The silence in the room was thick enough that it could be cut with a knife. All of the small horses simply sat there as I looked around, my smaller arms still holding my swords as my upper pair kept my shrapnel launcher up and pointing at the ceiling. With ex-king Sombra burning to ashes and the smell of cooked flesh wafting in the air, I can safely assume that he is dead and his slaves are no longer scared shitless of me.
With the horses staring at me, waiting and wondering what I am going to do next, I simply picked up the crown that was still melted to his head and with a quick yank, I ripped what little flesh was keeping the two attached and looked it over. There seemed to be small bits of flesh still attached to the bottom of the crown but that will cease to be in time. I would have put it on my head if not for one problem, it doesn't fit.
Seeing how this crown won't fit on my helmet without the assistance of super glue, I started to think on where it could go. I could put it on my belt but there could be that off-chance that I grab a grenade instead of the crown and I'd rather not blow myself up on accident. That was when it hit me, just wear it as an armband of some sort. With that in mind, I hefted the launcher to my upper left and let my lower right slide the crown over my upper right arm and almost like magic it fit me to a T.
'Looks like I have a new title to add to my list, kingslayer...hmm I may be no Jamie Lannister but at least I still have both my hands and two to spare!'
The cloak that Sombra wore is unscathed from the fire I started, it must be fire-retardant to have survived, it would make a great addition to my own cloaks, maybe as an adornment for one of my horns.
Staring at the horses I walked towards them, they scattered as I approached. As I reach the throne I watched as it reformed itself, the black crystals it was made of started to change hue to a light blue that matched the color of my armor and as I reached the top I saw that the throne remade itself to match the one I have seen in the Ketch's in Destiny, the captain's seat as I called it and now this one is mine.
'The Kell of Kells with a matching throne to fit his title...the House of Wolves may have met its end to the Guardians and the Awoken but here we will thrive and be born anew without interference...this new species...these...horses will have to do for now.'
With my throne made for my shape and size I turned around and sat down and immediately felt my body coursing with energy, my exhaustion that I have just noticed is now gone, my body feels like it has been rejuvenated and I now no longer need to find a means to keep myself alive. This throne seems to be a cosmic battery of some sort, and it belongs to me now.
When I had my back turned I heard the sounds of hooves clattering loudly against the crystalline floor and when I sat down I saw that they all had galloped on out and left the injured stallion by the throne. I guess they still have that animal mentality to leave the old and slow behind for the predator to catch. Rolling my four eyes I looked at the injured stallion and saw that if I am going to get some answers about this place from one of them then it might as well be from the one I 'helped.' Looking like a benevolent boss is a sure fire way to get people on my side and not out for my blood.
Getting off of my throne and stepping over the injured stallion, I went to Sombra's charred corpse and ripped the cloak from his body and tore off a thin-enough section to use as a bandage wrap. With it in hand I went back to the old stallion and wrapped up his head, cleaning up his face a bit before helping him up. The stallion was still unconscious so I had to wait patiently for him to wake up and tell me what I need to know.
Now it was just the waiting game.
Fortunately I didn't have to wait long, soon after I cleaned him up and had him sitting upright he began to stir and as soon as I saw him open his eyes wearily, blinking his left a few times before fully opening his eyes, and for the first time since I got here the horse before me didn't cringe in terror or try to kill me.
"Good, you are awake, you were injured when your fallen king dropped you from his old throne." I rumbled out as I looked the stallion in the eye, the four of mine to his two.
"Wh-who are you? Where is King Sombra?"
"You mean that foolish tyrant who thought he has slain me with a small black crystal?"
With a nod of the head from the stallion I shuffled to the side to show him where his 'king' was located.
"I have slain him, slavery is a crime I will not tolerate and his one-time assault sealed his fate, what other crimes he may have done while I was not here can only cement his fate as an executed criminal."
The charred remains are still there, smoldering and smoking as his cloak now hangs from my back and his crown adoring my right arm.
"And as to who I am, I am Skolas, the Kell for the House of Wolves." I said as I stood up to my full height, clearly towering over the stallion causing him stumble back just to see my face.
"Before you leave do tell those that were once under the mad king's influence that he has been slain, spread the news of his death and for those that are able to come to this castle to see me, I need to know everything that has happened here since Sombra took over."
