The doors of Saddle Tor opened as Twilight trotted outside, Nyx wished to remain in the coffin chamber to explore, and with Broadsword's reassuring words that she'll be more then safe, Twilight allowed it, after all she was the Crusader of Harmony now. she was well protected by the armor and the spirits that inhabited it would prevent the filly from getting into any mischief. at least she hoped.

Nightquill was sitting at the steps with a camp fire burning. they've been inside since nightfall and it was now five in the morning, luckily Nyx was kind enough to give him what food she had. when he saw the doors open he half expected Twilight to be adorn in the sacred armor, but he was surprised when she wasn't, More surprised when he saw Broadsword.

"Hello, Twilight. Uhm. who's your friend here?" Nightquill looked at him, though he seemed rather entranced with him.

"OH! Nightquill, this is Broadsword, Broadsword this is Nightquill, he comes from the town Hollow Shades." Twilight said motioning her hooves to the respective stallion as she introduced them.

"Hollow Shades? I've not heard good things about that place." Broadsword said raising a brow.

"uuuh." Nightquill looked deflated as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well, So you know, I don't have the same views as them."

"you are wiser then they are then." he said as he trotted down the steps looking over the makeshift camp.

"Twilight, I need to---" Nightquill began only for Twilight to look up.

"is that a chariot?" Twilight asked, taking out some binoculars.

It was indeed a chariot, but more then that, it was Celestia's chariot with the sun princess on board, as well as Princess Luna, but more importantly she had a whole battalion of Royal Guards with her. chariots hauled Unicorn guards as the pegasi pulled them.

Celestia's Chariot landed at the foot of the steps and the two princesses disembarked, they climbed up the steps, some Gentlecolt Guards being sure they don't fall from loose cobble.

"Princess Celestia, Princess Luna! I am happy to see you, but why are you here?" Twilight asked galloping to Celestia to receive a nuzzle from her mentor, Luna could only smile, yes she was going to tease her sister in some way about this if only playfully.

"Canterlot was thawed by some magic of some sort, at first I took it to mean you defeated Queen Ryugu, but we saw only Canterlot and Ponyville were freed." Celestia said as she looked at Twilight and noticed not what she was wearing but what she wasn't. "Twilight, why aren't you wearing the Armor of the Crusader?"

"Uuuh, well you see---" Twilight chuckled nervously.

"Okay, Mother, I'm ready to go!" Nyx said as she cantered through the doors of the tower, the Silver-blue armor glistening in the sun, the helmet being held under her wing, the armor had fit to her small body, and in the sun the gems on the armor glistened, it was like the armor of a goddess.

Celestia and Luna looked at little Nyx, their eyes were wide and unbelieving. at first they didn't want to accept it, Celestia was sure Twilight was the one to wear the armor. why wouldn't she? it made since.

"Twilight, why are you not wearing the armor? why is Nyx wearing it, Please tell me, I need to know?" Celestia asked, she was polite and spoke gently, but the undertone of Panic was in her voice.... as well as disappointment.

"I..... I was rejected by the armor. I wasn't chosen to be the new Crusader." Twilight said sadly before she trotted up and stood by Nyx, wrapping her hoof around her daughter. "But, I understand why it chose Nyx. and I for one support the decision one hundred and ten percent!"

Nyx beamed as she looked up at Twilight.

Celestia just stared for a moment, she approached Twilight and Nyx, she sighed and looked at them before a smile formed on her face.

"Alright Crusader, If Twilight is with you so am I." Celestia finally spoke, determination in her voice.

Luna approached and smiled, nodding. "You shall have Celestia and I at your side, most importantly you have both our support!"

Nyx smiled and nodded, she looked to the Helmet and snorted before putting it on, the princesses watched as she grew to Celestia's height, meeting the sun princess's eye level.

"Then let us work together then." Nyx said, while it was still young, it had a majestic eco and reverb, making her sound bigger then she was. it was intimidating.

