Some context, to start you off.
I was fairly young when I first began working on this project, and was only just discovering the MLP fandom. At the time I did not know the Friendship is Magic comic books existed, and by the time they came to my attention, many things were already solidified within the overall story. I would have loved to incorporate them, but I eventually came to the decision that I would completely disregard them and continue making my own history from scratch.
That being said, if you are one who has read the comics, you may encounter characters or events here that seem quite similar to those found in the comics. Ninety percent of those are completely coincidental. I seem to have a knack for creating things that actually show up in MLP media -- such as a background pony in (daring do episode) that looks literally exactly like one I drew myself before seeing her. And when I say exactly, I mean exactly.
Continuing. I highly recommend going into this with the mindset that the Crystal Chronicles uses and acknowledges canon information from the TV show, and the comics are completely separate.
Shifts in perspectives, locations, times, etc, will be separated by this symbol -☆-
At the bottom of the Comprehensive History is a general glossary. If you have any questions that cannot be answered by this, direct them to me as soon as possible, along with any suggestions or concerns.
SUBJECT TO CHANGE, NOT THE FINAL PRODUCT
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Long ago, in the lands far beyond what we now know as Equestria, there was a great city of Alicorns known as Alidia. They existed long before the first records of pony civilizations, living long lives quietly tucked away in their own corner of the world.
They were the first ones to control the heavenly bodies; raising and lowering the sun and moon for thousands of years, unbeknownst to the rest of the world.
Foals were born either as a Unicorn, or a Pegasus, and had to earn their Alicorn status through schooling and hard work as they grew. However, there was a small chance a foal would be born with both their horn and wings already obtained. These were considered precious and revered by all the citizens, for they would become Crystal Keepers.
Beneath the streets of this great city were large caverns. In there grew the sacred crystal trees, which produced highly refined gems that could greatly enhance the magical capabilities of those who held them. This is where the Crystal Keepers lived their own private lives, caring for the trees and harvesting the powerful gems. They were also the ones in charge of controlling the heavenly bodies, a task shared by all of the Keepers.
As the city grew, other creatures made their own communities nearby, hoping to share in their prosperity. But the Alicorns erected walls to protect themselves, effectively shutting out their neighbors.
One particular group heard rumors of what lay beneath the closed-off city. The Wyverns, a strong and cunning race, consumed gems as part of their diet and wanted what the Alicorns had for themselves. But try as they might, again and again, they were hardly a match for the mighty Alicorns. An intense rivalry brewed between the two groups.
There came a year when the king of the Alicorns took a wife for himself, and she was known as Queen Liliane. She was very beautiful, and could receive prophetic visions, though they were never clear. The king and queen had three children together, and this was a time of peace. However, the three fillies were not very old before trouble brewed again. This time, from within Alidia itself.
The Crystal Keepers, as a whole, were upholders of harmony and set an example for their fellows. They were content with the life they had, and happy to serve their city. But there was one Crystal Keeper who was not content. Her name was Lorelei.
All Alicorns are quite beautiful, but Lorelei had a beauty far beyond that of her fellow Alicorns. This she used to her advantage, to hide dark and terrible desires within her. She was cunning, and wanted full control over the sun and moon. But she needed the other Keepers out of the way. She wanted to trick them into feeling discontent, since the life they lived was one predetermined from the moment they were born. Yes, they were able to see the sky when it was time to move the sun and moon, but the majority of their lives were spent in the caverns, tending to and guarding the trees. If she nudged them just a bit, they would leave, and they would think it was their own idea to abandon the city.
As this evil scheme brewed beneath the hooves of the Alicorns above, the queen felt a disturbance. She knew danger lurked nearby, and tried to warn the king. But he did not heed her warning. Peace had made him soft and overconfident. This reality glared at her from her subjects as well, and she realized she would have to take her children away from this. So she took a single crystal tree seed and left the city with her children, searching for a new home.
With the sudden departure of the queen, it would not take much from Lorelei to convince the Crystal Keepers to leave as well. Some time after Liliane's disappearance, they finally departed in the dead of night. A few older Keepers stayed behind, suspicious of Lorelei. She promptly killed them, used her magic to reanimate them as her subordinates, and fueled her own power with that of the crystal tree gems.
The light of the moon, hanging full and bright in the sky, was dwarfed by the sun as it rose over the horizon. It slid behind the moon, creating a blood-red eclipse that reflected the red eye of Lorelei, and cast the entire world in its visceral glow.
The gems floated around Lorelei as her power grew. But she overestimated her own strength. She entered magic overload, and had to release excess power from within herself, lest she be incinerated. The commotion woke the Alicorns above from their slumber, and they came down to stop her. In her moment of weakness, the Alicorns were able to subdue the evil mare. The sky returned to normal.
The last Crystal Keeper was put on trial, and it was determined that her magic should be removed, and Lorelei banished from the city. An Alicorn with no magic outside the great city was as good as dead. The evil mare has not been seen since.
Since raw magic cannot be destroyed, it was sealed in a jar and locked up beneath the castle.
Reeling from the loss of all of their Crystal Keepers, the Alicorns were caught off guard when the Wyverns attacked again. This time they successfully infiltrated the city, laying waste and making their way down to the caverns where the crystal trees grew.
