I run out of my room immediately, and find that the blue shield around the Empire is flashing. I can see those black crystals that he was talking about. The problem is that everypony will now be looking for the Crystal Heart.

My time is up.

I get to the throne room, and discover that somepony has already worked out how to access the staircase. I fly down, because trotting would take extra time, but I find that the door at the bottom has also been opened, although recently: Sparkle's voice still can be heard, coming from the second staircase. I cannot just fly up to the top and take the Crystal Heart, because everypony will see me.

Instead, I follow them up quietly, until Sparkle casts a gravity spell. She goes wheeeee all the way up, and cursing Celestia's name, I cast a gravity myself and slide up the staircase. As I go, I see that the crystals are spreading further, until suddenly, the protection spell fades completely. Sombra's darkness cuts holes in the blue shield, and then I see his cloud apparition float towards the Castle. The Crystal Ponies start screaming and running towards the Castle too, in the vain hope of finding safety. I have no pity for them.

Just as I reach the top of the tower, Twilight takes a step too close to the beautiful Crystal Heart. Lo and behold, the black crystals appear. Twilight jumps around, trying to get to the Heart but only trapping herself further.

"Wait. Moonlight Shade? Spike, Moonlight, don't move!" she yells.

I calmly stand still, while Spike tries to balance on one foot. Sparkle says, "Ok, you can move, just not towards me." I take a few steps towards the Heart, but Spike just puts his foot on the floor. Unfortunately, he is closer to the Heart than I am.

"Which one of you is closest to the Heart?" Sparkle asks us.

"I am," Spike realises.

"You have to give it to Princess Cadance, Spike."

"What about Princess Celestia's test, Twilight? You'll fail!"

"I won't be able to get out of here on time, but you might, Spike. Protecting the Empire is more important."

He grabs it. Sombra's black crystals writhe around him, and I have to dodge them in order to get closer to Spike. He is knocked off of the side of the tower, and the Heart goes plummeting with him. I dive after him, shouting, "I'll save you, Spike!"

King Sombra appears, a huge piece of crystal lifting him off the ground. I know that he is going to try and grab the Heart with his magic. I see Princess Cadance, weaker than ever, about to fly towards the Heart. I am freefalling, but I know that everything will fall apart if I don't act.

I close my wings and dive straight down, past Spike, and grab the Heart with both hooves. I hold Spike in my magic and hover, halfway between King Sombra and Cadance, who is perched on one of the balconies. It looks like I will save the day when I send Spike over to Cadance, and everypony is about to cheer. It all depends on me.

So sad that I never wanted to save them.

I fly towards Sombra, land on the piece of black crystal, and focus all of my hatred of Celestia and lust to rule the Empire with Sombra and longing to see the Crystal Heart destroyed so that Sombra can complete his goals on it. Black spikes grow out of its side, and the artifact shatters. The Crystal Heart is useless.

Everypony stares at me, aghast at the terrible deed that I have done. Sombra, though, he looks like a proud parent at a rewards ceremony.

"Well, done, Moonlight," he says, and kisses me on the cheek. It feels amazing to have earned his respect. "Now stay out of danger while I scare out the scum from Equestria and make this our Crystal Empire."

"I could never do that, Sombra. I have to fight by your side."

I leave the huge piece of black crystal where I had perched and lunge for Cadance. Shining Armour throws her out of harm's way so I jump on him and hold him down. Guards run to his aid but I send a simple blast of dark magic their way. It knocks them unconscious immediately. Somehow, using dark magic is so natural for me, when I have heard that some of the greatest unicorns have yet to master it.

"Why did you not listen to me?" I snarl at Shining Armour, who squirms under me.

"You have no idea how much of a monster he is." He tries to lift me off of him.

"You have no idea that Celestia is the real monster. She never gave him a chance, and neither did you. You are merely her slave." I pause for a moment. "You could stop being her slave and live under Sombra's rule, and I would vouch for you. Say the word and I will get him to grant you amnesty."

"Never."

I throw him off of the balcony and he falls all the way down. He isn't killed, because he gets up, but I can see that at least one of his legs is severely broken. The guards have recovered from the magical blast, but I merely cast them aside with my powers. I don't even have to use dark magic.

I waltz through the castle, not encountering any guards for they are all busy outside, fighting Sombra in vain. I go down to the place where the Crystal Heart would be if it were powering the Empire's protection spell and start firing dark magic at the very centre of the snowflake design that runs throughout the entire Empire. The dark magic spreads along the edges, covering every road through the Empire, corrupting everything in its path. I laugh at the destruction that I have caused, and stand in the very centre of that snowflake, as the Crystal Castle above me turns from ice blue to jet black, moving to one side a little and making room for Sombra to stand next to me.

However, I am not heartless. Eventually, I get to work, bringing civilians to the safety of the Crystal Castle. I am far less kind to the guards, Shining Armour, Cadance and the Elements of Harmony. I round them up and make sure that they cannot escape from the Empire.

When I meet up with Sombra after gathering all of the Crystal Ponies together, he is impressed. "I see that you have the Crystal Ponies all in the Castle. You seem like you are going to be a good influence on me."

"I want the Crystal Ponies to see that we do have hearts, even if we don't let our soft side show often."

"I will be showing mine a lot less. Only you, the Captain of the Crystal Guard, will get to know my softer side."

The auburn sky would frighten anypony else to death. For me, it marks a new era of darkness in the Crystal Empire and a new life, as Sombra's top guard and maybe, in the future, his queen.