Celestia and Luna backed away a step, they didn't expect Nyx to grow that big so fast, they knew the armor had affects on the wearer, but it would make since that a filly would need to be fully grown to make the armor be useful.

Broadsword approached the two princesses and bowed.

"Welcome back to the Tor, Celestia, Luna. you've.... grown since last I saw you." Broadsword said looking up at them, he was an average build stallion, but the armor made him bulky.

"Hello Broadsword, Your looking young as ever...." Celestia said looking a touch perplexed.

"Don't mind, Celestia she doesn't age well." Luna teased.

"Luna, I am only three decades older then you!" Celestia bit back, she did not take the teasing from her sister as such.

"Yeah, but the stress the last thousand years seemed to added a couple of wrinkles..." Luna gasped then pointed in Celestia's mane. "IS THAT A GREY HAIR!"

"WHAT WHERE!?" Celestia panicked checking her mane only to find no such grey strain, Luna however was giggling like a school filly.

"I see your sister is still as Mischievous as ever." Broadsword chuckled. "it is good to see you've not lost your good spirits. we will need them for the battle that awaits us."

Celestia's face straightened as she realized Luna's teasing wasn't to spite her, she was just as scared of the situation as she was. it was a reason Luna once used the Element of Laughter. she couldn't help but smile and grin herself.

"Well, at any rate, if it is alright with you, my Sister and I wish to bring the Saddle Tor back to service, we have our battalion at the ready." Luna stated as she cleared her throat.

"Your more then welcome to the tower, it be good to see her halls filled with life again." Broadsword stated,

The royal guard wasted no time in getting the tower's defenses up, and some went to the Knights and Crusader's Coffin chambers to pay their respects, Pray, and leave offerings for blessings of strength. an odd behavior when most ponies view the princesses as deities themselves, but the tower itself had a divine feel to it, and the mares and stallions who once Lived, Fought, and layed to rest in this ancient tower demanded respect.

Twilight however watched the stallion and mares in armor, not one were crystal ponies.

"Princess Celestia?"

"Yes twilight?" Celestia answered softly as she levitated a supply trunk from a cargo chariot.

"have you heard any word from the Crystal Empire? I would have thought Cadence and my brother would have sent some soldiers to aid you?" Twilight said as she trotted around two stallions bringing in a Ballista.

"We've not heard word from the Crystal Empire since the day you freed my sister and I, Twilight. though the news says the Crystal Empire isn't affected by the ice, I fear they have their own problems in other forms to deal with." Celestia said.

Twilight watched as Celestia and Luna dawned their own royal armor, it was similar to their royal attire, but the armor covered more of their bodies, legs, and even their wings had protective segments, only Luna used the wing blades. she began to notice how often she seen these weapons. Royal guards did not use them, so they must be an ancient weapon practice for pegasus. and from the way Luna and the pegasi she seen that wore these blades kept the tips of their wings away from their bodies when the wings were folded told her these blades required special training and care. she also recalled the Armored Knight she saw was a pegasus with these blades, and Nyx's armor had them as well, Nyx even seemed to know how to properly use them with care. maybe it was just a pegasus and Alicorn thing?

Nyx trotted up to the two. "It feels good that we are fighting together this time. not against each other."

Celestia and luna smiled.

"then let us be a force to be reckoned with." Luna boasted magically manifesting her swords through her magic.

"Well said sister!" Celestia said summoning her magic sword from her aura.

Nyx took out her sword, the two looked at it, captured in it's glistening majesty as they saw all three of their reflections in it as she met the tip of the blade with their swords. "then let it be here that we swear to fight not just for equestria, for crown, or throne, but as sisters bound by the sword and honor!"

"As Sisters!" the three Alicorns declared in unison.

A declaration that brought the sky to turn dark. Clouds swirled and parted the sky, thunder shook the ground, a cloud of black mist began to form in the sky as a pair of glowing green eyes looked down upon all of Equestria, as though they were looking down at a table of food for a hungry stomach. the eyes flashed as the ice finally melted, the land returned to it's colorful normality, yet ponies who were frozen by the ice that turned grey remained in place.