Perhaps the Alicorns might have been able to fend off the Wyverns eventually. They would've taken heavy casualties. However, even that would be small compared to what was lost instead.
The Wyverns unwittingly stumbled upon the jar that contained Lorelei's magic, and released it.
Since Lorelei was a terrible and evil mare, her magic was the same. But since it had no master, no one to tame and control it, it feasted on the power of the crystal gems and the souls of the Wyverns that released it, growing far stronger than it was in her possession.
It consumed the entire city, Wyverns and Alicorns alike. It spread to the neighboring colonies, and those were lost as well. Lorelei's magic became an immense cloud of dark and chaos magic, taller than the tallest mountains, more powerful than the entire Alicorn city put together. It left a vast, barren landscape in its wake. It was an unstoppable catastrophe.
And yet, it was stopped.
-☆-
Queen Liliane traveled far with her young children; through forests and valleys, across rivers and plains, and over mountains steep. They were strong, and they were together.
And they finally found a place they could call home. The land of Equestria, newly inhabited by the members of the Migration, a large group of ponies who left their old home in snow and ice, travelling almost as far as the Alicorns had to reach this land. Their settlement, Brywood, was in the midst of being built when the Alicorns arrived.
Never had either party seen anyone quite like the other. Earth Ponies did not exist in Liliane's homeland, and neither did ponies who were so small, save for the fillies and colts. Alicorns were quite tall.
And these ponies had never seen another with both a horn and wings. This was the very first time they had seen an Alicorn.
Each were wary at first, but when there was no hostility to be found, friendships were forged. The young mares of Brywood instantly took a liking to Liliane's young fillies, helping her to care for them. And Liliane herself found an aspiring young Unicorn, Star Swirl, who seemed to have a talent for magic. He was recently orphaned. When the Migration's journey brought them to the foot of a mountain range, they scaled it, hoping to find greener pastures on the other side. However, a fierce storm separated a part of the group that included Star Swirl's family from the rest. The Migration was forced to move on without them, hoping they would turn up. They never did, and were presumed dead.
Liliane decided to take him under her wing and teach him all she knew about magic. She also told him about her prophetic visions, and that they had driven her to leave their home.
Some time passed. Dragons came from the north and took up residence in the nearby mountain at the center of Equestria. After realizing that ponies lived nearby, the dragons began prowling around the village, as if looking for an excuse to attack, and Liliane was on her guard. But they never did.
The small family grew close with the growing community. However, this was not to last.
When the Red Eye appeared in the sky, Queen Liliane had another vision. She caught a glimpse of the destruction of her home, and of the terrible force that would soon do it. She knew by the time she reached Alidia, it would be too late to save her home. But she could still do something. And someone needed to take control of the sun and moon.
She still had the crystal tree seed. This she entrusted to young Star Swirl, enhancing his power and making him capable of raising and lowering the heavenly bodies, with the help of fellow wizards. There was not much time left. She would teach him how to control them but she knew, if left to it's own devices, the evil force would grow strong enough to wipe out the entire world. Little Brywood would fall. Her children...
Knowing what she knew, was there even a choice?
So she left the seed with Star Swirl, along with the wish that he and the other members of Brywood would care for her children...who never heard her say goodbye.
Queen Liliane made her way back to her homeland. The going was faster without her children. She met the unstoppable tide head on, and extinguished it.
She was never seen again.
-☆-
The Crystal Keepers, who were influenced by Lorelei and left their home, relished being able to roam free. They found a new place they could live in; a large stretch of land perfect for a new community.
The only drawback was that it was already inhabited. Dragons nested there, their flames making the air shimmer. Underground ran a vein of crystals and gems, which they feasted upon.
The Alicorns used their power to drive the dragons out, killing several in the process. Even the great dragon king, who stood nearly two-hundred feet tall, was no match for them, and fled the battlefield with his remaining subjects. The Keepers thought nothing of their own cruelty.
However, once the dragons left, the air grew colder. Snow began to gather, and a harsh wind blew stinging ice into their eyes. But the Alicorns had a solution. They harvested the heart of one of the slain dragons, which was comprised entirely of crystal and served as the source of their fire. The Alicorns amplified the magic within it, turning it into a device capable of driving away the harshest winter winds.
They used the crystals belowground to build themselves an empire.
-☆-
The dragons fled south with their king, wandering for some time before discovering a large mountain that would work well as a new home. There was a village nearby, though not near enough to be a bother. They skirted the edges of the village, and soon discovered that an Alicorn was living there. Still sore from their recent defeat, they dared not tussle with her.
-☆-
Young Star Swirl tried to reassure them, informing them that he and five other wizards must soon take up the responsibility of moving the sun and moon. This was met with skepticism and outrage, as most of them believed the sun and moon moved of their own accord.
But Star Swirl practiced what Liliane had taught him, preparing himself for what she had prophesied. And when Alidia fell and the Dark Day came, he managed to convince five unicorns to lend him their powers. They performed the spell together and successfully brought daylight back to the world.
Since moving the celestial bodies required vast amounts of magic, this left the unicorns exhausted. The magic stores of regular unicorns are tiny compared to alicorns. Thus began the next step; teaching Liliane's three young fillies about magic, and preparing them to one day take over the duties of the wizards themselves.
