Master and Apprentice

by Techno Grid

First published

Sombra was once reformed, but the darkness wouldnt let its bind to him go so easily.

Ex-King Sombra was once reformed, but the darkness wouldn't let its bind to him go so easily. So here he is, stuck somewhere in the south pole, wishing there was a way back out of the darkness that traps him in this evil mind of his. And his dream to find a way out is answered, just not in a way that he expected. A strange male alicorn with glowing eyes approaches him, and offers him a chance to break the bond he has with dark magic, instead using a magic thought to be lost. Join them on their quest to break the bond and help restore order to the world that they live on, equis. Inspired by the wonderful story by the talented Note-Sketch, Shadow's Enigma

Post Note: You have to be good when writing a story that includes an alicorn, and since the first time writing this, I have improved.

Prologue

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by techno grid


During sombras reformation, something new happened, an alternate universe of his reformation appeared. this is the story of the alternate sombra and his push back to freedom

At once, I Sombra realized what had led me here,

It was to powerful to resist, but i had to wait until the time was right. I honestly didn't want to do this, but it felt like I was being forced to by my bond with the magic. That vase held the darkness that once was within me before the events of the crystal heart, and it was calling to me... it was like a dog to gems, I couldn't resist... I wanted it.

As soon as Celestia turned to take a look at something, I used my normal magic to tip the vase, and her reaction was perfect. The shatter, the gasp, the darkness, the fear and hatred. I knew it was wrong but I still did it.

The absorption of the dark magic was quick and painless as I was ready for it. I could see her magic build up in a multicolored light, beautiful, but I was ready to counter her as she blasted her bolt of energy at me. I dodged to the left and fired a returning bolt of dark magic, hitting her square in the right flank causing her to grunt in pain. As expected, and almost on cue, guards came through the door, only to be knocked into unconsciousness and sprawling onto the floor.

"You will not succeed Sombra!" shouted Celestia, who fired three consecutive bolts of energy at me, only one succeeding to graze my right shoulder causing me to grimace slightly. But, only for a second, as my healing kicked in and I responded with producing a copy of myself, and proceeded to flank Celestia, both of me firing at random times. Celestia, myself, and I kept this up until both Luna and Twilight galloped in.

"We heard the commotion, what happ-" they looked at the two of me of me "-Sombras?! what is this madness?" they exclaimed almost in unison.

"Madness? THIS. IS. DARKNESS!!!" I shot the charged up bolt of dark energy I was saving at Twilight. She tried to doge, but I hit her in the side, causing her to fly into the wall. "Feel the true power of dark magic twilight, let it show you the way." Me, myself, and Twilight's eyes erupted into purple flame. "Yes, can you feel it Twilight? Just let the darkne-" I was hit on the side by both Luna's and Celestia's blasts, causing the other me to disappear and sent me flying through a window, crashing onto a fountain in the party below. At first, the pony's didn't say anything, then they cheered for my "amazing performance", that is, until Celestia and Luna burst through the castle doors with an unconscious twilight on luna's back. The ponies then started realizing the truth, and started screaming and running in fear. I felt my power grow to more then full capacity. I had all that I needed to defeat the two Princesses and take over Equestria.

But I stopped, I knew this was wrong. I saw the look on my,new friend's faces, and knew I had to fight the darkness. But, It wouldn't let me and I lost control of my mind. But, was able to utter one word-"help,"-before my body was under control by the dark magic.

I started firing bolt after bolt, launching crystal after crystal at the sisters, only to have them all destroyed by four different magic bolts: two shades of blue, light purple and one of gold. two of the bolts were from the sisters, but the others, were from princess Candace and Prince Blueblood, who had just arrived from inside the castle, both with faces of surprise as they saw me.

"How dare you harm the princesses!" shouted Blueblood.

"My sisters will destroy you Sombra!!"

"Sombra isn't here right now, please leave a message after your destruction!" I couldn't believe what the dark magic made me say. The dark magic forced me to copy myself ten times, and progressed in attacking, only to be hit by five Pegasi with smoking lighting streaked tails, the Wonderbolts, or known as the E.U.P. way back when.

Five of me were gone, only small amounts of smoke that were now circling me were left. I, no not me, the darkness yelled in rage, all five of me charging at them, launching bolts and shooting crystals from the ground to block theirs.

They soon fell to the ground in agony, only two of me left. the darkness forced it away and said to them in a tone that was not mine, "Any last words, princesses?" "Hey!" Blueblood complained. 'I' turned to him and shot a spell of silencing upon him, bringing a small amount of pleasure seeing him cry out in absurdity only for it to turn into horror.

"Well my dears? Do you have any last words?'