"It's her." Broadsword said as his brows furrowed. sneering at the eyes as they glared down at him. "Queen Ryugu."

A Laughter echoed through the land, animal and pony alike felt their bodies shake as the eyes narrowed on them.

"My Subjects, your beloved Queen has returned to you!" The ancient Queen cackled, her voice was shill, deep, and threatening as it echoed from the sound echoing through the land. "I am Queen Ryugu, the first queen and rightful ruler of Equestria. Bow to me, pledge your allegiance to me, and I Promise you the power to have all your heart's desire, Pledge yourself subservient to me and live in a Kingdom of true harmony!"

Celestia growled as she flew up, her horn glowing as she used the Royal Voice, something she's not used in a thousand years. however she magnified it as much as possible. "MY LITTLE PONIES! HEAR ME, IF YOU SWEAR ALLEGIENCE TO RYUGU, YOU WILL ONLY DOOM YOURSELF TO A LIFE OF ENSLAVEMENT, YOU'LL BE NOTHING BUT FOOD TO A VAMPIRE TYRANT!"

"SILENCE FOAL!" Queen Ryugu growled as she blasted Celestia with a green mist of fire.

Celestia screamed in pain before falling back to the tower steps, only to be caught by Luna and Nyx in mid fall.

"Equestria is My land to rule, you usurping evangelical Mule!" Ryugu snapped at the fallen sun princess. "You'll soon learn the price of Impersonating Royalty!"

Twilight growled and levitated herself as close she could. "PRINCESS CELESTIA IMPERSONATES AND PRETENDS TO NOTHING! Nopony will Follow a monster like you!"

the pair of eyes narrowed on the little Unicorn that seemed like an ant to them. they then began to shake as the dark Queen began to laugh.

"Stupid Child! Go back to playing with your Abacus and Chemistry Set!" Queen Ryugu snapped. "Your knowledge is nothing compared to mine! your nothing but an infant that thinks her mentor's attention is the all that exists of the universe. like a dog begging her master to be petted. PATHETIC! Return to your master, little dog" Ryugu quipped before blasting Twilight with a mist of green fire.

Twilight Fell but was caught by Nightquill, she was silent the way down and when she landed on the ground she plopped to her haunches. the words dug and twisted deep into her heart, nopony's talked to her in such a way. Nightmare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis, none of their words hurt like the Dark Queen's did. she couldn't help but shudder and sob. she knew they were lies, but something about how she said it...

"Twilight Sparkle!" Celestia barked. "Don't you DARE listen to one word that demon says! I have watched you learn and grow your knowledge the first day I met you, Twilight. your not just smart, but your creative too. you were the one who enchanted those boots to allow you to tread the life devouring ice, your the one who freed my Sister. and let us not forget the lessons of friendship and the many trials you went through against those who brought danger to Equestria."

"Celestia is correct, Mother." Nyx said as she helped Twilight up. "Your the smartest and most magical unicorn I know! and I'm not just saying that because your my mom either!"

the green eyes then fixated on Nyx the way they narrowed and contorted it was almost the invisible face that owned those eyes were smiling. "AH so a new crusader has been chosen? Awww how cute a little Child is going to fight me? Oh how I could just pinch your cute little CHEEKS!" Ryugu growled. "You don't seriously believe a Mutt like you can defeat me? Your not even a pony. your Nothing but a shadow of a Pony who had a temper tantrum. Yes. that's what you are. Nothing but a shell. You believe yourself a Pony of your own, you believe your a good pony? BAH! Your a product of a botched spell that was taken out of the oven too soon. Your not a pony, your a manifestation of pain, regrets, and jealousy. You believe to have a soul, when in reality, your nothing but a lifeless puppet that thinks she's a real filly!"

Nyx tried to ignore the words, but they found scars from old wounds and ripped right into them. digging deep and drawing up old emotions.

