Now that Sahvoz has galloped out of the ice cave, Sauron could finally start playing with the Crystal Heart. Before doing something to it he needs to once more summarize what he knows about the Heart to properly convince it to his side and to tell it he is good. Or even take control of it, which is rather unlikely.

The Crystal Heart, as he recalls, is powered up by the Hearts of the Crystal Ponies, meaning it is connected to the ponies and their minds, to their will, to their emotions. Sauron doesn’t know if the Heart can be used to take control of the ponies. Doing it would cost him the peace he has and he would have to wage war with the ponies that would come and fight him.

The Crystal Heart repels the storms of the north that are supposed to freeze the whole empire, if not for the Heart the Empire would be a giant spiky structure with dead ponies trapped in ice. It can manipulate weather on a wide scale, almost as wide as his abilities allow him to manipulate the weather.

The Heart is also capable of shielding the empire forming a bubble around the city, then again, is the empire only this city or do they have more lands and villages? None of that now, he needs to focus on changing the hearts attitude towards him. The heart protects from evil, he just did what was necessary for his cause that is the best solution for every man and elf, dwarf, orc and Eru knows what kind of creatures live on Arda.

If he can tell it that his soul is clean, because clearly it is, it would mean victory over the ponies and he would have access to the city for all of eternity. This is one way of doing it, he can also use dark arts and damage the Hearts abilities of recognizing so called ‘evil’ he is part of. Sauron worshipped the god creator by all of his battles, wars and creations he built or breed.

With nothing more to do, he used his magic and made the heart levitate in front of him. Sauron might get really hurt by doing this, but it will have it will have its good sides even if the injuries will cause him to lose a part of his power. Sauron’s hands begin to be wrapped in yellow light that in the center of his pals burned dark orange.

The energy flew from his hands and begin to wrap around the Crystal Artefact. Some of the energy went in the opposite side meeting with the floor illuminating the cave he was in. Sauron’s hands were beginning to turn into the energy he used to connect with the Heart going up his arms all the way, until meeting with his shoulders.

Sauron placed his hands on the Heart. The Heart reacted glowing brightly with its azur light rejecting Sauron’s magic and fighting it hurting him. The reaction was quick and powerful, really powerful and Sauron’s own magic begin to disappear, only the deep dark orange managed to withstand the Hearts power.

But Sauron was not just an normal mage, he was a being almost godlike compared to the beings of Arda, nothing could stand in front of him without him wanting it to stay. Nothing could reject his influence and nothing could fight with the power of his ring! Nothing could, and not a diamond shaped into a heart will do it.

Sauron pressed with more of his power against the Crystal Heart. Soon the Hearts glow impacted with Sauron’s own magic closing a big chunk of the hearts light off. Repelling its magic and stopping it from hurting Sauron. Sauron felt cold, so extreme he thought the light was hot like the fires of a volcano, but he wasn’t injured, he only felt great pain from the Hearts magic.

The Heart and Sauron’s magic didn’t leave the environment alone, the ice under the pressure of the whirly magic around Sauron and the Heart cracked the ice and some of the force was absorbed by the ice. The surroundings started to glow, hurting the fundaments of the mountain they were in. Both the Heart that fought its enemy and Sauron didn’t yet give up.

Sauron was desperate to get the Heart to do what he wants, and he wanted it to accept him. Sauron wanted it to tell, if it had such a ability, he was good, and was on the ponies side. So that Discord’s claims may be worthless. Sauron’s hand begin to shake from the pressure his and the Hearts magic emitted.

“You’re… mine.” Sauron uttered.

Sauron used his anger that built up from fighting the heart to increase his powers sharpness and strike the hearts light, the deep dark orange now swallowed the yellow and from the center of his hands, from the center of his palms shadowy energy erupted. Cleaning the surroundings from the Hearts magic and leaving only some of it alive.