Celestia, the eldest sister, was a very bright filly. She studied tirelessly under the wizards and was expected to lead and help care for her younger sisters. But she had a fun-loving side to her, and wished she could participate in more activities that the other foals got to experience. Quite early on, she discovered she could receive visions like her mother before her. She tried to explain them to her sisters, but Luna, the youngest, never seemed to believe her.
Luna was moody, forever sneaking off by herself so she could read or think. Once the wizards discovered what she was doing, they would send somepony out to bring her back.
With time, that somepony was usually Andromeda, the middle filly. She was the peacekeeper, and would step in if her sisters were bickering. Since she was more well-behaved, their caretakers would sometimes send her out on errands. But she could also be timid, unwilling to take the initiative in many situations.
The three sisters loved each other dearly, and their caretakers as well.
To protect themselves, and especially the young princesses against any attacks, the village guard was formed. Made up of able-bodied colts and stallions from all three races, they protected the village with pride, and Brywood experienced a time of great growth.
-☆-
In the mountains that lined the northern borders of Equestria, deep within the icy caves, a small group of ponies was slowly starving. These were the ones separated from the Migration as they scaled the mountains. Their magic was weak, and there was no way out of their prison.
For a time they held out hope that they would be rescued. When a storm separated them from the rest of the Migration, they and a cartful of rations had fallen into these caves. There was enough to keep the prisoners going for some time.
As the rations dwindled, so did the hopes of the ponies, as weeks passed and no one came for them. Salvation became a mere dream. And once the rations were gone, those who still had strength left consumed the weakest among them in desperation and depravity. Somepony would have to be alive when help came. Surely, they would be saved.
Among the prisoners was Star Swirl's father, and sister Moon Spark. She was much younger than her brother, and did not seem to have an aptitude for magic. At least, that's what her father thought. She never experienced the magic surges almost all unicorn foals did while growing up, and once their homeland was consumed by the harsh winter, he never had her schooled. He considered her weak and pitiful, surprised she managed to survive the fall into the caves. Had there not been more caring ponies among the trapped, she might have found herself among the deceased. But now those kind ponies were gone, having only delayed the inevitable.
A small tendril of dark magic seeped into the caves. It was a fragment of Lorelei's magic, searching for a host. It had been flung away from the barren Beyond and crawled weakly through the Crystal Mountains, drawn to the despair of the prisoners. Into the caves it had creeped, through the crags and cracks, until it encountered Moon Spark huddled in a corner away from the rest of her group. She was chosen as its host.
As it entered her frail body, she experienced unfamiliar magic sensations, and could not control the surge of power that burst out. Her destructive power as such a young filly was far greater than one could imagine. The remaining imprisoned ponies, including her father, were all killed by massive bolts of lightning. As her unstable magic grew, supplemented by the evil seed she now served host to, her small body was not enough to contain it. She entered magic overload, and the explosion tore away the mountain around her.
The ponies of the Crystal Empire would take notice of the distant explosion, and later investigate. Over time the large hole cut between the Crystal Mountains served as a way to reach central Equestria, and became known as the Broken Pass.
-☆-
The three princesses of Equestria grew older, and their studies more difficult. They earned their wings, much to the surprise of the villagers. Star Swirl and the five wizards felt the burden of moving the sun and moon grow with each passing day. They had to keep going until the sisters were ready to take over. But they knew if they did not transfer their duties soon, there would be consequences.
Visitors from other parts of Equestria and even beyond it began flocking to the growing village.
Andromeda became friends with a local unicorn stallion named Blackthorn, a member of the village guard who was stationed to help protect her family. At first things were rocky, as he let his temper get away with him on occasion. But her tender nature calmed him, and he strengthened her in turn. Their friendship slowly blossomed.
All too soon, the time came for the girls to prove themselves. One morning when raising the sun, so much strain was put on the five wizards that their magic failed. Star Swirl could not raise the sun by himself, so he ran to wake up the girls. The villagers waited in anticipation, watching the dark horizon, until the sky began to lighten and the edge of the sun peeked over the distant hills. Joyous celebrations were held, and the three sisters honored for their accomplishment.
However, the cost was heavy. The five wizards, who had been caring for the sisters and teaching them while under a great deal of stress, had become incredibly weak. In the span of a few days, they all lost their lives.
From here, the sisters were expected to continue their control over the heavenly bodies. Since their mother had been royalty, they were still viewed as princesses and would continue to hold that position within the village. They would be well cared for in return for their services.
But then Blackthorn expressed his feelings for Andromeda. She had known for some time that he wanted to marry her. This would be a big change in her life, and she wasn't sure if it would work out. After mulling it over, she decided she would at least talk to her family and let them know this is what she and Blackthorn wanted.
A funeral was held for the five wizards, and the sisters took part in the ceremony, moving the sun and moon. Celestia and Luna earned their Cutie Marks, which signified the task would fall to them alone. Andromeda earned hers as well...but the symbol of a star on her flank didn't clarify what her special talent was. Perhaps the meaning would become clear in time.
