//------------------------------// // A Complex Delirium // Story: Diary of a Mad King // by Strange Harmony //------------------------------// Fire, something this land hadn’t seen in a millennia. An entity whose presence the empire yearned for, yet condemned. The flaming quintessence of it established life wherever present, though sometimes destruction; however, a thousand years without any sort of fire had allowed the Shadow Empire to fall into a state of perpetual algidity. This single fire had no power here, and its existence could only be accredited to Lime Stone’s magic, for every earlier attempt at sustaining a fire by natural means had failed. ***** The fire cast an apathetic light over the cloth covered bodies of the six members of the Royal Canterlot Archeology Team. Trench Marine leaned forward, careful not to incinerate a marshmallow he heated over the fire, and asked, “So, who’s going to start the ghost stories tonight?” The question was greeted by a mixture of amused and worried looks from everyone, that is, except Relic. For his mind had been somewhere else ever since they sat down for their first dinner in the Shadow Empire. The oatmeal sitting in his bowl had hardly been touched. “Trench, I really don’t think that’s a good idea,” started Amber, looking around at the desolate buildings. “Ah c’mon, it’s the perfect idea!” responded the Unicorn, allowing his marshmallow to fall into the fire. As he stood up, the last of the clouds that had moved in during the afternoon began to part, allowing the moon’s rays to trickle down and expose the deterring empire, which rested, preserved by time. “Alright, I guess I’ll start. Now, are there any special requests?” Granite sighed, “Surprise us Marine.” “You got it! Now let’s see…I think I’ll go with the tale of the lactose intoleran- uh, Relic? Are you with us? You’ve been awfully quiet ever since you and Amber returned.” The comment seemed to draw attention from the other team members. “He’s right,” added Mira, scooping the last of her Oatmeal. “You're usually lively and at the forefront of our conversations. Something the matter?” Lime Stone, who was sitting across from Relic, put his bowl aside and asked, “Are you feeling sick?” before reaching for the medical tools hidden in a white saddlebag he always carried. “I wouldn’t mind examining you to make sure everything is in order.” Surprised by the sudden attention, Relic could only respond with a dumbfounded expression and an equally intricate response, “Uhh, yeah, I’m just feeling…kind of worn out.” Standing up, he seized the opportunity to excuse himself, “In fact, I think I’ll hit the hay, see you guys tomorrow.” As he walked across the snow, he could feel their stares following him, but he wasn’t going to explain himself further, there was only one thing he wanted to look at, and it rested inside his saddlebag. Stepping into the tent he was to share with Amber, he made sure the flaps were closed properly, to not let Mother Nature’s frigid finger inside. Once that was secured, he frantically searched for his saddlebag. Spotting it in the far right corner, he scampered to it and quickly opened it. From within, he retrieved the object guilty of his abstraction. Then, opening a chest located in the opposing corner, took out a lantern. Like all standard archeological lanterns it didn’t run on any type of fuel. Inside, a crystal about the size of an apple radiated a bright purple light; the intensity of which could easily cover the inside of a tent. Placing the lantern next to him, he sat, facing the entrance, and simply stared at the diary. His eyes scanned every inch of the cover, moving frantically across the texture, as if looking for something that might be found on the plain velvet. He tried to imagine the King sitting in the solemn desk, writing during the last days of his empire. Relic’s thoughts soon started moving at a frantic pace, thinking of everything he might find inside the diary. He could be on the verge of discovering important details about Sombra, or the Queen, or any other possibility that crossed his thoughts. From the ancestors of the nightmares to the strange material the buildings of the empire were made of. Forcing his thoughts to a still, he moved to open the diary. “What is that!?” The question startled Relic, attempting to conceal the diary behind him, he hit the lantern with his elbow, sending it to a spiral. Standing four feet away from him was Amber, the mare looked at him quizzically, and then at the tome he had failed to hide. Relic tried to answer but no sound would come out. He felt frustrated, like a foal who had been interrupted from playing with a new toy by dinner or something else. All he wanted to do was continue reading in peace but Amber’s presence made that impossible. Locking eyes with her, he was about to protest her lack of forewarning when an aroma that reminded him of the fragantful spring days of his home village captivated his senses. Suddenly that frustration turned to guilt. Guilt for getting mad at her, when the concern was so clearly visible in her eyes. Guilt for allowing a book to distract him from someone very valuable to him. Amber began moving closer to him, the closer she got, the more the aroma intensified, making it impossible for him to ignore her, and