The heart seemed to squeak you could say, as if it had a mind on its own. Sauron’s magic needed more space and didn’t have much of it, so it used the cracks in the ice to increase its radius but it proved fatal for the ceiling that also begin to crack and fall down. Ice shards were evaporated by Sauron’s magic that destroyed the watery particles, tore the water apart into oxygen and hydrogen.

Slowly the heart was giving up, but when the light died down Sauron’s confidence increased, he felt proud and already was happy to be victorious. Yet the Heart proved stubborn just like the dark Lord and didn’t give up. With its last strength the Heart exploded with magic so strong it almost threw him away and he lost the grip on the Heart.

“Gaah!”

Yelled the dark Lord in vain, the magic of the heart shoot deep into the dark Lord's hands, his very veins were burning bright azur and his own magic was destroyed in moments by the Heart. Sauron fell on his knees blinded by the heart, he held it and the light, the force that fought against him was pushing like winds created by wings of the great eagles. Started to slowly create small cuts on his face, trying to turn him into a spirit by destroying his physical form.

Sauron saw a small drip of blood fly just in front of his eyes, he knew it was his blood and that the Heart was trying to defeat him. He wasn’t the best warrior in Middle-Earth, he was cunning and he was a great sorcerer. Using the power within himself, he would prove that he is worthy to be accepted into the realm of those colorful, stupid, and hideously, unrealistically rather adorable ponies!

The one ring on Sauron’s finger gave a bright and powerful glow, revealing the inscription on it revealing its true purpose and why it was made. It was made from Sauron’s malice and will to dominate all living beings in the world. Even a stone shaped into a Heart can be dominated, then it will be dominated and it will do what Sauron’s wills it.

Soon the veins on Sauron’s hands that were pale like snow outside of the mountain. Turned normal and the blazing azure left his body retreating the Hearts magic. The mountain that Sauron was in, it begin to shake, as if a earthquake struck it and the avalanches it let out turned pretty hard for Sahvoz friends outside of the ice caves.

Sahvoz together with his friends run as fast as they could from the ice caves, they were glowing, the whole mountain was glowing and shaking. At first it was glowing both orange and blue, then only orange, now it was glowing only azure. His friends didn’t have much strength, and his love was barely withstanding the cold.

Sahvoz didn’t know what was going on but Sauron had to do with it, how can he be so powerful?! It doesn’t make any sense, he can literally make a mountain shake! Together with the Crystal Heart, he is fighting it, Sahvoz was scared what possibly as he had done agreeing to give him the heart. How many ponies will get hurt, how man will die, Sauron behaves like a sociopath.

Fighting the snow and fighting the thunder above them that was influenced by the magical forces of Sauron and the Crystal Heart, together with his friends he tried to go down, but the snow was so thick it was almost impossible to see through. They met a few obstacles he together with Big Pane had destroyed.

Sooner or later his new abilities would come to use as a thunderbolt has struck a part of the mountain making the rocks crack and narrow their path down to the city. The city was awake and the ponies in the city were in panic. Sahvoz could see that lights have been lit in the Empire. Soon the Crystal Monarchs will know, and soon Sauron’s plan will be revealed.

One of his friends have tripped when the lighting hit the ground, Sahvoz yelled his friends name and dashed to save him while Lucky Heart called him and with concerned look she hoped he will succeed. Sahvoz strength had increased, not much but enough to see the difference right away. His wings weren’t as easily froze like before.

Suffering from frostbite, Sahvoz still held his friend tightly. He pulled with all force he had. Not letting one of his friends down into the icy abyss of the northern Mountains. He was no dragon, he was a pony. He was his friend he has suffered for so much, and he will suffer more if it means his well being, because his friend would do exactly the same thing.

Lucky Heart has encouraged others to help Sahvoz. They all came and pulled getting the pony soon back on the solid ground, hugging him quickly they went further down, hoping no one will see them and return home. Yet the ground trebled and the force came from the great ice caves that glowed both orange and azure this time.

Great avalanches have fallen, greatly had the ground shifted under them and almost death has kissed Sahvoz and his dear mare. But Sahvoz won’t allow his mare to be kissed by anyone! He stretched his wings and used his abilities to send a slim but powerful energy strike of dark energy towards the incoming snow.

