//------------------------------// // Chapter 31: The Return of the King // Story: A Somber Tale: FIENDship is Magic // by Maltrazz //------------------------------// "I told you it was him! You cannot deny it after that display!" Luna ranted, vindication at having been right about the stallion's identity washing away her guilt about the Nightmare Forces for the time being. "Yes, but we can deal with that after he returns," Celestia said. "Perhaps you were even right about-" "Twilight!" Cadance interrupted, rushing towards the unicorn as she saw Twilight and her friends returning. "I'm so glad you're alright!" Looking around, she added, "Where's Black Knight? Is he really King Sombra?" Twilight ignored her, though, looking around the village in agitation, as she muttered, "Is he not back yet? What in Equestria is he doing?" Turning to Rarity, Cadance said, "It's good to see you all safe and sound. What happened up there?" "The Nightmare Forces... possessed me," Rarity admitted. "Sombra managed to pull them out of me, but something went wrong." "Wait, so you knew who he was and didn't say anything!?" Luna demanded furiously. “Calm down, Luna,” Cadance said. “I’m sure there’s a perfectly good reason-” “I’m sorry, Cadance, but I must agree with my sister in this,” Celestia said firmly, cutting off the younger alicorn. “You have only faced Sombra in a weakened state. Luna and I still remember what he was capable of at the height of his power.” “Indeed,” Luna agreed. “He is a villain to the core, a monster beyond any reason.” “That’s not true!” All heads turned to see the Cutie Mark Crusaders standing nearby. “Mr . Sombra’s real nice, Princess!” Apple Bloom objected. “He taught us new stuff to help us get our Cutie Marks, even though he doesn’t have one,” Sweetie Belle said. “He also healed my wing when I got hurt,” Scootaloo added. “It really seemed to to tire him out but he did it anyway.” Luna frowned and replied, “Surely that was just some ploy to get you to lower your guard around him. Perhaps he was even responsible for the injury.” “Oh, no, it really was an accident,” Fluttershy spoke up. As attention turned to her, she shrunk back, but went on, “I… I was watching to make sure he didn’t hurt them, but he was very careful. And it really strained him to help Scootaloo but he didn’t hesitate for even a second.” “Ah agree, it shouldn’t o’ been kept secret, but even Ah have to admit he ain’t no villain,” Applejack said. “Not anymore, anyway. He’s helped us defend Ponyville, and didn’t do half bad protecting Canterlot from what I’ve heard, either. He’s even helped me with buckin’ apples. Hard ta see that as part o’ some evil plot.” “He helped in the mirror world, too!” Rainbow Dash added. “He saved Twilight when her magic went haywire, and even turned down an offer to join the bad guys. Heck, he was the one who came up with the plan that let us win so easily!” “If anypony deserves to be punished for this mess it’s me,” Rarity said guiltily. “Sombra’s done nothing but help since he got to Ponyville. I’m the one who was weak enough to give those twisted Nightmare Forces a opening...” Spike put a comforting claw on her, before saying, “He risked his life to save Rarity and he makes Twilight happy. That doesn’t sound like a villain to me...” Luna frowned, troubled, as she looked toward Twilight, who stood off to the side, one hoof clutching desperately to the black scarf she wore and a worried expression on her face as she stared up at the moon. ‘I had expected her to make some excuse,’ the Princess of the Night thought, ‘but for so many to stand in his defense, knowing who he is and what he’s done...’ Celestia took in the earnest expressions of those around her, before turning to her sister, saying diplomatically, “Perhaps we should focus on finding him before we pass judgement.” While Luna considered how to reply, Twilight came back toward them and asked anxiously, “Rarity, Spike, did he say anything that would explain why he’s taking so long? You were the last ones to see him, right?” “I had hoped he would be right behind us, but… well...” Rarity hesitated, but Spiked gave her a nudge, prompting her to go on. “I’m not entirely sure what he meant, but he asked me to tell you that… that he said ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise.’” Twilight was on her in an instant. “WHAT!? Why didn’t you tell me sooner! We never should have left him behind!” “Twilight, what did he mean?” Cadance asked, grabbing the suddenly hysterical mare. “What promise was he talking about?” “He… he swore to me that he would stay by my side,” Twilight replied, sagging as tears began to run down her face. “If he’s not back and can’t keep his promise, then… then that means...” Twilight sat down, burying her face in her hooves as she began to sob openly. “Perhaps… he has done what is necessary to make up for his crimes after all,” Luna admitted grimly. “Rarity, what do they mean by that?” Sweetie Belle asked her sister. “He’s coming back, right?” However, her only reply was to have Rarity hug her close. A solemn silence hung over the gathered ponies, as they contemplated what this meant. However, Twilight’s grief was interrupted when she felt a sudden pulse of Dark Magic from above her. “Wait, what is that?” She wondered aloud. As if in answer to her question, a deep baritone laughter began to ring out from above. As those in the village looked up, they saw a mass of darkness seeming to fall down from the moon, which impacted the ground nearby with enough force to send tremors throughout all of Ponyville. "The King is dead..." A pair of glowing red and green eyes shown from within the cloud of dust kicked up by the impact. "Long live the King!" “Sombra!” Twilight called excitedly, instantly recognizing his voice. Rushing forward, she asked, “Are you… alright...” However, she trailed off as she