the guilt he now felt. “Relic, what’s wrong?" she asked, sounding worried. "I know you well enough to realize when something is bothering you, and you haven't been yourself ever since we returned from the King’s castle.” Sitting herself directly in front of him, she noticed he was avoiding her gaze, with a light tap from her hoof, she moved his head upwards, and whispered, “You can tell me anything, remember?” Relic looked into her eyes. She was right, he could tell her anything. He trusted this mare more than anyone else, just being this close to her filled him with comfort, being able to tell her anything felt good. Taking her hoof with his, he gently placed it on the ground and with the tenderest tone he could muster said, “Amber…I’m sorry, I should have told you about this earlier, but…I’m not sure why I didn’t. The stairs I took led to a long hallway, naturally, I entered the first door I saw. What I found was King Sombra’s room.” Relic could feel Amber’s body tense at the mention of the king. “That’s not all obviously, I also found...this.” Giving her the diary, he observed as she simply studied the cover of the mysterious book. All the while, the aroma continued to attack his senses, making him want to get closer to the source. “Amber...before you read, or whatever you plan to do...can I have a hug?” This sudden request took her by surprise. She looked up and quizzically stared at him with an expression that asked, For what? After revealing to her the existence of a diary written by one of the most nefarious and mysterious figures of Equestrian history, a hug seemed like an arbitrary request. Alarmed by her expression, he feared the request had come too abruptly, “Oh come on, we’re a couple right? The diary was making me feel uneasy and distracted, and you just snapped me out of it. So I want to thank you with a display of affection.” Relic felt the blood instantly rise to his face. ‘So I want to thank you with a display of affection,’ that sounded like one of the many awkward lines Lime Stone had told him to use when he first wanted to ask Amber out on a date. Expecting to find her mortified by his reasoning he was surprised to find her giggling. As unexpected as it was, it was also alleviating. Calming down, she said, “You want to thank me with a display of affection? That sounds like something Lime would say,”and let out another snicker. “Oh Relic, most people think you’re always cool and collective, but I’ve seen more than once that you’re actually kind of a goofball.” After laughing one last time, Amber extended her forelegs, a smile still on her face, but didn’t move to embrace Relic. You always do like to make me work don’t you? he thought to himself, as he clutched her. As he held her, Relic’s mind cleared, even the diary of King Sombra seemed to disappear from his thoughts. He simply indulged in her presence, and the aroma that always accompanied her. Meanwhile, Amber indulged in something that had always been there, but it wasn't until right now that she realized how much it meant to her. Relic’s body was warm, and after almost a day of the glacial temperatures of the north pole, it stood out above everything else. She felt comfortable, safe, reluctant to release him. After what appeared like a joyous eternity, Relic softened his grip, but was surprised when Amber didn’t seem to notice. After a couple of awkward seconds, he tried to move back, but Amber remained. “Hmm...Amber?” Quickly realizing what she was doing, she released him, blood rushing to her face, “I-I’m, I’m sorry! It’s just that…” Before she could finish, Relic laughed. “Don’t sweat it, now, I better go talk to the others, before they think I’m ill or something.” Standing up, he made his way past her, but before exiting he turned around and said, “Thanks, really, and I’m sorry for not telling you sooner…My Love.” Shocked by the last two words. She looked back, and saw Relic staring at her with a smile. She couldn’t remember Relic ever calling her that, or anyone for that matter. He sounded so serious, so sincere…it made her heart race. Turning away, a new flush of scarlet spread over her cheeks. Stepping into the frigid weather, Relic stood, smiling radiantly, and pondered the entire encounter. He had felt so absorbed by the verbose mystery residing in the King’s diary that everything else had felt unimportant. Then Amber had walked in, foiling his scheme, and a wave of frustration had swept over him; but then he saw those eyes, her eyes! And how a deep sense of concern was visible through them, snapping him out of the diary’s spell. Then came her scent; an aroma that was always present and never failed to intrigue him. Finally, what he had just told her came to his mind. My love. Did he mean that? Or was it a statement the situation called for? She cared about him, and the feeling was certainly mutual. The word love, however, should not be taken lightly, and now a seed of doubt bore its way into his thoughts. Before he could ponder the subject further a hoof touched his shoulder, making him jump, it was Lime, “Relic! Didn’t mean to startle you, but you were just standing there and your coat is starting garner frost. Why don’t you accompany me and Quake by the fire? Everyone else retired for the night.” Relic hadn't realized it, but Lime