Both of his friends, watched with awe and horror what kind of magic Sahvoz could operate with. Powerful like the spells of an skilled unicorn and dark like Sombras fur. When the attacked hit the snow it burst into a explosion of fire and send a mighty wave of wind stopping more of it, decreasing the force the avalanche has carried with itself.

“How did you do that!?” Yelled Lucky Heart.

Sahvoz with an uneasy stare said back. “I-I made a deal with him… he will help me get you to safety and in return I would serve him.”

His friends looked at themselves, how could have Sahvoz done that? The sacrifice his life for them? Into the hands of such an powerful being, they didn’t know even from what country he was from. Sahvoz was naïve and he was stupid, he was also kind. Yet to do decide and ruin his life for their sake? This was unacceptable.

“How did this happen, tell us.” Said Big Pane.

“We have no time, we need to go!” Sahvoz protested.

“No!” Cried Lucky Heart. “We want to know, or else none of us will do one step forward.”

Sahvoz was taken back by the words of his love, he didn’t want to start how he begin to serve Sauron. He had no choice, he needed to encourage them to go forwards, or else they will die here in the cold.

“Fine… It all began when the Dragons have abducted you, I have met with them and they requested me to steal the Heart and to bring it to them. I had to do it. They gave me some information and somepony allowed me to go in.

“I took the heart from the vaults and wanted to exit that’s when I met him, his strength was unreal, I wanted to kill him but he somehow he sensed me. He destroyed the walls around and then repaired them, he made me hear the exact same voices of victims I have killed when I still was a mercenary.”

Sahvoz told in sadness, his friends only heard him out feeling the burn in their chests.

“He made me do it, or else he would have had taken the heart and killed me, he was merciful enough to allow me accept his help. He gave me this power, the power to use magic, not exactly the way others use, but he enhanced me, maybe I could break free in the future.” Sahvoz said in hope.

“Do you think? He won’t track you?”

“I don’t know.” He said and continued to tell how he met with Sauron. “We met on the outskirts, I didn’t know where he was but he changed form into a big eagle, he tried to steal the heart from me, or so I thought. I wanted to strike him and he with anger replied by bringing pain, without any injuries. We ventured, and I begged him to go alone inside I went and I was tricked but he came for the Heart and just because I proved good enough he allowed us to live.”

“Why would you even agree for such terms?” asked Big Pane.

“Exactly.” Said another of his friends.

“Because I wanted to save you! You are my world.” Said Sahvoz almost crying. “He left some kind of mark on me so that we could communicate, or he could tell me when I should be summoned for service.”

“A mark? How does it look like?” Asked Lucky Heart.

“I don’t know I didn’t have the opportunity to look at it.”

“Where did he leave it?”

“On the back of my neck, under my mane.”

Lucky Heart has approached Sahvoz, and gently with her feather smooth hooves she has inspected the back of his neck. She moved his mane away, to see what kind of mark has this monster left on her Sahvoz. The mark on Sahvoz neck was terrifying, it was one of the most creepy possible marks ever left on somepony’s body, not even slave traders leave such marks.

“And?” Asked Sahvoz.

“It's hard to describe really, its an eye with weird tendrils probably resembling fire coming off of it, and it’s blood red, barely visible but not masked enough to miss it.”

‘An eye?’

Sahvoz moved his head away so that Lucky heart may stop looking at it, who knows maybe it will somehow affect her, he himself felt weird after receiving it, they need to focus on going back to the city.

“We need to go, quick before Faust knows what will hap-”

From the mountain a powerful shockwave was send, reaping thru the sky and stopping the clouds sending thunder like sound, the ears of the ponies almost started to bleed, but soon they had to run, as a great earthquake has followed it. Turning to the mountain they ran from, Sahvoz saw the mountain slowly cracking and collapsing on itself, before giving one final orange flicker of light.

