King Sombra swore loudly as he paced back and forth in his throne room.

“The changelings have meddled with my affairs once too often! We need Queen Chrysalis dealt with as soon as possible.” The angry tyrant blew up a crystal beside his throne with dark magic to vent his rage.

Umbra Night had watched his father become crueler with each day passing. He was unrecognisable now...

He shook his head sadly as he thought about it, the loving father he’d had was now a monster. There were executions of the nobles and peasants nearly every day. It would be only a matter of time before his beloved Moonlight Bunny would be amongst the next death toll.

“Night, my beloved son, I would like you to find Queen Chrysalis and bring her here. All I need is her head to put on a pike.” Sombra said with glee, rubbing his hooves together.

He saw his son turn pale and it peeved him. Why was his son a coward?

“Night, you will bring me her head or you can kiss that peasant girls life goodbye! Shadow Flair has seen you hanging out with an animal care giver of low standing. I have told you time and time again, to stay away from the peasants.”

Umbra Night scowled up at his Father. “Fine, I will do what you ask, just leave Moonlight Bunny alone.”

Night left the throne room, feeling his fathers gaze burning into his back and fled the Empire immediately.

King Sombra saw Night leaving the Empire and smirked. “Shadow Flair, follow my son and make sure that he executes Queen Chrysalis. The rebellion will be nipped in the bud without her leadership.”
The Umbrum guard saluted his King and became a shadow to follow his monarch’s son.

Shadow Flair saw Umbra Night stop by at Moonlight Bunny’s house. He had to admit that the lovers were cute together. He didn’t want to interfere with the young ponies, but he did not wish to incur King Sombra’s wrath.

Soon as his marefriend opened the door, Night started talking quickly.

“Bunny, I have to do the unthinkable. Dad has ordered me to find Queen Chrysalis and do away with her. I don’t want to disobey my Father, but he is leaving me little choice. I would like you to flee the Empire right away, since it’s no longer safe for you to stay here.”

Umbra Night said all this with a heavy heart, nuzzling his mate.

Shadow Flair saw that Moonlight Bunny’s tummy was big and knew that Night’s relationship with the mare was more than just friends as his King suspected. He thought that he would spare Moonlight Bunny, since he didn’t fancy the idea of a pregnant mare being executed.

Moonlight Bunny quickly packed all her things into a saddlebag. It did not take long, since she had very little to begin with.
“I will go to Glimmer Melody’s house, love. Please be careful Night, your Dad is very unstable and such a failure might lead to your own death.”

Bidding her goodbye, Night left with a heavy heart. Then he sensed something trailing him.

Umbra Night left the cottage far behind and stomped a hoof.

“You can come out of hiding, Shadow Flair. I know you have been spying on Moonlight Bunny and I this whole time.”

“Night, you do realize that your father will not hesitate to murder Moonlight Bunny, even though she is with foal. My King has become very cold blooded. He will not spare her if you should happen to betray him.” Shadow said, being very sincere. He genuinely liked this kid...

The two Umbrum left the area and headed towards the mountains. There was a rumour that the changelings inhabited a settlement deep within it. Deep down, Umbra Night knew that he would have to betray his father, since he didn't want to murder his best friend’s mother. She was good to the foals, changelings and also kept the Hives morale up throughout this crazy war.

Shadow Flair could almost feel the tension Night was giving off and shot him a warning look

“If you intend to disobey your Father. I will have no choice but to arrest you.”

“I refuse to go any further Shadow, you want to arrest me for refusal, then go ahead. Many rely on a beacon of hope in this war and that hope is supported by my friend’s mother. Hail to the Queen!” Night said as he lunged at Shadow Flair.
The Prince missed his target however, and was swiftly knocked down by the more experienced Shadow Flair.
“Umbra Night, I hereby arrest you for high treason against his Majesty, King Sombra.”
Umbra Night had no time to defend himself and was quickly knocked out by Shadow Flair. King Sombra’s loyal guard hated to do it, but orders were orders.

He did not detect that there were a couple of changelings watching this unfold and those spies raced back to their hive on the double.

“Queen Chrysalis! Umbra Night was arrested by Shadow Flair.”
“What?” Chrysalis gripped the edge of her chair, it couldn't be...
“The crime in question is protecting you from King Sombra.
Queen Chrysalis shook her head sadly as this sank in.