was right, his coat was gathering a layer of snow. The realization was followed by a numbing sensation. “Ow! Yeah, sure, I’ll join you guys. Why are you still out here though?” “Quake wanted to show me an ancient sword he found today,” started Lime as they began making their way to the fire still burning in the middle of camp. “He wanted to see whether it was salvageable, the material is extremely dilapidated as you might expect.” Once they neared the fire Relic could see Quake Sphere held a blade about as long as his foreleg in one hoof. He seemed to be pretending to fight an invisible opponent. Noticing Relic and Lime staring at him, Quake didn’t stop his imaginary confrontation but rather changed targets, directing a slow broad slash at the approaching stallions. With an amused look, Relic observed from a safe distance, “Humph. You shouldn’t be playing with that like it’s a toy. It’s a valuable finding, besides, you might hurt yourself, or even worse, us.” “Gimme me a break Relic,” said Quake as he cleaved down a nonexistent adversary. “Since when has that stopped you from playing with artifacts we find? Besides,” he directed the point of the sword towards Relic. “You seem well enough for a fight. Did Amber work her ‘magic’ on you?” Chuckling, he seated himself on one of the logs surrounding the fire and planted the sword to his right, and simply stared at Relic, waiting for an answer. Along with Lime, Relic sat on the log parallel to Quake, “If by ‘magic’ you mean a nice conversation then yes, she worked wonders. Now, mind telling me what exactly that is?” he asked, pointing at the sword resting on the snow. "This beauty? While I was digging I stumbled upon a decayed metal shield. I explored some more by the area around the shield and soon enough I was finding relic after relic. Then, before I knew it, BAM! I had unearthed a forsaken arena where the will and cunning of opponents was put to the test!” he exclaimed, now standing on the log. “...In other words I managed to uncover a training arena in the middle of a field, I’ll spare you the details for my report, all you need to know is that this sword seemed to be in the best conditions out of all so I brought it back. I plan to get some more stuff tomorrow.” Sitting back down from the dramatic pose he had moved into, a new thought seemed to distort his expression. “What about you? You and Amber never told us anything about what you saw in Sombra’s castle. Care to do so now?” The sudden inquiry startled Relic. Lime also appeared intrigued, turning from Quake’s theatrical display to Relic, waiting for an explanation. Relic swallowed, How much should I tell them? The Queen quickly went to the forefront of his thoughts, he wouldn’t tell them of the diary, but the revelation of a never heard of before Queen should prove distracting enough, “Did you guys know there was a Queen?” As expected, the sudden revelation startled his comrades. Leaning closer, they pressed him, waiting for further explanation. “When Amber and I entered the castle, the first thing we saw was this amazing grand hall. I could go on for hours about he decorations and whatnot, but I’ll skip to what I’m sure you want to hear. In the grand hall, and later in other rooms, there were pictures of Sombra along with other figures, as you would expect, but there was a recurring mare that stood out. She was tall and while I didn’t mention this next part to Amber, she was also strikingly beautiful. She appeared in many paintings along with Sombra and wore a crown.” Lime Stone sat up, in a pensive pose, and after a minute or so asked, “Have you ever heard of a Queen Quake? I can’t seem to recall ever hearing or reading about one.” Staring deep into the fire, Quake searched back as far as he could, but just like Relic and Lime, he couldn’t recall ever seeing any record of one, “No, I haven’t...I actually don’t think any of us have. Why do you guys think that is?” The three stallions sat, musing over this unheard of figure when a delicate current of wind washed over the camp, chilling their bodies. Relic trembled, “We should really get something to cover ourselves with, our coats and this fire can only provide so much warmth. I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t want to catch a cold while on such an important expedition.” “Way ahead of you,” said Lime Stone, and with a light blue glow from his horn, took out three blankets from his saddlebag to cover his friends along with himself. With his eyes closed and a grin on his face, he proudly said, “It is important to always bring proper equipment when venturing to somewhere possibly hostile, I would also advice we move closer together so we may preserve body heat.” Looking at each other, Relic and Quake burst into laughter. Lime opened his eyes and stared at the pair. Blushing, he looked down. “We’re sorry Lime,” said Relic when they had settled down. “We can always count on you, and you know that. Forgive us for that sudden outburst.” For the next thirty minutes or so, the trio sat, discussing the occurrences of the day. From Trench Marine’s failed experiment to the surprisingly nerve-racking story he told after Relic dismissed himself during dinner. Yawning, Quake eventually said, “Let’s change the topic shall we? Back to Sombra, what sort of