Prince Captain Shining Armor, husband of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza was awaken by the cold and by screams of his citizens below the palace, he didn’t know what was happening but Cadence also sensed something bad. Both of them moved in the bed, concerned by the sounds of their citizens screams and voices filled with panic.

Somepony has knocked at their doors. Shining rubbed his eyes and let out a tired and quick growl of annoyance. He had planned to stand up but he wanted to awake fully while still in the bed. Cadence supported herself with her hoof and looked as her husband approached the doors. He opened the doors and she saw one of the elite royal crystal guard standing before her husband.

“Sire, we have bad news.” Said the guard.

“What is it? Something has happened? It's very cold.” Said Shining still waking up.

“Sire, the Crystal Heart has been stolen.”

Cadence couldn’t believe what she has heard, Shining Armor thought he misunderstood the guard but after more questions it has been proven that it was the painful truth, the Crystal Heart has been stolen. No one was hurt, but many ponies have died on the way to the barracks, the thief has used one of the tunnels that lead to the barracks Sombra used himself.

Shining was shocked, only ponies that wanted to face the most extreme of punishments have tried to murder, or were psychopaths. Shining Armor followed the guard down to the vaults. When he arrived the Heart indeed was missing and there was nothing to prove it was the work of a pony from inside, although every possible entering was closed and wasn’t locked picked. Whoever has entered this chamber, had to receive help from inside, meaning that there is a traitor in their ranks.

The intruder received help from one of the guards, Shining was angry, the lives of the Crystal ponies are on his and Cadences back, they need to find the burglar and catch him before he gets away with the Heart. Shining Armor only hoped he was an earth pony and somepony has seen him.

Shining Armor ordered his guards so look out for any clues, but he was informed that they already tried to look and found nothing, the only thing that can be found is by the barracks. With nothing left to do he went outside, meanwhile the ponies have been asking and why is it so cold and why are the clouds above the Crystal City.

Shining was escorted to the murder scene, he saw the ponies being cut on the neck and mainly from behind, no pony was cut from the front meaning the thief was very good at sneaking or has enchanted hoofs. Shining Armor has ordered the unicorns that specialize in finding magically any traces to inspect every inch of the barracks.

“Sire, the ponies are starting to ask questions, what should we do?”

“Tell them not to panic, and send a word to my wife, she is needed to ease the tensions.”

“As you wish.”

Shining Armor thought, how could have this happened, who could have potentially wanted to steal the heart, it doesn’t nothing more then protect the Crystal Empire. The Crystal Empire has no real border with any country that would benefit with their weakened state. The Heart could be used for darker and more sinister plans.

A part of his daughters power was absorbed by the Heart and made her magic more stable and less destructive. There is an possibility somepony might want to extract this power and use it to enhance his own strength and possibly bring a new threat to both the Crystal Empire and Equestria. Another problem his sister will have to solve and another chance that something might happen to her.

Shining exited the barracks and looked into the horizon, north. His eyes weren’t as good as once, but he didn’t have big problems with seeing things, besides, he didn’t yet need glasses. But something has gotten his attention, the clouds came from that distance and he could swear he saw strange lights coming from the northern Mountains.

There lead the paths to some of the Crystal Empires neighboring countries, but it is unlikely any of those countries would want to start a conflict. He needs to return to the palace or dispatch a weather balloon and get information if either this is just strong lighting or maybe something more. If it is something more, he will take appropriate measures to retrieve the Crystal Heart.

Cadence didn’t take much time brushing her hair or making herself pretty, she had to tell her ponies everything is alright and nothing bad has happened. A ruler shouldn’t lie to her ponies but for the greater good she is forced to do it, to lie and protect her ponies, maintain order from failing and turning into anarchy and panic. The icy weather is enough of a problem without counting in the disappearance of the Heart.

What kind of havoc can it bring, the weather is strong enough to reject every spells or attempt to stop it, only slow it down, she may fly and use her magic to at least give her ponies some more time. Celestia and Luna both couldn’t achieve victory with the cold northern weather, she won’t either, she is weaker than her aunts.

