//------------------------------//
// VII - Rift 
// Story: Cipher 
// by Alfoals Trottenbauer 
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Wendy and Dipper ran through thickets of trees, Twilight and Ace galloped in front of them, Soos lagged behind the rest. The five climbed up an incline ending on a cliff. Ace looked over the cliff. A small town was visible, though in shambles. At the furthest side of the town, a large pyramid levitated in the air. Above the pyramid, what could only be described as a tear in reality shone in the shape of an X.

"What the hay is that..?" Ace let out under his breath.

Spheres drifted out of the rip in time and space. The pyramid bobbed in the air as if floating in water. The tear extended a bit further. Beams of bright darkness poured from the crevice between unreality and existence, unfathomable, but still seen. The rift was both of sky and sea, while at the same instance being land. It was solid, liquid, gaseous, and plasmic all at the same time. It was everything and nothing all the same. The tear was not perceivable yet still perceived.  An equine figure emerged from the rift, just as the three humans and two Equestrians turned and trotted away.

As they did, hoofbeats slowly grew louder, the five stopped to listen, the steps weren't theirs. A silhouette was in the distance. As it got closer, Purple mist trailed off the face. Getting closer, Ace's jaw dropped as he recognized him: 

King Sombra.

"Twilight Sparkle. I see you were sent to this miserable dimension, too. You see, that triangle has given me a second chance to exact my revenge." Explained the former tyrant.

Twilight stared unafraid at Sombra.

"I thought Radiant Hope settled you out." Twilight remarked.

"Once powerful, always powerful. Kings don't change their ways, Peasant Sparkle." He retorted.

The king's red horn lit ablaze with a spell of petrification, aimed at Twilight. As it was about to be cast, Ace galloped to and shoved her out of the way with force. The spell hit him in the front leg he had pushed her with. Ace closed his eyes as his hoof started turning to stone, quickly spreading over his whole body. Dipper, Soos, and Wendy could do nothing but stare.

Twilight had been knocked over by Ace, she looked over her withers.

"Ace!" She called as his head hadn't yet been covered.

"Don't worry Twi, I'm fine." He answered calmly to her, eyes still closed.

"For Celestia's sake, Ace. You're not!" She called again, as the stone spread to the latch of his throat.

"I'm not, but don't worry, getting Bill is more important than me. Do it for Equestria." He barely managed to get out before the stone froze over his head.

A rage ignited in Twilight she had not yet encountered before. Her horn glowed a purple as she painfully lifted Sombra and galloped to the edge of the cliff. Sombra struggled in the glow surrounding him.

"Put me down Peasant! I am your superior! Do as your king says, you worm!" He commanded.

Twilight heedlessly levitated the king over the cliff face.

"Goodbye." She responded coldly, dropping him.