"You have Sombra's crown, that means you are now the new King of the Crystal Empire. I hope you do better than our last two rulers."
'A Kell is no Kell without those that serve under him...I will need a new Ketch...a Prime Servitor and an Archon...I will have plenty to keep me company for now, if I can not have a Ketch than this kingdom will have to suffice as one but the other two...this will strain me greatly.'
And with that said the old stallion got up and, with a bit of a hobbled step, left the throne room, leaving me by myself as I look around, wondering what else this castle has to offer.
Once I was alone I took the charred body to the most exquisite room this castle has to offer. Once I had found it I went in, locked the door behind me and promptly threw Sombra's corpse into the fireplace before pointing my shrapnel launcher into it and set it on fire again, making sure it was reduced to ashes and bones. I took each of his bones and crushed them into fragments and dust before putting his remains into a jar that just so happened to be sitting in this room.
'Here lies Sombra, mad king of the Crystal Empire, slaver, criminal, may you never rise from the grave.'
With that done I started to strip myself of my armor as best as I could, I don't know why but I know exactly on how to do it without damaging any of the vital components that make it up. My helmet was the first thing to come off and once it was no longer on my head I looked for the closest thing to be counted as a mirror and looked in the reflection. Shocked is hardly the word I would use but that is all I can say about my facial appearance.
My head is almost human in shape but it is more predatory than normal, my skin is grey and rough looking, almost like dry dirt after it has been left in the hot sun to bake, I had no hair to speak of besides the bit on the side of my face underneath the eyes, they seem to be like whiskers. I opened my mouth and saw two rows of needle-like teeth, obviously making me a carnivore but I no longer have a need to consume meat, instead I survive on this strange ethereal substance called ether. Taking a closer look at my face I saw that my four eyes don't even resemble my old eyes. I didn't have pupils so to speak, just pale blue iris'. I didn't even have any eyelids to speak of and yet I could still close my eyes...a mystery to solve for another time. My ears are where they should be but they are more of a skin covering on a drum then actual ears with the funny shape made of cartilage.
Removing the armor from my body and arms I felt naked in a sense and looking down I saw that my old weak human body had been replaced with an insanely ripped chest. There are scars scattered all over it, no nipples so that is good that they won't be turned against me if someone twists them, my four arms are also muscular, I guess being a Kell means that I must tower over everything to instill courage and fear into friend and foe alike.
'Here comes the moment of truth.'
Stripping off my leggings I saw that I still had my junk but it is more...well lets just say that I can't see it now because it is currently concealed from sight...I sure as hell hope that Skolas isn't a chick in disguise because if it was so then I have made a huge mistake on my costume. I pray to every god out there that the Fallen are like a race of reptiles and just have their reproductive organs hidden from sight cause I just might kill myself if I find out that I am a woman, monthly periods is something I can live without.
Standing naked in my own room I look myself over, my four arms seem to be like my last set seeing as I can use them without having to concentrate on which set does what, I guess this just comes naturally for the Fallen.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
At that sound I quickly put my leggings back on, almost tripping over and falling on my face when I tried to put my foot in the leg hole. Once I had my pants on I rushed to the door and opened it up to reveal one of the horses that was chained to the throne and the old stallion that had hobbled out on me when I told him to spread the news.
"Is there something that you have needed old one...and who are you young one, you look like one of the slaves that the dead king had chained to his throne...what brings you both here at such an hour?" I said as I subconsciously crossed my smaller arms as my upper left grabbed the door frame and my upper right hung beside me.
Truthfully it had only been an hour since I killed the king and just now realized it is somewhere in the afternoon. The sun being in the center of the sky didn't make a real difference as my mind tells me that I do not need to sleep anymore nor do I need food other then ether to stay alive.
"Pardon me King Skolas but...there are ponies here to see you...upon telling them about you killing Sombra and freeing us all from his control they didn't believe me until stepping outside of their homes. With his death his curse on the weather is lifted and for the first time in decades we can feel the warmth of the sun. They are waiting for you outside of the castle, I think they want to see their savior." the old stallion said as he tried to bow down but was having trouble doing so.
Holding up my right small arm to stop him I lowered myself down close to his height.
