Eclipse (MLP:FIM Princess Luna x King Sombra)

Chapter 1

How long has it been since she saw him?

A thousand years in the minimum.

She shuddered at the thought he was alive, once again terrorising all that encountered him.

He cannot be back.

These thoughts raced through her head as the Princess of the Night hurried towards the Throne Room.

Guards stationed at the Throne Room saw the incoming princess and quickly made way for her, greeting her with "Your Majesty" which she nodded quickly to.

With a wave of her hand, the decorated doors of the Throne Room flung open with her magic,

Princess Celestia was pacing around the room, worry etched across her face.

"Close the doors, Luna,"Celestia said without looking up.

Luna slammed the doors shut, startling the guards stationed outside.

"What is the meaning of this, Sister!" Luna lashed, one of her arms tossed out in the direction of the Empire. "You said that girl was ready! You said she was capable! And now what do we have now upon us? A false King about to enslave an entire Empire!"

Celestia looked up at Luna, her normally regal voice now breaking. "I didn't think it would come to this! I-I thought he'd be weaker from the last we saw of him! Banished to the depths of the Arctic North should have weakened him-"

"And yet he is stronger than ever!" Luna interrupted, furious. " Cadence, her husband, Twilight and her friends, have not been in contact with us since their arrival. Who knows what he has done to them!"

Celestia winced at Luna's words, at loss for words. " I-I don't know. But we can't be concerned about them now."

She glanced at the crystal she kept beside her throne, it's reflection showing a troubled Princess. "Word is that he is preparing an army with those he has captured. Either as defence or for an attack. Both of which will not spell well for us."

Luna curled her hands into a fist, beginning to walk away. " I'll prepare the guards for a march to the Empire then. We must-"

She stopped, hearing the softest of sniffles.

She turned, looking at Celestia's reflection in the crystal to see the revered, glorious and beautiful, worshipped and adored by the whole of Equestria Princess...crying.

Luna fell silent, stretching out a feathered wing over her sister to soothe her.

" Sister?"

Celestia glanced toward her, eyes red and glistening. " Our family and my students are there. The thought of him holding them captured frightens me so and the last time we faced him...we barely won. What about this time?"

Luna knew she couldn't dispute what her sister had said but she clasped Celestia's hand, gazing confidently into her magenta eyes.

"When I returned as Nightmare Moon, you sent your students to redeem me and that was out of the love you still had for your sister after all these centuries. And it worked. Love is the very thing that false royal burns from and you have so much of it." Luna said. " We can win again, sister. Trust me."

Celestia gazed at Luna in wonder, before pulling her in for a hug. " I still don't know I survived centuries without you, Lulu."

Luna closed her eyes, smiling softly at her sister's words. " Neither do I."

Celestia straightened, her tears gone and looking like the regal Princess she was. " Ready the guards. I'll announce to the people what is to come."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Celestia stood at her balcony, her eyes sweeping the crowds that gathered below. "My dearest subjects, a thousand years ago, a place named the Crystal Empire vanished due to a cursed placed on it by its tyrant ruler, King Sombra and today it has returned, and so has he. He was responsible for the enslavement of the citizens there and threatening our kingdom and we are certain he will do so again now in his return. Princess Cadence, Shining Amour, Twilight Sparkle and her friends were sent to protect the Empire but it seems that the King proved too much of a threat for them. As a result, my sister and I will be leaving Equestria to handle this King and rid of him once and for all. You have our word."

The crowd exchanged glances with each other, a mixture of confusion and fear spreading through uncertain murmurs but they nonetheless cheered for their princess, trusting their ruler to do what is best.

Celestia smiled gratefully and bowed before heading back inside.

Luna was waiting for her.

" The troops are ready, Celestia. Shall we go?" She asked.

Celestia nodded. " Let's go."

The two sisters made their way to where the soldiers awaited and they bowed at the sight of their rulers.

Celestia bowed in return and Luna raised her hand, channelling forth magic that lit in swirls around her arm.

" This spell will bring us to the outskirts of the Empire," Luna said. " Set up tent and rest once we reach. Spies, scout the Crystal Palace and report back to us your findings. Clear?"

The soldiers saluted and her spell burst into a cloudy explosion, enveloping everyone that came into contact.

They opened their eyes, feeling the temperature dropped drastically.

Celestia cast an invisibility dome over them and lit a raging fire in the snow, able to burn without the need for wood or gas to feed it, and able to warm up people from far away.

The soldiers got to work immediately, setting up camp while the sisters met with the captain that replaced Shining Armour in the meantime in their own tent to discuss strategy.

Just before Luna entered the tent, she stole a glance at the Empire.

It no longer shined as she remembered. Its lustre became dimmed, the shining borealis that once flowed above the Empire as a symbol for the love and light for its people, was lost. Now replaced with dark snowstorms that raged above.

She eyed the houses and streets. No one was around. It had become a ghost town, with snow and ice about to bury the architecture, leaving no hint of the once colourful civilisation that once roamed the place.

Her stomach felt hollow as she remembered the cause of all this.

Her teal eyes lifted to see the gloomy palace, knowing inside laid a horrible threat.

What is he planning to do?

She gazed longer before shaking her head, heading inside the tent.

It doesn't matter. We'll rid him soon enough.

Little did she know of what was soon going to come.