The Crystal Empire, part 2

[nponyc]

Princess Luna frowns at her older sister. "Are you sure you don't want me to go as well?"

"Yes. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are already there. The others will be joining them soon."

"The Empire's magic is powerful," Luna murmurs. "It cannot fall again, my Sister."

"She will succeed at her task," Celestia reassures her. "And when she does, we'll know that she is that much closer to being ready."

Comments

[no_vampires_plz]

A polite-but-nervous clearing of the throat sounds from the far end of the throne room. Twilight Sparkle has arrived, with her saddlebags so stuffed with quills, ink, and parchment that they almost drag on the floor.

[nponyc]

"Trust me, little sister," says Celestia.

[always_the_moon]

Luna says nothing, but her doubts are written all over her face as she walks past Twilight out of the room.

[no_vampires_plz]

"You wanted to see me? To give me a test?" Twilight magically lifts the overstuffed saddlebags off her back. "I brought my own quills, and plenty of paper to show my work--"

The bags burst open, scattering testing supplies everywhere. One particularly long scroll unwinds itself all the way to Celestia's hooves. "Sorry, sorry--!" Twilight hastily starts rolling it up again.

[nponyc]

Celestia uses her magic to reroll the paper for her student. "This is a different kind of test," she says, placing it and the other supplies back into the saddlebags.

"The Crystal Empire has returned."

[no_vampires_plz]

"The Crystal Empire?"

Oh, of course, that's...

Well, obviously she must mean...

...yeah, Twilight's got nothing.

"I'm sorry, I--I thought I'd studied--I don't think there's anything in any of my books about--"

[nponyc]

"There wouldn't be."

Princess Celestia turns toward her throne - and, more specifically, toward a pedestal next to it.

"Few remember it ever existed at all," she explains, removing a large crystal from the pedestal. "Even my knowledge of the empire is limited." A burst of magic causes the crystal - now sitting in front of Twilight - to expand into a scale model of a large city with a tower in the middle.

[no_vampires_plz]

Twilight backs off rapidly so she's not standing in the middle of the city. Fortunately it seems to be simply an illusion spell, judging by the lack of crushed houses or giant hoofprints in her wake.

[nponyc]

"Even my knowledge of the empire is limited," the princess continues. "But what I do know is that it contains a powerful magic."

Whatever kind of spell it is, it's amazingly intricate; a close look reveals miniature crystalline ponies going about their lives all over the city.

"One thousand years ago, King Sombra, a unicorn whose heart was black as night, took over the crystal empire."

Black crystals begin to grow within the city, quickly consuming and transforming the tower. Once it's covered, a snarling unicorn head appears at the top - King Sombra, presumably.

"He was ultimately overthrown, turned to shadow, and banished to the ice of the Arctic north. But not before he was able to put a curse upon the empire. A curse that caused it to vanish into thin air!" At those words, the city disappears, leaving only the single crystal. Celestia raises it into the air.

"If the empire is filled with hope and love..." Another blast of magic, and the crystal begins radiating soft rainbow light. "...Those things are reflected across all of Equestria."

[no_vampires_plz]

Twilight watches this all silently. It's a lot to take in.

[nponyc]

"If hatred and fear take hold..." Celestia's horn and eyes seem to trail dark purple flames. A ray of this dark magic strikes the crystal, and it casts an ominous shadow toward Twilight - a shadow that splits and grows black crystals around her.

Celestia quickly makes a blast of light to destroy these and continues. "Which is why I need your help finding a way to protect it."

[no_vampires_plz]

"...you want me to help protect an entire empire?"

[nponyc]

"It is, as I said, a different kind of test. But one I am certain you will pass."

[no_vampires_plz]

This is... big. Far bigger than anything Twilight had anticipated. For a moment, she feels utterly overwhelmed. But if Celestia believes she can do it, who is Twilight to question it?

"How do I begin?"

[nponyc]

"By joining Princess Cadance and Shining Armor in the Crystal Empire."

[no_vampires_plz]

Twilight brightens. "My brother is there?"

[nponyc]

"He is. And your Ponyville friends will join you there as well. I have every confidence you will succeed. And when you do, I'll know you are ready to move on to the next level of your studies."

[always_the_moon]

Princess Luna hasn't left. She's waiting just outside the throne room, watching Twilight Sparkle with a critical eye.

She is a unicorn of great power, true enough, and with much wisdom for one so young. But is she truly worthy of the task my Sister has set before her?

[no_vampires_plz]

Twilight spots Luna's gaze out of the corner of her eye and quails, her nerve suddenly leaving her. "B-but...what if I fail?"

[nponyc]

"You won't." Celestia does her best to project confidence.

[no_vampires_plz]

"But what if--"

[nponyc]

"You won't."

"But Twilight," she adds, as if as an afterthought, "it must be you and you alone who assists Princess Cadance and Shining Armor in doing what needs to be done to protect the Empire. Do you understand?"

[no_vampires_plz]

Twilight nods and gives the Princesses what she hopes is a confident smile.

[nponyc]

"Then go. There is no time to lose."

The door abruptly closes.