"Y-Yes," Celestia weakly said and shot a bolt into the ground, bringing a red crystal to the surface. "You will fall Sombra!" The darkness controlling me started to disappear as I tried to gain control. The red crystal was a tie to control the dark magic, and I had to subdue it. I was almost there, struggling, when I saw a rainbow of color and a powerful magic, along three beams of Alicorn magic come straight at me. I only had the chance to shout "wait! help m-" before I was hit and knocked into oblivion, which faded into a void darkness.

I awoke, cold, in pain, trapped in a frozen cage of ice and my regret, and guilt... I could feel the dark magic trying to escape my mind, get out and take its revenge or even grow in power, but I forced a red crystal out of the ground, causing the darkness within to cringe, and, in the process of doing so, caused me to go faint and black out.

I awoke once again with three, wait, four? four alicorns? As I struggled to get up, I looked upon them, to see who this adition was. Celestia, Luna, Candance, and, Twilight Sparkle, which was an interesting pick, as she had the potential, but I didn't realize she was that ready to be given a magic that powerful. Of course, it could have been for political gain by Celestia... she was always quite the political powerhouse. Finally, after a few moments of silence, Celestia spoke, saying "Sombra, we know that you are still in there, and we know that the darkness was controlling you. We have given you the ability to live for thousands years, but only to be able to control the magic that you have. I know of a legend of one who can help. But, this legend seems to be a fake, only to strike hope to those who have made a bond with dark magic like you. Luna will visit you in your dreams from time to time, as long as you work to control the dark magic or break the bond. We will be keeping you here in the southern tip of Equis, so no one will look for you, or manage to find you, until you complete your task."

Luna started speaking "I wish there was another way Sombra, and yes, we know we have the option and ability to destroy you, but, as you once said, 'everything deserves a chance to live', and so, we have given you another chance. Do not fail us Sombra."

With that said, along with a small discussion on the good that was done and the potential to do better, they left. As they left, walking through the barrier that was now noticeable, I started to wonder, how could I break the bond with this, curse of sorts, or harness it to its full potental for good? I pondered this as I walked around the hundred foot long dome, but only to stop when I heard something outside the barrier. As I put my head to the dome to listen, I could hear somepony talking, it seemed like this pony was conjuring a spell, only, I realized to late that I should have ran away from that part of the dome as it was blasted open, throwing me a good distance away. With slightly blurry vision that didn't seem to be getting better, I saw a large black alicorn, a mane of dull emerald and a navy blue, along with eyes of an interesting color, or rather, two. A ruby red, and white like that of the sun. He stared at me as my vision faded, and as it went completely dark, I felt the spell of telekinesis upon me, only to fade away as I was swept into the eternal darkness of my unconscious.

ch.1 A way out

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by techno grid


I had a dream, not a reminder per say, but a look back seconds before I decided to tip the vase and cause this. Celestia brought me to the vase and mentioned something about it containing terrible power, at that moment i could feel the familiarities with the power inside.

I asked what it was, but soon realized what it was after she reminded me that energy can't just disappear. Then the bond took hold as I stood silent, waiting for her to turn, and started the chaos. I watched with regret and soon realized that another pony was next to me watching it.

"hello luna," I calmly said as the 'movie' played on.

"Sombra," she said with what seemed like a slight amount of sorrow in it.

"I am assuming you are here because of the incident at the dome with the mysterious alicorn?"

"Yes. we hath come to you for assistance. We know almost nothing of this alicorn, except the information I hath seen from thy mind and that he is old, seemingly older then my sister and I. You must let us know everything you can of him, as he may be dangerous and could take your magic from you."

"And why would I do such a thing?"

"Celestia, Candance, Twilight, Discord, and I have found a way to destroy the bond, but not the magic itself. though there will be repercussions, but those will be fixed."

"Why can't you just take me away and destroy the bond? Also, why didn't you just tell me about destroying the bond in the first place!?" I was irritated that this wasn't brought to my attention, but I wanted a reason.

"This Alicorn is using an old magic that is preventing us from teleporting you out, and we did not learn of the sorcery spell until we left your prision. Discord had been in our old library and found the book, we were about to come to you when we felt our enchantments on the prision break. it has been five days since then,"

"And you can't find him, why?" I asked with a stern tone

Luna flinched slightly but answered "He is an old Alicorn, he knows many spells that we do not know how to counter, yet. For instance, he is preventing us from pinpointing your location. All we know is that your somewhere in the Amarezon."

"Have you sent a search party?"

"We have a peace treaty with the amarezonian warriors. Entering the area would break the treaty and we would have war on our hands. And that would not help since we are on the verge of war with the griffon kingdom because a daughter of a noble class griffon was mistreated in our lands. You can surely see the problem?"

I sighed, "There is no easy way is there?"