“As much as it hurts me to say, Night knows the punishment for treason. His Dad will have him executed just for keeping me safe. I will try to save the Prince, but I do not hope for much success”
She turned to her daughter now, who hovered beside her chair.

“Glimmer Melody, you are to take control of the hive. I am going to free the noble Prince before he is executed. To lose him would be a great loss to us, for he has freed many rebels behind his Father’s back and deserves our loyalty.” The Queen said as she put on her armor.

“Mother, don’t do it! King Sombra wants you dead and you showing up will only make things worse. Umbra Night knew the risks when he joined our battle!” Glimmer cried as she watched her Mother get ready to leave.

“Umbra Night took a risk for Moonlight Bunny to be safe. He knew that his betrayal would endanger her. She managed to enter the hive while he was distracting Shadow Flair. As we speak, two of my drones helping her find a room to stay in. She will be our medic during this war.” Queen Chrysalis said softly as she hugged her daughter.

Floating back, she placed the ebony crown on her child’s head. “As of this moment you are Queen.”
“Yes, mother.” Glimmer said tearfully as the changelings bowed and recited their loyalty to her.

Queen Chrysalis and a platoon of her guards left the hive behind and marched steadily in the direction of the Crystal Empire. Watching her vanish into the distance, Glimmer Melody knew deep down that she would never see her mother again. She turned and went back inside the hive…

Chrysalis attacked the Empire directly, the surprise onslaught taking out some of the watch towers. Sadly, the advantage did not last long and her guards were executed in no time as they strove to protect her, and she was captured. She was brought to the throne room.

King Sombra was very pleased to see the Queen had finally been captured.

“I bid thee welcome, Queen Chrysalis. You have stood against me defiantly these last few months, I am impressed. But now, you die. You will be executed immediately, along with one other who declares himself against me. Bring me the traitor!” King Sombra said with extreme venom. “My own son, who would turn against me to serve you so loyally.”

Umbra Night had his teeth bared when he was brought out wearing a yoke and chains.

“Pardon the new taste in fashion. You shall not be wearing it for much longer, however.” The King mocked his former son.

“Buck you!” Umbra Night shouted at his father.

“I am in the mood to execute these two on television. Bring in the slaves who control the cameras." Sombra said with a sadistic grin. “I am positive that this will be the event of the century.”

King Sombra was on the balcony as he saw the traitors being brought out into the open. He made absolutely certain the cameras were filming all this. A scared murmur rippled through the crowds as Queen Chrysalis and Umbra Night were pushed onto the ground.

“Umbra Night and Queen Chrysalis, you have been found guilty of high treason. The penalty, is death!” King Sombra shouted as he read the punishment from a scroll for show.

Sombra locked eyes with Umbra Night and saw a look of absolute fury. He smirked in return.

“It doesn’t have to be this way Father, you can still redeem yourself and surrender!” Night pleaded. As hi father mocked his plea with his cold laughter, Umbra Night made a silent wish that some pony will arrive to help bring an end to this senseless war.

Shadow Flair raised the executioners axe and brought it slashing down on Chrysalis’s neck. The Queen closed her eyes, bravely accepting her fate to the very end.

Umbra Night was a fighter however, managing to nail his father on the shoulder with a single blow before being pushed to the ground by the Umbrum pony guards a second later.

“Tis a pity really, you had the potential to be an excellent ruler. You should have just destroyed the changelings like I ordered.” King Sombra said coldly. The unicorn slammed his iron boot against Umbra Night’s horn, causing it to shatter and grinning at his screams.

Shadow Flair executed the prince immediately, ending his pain and his life. King Sombra was a little disappointed, since he had wanted his son to suffer a little more for his disobedience.

“Burn the bodies!” The monarch shouted to his troops, who nodded silently.

Princess Luna saw everything from within her prison on the moon and sighed sadly, since King Sombra had sunk to a new low. She had heard her son’s wish before his unjust death and made a wish of her own; that some pony would come and free Equestria from the Shadow King.

Moonlight Bunny and Glimmer Melody held each other when the executions occurred. Both had lost some pony special to them, how many more would lose their lives to this senseless war before peace came?