After receiving Star Swirl's blessing, Andromeda and Blackthorn were wed. Celestia and Luna became responsible for the sun and moon, respectively, and Star Swirl devoted his time to magic. As more and more ponies converged on Equestria and Brywood, he was later approached by a colt named Stygian who was looking for help, and wanted to create a group that could defeat various evils. When Scorpan and his brother Tirek came to Equestria, and Tirek had to be locked away, this prompted the formation of the Pillars of Equestria. The sisters never met the Pillars, as Star Swirl left almost immediately to fight with them against the Sirens.
Andromeda and Blackthorn had three foals, living happily together in their own part of the village. All was peaceful for a time.
The dragons grew bold. Since the ponies of Brywood had not so much as glanced their way in some time, they began prowling again, and even attacking the village. The sisters had not been trained in combat magic, but they did their best to help the guards, and even asked for some training. This went on until finally the leaders of the village sent a message to the king of the dragons, asking for an audience to negotiate peace. The villagers were wary and asked the leaders to be on their guard. Princess Platinum, Commander Hurricane, and Chancellor Puddinghead set off to meet the dragon king.
He was extremely tall and fearsome, with blood-red eyes and scales. But the tribal leaders stood their ground, demanding an end to the unwarranted hostility. The dragon king still nursed a deep hatred for ponies, especially alicorns, after a group of them had driven he and his subjects from their own home. He knew some were residing in Brywood. He would not let these ponies have peace.
The dragon king killed the three leaders, and led his fellow dragons to war against Brywood.
Word came that a massive horde of dragons was coming straight for them. They were woefully unprepared for an attack of this magnitude. The three sisters banded together with the village guard, and sent others to evacuate the weakest. Andromeda bade Blackthorn to flee with their foals. Leaving her was the last thing he wanted to do, but her magic stores were far greater than his, and their foals needed to be taken to safety. He followed a group of Crystal Ponies, who had come to visit Brywood, northward. The dragon king saw this and attempted to follow, but Andromeda held him back.
Brywood became little more than piles of broken, charred wood as the royal sisters battled the dragons. Some of the villagers had not made it out before the dragons arrived. They could not dodge every attack, and as the villagers fell one by one, Andromeda made the ultimate sacrifice to save her loved ones. A blinding ball of light consumed her and the dragon king.
When the light faded away, the battlefield was quiet. Celestia and Luna stood together, surprised by the sight of their manes, which had changed color and were flowing as if touched by a gentle wind. Their sister was nowhere to be seen, and a deep sense of loss descended over the two that remained.
The once powerful king of the dragons lay severely injured, his eyes filled with hate. His subjects had fled, abandoning him to his fate.
Somehow, with what little strength he possessed, he lifted himself off the ground and began to fly north. Celestia and Luna let him go, not knowing this was the direction Blackthorn had taken as well.
-☆-
Blackthorn meant to return to the village as quickly as possible. However, the ball of light could be seen for many miles around. He felt a pang deep within him. Soon after, he caught sight of the dragon king pursuing them. The Crystal Ponies told him to follow them to their home, where he and his family would be safe.
They had just come out of the Broken Pass and into the Frozen North, when the dragon king caught up with them. With his remaining strength, he killed the Crystal Ponies. Though Blackthorn escaped, he was severely injured and soon became lost in the Frozen North.
The dying dragon collapsed in the Broken Pass, unmoving.
A troop of Crystal Ponies, garbed in protective gear, plowed through the snow. They discovered the bodies of their comrades scattered, and began to take them back. One pony stopped, having discovered something else in the snow.
It was a tiny filly, almost frozen. They quickly scooped her up, and after realizing she was still alive, brought her with them to the light and warmth of the Crystal Empire.
-☆-
Blackthorn wandered aimlessly through the blizzards of the Frozen North until he encountered a community of yaks, who took him in and tried to treat his injuries. However, they had little experience with ponies, and Blackthorn soon breathed his last.
The yaks considered the two foals he had brought with him, and knew they could not take care of them. So they took the two young ones to the nearest pony community and asked if anypony would adopt them. A family stepped forth, but could only take one of the foals. The yaks had to take the other to a separate community.
-☆-
Moon Spark awoke from her slumber with no memory. She did not know where she was, or even who she was, save her name. She was taller and her hair wild. The image of a bursting moon was emblazoned on her flanks.
Something felt...missing, though she didn't know what. Not knowing what else to do, she exited the mountains and journeyed south.
As she left the mountains, she passed an enormous, blood-red body slumped on the ground. It did not move.
Storm clouds followed her to central Equestria. She wasn't sure where she was going, but the direction she took felt right. She found a village in shambles, small groups of ponies working on rebuilding houses. They hardly noticed her, more concerned about the state of their village and the sudden cloud cover. She encountered two alicorns, their manes sparkling and waving. She knew what alicorns were. She didn't know how, but the knowledge was there. They were surprised at her sudden appearance, as they knew everyone in the village by name.
It was quickly surmised that she had no memory, and she was offered a place to stay. Luna mused that perhaps Star Swirl could help her. But he was still away with the Pillars, and it was unknown when he would return.