"Your a pathetic excuse of a creature if I ever seen one, Why, I should dispose of you this instant!" Ryugu said, a wisp of shadow snaked it's way and wrapped around Nyx, constricting her tightly, invisible thorns stabbing into her, like the bush she was in when she first woke. "An unnatural being like you doesn't belong in My Kingdom, You dare call yourself a pony, You DARE to defy me by pretending to be the new Crusader!? YOU'LL DIE BY MY VERY GRIP!"

Nyx screamed in agony and frustration, the queen's words were all False, she knew this because she knew she had a soul. she was as much a Pony as Twilight, Applebloom, Sweetiebelle, Twist, and Scootaloo, she was as much a pony as Twilight's Friends, Rarity came to mind, she had a soul and she was not going to let the queens words fill her mind with lies!

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" Nyx yelled as she unsheathed the sword of Wisdom and struck the tendril of shadow was sliced through like a weed, Ryugu snarled as Nyx extended her wings and hovered before the two eyes. "You like to play with Pony's heads, look into their hearts and twist their image of who they are to the very thing they're not! I'll tell you who you are, Ryugu. or who you used to be."

"Oh? I am Intrigued." Ryugu sneered.

Twilight watched as she tried to levitate back up to Nyx, only for Broadsword to grab her by the tail.

"No, let her do this." he said as he pointed his hoof at Nyx. "Watch, she isn't alone up there."

As Nyx glared up at the pair of glowing emerald eyes, the orange gem of her helmet began to glow. she gave a snort and looked down at Twilight and nodded.

"You were once a pony filled with Love for her ponies, Ryugu. you were Kind, caring, even when you began to become corrupted you still cared for them. and in many ways you still do." Nyx began, the pair of eyes narrowing. "when the ponies felt betrayed when you turned into the monster you are now, you weren't angry, your heart was broken. deep down you cried knowing you betrayed the ponies you loved, and knowing they formed an army against you hurt you even more, and even now as you ask for today's pony's allegiance, you merely wish them to love and admire you like they love and admire Princess Celestia and princess Luna. but I assure you."

Nyx began to grow bold, adding her own venomness bite to her words, venom of honesty. "I'll assure you, Ryugu, they won't love you. they won't admire you. in the deepest part of their minds, they'll fear and hate you! it's what I learned when I was Nightmare Moon, when I sent Princess Celestia and Princess Luna to the Sun and Moon respectively, when I took over as Queen of Equestria, I wasn't loved or adored, when I made jokes, nopony laughed. when I did raise the sun, Everypony cheered, not for me, but because they believed Celestia got free and defeated me.

"Everypony despised me, Ryugu, just as they'll despise you, and deep down that will hurt more then any physical pain. you'll be forever alone, You'll never have friends, you'll never meet your special somepony, you'll be alone." Nyx said looking across the mountain to Moonstone Castle as old memories began to build up, but she quickly dashed those away. "oh sure you'll find a stallion you'll fancy, you might even marry him. but in the end, he won't return your feelings. he'll only hate you more. You'll live forever in fear that the pony you love might turn on you and attempt to assassinate you, because that's all I see in your heart, Ryugu."

the Dark Queen remained silent.  they squinted on Nyx as though she was the only thing that existed. Twilight, Celestia, Luna, and Nightquill looked on with their jaws dropped. one of the royal guards even muttered 'Daaaaaang' in the tower.

"Y-You Know Nothing of me, Welp! Your just a---" Ryugu began only to trip on her own words. growling and shouting as she threw a thunderous tantrum.

Nyx just watched the show before her. the gem of honesty on her helmet slowly receded it's glow.

"RAAAAHHH!" the dark queen roared in anger. "ENOUGH of this babbling! do not think you've won with your little words, Crusader! We shall face each other soon, and when we do I shall strip every fiber of your being from your worthless Hide! I shall rip your wings off, Snap that horn from your skull and force your Unicorn 'Mother' to eat your wings as I tourcher her before you! You will learn true suffering! But until then, I have much work to do."

