Diary of the Night

by CalebH

The Unexpected Journey - Chapter 154

Sir Sombra. It is as we knew him best and it is as we best remember him. He was the best of both our worlds, the bravest and boldest of my knights and the most noble of your nobles. Who but us could be counted his better, in knowledge, in skill, in power, in morality? He was the master of whatever he put his hoof to.

When dragons threatened our gleaming allies to the north and we pondered the cost of neutrality with the dragon king Bold Sir Sombra marched without second thought. When their fire finally overcame the Crystal Heart’s power Brave Sir Sombra stood the gap. When the wyrms shattered the Crystal Empire’s guard and consumed their rulers Mighty Sir Sombra finally drove the beasts off, never to return. When the Crystal Empire sat broken in the north who else but Noble Sir Sombra could rule and give them hope again?

He did not learn that from me, sister. In months he rebuilt, within a year the Crystal Empire was at a height and prosperity it had never known. In ruling he was second only to you. And so we left him be, the Brave and Mighty, the Wise and Merciful, the Great Sombra, King in the North.

Do not blindly offer me your forgiveness, sister. The dark paths he tread made Sombra powerful but he was still only a mortal. The darkness of Nightmare Moon was mine and mine alone. Do not belittle actions that affect me so by blaming them on another.

It is with a sardonic humor that I read your parting statement. You suspect Sombra of influencing my fall and I suspect myself of influencing his. Who else but I could have brought low one who shone so brightly? Who else but the demon of Bloodridge Aerie, the Ripper of the Golden Plains, the Black Storm of the Eastern Sea, who else but Nightmare Moon could bring about such darkness?

The cruel jest at the end of this story is that he gave me hope. He inspired me. He showed me a version of myself that was kind and caring where I could not have been. A version of myself that was much more like you.

-L

Author's Note:

Aaand I'm back. school has been just a bunch of BS but what really kept me was my other fic, A Dragon's Duty. I wanted to get the latest chapter of it up before I continued this story and inspiration has not been forthcoming.

The title is a bit of a blatant nod to Tolkien and I'm okay with that. This arc isn't going to mirror the plot of 'The Hobbit' but I'm going to have fun putting little nods in from time to time.

Anyways this is a bit of a transition chapter but the adventure will start soon enough.

Comments

[Raven Flight]

WOO HOO! Can't wait for this new arc!

[Xanderfox]

Once again I find myself curious about both Luna's feelings towards her past and what we the reader know as Equestria's future. Seeing Sombra return as only a shadow of his former self, beyond being able to be saved from his darkness how easily that might of been her. Celestia sending Cadance to the Empire first and the young alicorn's destiny linked to the Empire, with the return of the empire can the fact Cadance's cutie mark is the Crystal Heart be ignored? Celestia making this a test for Twilight, and her own presentation of Starswrill's book to her sister when Twilight came back successful, was Twilight's ascension really Celestia's plan, or some other princess?

[defunct321]

Sombra's a fun character to read in fanfictions because the show has given him no character beyond being evil as of some point in his life. It lets authors make him a sort of canon OC.

[the dobermans]

... the Ripper of the Golden Plains...

There's a whole story in just this phrase.

[BenRG]

Luna clearly shares one characteristic with her sister: she blames herself for everything, including other ponies' bad choices.

[djthomp]

5258807 Haha, I would assume so.