Chapter 9:

"Well shit" Jake said as he noticed a dramatic difference in the room when they first went in. The room was now a darker version with black walls and black floor and a red banner on the wall. Twilight got up after recovering from falling on her back. She froze as she saw the banner. Jake noticed this immediately. "Who's on the banner" "King Sombra" "King who" "King Sombra… We was killed years ago in the Crystal Empire" "He did what?" Twilight hastily told the tale of King Sombra and the Crystal Empire. "So an evil unicorn that is a shadow but was killed is alive again and probably conquered all of Equestria and is probably in this castle right now is probably back for vengeance" "Correct" "Well shit" Jake said somewhat loudly. They heard hoofsteps coming to the door. Jake dove under the bed to his right while Twilight did some form of spell. The door opened and a guard in black armor with an assault gun looked around the room then shrugged and turned to leave the room. Just before he got out of the room Jake leaped from under the bed. He slit the guard's throat with a knife he had carried with him and dragged the body out of view and took the uniform and weapon. "Why did you do that?" Jake jumped. "Twilight where are you?" "I'm right in front of you" She said as she rematerialized "I just used an invisibility spell" "I needed the uniform and a decent weapon" "Why the uniform?" "If me reasoning was correct the rest of the girls are scattered in the castle dungeon. King Sombra wouldn't want the elements of harmony together" "Your right. I'll use my spell and you act like a guard to get down there" "Let's go" They walked down to the dungeons with no interruptions. They stepped down stairs with Twilight still invisible, into the vast dungeon. Why would Celestia need a dungeon this big? Jake thought. There were a few guards but they didn't question him boing down there. He began to look through the cells. Most were empty with the occasional Equestrian soldier in the cells. We looked at each one scanning their faces. He came to a pegasus. He jumped up and went to the bars. "Darkwing!" He said quietly. "Jake! What are you doing?" "Busting the elements out" "Well get me out" "Sure. Twilight do your thing" The lock glowed as the tumblers fell into place. "Who did that?" "Twilight. She is using an invisibility spell" "Oh okay" "Stay there you need a disguise" Jake ran off. After a moment he came back with a dead guard. "Put on his uniform and keep quiet" They keep looking down the cells. Jake heard some grumbling coming from down the hall. He speed walked to the cell to find who it was. He turned the corner and his face lit up. "Rainbow Dash" He said happily. "Jake!" "Shhhhh… keep it down I'm busting you and the girls out. Twilight bring her to date while I get a uniform" He found a guard and killed him as well. Before he killed the guard Jake had looked into his eyes. They looked dead. Not like dead dead but nothingness dead. Like he had no soul. Jake made a mental note of this. "Dash!" Jake hugged her. "Were are the others?" Jake asked after embracing. "No clue" Just then a guard rounded the corner. "Hey! What are you doing here" "Um… we were sent to check on the elements" "I was not told of this" "Jake! Is that you?!" A voice called from down the hall. The guard turned around. Taking the moment Jake stabbed him in the neck. They ran down the hall to see who it was. "Princess Celestia!" "Jake, Rainbow Dash were are the rest of the elements?" "Twilight is right here using an invisibility spell. The others are somewhere in the prison" "Get me out I can find them" "Okay" After getting her out she used her magic to track the rest of them down. They went through the prison freeing the soldiers as well one of which was Shining Armor. "Shining! Good thing we found you" "I know. Now get me out and give me a brohoof" By the time everypony was free they had about thirty soldiers captured during the invasion. Apparently without warning they swooped in and conquered the city before anyone could react. All of them marched up the stairs. They only had about five rifles to go round. At first Jake would lure guards and kill them to get weapons. After about half of them were equipped Shining Armor showed them there next objective. "We need to get to the market district. There is a camp were there keeping most of the royal guard who was captured" "To the market then" By now it was dark out and they moved in stealth. Every once in a while they encountered a guard on patrol. Only if they got close would Jake take care of them. They arrived in the market after a short time later. "What's the plan?" Asked Jake "We use the element of surprise. They think that resistance has been crushed are, they should be caught off guard" They assembled a plan to take the faculty. They would fire a weapon down the street to draw some guards; the shooter would then duck into an alley. The pegasi in the group would attack from the rooftops while the others would charge the facility, free the prisoners, and with the prisoners march on the palace.

Emerson sat on a bench look through the fence put in place to keep them in. He sipped the cold coffee that was given to him. "Emerson, do you think the Jerri's got southern Equestria" Said Lewis sitting next to him. "Not if the Southern Army mobilized in time. But they still won't be able to stand for long. Maybe if the expeditionary army arrived" "You're right. I'm going to try and get the lads spirit up. Celestia knows there down" "Alright" as he got up they were interrupted by the sound of gunfire. Some of the guards ran down the street. "What was that all about" They heard a mighty war cry and ponies swopped down from the nearby roofs surprising the guards. A troop truck burst through the gate and Shining Armor and his men poured out. The guards were slaughtered. Not a single of the soldiers were killed. The prisoners cheered and some of them broke into the camp armory armed themselves. The army of prisoners began to march to the castle slowly being joined by the populace who armed themselves from King Sombra's now dead guards. An army of about 500 broke down the castle doors and charged in. The castle guard stood no chance. They came upon the throne room doors. Shining Armor stepped in front of the mob. "Everypony guard the castle from counterattacks and finish of King Sombra's men. The elements must finish him off. For Equestria!" "For Equestria!" Yelled back the crowd. They dispersed and prepared for the immanent attack. Jake with Shining Armor broke open the throne room door to see King Sombra sitting nervously on the throne. "Your reign of terror is over! Girls finish him!" Jake yelled. The mane 6 began to charge with the elements. King Sombra had a smirk on his face. "You thought you could defeat me!" His horn began to glow blackness. The girls were still charging. The king laughed evilly. Adrenaline pumped through Jake. A black bolt came from Sombra's horn heading towards the mane 6. Jake jumped into its path began struck down by it. He fell to the ground twitching. The girls blasted a beam of light at King Sombra. "NOOOOOOOOO!" He yelled as he dispersed into nothingness. "We did it girls!" cheered Twilight. "Jake!" screamed Rainbow Dash. She ran to him. "Jake stay with me. Stay with me" She cried beginning to sob. By now Jake was beginning to drift away. Celestia walked up, examined him, and nodded. "Rainbow Dash stand back" "No! I'll never leave him!" "Stand aside" "No!" Two of the soldiers came from behind and pulled her off of Jake's dying body. "No! No! Get off of me!" Celestia's horn began to glow. "What are you doing?!" An aurora began to consume him and he himself began to glow. The soldiers pulled Rainbow Dash out the door as they closed behind them. "No! Jake no!" She wept into the soldier's arms.