As Celestia was usually busy with affairs of the village, Luna took care of Moon Spark, who learned much about the world around her. She didn't do much to help the villagers, who started to grumble about it. She heard whispers of "lazy, useless," and more. She almost remembered something -- but it slipped away.
Gradually, the ponies of Brywood began falling ill, with what seemed like a normal cold.
Moon Spark started having nightmares. Bone-aching cold. A strange taste on her tongue. Then shadowy shapes that felt threatening. Her limbs torn off, something clamping down on her eye. Luna was extremely concerned, and quietly began trying to teach herself how to enter ponies' dreams. She wanted to know what it was that plagued her friend, and how she could help her.
More and more ponies fell ill, and those already afflicted declined rapidly. Fur turned grey. Black substance oozed from orifices. One by one, they died traumatically, their bodies rapidly decaying.
The Pillars returned to their homes for the time being to visit friends and relatives, and Star Swirl returned to Brywood with Stygian. They were shocked to discover the village partway between construction and shambles. Celestia and Luna had the difficult task of explaining what happened while they were gone, and that they had taken up the responsibility of leading the survivors. The tribal leaders were murdered by the dragon king. Blackthorn was missing since the battle began, perhaps dead. And now the villagers were dying of a mysterious illness.
Star Swirl understood they did not want to talk about their sister. Luna introduced him to Moon Spark, and he got the strange sense that she was familiar somehow. Not to mention something was just...off. But he couldn't figure out why, and so kept these vague thoughts to himself.
Moon Spark didn't want to go to sleep. Luna tried to convince her to at least try, (so that she could try her dream-walking spell.) Reluctantly, the unicorn drifted off, and Luna entered her dreams.
Moon Spark was plunged into a sea of memories. She relived the events that transpired in the northern mountains as if she stood upon those mountains once again. She saw Luna in the distance, calling out for her to wake up. But the dark magic within her had awoken, and meant to consume everything around her. The quiet storm clouds that had followed her to Equestria suddenly rumbled and burst.
Star Swirl came to the source of the storm with Stygian, finding Luna had backed away from Moon Spark, who's magic was surging out of control. Moon Spark screamed at her brother, cursing him for leaving her behind in the mountains. Star Swirl forced Luna and Stygian out of the house as her magic tore it away. He had to deploy a shield as massive bolts of lightning ripped the already damaged village and even the earth itself to shreds. Star Swirl was ready to banish her, either to another dimension or Limbo, but Celestia appeared, and used her magic on Moon Spark. Her form began to fade away. Her last cry of anguish ended with a sigh as Moon Spark turned to shadow.
She became the first Pony of Shadows.
-☆-
The land where a proud village once stood was no longer suitable for living on, and in the present is known as Rambling Rockridge. Celestia and Luna led their few remaining subjects south, and found a new location they could build upon. In time, the Castle of the Two Sisters was built, and they ruled their subjects with love and compassion.
Unbeknownst to them, the shadow had followed them, and made itself at home within the castle, always just out of sight.
Sensing that the power of the seed given to him so long ago might be fading, Star Swirl planted it near the castle and hinted at its existence to Celestia. He went with Stygian to meet with the Pillars again, broaching the idea of becoming the protectors of the princesses. But Stygian, who had been heavily exposed to Moon Spark's magic, became her successor. Ultimately, the Pillars were forced to take him with them to Limbo.
-☆-
In the Frozen North, the Crystal Empire had been quietly growing. Ponies from other regions had joined them and swelled the population. All races were welcomed, but the throne was always seated with alicorns. The citizens were lighthearted and happy, especially a young unicorn filly being raised in the castle. She was named Nebula, and had been adopted by the ruling king and queen after she was discovered abandoned in the Frozen North. She brought life to the Empire and was greatly adored.
After the crystalling of a newborn foal, Nebula demonstrated how they could feed their love and magic to the Crystal Heart, and strengthen the magic of everyone in turn. This caused colorful ribbons of light to stream out of the Heart and across the skies. Thus Nebula earned her wings.
Her foster parents were shocked when this happened. No one knew who her real parents were, as the group of ponies who had visited central Equestria before she was found died in the Frozen North. Since then nopony had ventured out again, leaving Equestria to itself. But if she was able to earn her wings by herself, then she must be of alicorn descent. Due to the customs observed by the Empire, she was to become the next queen.
She was shocked, but resolved to do her best and learn how to rule the Empire with grace. Her schooling began, and a colt was chosen to become king and reign alongside her. His name was Coal. He was more down-to-earth and liked to read. The two got along well and became fast friends, and though they were nervous at the prospect of ruling the entire Empire, they knew they could do it together.
They studied endlessly, until the day of their coronation arrived. They'd grown up and knew each other's minds, and were slightly less nervous about the task before them. The citizens showered them with gifts, one of which was a very handsome red gem, given to the king. A ball took place and the celebrations lasted into the night.
The newly crowned king and queen retired to their chambers, and Nebula was soon sound asleep. However, Coal found himself unable to sleep, realizing he was drawn to something across the room. He went to investigate, and found the red gem giving off a faint pulsing glow. Picking it up with his magic, he turned it slowly this way and that, examining it. Strange, it almost seemed like a...