Her little Flurry Heart maybe when she will be much more older then she is now, will be able to fight this nightmare and let the empire free from the electric pincers of lighting the storm uses to harm her ponies. Cadence accompanied by guards went to her balcony to start confronting her ponies and to tell them everything is ok.

But before she has done it she had to ask one more thing

“Is Flurry Heart asleep?”

“Yes your majesty, she is asleep although the disappearance of the heart might have caused some nightmares.”

“Nightmares?”

Cadence didn’t like that, she knew that a part of her daughter magic was absorbed by the heart, maybe somepony wanted to hurt her daughter by doing something to her magic that was absorbed? She would never forgive whoever would do this, she is a kind pony but she would go above the law and execute that pony or non-pony.

Cadence continued down the hallway and just before she was going to address her ponies she took a deep breath, this was very stressful. She had to choose her words carefully to spark as much hope as she can in the hearts of her ponies. The Crystal guards moved the curtain and she stepped out into the cold.

It was snowing very badly, but it won’t stop her, once she did it, she shall do once more! Going forwards she got the attention of her ponies, she recently has been training herself in the art of royal Canterlot voice, aunt Luna has given her a few lessons before Sauron has arrived in her empire. Talking about Sauron, maybe he could help?

He is powerful and it wouldn’t go along with his tries to go back home if the Empire has fallen. She cleared her throat and put her hoof up. The crystal ponies have stood before the balcony and awaited her Princess’s words, to give them an idea what is going on and why is it snowing harder then they remembered to snow.

“My dear ponies, do not hold fear in your hearts, the situation is under Control! The storms have entered the city’s borders, but do not fall in sorrow. Before any major building freezes, no snow or ice will be seen anymore!”

The ponies started to talk, they seemed to be happy and were satisfied with that she has told them. Although some weren’t, it wasn’t her goal to calm all of them, her job was to ease the tensions as her husband asked her for. Now that this is over, she may send somepony to Sauron’s chamber and ask for help. While go and try and see if her daughter is alright.

“Go and seek Lord Sauron, he may prove helpful.”

“As you wish.” Said one of the guards and galloped to Sauron’s chamber.

While one of her guards was galloping to Sauron’s chamber, she went to her daughters room. She didn’t know how to stop her nightmares. Cadence opened the door to her daughters room, and she saw as little Flurry Heart was sleeping, she was adorable when she slept, at last Cadence has such thoughts, what about others? She didn’t know.

Cadence approached her daughter, she sat by her side, Flurry Heart has moved from time to time, indicating that she really has nightmares. Cadence closed the doors with her magic and also made sure any windows aren’t open, she would freeze in those temperatures. The finest fruit of her and Shining’s love.

Flurry Heart lives because Luna and Celestia were good enough and with their magic helped her accept Shining’s semen, this is how Flurry Heart got her powers, as a part of Lunas and Celestia own self was already in her. All she needed was the right night, the right words and the right moves. This of course didn’t mean it was just a favor.

Celestia always had plans and she knew that it involved her, but whenever she plans if it will make her daughters live miserable she will object. She won’t allow her daughters live to become boring, without any true love and a constant pain and stress just Like Celestia has to go thru from time to time.

Cadence took her hoof and stroke her daughters mane, her mane was just as pretty like hers, and her almost white coat was from Shining. Flurry Heart was mart, some would say she is a genius, she has the best notes in school and she barely studies, but if she won’t study before approaching a test she will fail.

“No…”

“Flurry Heart?” Asked cadence after hearing the plea.

Sauron has used dark magic to strengthen his magic and to crack the Crystal Hearts and its magic. He won’t be defeated by a artefact worth almost nothing! Sauron was “choking” the heart and its light, letting only darkness and very dark orange light surrounding him, the ceiling was supported by the pure force of his magic, if he retreated his magic, the mountain would start to collapse.