"You do not need to bow before me old one, in your advanced age you might injure yourself and I will not have that. When you want to acknowledge my presence just bow your head or give me a nod, the elderly are the key to our past and we can not let that knowledge go to waste..."
Heeding my advice he stopped trying to bow and instead lowered his head by a few inches before rising back up. As for the horse beside him, I watched, well I know its a her because I noticed the softer features, slender build, bigger hips and that her voice is soft and meek...that or this a very effeminate stallion.
"My king, my name is Glittering Quill. I used to serve as Sombra's scribe, it was my job to record everything that happens in court, whenever he needed a reminder of what was said in court so he can review it and lastly to help him whenever foreign dignitaries arrived...but he always made them go back to wherever they came from or had them flayed if they...angered him." Quill said as she bowed before me, her greyish silver fur was only a few shades darker than that of her hair, her eyes appear to be hazel.
Glancing at the pair, I stood back up before walking back into my room motioning for them to come in. They looked around a bit as I started to put back on my armor, first was the leathery underskin to prevent chafing with the metal parts. After the leather sections came the rest of my armor, the pale blue metal pieces going where the belong. My shock swords and grenades lying on my bed as my shrapnel launcher rests beside the bed by itself due to its size. My helmet was the last part put on and with a distinct hiss my helmet seals itself off from the outside world, an unknown weight lifts as I find myself back in the comfort of my armor
"Glittering Quill, I will need any and all records on the Crystal Empire, its laws, taxes, military, economics, agriculture, any past allies and enemies. Anything that you think that may prove useful to restoring this kingdom to before Sombra's rise to power and those that came before him. I will make the Empire rise above the ashes of those that have ruined it. So much must be done to get this place back into shape and we are vulnerable to an attack from any outsider that wishes this place ill intent." I said as I left my private chambers. Both the old stallion and Glittering Quill followed me out and stayed behind me, even though they have been released from Sombra's control for at least two hours now, yet they did not bother to go home to see their families, if they are still alive...
"At once my king, will there be anything else you will require of me?" Quill said, her face showing signs of tiredness, I should do something nice for her to help spread that I am a benevolent ruler.
"Quill, when that is done go to your family, rest, and when tomorrow comes you may come back and be my scribe and assistant, I will accept your answer even if it is a no." I said. I sometimes wish I had Variks with me to be my scribe but then remembered he was the reason why I was sent to the Prison of Elders and was almost sent to the Nine as a gift...but then again Variks probably had his reasons being a member of the House of Judgment.
Before Quill could answer me we arrived at what must be a balcony of sorts. When we stopped I saw that surrounding the castle was a horde of horses, the entire population of the Crystal Empire was present and they were looking up at me.
"Wow...that is a lot of...uh..."
"Crystal ponies sir."
"Yeah, crystal ponies...right...we are going to need to keep them on a strict eating schedule, starvation can kill people but feeding them too much can cause a shock to their system and outright kill them. We will need to give them small portions and steadily increase over time so they don't die."
"I will get to it your majesty."
"Quill, it is not your majesty, it is Kell...majesty is for those born of royal blood and I, am not of a royal bloodline." I said as I started to wave with my upper left arm, the large limb waving at the masses and they started to cheer. Apparently when they heard that I had killed Sombra that they didn't believe it but upon seeing me they have been affirmed that he has been slain and will no longer terrorize them.
"Okay your maj- I mean my Kell, it will be done." Quill said before turning around and leaving, hopefully to meet her family first then get me what I will need to help this country recover after a long time of being a slave state.
"Its him! Its our savior!" I heard one of the many ponies shouted happily as they started to stomp their hooves, my guess that is their version of an applause since they don't have hands to do it with.
Before I know what happened next I felt the air around me start to energize with some strange energy and before I can figure it out I saw a wave of some kind blast through the air starting from underneath the castle and expanding outward, all of the ponies I saw started to glow brightly before changing.
Besides the ponies below everything around them started to glow brightly as well. The trees on the sidewalks, the buildings, the ground, hell even the sky started to glow brightly before it had expanded in a complete dome-like shape and stopped. Whatever that had just happened sure has hell transformed the landscape around the city into actual land instead of an endless sea of snow.