A dark shadow stirred within the gem. Coal blinked, certain he was seeing things. But then a blood-red light filled the room as the gem pulsed brighter and brighter. A faint thumping sound filled Coal's ears and his mind began to cloud.
He found himself floating in a dark void, red shadows stretching in all directions. Above him, far off in the distance, he could see a faint light that shone like the sun through a crack in a cave. The air smelled faintly of smoke.
Soon he heard a deep rumbling. Before Coal, a bright yellow light erupted and nearly blinded him. He was face-to-face with an enormous red eye. It stared at him, then rose upwards through the shadows. A second eye joined the first, and Coal felt an incomprehensibly large presence before him.
The creature seemed angry to find Coal there, and accused him of following him into death just to torment him. But Coal managed to convince him he meant no harm and did not mean to disturb. Coal introduced himself, which amused the creature. He stated that ponies should not think so highly of themselves, to call themselves kings. But he also introduced himself-- as the king of dragons, Sombra.
Coal defended his position, stating he was no more important than his subjects, but that they needed someone to lead and protect them.
Sombra was intrigued by this stallion, who not only seemed to have half a brain in his head, but was extremely courteous, the opposite of the alicorns who had driven him from his home so long ago. He discovered he could look through Coal's eyes as if they were his own, and saw him standing rigid in a dimly lit room, clutching a bright red gem. It had to be part of his own heart.
Sombra struck a deal with Coal; he would share his strength with Coal, and in return Coal must find a way to release Sombra from his prison. Though wary of the strange creature, Coal had to agree, as he was now bound to the dragon. He didn't want to be in this situation any more than Sombra did.
After concentrating for a moment, Coal found himself back in his bedchambers, Nebula still asleep in their bed. His legs ached, and judging by the position of the moon, he had been standing still for some time. But at the same time he felt strangely energized. Though he figured it would be some time before he could sleep, he crawled back into bed and waited until he finally felt the pull of slumber.
The next day, he had a casing and necklace forged for the gem, so he could keep it with him. Wearing it seemed to increase his magical power. He used this newfound strength to aid his subjects however he could, worked on new armor designs for his soldiers, and in his spare time browsed all of the Empire's books looking for a way to release the trapped dragon. He meant to tell Nebula about the nature of the Amulet...but he wasn't sure she would believe him. He hardly believed it himself.
He searched and searched. When the meager store of books the Empire possessed wasn't enough, he sent soldiers through the Broken Pass to Equestria, with the task of finding books to enrich their library. Every so often he would enter Sombra's domain and converse with the great dragon. Several small crystallings came and went, as new foals were introduced to the Empire. Nebula cemented the tradition of everypony feeding their love and magic into the Crystal Heart, including the newborn, to increase everyone's power. When the king and queen discovered they too were going to have a baby, Coal's desire to ensure peace grew even more.
With time Nebula addressed this strange obsession of his, and he told her he intended to keep the Empire safe. Nebula implied that without hardship, one could not grow.
Thinking it over, he realized she was right, and that he had been overly obsessed with peace as of late. On a different note, it felt like his power was growing more and more with each passing day...
He let himself enter Sombra's domain once more and confronted the dragon. He admitted he had not been able to find anything that could help the dragon escape. But Sombra revealed that searching for a way out was no longer necessary, for he knew how to. As the gem spent more time with Coal, Sombra was able to influence the stallion in little ways, feeling his power grow with each crystalling. Now he had enough strength to take over Coal's mind completely. With that Coal felt a strong pressure in his mind. He tried to leave the domain but the pressure spread through his entire body, making him feel as if he were being crushed. He could not escape.
Nebula gave birth to a pegasus filly, and the Empire rejoiced. Sombra, through the eyes of Coal, gazed down upon the foal with a cold smile.
The day of the royal crystalling arrived. The previous queen acted as crystaller. Everypony had come to bear witness to this event. The filly was presented to the Empire, and the ceremony began.
But when the magic of the Empire was supposed to enter the Heart, instead it was siphoned away, floating towards the king. Shock rippled through the crowd as the magic entered the king and a cloud of dark magic surrounded him. The light of the Amulet pulsed brightly from within the cloud, akin to a beating heart.
It suddenly cleared, as a dramatic change took place in the king. His limbs grew stocky and long, his neck stretching out. His dark mane rippled like smoke in the wind. His horn curved upwards and the tip was tinted red. Sharp teeth flashed from within his mouth as laughter erupted from deep within him. Opening his red eyes, he glared triumphantly at the crowd.
Confused beyond belief, Nebula approached him to question this strange transformation. He struck out, sending Nebula flying. She fell not far away with a thud. Testing his new magic, he fired at the previous rulers, taking them by surprise and immediately killing them. Somepony rescued the newborn princess before she fell to the ground.
Sombra introduced himself to the Empire, stating he was the true king. As he spoke, Nebula lifted her head and saw the Amulet resting against his chest. She stood up and took action, flying towards him to snatch the Amulet away. The two engaged in combat. The crowd scattered, and the royal filly was taken with them. Finally Nebula was struck down again, her face against the cold crystal ground.
Before Sombra could deal the final blow, Nebula raised her head and fired a beam of magic directly at his chest, exploding the Amulet and sending the two flying.