atrocities do you guys think he imposed on his kingdom? I’ve heard that he could strike down an entire family and not lose any sleep over it.” Relic tensed at the mention of the King. Lime Stone seemed to also be interested in this topic, “From the few archives I found in the library of the Crystal Empire, I imagine him to have been quite the fearsome ruler, not capable of feeling love, non-forgiving, always expecting things to go his way.” The gears in Relic’s head began to turn. Why is it that all the stories we’ve heard depict him as such a monster? That’s not at all what he sounded like in his diary, especially when he spoke about Queen Umbra. Suddenly remembering the diary, he realized Amber must have finished reading it by now. Suddenly feeling it urgent to return to her, he looked for an excuse to go, “To be honest guys, that’s the last thing I want to think about right now, and I really am feeling tired now. I think I’ll pay Golden Globe a visit and then head to bed.” Lime and Quake looked at each other, and noticing their own exhaustion, accepted his excuse without suspicion. Quake stood up, and before picking the ancient sword up with his mouth said, “Alright then, I’ll see you two tomorrow, I’m also pretty tired. Sweet dreams.” Scooping up the sword, he began walking to his tent, leaving Lime’s blanket folded in the log he had been sitting in. “Anything I can do for you before I retreat as well Relic?” asked Lime, with an enthusiastic smile. “No, you’ve done enough, but thanks. Have a good night Lime.” “Already then, good night to you two,” responded the Unicorn. Dumping a bucket of water over the fire. The sizzling of the dying fire left Relic feeling uneasy. Lime was already making his way to his tent, and now Relic stood alone, bathed by the light of the crystal lanterns they had dispersed on posts throughout camp. Looking at the melancholic city, he wondered how life had been for the ponies of this land, before the war, that is. The moonlight continued to shower the buildings with a celestial glow, making every crack, every spreading weed, every destroyed building clearly visible. Not being able to bear the sight any longer, Relic turned, but didn’t exactly begin walking to his own tent. What he had told Lime and Quake was only half an excuse. Relic now walked to the tent situated next to Granite’s, directly parallel to his own accross camp. The tent belonged to the team’s cartographer, Golden Globe, his best friend. Reaching the entrance, Relic noticed no light emanated from within, “Golden,” he said in an undertone. No response. “Golden,” he repeated, slightly louder, but still no response. Turning around, Relic felt disappointed. While Golden Globe was his best friend, he was also the most elusive member of the team, spending most of his time inside his tent making maps of the new areas they discovered. Relic had hoped to talk to him about various things, maybe even reveal the existence of the diary to him. But he was now going to have to wait until tomorrow. Letting out a truly exhausted sigh, he turned around and began walking to his own tent. Once he had reached his destination, he took in one last full breadth of the pure night air and moved the flaps aside. Stepping inside, he was alarmed to see Amber sitting, breathing heavily, the diary sitting next to her. Looking up at him, worry seemed to plague her usually happy and thoughtful expression. “Relic!” she said, a hint of panic in her voice. “I-I...I don’t understand. Sombra, Umbra, this entire kingdom, this entire race, I always thought they were all supposed to be different. Ever since I could remember, the stories I’ve heard about King Som- but then he attacked, he attacked four years ago didn’t he? and he almost enslaved the Crystal Empire twice right? But the Sombra in the diary sounded so-so, so...compassionate! As if he truly had been hurt. He loved her Relic, he really did, but then why-why-” Noticing her expression contort in a upset manner, Relic quickly rushed to her, and putting a hoof on her right shoulder said, “Amber, please calm down. I know it’s confusing but please, try to calm down, do you need something to drink? No? Alright, there...there…now, how much did you read?” Softly, she responded, “Only the first entry...I couldn’t go further.” Moving aside, she picked up the diary and waited for Relic to sit next to her before handing it to him. Relic stared at the Diary, scared and somewhat anxious to open it. Looking to his right, he noticed Amber had laid down, “...Are you sure you’re feeling better?” “...Yeah...Just give me some time to think about what I just read.” Deciding not to press her further, Relic accepted her answer and returned his focus to the book he held. Taking a deep breath, he opened it, and looked for the last bit he remembered. ***** I was furious but you managed to calm me…with your company, your voice, your reasoning. Those were the things that soothed the humiliation I felt, and enabled me to move past it all. But that night…that same night that group of crystal bastards started it all! When they hurt our subjects! Was it not enough to ostracize us from their territory? Was it not enough to hate us? They could have left us alone if they despised our kind so much. Why then, did they decide to take up arms? They