With that the emerald green eyes disappeared from the black mass, and soon the mass too dispersed, Nyx flew down, her body quivering as she shuddered. she barely made a single step before collapsing, her helmet coming off becoming little nyx once more. she cried as though she was back to the way she was when Twilight first found her. and without a moment to waste twilight ran to Nyx and held her tight. it was a few moments before she settled down and panted from her fit.

"are you alright, M'lady?" Broadsword asked.

"Y-Yes... thank you." Nyx said sniffling. "I, I don't know why I broke down like that. I know I have nothing to be sad about. we may not have defeated her but I know I had forced her to retreat, but it was like I was so, sad and lonely."

Broadsword approached and placed a hoof on the young filly's shoulder. "what you felt was Queen Ryugu's true feelings. the helmet allowed you to see into her soul, you got a glimpse of who she truly was and you were able to use that to emotionally fight her. however those emotions also imprinted onto your feelings as well."

Nyx blinked and looked at the helmet in shock. "I could do that?"

Broadsword nodded. "it's the first of many abilities the armor grants the wearer. it's not just protection, it allows you to see your enemy for who they truly are, your predecessor merely used the armor as protection, and while he fought with honor and integrity, he could never learn to use the armor's true abilities."

Broadsword looked over to the shrouded town of Hollow shades, his eyes narrowing as he fixated on it. "I know where she is going."

Twilight looked to broadsword. "you do, where?"

Broadsword merely pointed his hoof to Hollow Shades. Twilight and Nyx however went pale. their mortal enemy was taking residence in a town that if they tried to return to, the ponies there will kill them. a town with a Magical barrier that made Twilight's body betray her. Twilight's face went red as she grimaced.

"Broadsword, if we go back there, we'll be marked as kill on sight." Nyx said as she looked up at the Knight.

"that was before you put that armor on." Broadsword said as he unsheathed his sword. "but now your under my protection, and nopony shall lay harm to you as long as I draw breath."

"Hollow Shades has hid beneath it's shroud of darkness long enough." Celestia said as she glared at the town. "I've lost many ponies that went there to simply talk to these ponies. none felt worse then the pony I sent to send food and medical supplies to. she was meant to stay and study the town... I never heard back from her when she left."

Nightquill's ears perked as he approached Celestia. "this pony you speak of, did she have a coat like mine?" he asked. unlike other ponies in Hollow Shades, his Light blue was a sign he wasn't inbred like the others who had white to dark coats.

Celestia took one look at him, at first light Blue coats were common in Canterlot ponies, but as she looked at his clawed hooves, armor, and mane and eye colors, she made the connections. "Your..."

"I'm her son, Nightquill."

Celestia thought on this, she then smiled. "I guess she found some happyness then, if she found a nice stallion---

"she's dead, your majesty. the town's barrier has an affect on outsider ponies, especially mares to desire the town stallions." Nightquill explained looking away as though he was a sin. "I was her only son, before they decided her 'Indoctrinating' me was an affront to their views and laws and wasn't fit for further... use. so when I got my cutiemark and drafted into the Hunters for being a Pegasus, they executed her."

Celestia stood there letting this sink in, she sighed through her nostrils. "Tell me Nightquill, do you believe as they do? that Luna and I are Abominations of Nature?"

Nightquill looked up, and shook his head. "No. I think they are hateful and scared. My mother told me how kind and loving you were. and i see no sign to prove to me otherwise. every night she'd secretly told me stories about you, Celestia. she told me stories of the battle with Discord, Nightmare Moon, she tell me what you really were like. but it was all in secret."

Celestia looked at the pegasus for the longest time. her horn glowed as she pulled the armor off of him and crumpled it like it was paper, she then took the clawed horseshoes off him and slammed them in the ground.

it was rare to see Princess Celestia angry, even rarer to see her angry and put her anger out on something, but as Celestia smashed the armor and clawed horseshoes, she did it with rage. Nightquill's mother was one of the castle servants, but one she held a friendship with since she was little and her mother worked in the castle. she watched her grow up to a beautiful young mare and the thought her life was robbed of happiness with a stallion, that her body was forced into feelings she had no control of made her sick. but more so angrier. eventually all that remained of the armor and horseshoes was twisted metal in a crater in the ground. now a new addition to the stairs of Saddle Tor.

