpled up the paper and tossed it aside. “I'll need to find a translator before I can make use of any archives.”

The entity looked back down on the table and found a map of the mines.

“Probably out of date, but better than nothing.” It thought as it took the map and oriented itself on it via the rather obvious entrance.

The mine was vast and extended deep into the earth. With nothing better to do, the dark creature started to explore the labyrinthine tunnels.

“Who knows?" The stygian stalker dared to hope. "Maybe whoever mined here dug too deep and tunneled into Barathrum.”

Quick question: When a character like the void escapee, Dugore, or Sombra speaks, whose voice do you imagine, if any?