He took his right hand, and retreated it, accumulating as much dark magic as he could his whole arms and body was surrounded in it. He proceeded with thrusting his hand into the heart, the heart seemed to release more magic but its force was dying. The heart was giving up.

The heart didn’t shine bright anymore, it only shined like a torch, lightly and without much force soon the darkness slipped into it. Parts of the Heart begin to turn darker and darker. The orange and the black was like ink in water, dissolving in it and changing the Hearts color to a gloomy azure.

But Sauron has achieved what he wanted to achieve, he has almost dominated the Heart. With nothing more left, he could start imposing his will on the Crystal artefact and make it his. Make it accept that it is weak and that he is stronger that he is good and nothing the Hearts considers evil is actually evil.

“Eeat Latug zil Dobat.” (Your light is weak).

Sauron has entered the Heart, he now was able to see the Hearts memories and its purpose and what it serves. He has been greeted with something weird, like warm water surrounding his whole body, it was a nice experience. Very relaxing and very calming, Sauron has looked around and he saw the Crystal Empire, it was smaller and not as populated as it is now.

The background changed and he saw a dark stallion in armor with a ridged horn, his eyes were green and the pupils of is eyes were purple. The whole empire was in chains and the whole city was dark and looked like unknown dark magic was used to make it like this. There was no snow, everyone, every pony he saw was working in mines and he saw Sombra giving some of the stallions strange a liquid.

But the vision changed again, this time he saw an big golden army of ponies, and Celestia and Luna lead them. They were wearing armor of very fine craftsmanship not equal to the elves but above the men and their skills. The image begin to become blurry and changed again to reveal Sombra fighting Celestia and Luna in the air as he was carried by the dark mist under him.

Sombra has summoned a sword from darkness and Celestia used her horn to destroy it with a beam of yellow magic, Luna stood behind and with a flap of her wings she flew behind sombra and used some strange made out of pure energy arrows and destroyed his dark mist making Sombra fall and it the ground.

This time Celestia stood before the bleeding King with an angry look she said. “I’m sorry, but you left us now other way then to end you.”

Celestial and Luna pointed their horns at him, and slowly ice started to envelop the dark King turning him into the mist that he carried with him and used it to fight the Princesses. The dark King seemed to say something and his own horn was glowing sending weird waves of magic that illuminated the whole city. When Luna and Celestia were done, the empire disappeared together with Sombra who has been imprisoned in ice.

The image again blurred, and Sauron saw this time Twilight sparkle, the smart pony he had honor to meet. She was imprisoned in some kind of dark Crystal like construction that prevented her from escaping. She spoke to her friend, spike the dragon as he heard her saying. To go and bring the Heart to Cadence.

The vision blurred again. Sauron was happy to see the things, the more he knows the more powerful he becomes without using his powers. But the Heart has chosen poorly, it has showed him his own past. The time when he lost his physical for after Isildur cut the rings from his finger, Sauron became furious..

He rejected the vision and with one last powerful strike of magic he created an magical explosion which shattered the icy walls and corrupted the Heart without changing its appearance ever so slightly. He himself was thrown away and ice begin to feel on him, he heard the cracking noises and with his hands lightly burned he has grabbed the Crystal Heart.

Using his new dominance over it, he used its magic to prevent the mountains rocks and ice to crush him, protecting himself from the tons and tons of rubble. His actions will cause many reactions and many will begin to head towards him, if he needs to, he will fight the Princess of Love and Friendship after she wakes up...

Don't be angry at the ending and don't say its lame, I choose this type of storytelling for the last part of the story so that in the next chapter I may give you a detailed description how Sauron used our Crystal Heart.

The story as always edited by no one other than Raistlin Phantom.

BTW. The interest in the story is dropping rapidly, I don't know why but it seems you, my fellow readers, abandon it. If you only tell me for what reason, other than bad grammar, I would be very happy.

I've been also thinking of maybe a small rewrite of some chapters or do one big chapter where I straight up a few things...Don't get me wrong, but my story has changed rapidly and the ending I have right now doesn't match to good with the beginning chapters.