got a good look at the figure before her. It took Twilight a moment to realize that the cloud of dust had cleared, as there remained billowing shadows in its wake. As the shadows withdrew, they revealed the gleam of a steel breastplate against a grey coat. Next her eyes were drawn to the ragged red cape with a white ruff, before her eyes were drawn to the silver crown framing a curved, red horn. King Sombra stood before her, once more in his royal regalia, and emanating more power than she had ever felt from a single pony before. "Alright?" Sombra repeated with a chuckle. "My dear, with the power of the Nightmare fueling me, I have never felt better." "As if thou were not enough of a threat already!" Luna declared as she stalked forward furiously. "Thou hast such gall as to-" Without even looking at her, the empowered tyrant silenced the alicorn with a pulse of Dark Magic, a shadowy tendril flicking her away like a helpless foal. As Luna collected herself and the other Princesses joined her, prepared to face the threat together, Sombra glared at them, saying, "Wait your turn, I shall deal with you shortly. First, however, I have somepony more important to speak with." In another display of Dark Magic, Sombra manifested a dome of black crystal, cutting off himself and Twilight from the rest of the village. As the darkness closed around her, Twilight felt herself surrounded by Sombra's Dark Magic. However, it felt... different than it had before. "And here I thought you weren't going to keep your promise to always return to me..." Twilight said cautiously. Sombra chuckled at that, his glowing eyes narrowing in the darkness as he grinned. "I believe my words were 'I will stay by your side', and were intended to describe my support, not my physical location. Clever of you to test me, though." Twilight let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. "Well, you can hardly blame me after what happened to Rarity. And what was that with the Princesses? What were you thinking?" "I'm thinking clearly for the first time in centuries," Sombra replied, hoofsteps echoing off the crystal dome as he began to pace. "I was blinded by rage and weakness, almost wasting or giving up on claiming the throne I deserve. Now I have the power to take it for myself. However, there is one more thing I would have..." Growing worried, Twilight said, "I thought you had given up on that. And what else are you talking about?" A green glow suffused the area as Sombra Manifested something before him: a silver tiara of the same style as his crown. "What is a King without a Queen to rule at his side?" The tyrant asked, as he offered the tiara to the mare before him. "I can think of nopony more worthy to aid in my conquest of Equestria than you, my dear Twilight." "Wait, what!?" Twilight stepped back, caught off guard in so many way she was not sure what to respond to first. "That's... I wouldn't..." Shaking her head to collect herself, Twilight said, "Don't do this, Sombra. There's no denying that you're stronger now, but I could never betray my friends. Not even for you." Sombra was silent for a moment, before saying, "Then even you would abandon me?" "You can stay with us," Twilight said. "We can explain things to the Princesses and-" Twilight was cut off by the sound of shattering crystal as the down around them turned to dust. "It would seem that I have no choice but to return to the original plan," Sombra declared, as the rest of the town came into view once more. "Do not let me see you again, Twilight. I would rather not have to face you on the field of battle..." With that said, Sombra suddenly shifted into Shadowform. The Princesses and Twilight's friends tensed for a fight, only for Sombra to turn and disappear into the night. Twilight stared down at the silver tiara that was left lying in the dirt, tears stinging her eyes once more. "He'd changed... I really thought he had changed..." She whispered. "We can deal with your lapse in judgement later," Luna said. "Right now, we need to deal with King Sombra." "Agreed," Celestia spoke up. "I thought he would face us here, but it would seem he has other plans. I doubt we could catch him in a chase, so we need to figure out where he is going." Stepping up next to Twilight, Cadance glanced at the circlet of metal on the ground before the young mare, asking, "What did he say to you, Twilight? Do you have any idea what he has planned?" "He... wanted me to join him," Twilight replied. Wiping away her tears, she turned to face Cadance with a determined expression. "But it wasn't him. It couldn't have been! He'd changed since he came to Ponyville. It had to have been the Nightmare. It must have... changed him back, or something!" "I know you don't want to hear it, Twilight, but it's likely that he was lying to you the whole time," Celestia said, stepping up to Twilight's other side. "Indeed," Luna agreed. "Twisting a maiden's heart is just the sort of scheme that villain would employ." "That's not true!" Twilight declared. "He taught me so much about his magic. He told me things about his past that would have been pointless if it were just some trick, like-" Twilight's eyes suddenly widened in realization. Whirling to Cadance, she said, "His original plan! The journal! I have to stop him!" Before they could question her further, Twilight shifted to Shadowform, as well, and shot off into the night, heading North. "Twilight, wait!" Celestia called after her. "What is she thinking?" Luna growled through gritted teeth. "They're going to the Crystal Empire," Cadance said, her expression grim. "But the Crystal Heart was restored. What could be worth risking it's power for?" Celestia asked. "An army," Cadance replied. "Sombra's journal explained that his original plan was to free his kin, who had been sealed away millennia ago... He's going to free the Umbrum."