called us barbarians, yet there they were, they had followed us and waited until our guard was down to strike. What cowardice! What unreasonable malice! They broke down our Kingdom doors, charged in; steel raised high, started fires, struck down fathers and mothers who tried to protect their families…a small group of cretins they were, and soon they were overwhelmed. But just like the flames that scorched our kingdom that night, the flames of war they ignited within me would burn for the next three years. And I will admit…it felt good to kill…no, what am I saying? Where are these feelings coming from? I remember the first battle, it was a victory for us, but…it felt so empty. I had never been to an actual bloodshed before. I had never before taken another’s life, leaving their families and friends without a loved one…but why should I care? Why should I care for them when they didn’t care about us? Why should I feel bad about killing the oppressors who wouldn’t accept our hoof in comradeship? Why should I care about the hypocrites who never once looked at us with compassion and empathy? Our kingdoms warriors were mighty! and we would have won the war had it not been for their miserable princesses. Did they hate us too? They always spoke about harmony and understanding, yet here they were in full battle armor felling soldier after soldier. They didn’t seem intent in stopping the fighting once it began. They didn’t seem inclined to offer an apology to mend the wounds their dogs had opened. Or was it perhaps…that they were scared? Were they afraid of the dark power our land holds? That same power we know nothing about, that we DON’T want to know anything about. Is that it? Did they decide we were a possible threat and sought it fit to exterminate us? Damn them! I would never dream of conjuring up that vile power trapped in the depths of our kingdom. No one has used that power in centuries, millennia! Our ancestors might have been savages, but they weren’t brain dead fools, they knew what happened last time one of the rulers of this kingdom tried to conquer that evil magic, they knew how it almost destroyed our land... As I sit here, writing this, I wonder what awaits me. There is nowhere I can go…no one to love…nothing…maybe the shadows speak the truth. Maybe the best thing for me to do is give in, that way, I can right this injustice. An eye for an eye... NO! Fool! What am I thinking? That’s the last thing you would want. Oh Umbra, why have you been taken from me? Why did our love have to end in such a ghastly note!? I don’t know what to do, your soothing voice is not here to calm me anymore, your company is no longer here to give me joy in utter darkness, and your reason is not here to guide me. Should I- …I have decided to end this entry here, a guard has advised me ponies are rallying outside the castle. Umbra, let your wisdom guide me, let me be like you and carry on, even in these times when everything seems lost. Let me be more like you. Resilient, wise, strong…until the end. ***** Exhausted, Relic closed the diary. As he feared, finishing the King’s entry only drained him of the little energy he had left. Just like Amber had said, he sounded so compassionate, so vulnerable. There was one aspect of the entry that Relic couldn’t stop thinking about, and that was the way Sombra talked about Umbra. It was evident theirs was no arranged marriage, no joining of two families to create an unstoppable house. To Relic, it sounded like Sombra truly did love Umbra, and with this realization in mind the doubt that had surfaced earlier as he stood outside the tent reappeared. How did he truly feel about Amber? Closing his eyes, he tried to imagine what would become of life if she suddenly passed away. Sitting in silence, he thought of all the things that would cease to exist. Her smile, her melodic voice, her captivating fragrance; her kindness and benevolence, which only brought happiness to those around her. He imagined never seeing her again, never getting to laugh, or converse, or simply enjoy his time with her again. As he had done, admittedly, many times before, he thought of the future they could have together, and how it would feel if that future were to suddenly disappear. Lastly, he imagined himself, sitting in the very same tent, alone. Without Amber next to him, without her presence and the comfort of knowing he could tell and consult her about anything. Not being able to bear the emotional self-torment any further Relic opened his eyes, and heard a soft thud. Looking down, he was surprised to see tears streaming down his face, landing on the cover of the diary. Turning to his right, he noticed Amber had fallen asleep, facing away from him. Seeing her there made a wave of relief wash over his body, as if she had actually departed. Leaning over he nuzzled her hair, which had fallen over her face, and leaned in closer to peck her cheek. Good night...my love. Retreating, he laid down, moving the thick cover over their bodies, but just before he fell asleep, a new thought crossed his mind. Sombra mentioned a dark power under the castle, could it be these ‘shadows’ he wrote of? Are we treading in forbidden land? These realizations gave him an uneasy feeling, and the weariness he had felt a second ago was replaced by fear.