When Nebula came to her senses, she heard hoofsteps clinking across the ground towards her. Turning her head, she saw a fuzzy grey shape approaching.
"Coal?" she whispered.
Red eyes looked down upon her in cold fury.
"No."
-☆-
Nebula had destroyed the Amulet, halting Sombra's transformation and preventing him from becoming a dragon once more. However, Sombra's soul was now one with Coal's body, and this could not be reversed.
The Crystal ponies slowly came back to the Castle when they realized the battle was over. They could not find the king or queen -- and even worse, the Heart was missing as well. They were consumed by confusion and fear. Then the sky began to darken. Black clouds gathered overhead, and a cold wind blew. From the top of the castle, dark streams of magic flowed and cascaded down in a circle on the borders of the city. A wall of shadowflames erupted from the earth, trapping the citizens of the Empire.
King Sombra stood at the top of the castle with Nebula and the Crystal Heart. Her fear and despair were fed into the Heart, casting the shadowflame spell that now caged her subjects. Now that Sombra had magic, he invented a spell that allowed him to control the minds of ponies who met his gaze. He forced Nebula to cast the spell, and imprisoned her there.
The king craved crystals, a large part of a dragon's diet. He sent servants to procure the finest in the kingdom. But as he was mostly pony in flesh, he could not eat them the way a dragon could. Though he did discover he could drain the crystals of their essence, and once thus drained, they could be used to nullify magic. He knew this revelation would prove useful.
He figured the citizens might attempt to infiltrate the castle and rescue the queen. To confuse them, he made the path to Nebula much harder to reach, creating a convoluted stairwell riddled with spells.
Several servants attempted a revolt, but with poor planning and a severe power gap, they were no match for the king. Sombra discovered that by absorbing the essence of crystals, he could now grow them at will like rock-solid foliage. A crude cage was formed around the servants, and the king began experimenting. Going over the armor designs made by Coal, Sombra tinkered with them, and installed small crystals in the helmet that were infused with his corruptive power. Once placed on a pony's head, the helmet would control their mind and make them submit to Sombra's instructions, allowing him to enslave even more ponies. He ordered the servants to start crafting more armor, which controlled more ponies, and so on. Finally he sent his small army on their first mission; kill every single unicorn and pegasus in the Empire.
As the soldiers carried out their duty with no mercy or remorse, screams echoed throughout the Empire and mingled with the howling of the fierce blizzard outside their prison. It was a day they would never forget.
-☆-
The shimmering sky-lights of the Empire were absent for some time, and the sisters took notice. They had grown accustomed to seeing them rippling overhead, and also to the ambassadors who visited them in search of various tomes. But no Crystal Ponies came to visit.
Perhaps it was nothing to worry about, so they told themselves. Just in case, Celestia decided to send ambassadors of her own to visit the Crystal Empire and see if they could conduct trade there. To protect their new community, the two sisters had formed the castle guard, and Celestia ordered a group of them to disguise themselves as commoners and go to the Empire.
Some time passed before the soldiers returned, though it was sooner than expected. Their report explained why. A fierce storm had sprung up in the North. Wanting to take shelter in the Empire, they found it to be surrounded by walls of fire. They had been unable to enter, and were forced to turn back.
All of this troubled the sisters. Was the Empire cursed?
They decided to set out immediately, to lend aid if necessary. There were no outstanding threats since the dragons left. The guards would keep the castle safe while they were gone.
-☆-
As soon as the sisters left the Broken Pass, they found themselves trekking through huge mounds of snow. Frigid winds blew icy particles into their eyes, until Celestia erected a shield.
Close to the Empire, the ground was bare and warm, any snow having been melted away by the towering walls of shadowflame. The sisters combined their magic and carved a path through the flames, barely making it into the Empire before the hole closed behind them.
They found themselves looking at an Empire tainted by shadow magic. The once beautiful crystal homes were dark and colorless, crusted with ugly spikes. Eyes gleamed from the shadows, putting the sisters on their guard. But the Crystal Ponies emerged, malnourished and mistreated, drawn to the alicorns by dim curiosity. Soon they were being beckoned into hiding. The Crystal Ponies believed the sisters were there to save them, but they wanted to prioritize the safety of the princess. They knew the soldiers would find her soon, and they wanted the sisters to protect her.
Too late, the soldiers find them, and the princess was taken. But she was not harmed, and the soldiers beckoned Celestia and Luna to follow them to the castle.
When they entered the throne room, they saw a dark grey stallion sitting upon the throne. Metal plates covered his forelegs and chest. A red cape was draped across his back. Green light surrounded his red irises.
King Sombra was extremely pleased to see the search for the princess has finally ended -- but was surprised to see two more being escorted with her. He asked who they were, and what they were doing in the Empire. Warily Celestia introduced herself and her sister, and explained their concerns. As she spoke, his face tightened. He knew who these ponies were. They were the same ones who defeated him in the Dragon War. As he was now part unicorn, he could sense the magic they possessed. He wondered if he could use it.
