My Little Pony - The Legend of Friendship (MLP remake with male OC added)

54. The lost Empire - Part 2

The dark cloud around the Crystal Empire was getting closer and closer...
And within it, was the evil Unicorn King who wanted to engulf it in darkness along with the Crystal Empire.

"What do we do now?" Star Twinkle asked in a panic as he watched how the massive black cloud of darkness approached the Empire.

Watching the cloud coming closer sent a shiver down on Star Twinkle's back. The thing he wanted to do more than anything now, was to run. But there was nowhere to run to and Cadance was too weak to cast her spell to protect everypony. There was nothing that could be done now. Star Twinkle cursed himself to not being able to do anything in this situation when his mind wasn't clouded by fear at the moment.

Shining Armor looked over the incoming threat as well, but instead of showing fear or losing his calm, like Star Twinkle, he looked over to Princess Cadance who laid on the ground due to the exhaustion to keep the protection spell around the Crystal Empire up. He helped her up again, causing her to regain some strength. Cadance pulled herself together and activated her protection spell again. The barrier around the Empire rose up again and managed to keep the darkness out. However, the barrier was much smaller now and barely covered the empire, meaning that once it breaks again, there will not be enough time to protect the Empire anymore.

Star Twinkle was relieved but he was also aware that it would only delay the inevitable. Cadance already broke down once so there was probably not much time left to begin with. Star Twinkle slowly felt like that this was a hopeless cause. The barrier would break down, the Empire would fall and who knows what would happen to him and his friends.

However, Shining Armor managed to get Star Twinkle out of his thoughts. "I have to find the Crystal Heart!" He said determined, causing Star Twinkle to look at him confused because of what he witnessed just now.

"What is he talking about? Can't he see how hopeless this all is? Why is he still so determined?" Star Twinkle asked himself after he heard Shining Armors words and looked at the determination in his eyes.

"No," Twilight interrupted, causing her brother to make a confused face. "You stay here with Cadance. She needs you, Shining Armor. I'll retrieve the Heart," Twilight suggested before she attempted to leave.

"She too? Didn't they both saw what just happened? Cadance already collapsed once! We will never find the heart in time!" Star Twinkle thought, once again trying to be realistic.

Twilight stopped for a moment after she realized that Star Twinkle wasn't following her and quickly turned toward him.
"I know what you are thinking right now," she started, grabbing Star Twinkle's attention, who believed that this wasn't true.
"Remember what you said before about my test?"

Star Twinkle was not sure what she meant at first and because of his nervous thoughts right now, he was not able to remember. But Twilight formed a smile and reminded him.
"If Princess Celestia wouldn't believe that I was able to protect this empire, then she wouldn't have sent me to here,"

Now that heard those words again, Star Twinkle did remember saying them to Twilight, though he didn't like that she was using them against him. That wouldn't be the first time though.

Twilight's optimism seemed unchanged. "I believe that we all can save this empire as well!" She said in confidence. "Come on, we have to get to work!" She said before she ran towards the inside of the castle, expecting that Star Twinkle would follow her this time.

However, Star Twinkle hesitated at first and lowered his head in disappointment.
"She knows how difficult all of this is...and yet she still continues...
Because the Princess believed in her?
No...
Because I believed in her?"