[AiE] Crystal expedition

 

You and your friends were sent out by Her Royal High Horse on an expedition to re-establish diplomatic ties with a long-lost empire that had recently rematerialized. Repeating the thought in your head made it no less insane. You couldn’t help but insist on asking how does an entire empire disappear? And reappear, for that matter. Then again, you reminded yourself events like these aren’t that unusual in a world where horses talked and magic was commonplace.

 

Over the last few years, you’ve come to know these small polychromatic horses quite intimately, having grown fond of them since they helped you establish a life in this new world. You were genuinely thankful just to have known them, much less have them as a constant in your life. Without them, you imagine those formative years would have been similar to the last few you had spent on Earth before arriving; bitter and alone.

 

You were meant to rendezvous with Princess Cadence upon arrival but were met with a chilly reception quite literally. Stepping foot and hoof off the train, the cold stung bitterly at whatever skin was exposed which, thankfully for Rarity’s abundance of scarves she insisted you carry for her, was very little. In a group composed of a dragon, two ponies, two pegasi, and two unicorns, you found your niche. You were the pack mule.

 

 

Surprisingly, the crystal empire’s society wasn’t much different from modern day Equestria, which could either be interpreted as a profound level of advancement on their part or it illustrated how slowly society progresses in this world.

 

And of course, there was the crystal architecture. All that glitters isn’t gold but diamond, at least here. Everything seemed to shimmer; the roads, the buildings, and even the street lamps. Unfortunately, you wish you could have said the same for the crystal ponies themselves. The look of their eyes reflected a thousand years of oppression, heartbreaks, and hardships known only to them. You wished to bring any small comfort you could to them, a notion you unfortunately couldn’t oblige. They shunned your group, avoiding eye contact and breaking away from any attempted conversations.

 

For a time, your group was without a lead on how you’d exactly accomplish your task.

Until he showed up.

 

From an ominous cloud of darkness, came the tyrant king himself. This Sombra character didn't waste his time. No monologue or big speech. Fucker didn't even sing a catchy tune, Goddamn it.

And as suddenly as he appeared, King Sombra reared back and charged.

 

There was no time to think, only act.

 

With no magic or special abilities save your larger stature, bipedal nature, and having opposable thumbs, you did the only thing you could.

 

[spoiler]This was going to hurt like shit[/spoiler]

 

With a grunt, you charged forward, barely managing to shove the gang out of the way with a hard shoulder. As you did, you realize why these events were playing in your head again. Your life was flashing before your eyes.

 

Sombra’s horn hilted itself into your back as the dark stallion continued to charge. He threw his head back effortlessly, gravity forcing you to sink deeper upon the spear with a sickening squelch as the cold iron of his crown bit into your back. Loops of bowel wreathed the keratin skewer that stabbed into your back and tore through your abdomen.

 

You writhed, biting through your tongue in agony. Time seemed to slow, as if the universe wanted you to savor this hell.

 

With what remaining strength you had, you grabbed his horn for leverage and foolishly attempted to remove yourself, managing only millimeters before your muscles once again seized in pain. Your heartbeat reverberated too loudly through your head, the white hot pain pulsated simultaneously with it, your head felt as if it were going to split much like your abdomen.

 

You gargled, your throat being too full of blood to even scream. As you choked, you struggled to crane your neck as you heard screams and sobs that were not your own. It was your friends watching in horror too traumatized to do little more. Fluttershy wailed. Spike and Twilight were cradling each other. Your vision blurred.

 

Your very life was being stolen from you. All your memories and experiences up until this point, the lazy afternoons at Sugarcube corner, the quiet moments of contemplation at Twilight’s library, the parties at Pinkie’s, everything.

 

It wasn’t supposed to end like this.

 

It wasn’t supp-