//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: The Fallen Empire 
// Story: Land of the Lustrous: Battle for the Crystal Empire 
// by Kyetta Cubid 
//------------------------------//

After the Snow Fog brought the School to the outskirts of the Crystal Empire, some of Sombra's forces over looked it, wondering what it was or where it came from.

Shining Armor, still under Sombra's Helmet control, he was looking and confirming from the Solders and guards, who were also under the Helmet's controls, about the Building.

"Anything to report, Solders?" He asked, as the Solders saluted to him. "Sir, we report that the Building in question has appeared near the outskirts of our king's Empire, still nothing has changed after those Hours!" One of the Guards said to him. "We'll be prepared to head out if anything is beyond the normal!" The other Guard said. Shining Armor then walked away from them both, as they kept on watching the School Building.

Shining Armor then reported about the findings towards his 'King' Sombra and his fallen wife, Cadence. "Anything to report, General Armor?" Sombra asked. "Nothing yet, your Majesty. That Building is still not showing anything unnatural, but if there is anything shifty, we'll send our brightest Solders to attack that Building." Shining Armor said to him, as he left the Throne room.

Sombra then thought about what the new Building was about or who was there. "Maybe if it's abandon, I'll make it a fortress, unless the dwellers are 'gone'." Sombra said, as he was looking at the building, thinking about where it came from. "Anything on your mind, darling? That new Building has you on edge." Cadence said, as she was concerned.

"That Building that just appeared, there's something about it that concerns me? I don't think it's a Resistant's or a hideout from my new return, but something about it isn't settling in right between me." Sombra said in a stern tone. They then saw their Assassin, once Princess of the Night, Luna. "Do you want me to scout it out and maybe crush some Resistant's scum?" Luna asked, as Sombra raised his hand and palm at her. "No. Not yet. If anything is beyond the normal, I'll send some of my solders and slaves to go there. If they don't come out, crush whatever's in there!" "Understood!" She said and gave a bow. She then left as Sombra then scowled. "Whatever that Building has, I won't resist!"

Meanwhile in the main city of the Empire, Spinel, Diamond, Bort, Morganite and Goshenite got inside, doing their best not to get caught, however, as they were sneaking around, they saw many creatures that looked like Horses, but they were standing on their back legs and had hands. The weirdest thing is that they didn't look normal, as they looked like they were Brainwashed.

"What are those things? And why do they look so strange?" Diamond asked their fellow Gemstones, which they didn't know like them. "No idea, but they don't look right. Look at their eyes." Spinel said, as they looked at one of their eyes, seeing they were nothing but a sickly bright green, which made Morganite think.

"Heh, if 3.5 was here, then that colour would defiantly suit them!" Morganite joked, as they heard another voice. "Well, that's rude! Good thing I wrote you as 'Trouble-making'." The voice said as a hand touched Diamond's shoulder. That then made Bort grab them, push them to the wall and threatened to grab their weapon, until they all saw who it was. "Phos?!" They all saw it was Phos, who they didn't think would of followed them. "Surprised?" Bort let them go as they fell onto the floor, as they all then looked down at the young Gemstone.

"How did we not see you? Why did you follow us?" Spinel asked them, as they then looked up. "I did follow you, was because these Crystal's here aren't like Carbonado or Obsidian, and also..." They then looked at Bort. "Just be happy I'm not in the smashing mood yet." Bort said as they looked at one of the Crystalized buildings, seeing what Phos was talking about. Spinel gave it a tap, seeing it was almost indestructible, like it's not any type of Gemstone to them.

"Well? What is it?" Morganite asked, now getting bored. "Well, it's no Gemstone towards us, but something about it doesn't seem right. There's no telling towards it's Hardness or what type of Gemstone it is." They then looked at the main Spire, which they thought was the heart of the Empire.

"Whatever's controlling these Crystal's must be beyond that one Spire." "But it's looks heavily guarded with those, what I'm guessing are guards." Goshenite said, as they looked at the long row of guards, protecting the Spire like a fortress. Spinel then came up with a battle plan. "Bort, you and Diamond distract some guards on the Left side while Morganite and Goshenite both distracted the Guards on the Right side!" "Alright, getting to face something other than Lunarians!" Morganite got excited. "Phos, you and me are both going to check a few floors of this place. Maybe the first 2 or 3?" Phos didn't thing Spinel would of picked them. "And I'm only picking you is because your Fragile and I don't want to be held responsible if you get taken or smashed!" Spinel added.

"Oh. Makes sence." Phos sighed as they knew it was like that. "And?" "If you feel threatened, use your weapons!" Spinel finished as Diamond was about to question. "Ok, let's go!" They all then splited into three groups of two. Bort's going to the left while Morganite's goes to the right. Spinel and Phos then waited for them. "So about my weapon, Spinel?" Phos asked, as Spinel was still focused on the task at hand.

Diamond and Bort both were on the Left side to distract the Guards. "I hope Spinel knows what their doing." Bort said, as both Diamond Gemstones were ready. They then hit and tripped some barrels and boxes of weapons, which caught the attention of some of the Guards.