He invited them to follow, and used his dark magic to open the pathway to Nebula's prison. Celestia took note of the spell he used as she and her sister trotted down the dark stairway after him. He brought them to the tower-top prison and intended to use their shock at the sight of Nebula to catch them off guard and use his magic-nullifying crystals on them. But he overestimated himself, and underestimated all three of the alicorns. Nebula's mind-control crystals were removed and, though she was weak, she helped the sisters defeat Sombra, at the cost of her life. Before her final breath, she asked if her baby, Cadence, was still alive.
Celestia and Luna rescued Princess Cadence, and were about to help the Crystal Ponies, when King Sombra's curse took effect and the Empire vanished, leaving the two sisters alone in the Frozen North, save for the young filly Celestia held.
-☆-
Celestia and Luna returned to Equestria, only to discover that disaster had befallen their subjects. A strange creature named Discord had taken over in their absence and was forcing the ponies to do whatever suited his fancy. Their first attempt to fight him ended badly. His powers were bizarre and trumped every spell the sisters could conjure, and they had no choice but to retreat.
Celestia recalled Star Swirl telling her of a protective power he and the Pillars had planted before fighting Stygian. She and Luna searched for it, eventually finding the Tree of Harmony and the fruit it bore. They took these gems and used their power to overthrow Discord.
The two sisters used them a few more times against various enemies, and Celestia had a storage space built to house the gems and keep them safe. They adopted princess Cadence as their niece.
Here they finally thought they would find peace, but the dark power of the Shadow had infected Luna, and she later transformed into Nightmare Moon. Celestia was forced to use the Elements of Harmony, as they had come to call them, to banish her remaining sister to the moon.
After the destruction of her castle, Celestia and her subjects began work on a bigger, safer home for themselves on the lofty peaks of the nearby mountain. They developed trains for transportation of building supplies, and as a faster method of travel. Once Canterlot was complete, they started laying tracks between the different colonies, and built trackage through the Crystal Mountains. They built a train station there, in anticipation that the Empire would one day return.
----☆----
As wind erodes the earth, so does history change through the winds of time.
The slowly growing lands of Equestria faced many hardships. The dragons, through their continued pillaging, destroyed many of the historical records of that time. Even more was lost when Nightmare Moon arose, and though scholars attempted to piece together their splintered history, they could never assemble the complete picture.
Those with a keen eye will notice a statue in Canterlot Castle, depicting a yellow alicorn. But only those who remember will understand who she is.
----☆----
Glossary
Alicorn Amulet: The last piece of Sombra's crystal heart, still with some evil magic left, that was used to create an amulet.
Alidia: City of alicorns that once existed beyond Equestria; now in ruins.
Ala dust: Dust-like particles left behind by raw magic. Is is a good magic conductor; however, direct contact with it can cause horn rot.
Artificial Alicorn: A unicorn or pegasus not of pure alicorn descent, who is ascended to alicorn status with the aid of another alicorn.
Broken Pass: In present-day Equestria, this is the path through which train tracks were laid to provide transport between Equestria and the Crystal Empire. Was created by Moon Spark after she experienced magic overload.
Chaos magic: Unpredictable and dangerous.
Cloud walking: Sleeper magic that allows one to walk on clouds.
Crystal seeds: Gems that grow on Crystal Trees. They have magical properties which include strength and magic boosting.
Crystal trees: Trees made entirely of crystal that grow underground. The gems that grow on them have strong magical properties.
Dragon Amulet: A piece of Dragon King Sombra's crystal heart that was saturated in Lorelei's evil magic, trapping his soul within it. It can boost magical stores. If somepony with strong magical aptitude comes into contact with it, they can converse with him. With more exposure, Sombra can take over the pony's body and mind.
Elysia: Where creatures and ponies go when they die, guided by Andromeda, Princess of the Stars.
Growth: Sleeper magic that accelerates the growth of flora.
Hellfire Phoenix: A rare type of phoenix associated with Inferius and raising the dead. Similar appearance to that of Proginoskes (from A Wind in the Door, Madeleine L'Engle), various shades of blue.
Horn rot: A disease that affects the horn of an Alicorn, Unicorn, or magic-conducting implement of similar creatures. When they come into contact with raw magic, or more specifically, ala dust, their horn rots from the inside out.
Inferius: A shadow realm, where evil ones are destined to go.
Limbo: A space that exists in-between, where time does not flow.
Magic overload: When a creature or pony has too much magic within them for their magic stores to handle. This usually leads to incineration if the magic is not properly released.
Magic stores: The level of magic a creature or pony can store within them. Alicorns are known to have immense magic stores, and Twilight Sparkle's were larger than average even before she became one herself.
Mind-control helm: A piece of technology forged by King Sombra. Crystals fixed on the inside of the helmet allow Sombra to control whomever wears it.
Pureblooded Alicorn: Alicorns from the city of Alidia. They can become alicorns as a unicorn or a pegasus without the aid of another.
Raw magic: Magic that is not contained by a creature or inanimate object, such as a book or jar. Over time this sinks into the earth and becomes a part of the local ecosystem. For stronger magic this process takes longer.
Shadow magic: Darkness/shadow related magic.
Sleeper magic: A type of magic that is not teachable or forcibly attainable. It is simply present when the conditions are correct, and is usually subtle.
Tartarus: Once the lair of Grogar, after his defeat it was converted into a prison for some of his most evil creations, and later villains were sent there as punishment for their crimes.