"Sadly, no. But, I can make your dream more enjoyable, if you wan-"

"No. Just no. I'm not in the mood and that is just, well nevermind. But its still no. okay?"

She put on a sad face. "okay, well, will you at least find out what you can about this Alicorn?" she looked at me with pleading eyes

"Ugg, fine. But on one condition,"

"name it," she warily answered.

"Do you, think you could give me updates on the six mares? I know its a stupid reques-"

But, before I could finish my statement, the dream I was currently in disappeared. It was replaced with a mirrior, it looked like the one that Celestia and Luna took from me during my time as a tyrant. The mirror they took, It was a powerful mirror. It could move you between dimensions during a certain time of the year. I hated that other universe, absolutely no magic there. The mirror I was looking at was different though. It had a black outline with crimson red ruby's spaced evenly along the outline. I walked up to the mirror, but immediately regretted looking in it. I saw myself, well my tyrant self. I had my original suit on, and my eyes where glowing green with the purple flame.

He talked with a deeper voice then I ever had. "You thhink you have found a way to dessstroy me, but you are wrong. Nothing can stop me!!!"

I felt a darkness surround me and pull me down, trying to suffocate me in the proccess. "NOOOO!!!" I managed to shout in a raged voice.

"Yessss, I can feel your feeaarrr. You cannot stop mee!"

I felt the world collapsing on me, and I felt ready to give up until a blinding light pierced my mind, and the darkness immediately dissipated. I awoke to a figure at my side. "You were struggling in your sleep, so I came to calm you. Are you alright? said a deep but calm and comforting voice.

"Y-Yes, I-I think I a-am." I managed to get out. I looked up at him, and my jaw dropped. The Alicorn I saw before my blackout was nothing like this. The Alicorn had a dark silver coat with a cutie mark of an unknown type of dog. His horn was gold and platinum colored and his wings were the shade same as his coat. He had dark blue eyes that looked like an endless ocean. His mane and tail were almost opposite of each other. Where he had a platinum white mane with silver streaks in it, his tail was a obsidian black with gold streaks of tail hair. He looked old, even though he was in good condition, for an Alicorn.

"Ahem," I jumped. "Yes, my body has that affect on pony's, mare or stallion. But, that's not the reason I came here. I came to wake you and what I saw pushed me into urgency. Your horn had dark magic spewing out of it, surrounding you in what looked like cords. You are a lucky stallion I came at right time.That magic could have killed you had I not intervened. Now, what exactly were you dreaming about that would cause such a fit?

I took me a minute to regain my composure. "Who are you exactly? Where am I and why am I here?"

"Oh stupid me, I forgot to introduce myself. I am kay-nine as my mark clearly shows, and I am an old Alicorn, if you didn't notice. Now, the where and why will come later, first, we must eat. You must be starving after sleeping for five days strait."

I got up off of what I realized to be a very elegant bed. He walked me down a stone hall; I presumed that we were in a underground part of the building, If there was any above. We soon reached a dining hall, and by the looks of it, Celestia would be jealous.

"Welcome," he said, "to my dinning room. Oh and feel free to eat as much as you want. Our underground farms are quite large and year round. We could go for hundreds of years without having to trade, but, politics and economy don't like that. Also the Echo empire is quite powerful and stopping trade would cause all manner of rumor and conflict to occur, and it would be a very harsh blow on my political power. Well that's enough about politics, lets eat shall we?
And we did, there was more food variety then the crystal empire or ponyville and canterlot had, combined.
"You have been very quiet Sombra," kay-nine said in a concerning smooth tone, "I am sure you have much to ask and talk about"
"Uh, yes, I have a few questions," I responded with a slightly shy undertone, "Why am I here? And where is here anyway? Also...did you say you are of the Echo empire?"
He thought to himself for a short time, the responded, "I guess I should explain it all now"

"You Sombra, are more important to this world then you realize. You messed up time by destroying that vase, and caused something far worse to happen to your 'pupil',"

"What? Who-" Suddenly realization hit him. "Is Miss Sparkle okay?
The grim look on kay-nine's face was more then enough to answer the question. "She has been using the dark arts without an anchor and you were supposed to stop her from doing such a thing to herself. But, since you were not there Sombra, she has become so consumed in the dark arts that she is now a threat to the equestrian empire. I have you here to train you in a magic that was lost to the world thousands of years ago, before the birth of Celestia, during the rein of King Cosmos and Queen Galaxia.After they passed, Discord took rein and made almost every being on this planet forget the magic. Only about a hundred beings of different species know how to use this magic Sombra. Its is a hard power to master, you must realize this. There is another problem though.
"And what would that be?" I asked in a curious demeanor.

"Are you familiar with Grogar the necromancer?