"Half of you check what happened over there, We'll take your places!" One of the Guards said, as they checked on what was going on. Morganite and Goshenite saw Diamond and Bort did their part, now was their turn. "Ready?" Morganite said, as Goshenite agreeded, due to it being Spinel's plan. "Now!" They then tripped over some crates and Barrels, which caught the rest of the guards attention. "Again? Let's check it out and go back to our posts!" The same Guard said as they checked on the Right side, which gave both Spinel and Phos the perfect clear entrance.

"Now what?" Phos asked. "We go in!" Spinel said as both then got into the main heart of the Empire, which they saw had many stairs going up. Something above the Spire caught Phos' attention, as the noise above them caught their attention. "Ok Phos, stay close to me and... Phos?" They then saw Phos then gone up one of the stairs, which then agitated them.

With Diamond and Bort, they distracted the guards, as they were looking around, trying to find the cause of the barrels falling from before. "I'm guessing some idiot tripped over a few barrels. Back to our Posts!" They all then headed back to their post, which Diamond thought Spinel didn't get far. "No!" They then got the Guards attention. "But before we do, we should stop some Resistants!" The Guards then found Diamond and Bort, as Bort was ready to fight them.

Bort brought out a Black Whip which looked like their hair as Diamond brought out a Bokkin the same colour as their hair. "Why did you made that sound?!" Bort said to Diamond, as they whipped her whip around one of the guards and used them to smash into the other Guards like a Wrecking Ball. "Sorry, but I thought Spinel didn't get into the Spire yet?" As Diamond was blocking the Guards attacks with their Bokkin. They did push them away with amazing strength. "If Phos did something to screw the task, I'll be the one smashing them, for real this time!"

With Morganite and Goshenite, both got caught too, but were fighting the guards with their Crystal Weapons. Morganite had a Double headed Hammer in their colour while Goshenite had a Sharp Blade in their colour. Morganite was doing their best to back them off, as Goshenite sliced the Guards with their Blades, as they did graze the Armor and their Skin. "I don't think we're been taken by Lunarians." "Really? What made you think of that?" Morganite yelled at them. "I hope Spinel and that idiot knows what their doing."

With Spinel, they chased Phos up the tower to the second floor, which they saw had a Heart-Shaped rock in the middle of Black Crystals. "Pretty." Phos said, as they walked over to the Rock. Spinel came up to see what they were up too. "Phos, what are you thinking?" They then saw Phos about to take the Rock. "Phos! Don't!" Phos then grabbed the Rock and pulled it out. After they did they, it set of an alarm. "What is that?" Phos asked. "Nothing good. Let's get out of here!" Spinel said as the Stairs were then blocked off, as their only exit was the balcony. They looked down, seeing how far it was, even though they were on the second floor.

"Spinel?" "We have to jump!" Phos looked down. "You sure? You do know how brittle I am?" "Yes, we know!" Spinel sighed. "I'll go first and when I say 'go', you'll do the same. Don't threat, I'll catch you!" Spinel then jumped down, but landed without a single scratch. "Ok, Phos, remember what I said about saying 'go'." "Go? You got it!" Just then Phos jumped off the balcony, when without Spinel knowing where they'll land.

They then heard a violent Smash sound behind them, as they saw Phos on the ground, shattered into Pieces, which made Spinel sigh again. "Just be happy I brought this." They then brought out a Duffle Bag and put every single pieces of Phos. They also saw the Rock they picked up, thinking it was Special and put it in the bag with the now shattered Phos. As the alarms kept on going, they decided to run back at the Building. As they ran back, they were then greeted by Bort and the rest.

"So I guess Phos did something dumb?" Bort asked. "You guessed it." "Idiot." Morganite said, as they looked at the Duffle bag. "Are they in there?" Diamond asked, which Spinel gave a head nod, but was confused on what they picked up as they ran back to the school.

Meanwhile, back on the Second Floor, Sombra looked at where the Crystal Heart was once was, which then made him roar out through the entire room. "The Heart? Where is the Heart?! The only thing that can stop me!" He yelled out through the Entire room, even possibly the entire Empire. Then some guards came back, after their loss against the Gemstones. "King, we have some dire news." Just then, he then looked at the guards with anger. "WHAT?!" "We don't know what they are, but they didn't look like any Crystal Pony we ever seen." The Guard said as Sombra then grabbed them and threw them out of the Balcony's window. Now mad, he headed back to the throne room, thinking about what they were talking about. Then, at the perfect que, Shining Armor came towards his master. "King!" They then bowed down to them. "I think what that Building is maybe occupied by what may of also taken the heart!" Sombra then brought out a Crystal that showed Spinel and the rest of the Gemstones heading back to the Building that appeared.

"Do you want me to send out some Guards?" Shining Armor asked, but Sombra had other ideas. "No. I want you to retrieve the Heart, and if they do try and stop you." He then grinned. "Shatter them!" "Understood, my king. Hail King Sombra!" He saluted as he went out of the throne room, preparing to attack. As Sombra sat on his throne, he looked at the Building. "They asked for a battle, we'll give them a war!" He then cackled through the entire throne room, which then he coughed a little, as he then cackled again.