Luna slowly trotted up to the heaving Celestia, placing a hoof on her shoulder. Celestia closed her eyes and furrowed her brows. she calmed herself before looking at the audience she drew from her display. she snorted and looked to Nightquill, the stallion wasn't sure if he was about to join what remained of his armor. Celestia's gaze soften as she sighed.

"I apologize for my outburst, your mother and I were close friends. and to know she had her life taken away because of me...." Celestia tried hard to keep her emotions from flying off like a hord of angry dragons once more. "Nightquill, I will ask this but once. would you like to be a citizen of Equestria? or return to Hollow Shades?"

Nightquill Balked, he stood silent for a moment then sighed. "About that..... I should tell you all something before this continues. before things unfold before you understand what I was really asked to do."

------

It was now sunset and Luna glowed her horn to raise the moon, she sat near Celestia and Twilight as they formed around the campfire at the base of the mountain of Saddle Tor. they were once again on the road and were making their way to Hollow Shades to confront the ponies that lived there, Celestia and Luna were followed by a squadron of Royal Guard in Special Operations armor, their weapons were no longer spears, but swords and shield. For as long as they have ruled, Celestia has lost many ponies to the town, every time she sent someone as a bringer of friendship and peace, the Ponies of Hollow Shades took them captive, used them to quell their numbers in breeding regimens, and for Ponies like Nightquill's mother, were killed for trying to 'Indoctrinate' their children about the truth.

Nightquill however had a Dark Secret, one he could no longer keep, in meeting Celestia and Luna, in spending time with Nyx, he knew of the Fear and Hatred the town held over the Princesses had warped the towns ponies minds. they twisted the Knights of Harmony's virtues to mean that only ponies of the original three tribes are natural and how nature intended it, and when Queen Ryugu became corrupted it warped their views on Alicorns to be untrustworthy demons that wanted to take over and devour the life of all ponies, to enslave them.

Thus, Nightquill layed by the fireplace, staring at the burning embers as he threw his Camouflage cloak into the fire. watching it burn, he then reached under his wing and withdrew a silver ceremonial dagger. it's blade was swirvy with a depiction of an Alicorn on the hilt of the blade with it's heart cut out.

"Before we left Hollow Shades, my brother, Freefall stopped me, he said he cared deeply for me and worried I was under a spell by Nyx." Nightquill began.

Twilight and Nyx shared looks, Nyx sighing, she heard this angle from Shining Armor once before, honestly it was like a bad joke that run it's course.

"he said if I wanted to restore my place in the eyes of the town, in the eyes of the Hunters, I had to prove my loyalty." He looked up at Nyx. "it was my test of loyalty. one that would send a message through all of equestria. if one of you were to die everypony would see that Alicorns were not divine immortals. that if you could bleed, we can kill you."

Nightquill took the blade and held it up, pointing it at Nyx. "Freefall ordered me to Kill you, Nyx. to cut off your head and bring it back to the temple to be displayed. so I may be renoun through all of hollow Shades as a Hero, and earn my place as leader of the Hunter Pegasi."

Nyx gulped as she looked at the blade, Broadsword kept his Magic on the hilt of his sword, Celestia and Luna shared glances, Twilight however was silent. watching Nightquill carefully, if anypony was to make the first move it be her.

"it's what everypony in town wanted, my Father, Dark Feather would be proud of me, I'd ensure my right to Marry my sister." that got a few grimaces from the royal guards. "Everypony would be proud of me."

"But...." Nyx finally spoke. "what do you want?" she asked, her eyes never leaving the dagger, but her question was careful and genuine.

Nightquill looked at the Dagger for the longest time, the tip began to glow from the fire underneath it, it seemed to thirsting for the Filly Alicorn's blood. he scowled and in one quick move made his choice.

THUNK!