I saw grass lying beyond the streets, a few scattered trees and what looks like a partially formed grain field. The area outside of the city outskirts is a blizzard but once you're in the limits it drastically changes to sunny weather. I don't know how this happened but I am glad that it did. If this town was swept into the raging blizzard outside then it would have made the rebuilding efforts all the harder on my part.
'I wish my Ketch was here, those under my command could have helped construct a protective wall around the city to keep it safe and patrol the streets...just where the hell are my subordinates? Also where the hell are my friends? Did they see me vanish or are they still waiting for me at the convention or in the hotel room...eh fuck it one step at a time.'
"What is going on?!" I shouted as the ponies below and the old stallion behind me are still cheering, it took the old pony to answer my question as I looked on below, I don't know if it was some kind of time-stasis trap or a terraformer, either of the two could be bad if it ends up killing everyone here.
"It's the Crystal Heart sire!"
"Crystal Heart? What exactly is it?"
"Sire, the Crystal Heart is an artifact that once powered the Crystal Empire long before the days of King Sombra and the Alicorn Princesses in the south. The heart is powered by the ponies that live here when they are happy and the joy of their positive emotions surge into the crystal gemstone. Sombra stole the heart and used it to fuel his dark powers when he took over the kingdom...I am starting to remember who I am...I...I used to be the commander of the city watch, my name, my name is Shining Bastion at your service sire." the old stallion said as he tried to bow again but still couldn't even with the strange powers that the crystal heart is emanating from its core.
"Shining Bastion, what did I tell you about bowing, your advanced age is preventing you from overworking your body, just relax, enjoy yourself, the coming dawn is here and with it a new age." I said with pride and ambition in my voice, looking over the horizon as the sun rose up and shined light across my kingdom.
A week has passed since I had slain Sombra and took over the throne, apparently from what Glittering Quill has found,d it seems that Sombra had been hoarding the energy of the Crystal Heart for himself, making himself more powerful than the old two rulers of the Crystal Empire. It doesn't say their names but apparently he used to be their friend and when he had enough power, he stabbed them in the back and kicked them out. When they came back several years later they were strong enough to defeat him but in his defeat he took the kingdom with him, both fading from existence and just now when he was free from his banishment the kingdom came back as well.
I also learned that when the ponies were rejuvenated by the crystal heart they were no longer starving, tired, weak and had recovered their lost memories that Sombra had locked away. Several ponies were going back to their old jobs and lives, the farm fields are pretty much non-existence because all of it seems to be outside of the dome. We won't last long without a steady supply of food for these ponies, and seeing how we have no walls to protect yourself from the outside world. The new guards that that are being trained by Bastion are inexperienced which means that I am the main line of defense against the hostile world.
These ponies are strange creatures, first their names are also what their *snort* cutie-marks are which just so happen to be what their life talent is, second is that the six noble houses of the crystal ponies are all important families that are needed to keep this place flowing smoothly. When they tried to get disorderly I showed them Sombra's remains and they straightened up right quick, and thirdly I was told that there was a crystal mine outside of the city limits and that is where this place gets all of its building material for the homes, roads and for the guards.
Apparently everything within the empire is made of crystal, converted snow becomes something akin to Glimmer, grass is also akin to Glimmer, in fact everything that is made of crystals, with the exception of the ponies, can be converted into Glimmer. Seeing how that it is programmable matter it can be used as a working source of 3D printable material.
Then there is this one record that states this dome once used to stretch for miles in every direction, completely covering everything within its old borders before Sombra drained the crystal heart of its powers, weakening it to the point where it will only empower the city. How to make it stronger wasn't said but if it can grow in size and strength then it must be done, we must expand our borders because having a city-state will not do it for me.
I can only hope that nothing dangerous comes this way. Building a large enough wall to surround the city will take months if not a years to complete. We can easily get the materials from the crystal caves and mines in the surrounding mountains but these ponies lack a means of transporting them back and forth. Seems like I have to start thinking back and re-create a means to assist these ponies.
One can only hope that nothing comes our way.
Off in the distance, far from civilization, beyond the protective dome of the Crystal Empire a pony stops in its tracks and looks at the gleaming barrier that stands in the distance. Mesmerized by the brightly glowing pink dome the pony almost fell over and down the hill but managed to catch itself before spreading its wings and turning back, returning to its home.
This pony had to report that the Crystal Empire has returned.