//------------------------------// // The Sombra PMs // Story: Equestrian Fanfiction // by Lise //------------------------------// I found something fascinating. In a scroll fragment written by Sunbeam the Enlightened, there is a reference to the “Northern expeditions” in an attempt to develop a new type of magic. The translation of the passage might not be accurate, but I think it specifies talk with another equine tribe in the unicorn’s efforts to learn more about an unknown form of magic. By my estimates based on available references, the point of meeting between unicorns and this tribe is approximately where the present location of the Crystal Empire Capital is today. I believe this is the breakthrough we’re searching for. I shall go meet the Windigo and discuss my finding. Potentially this would trigger his memory and bring us closer to the solution. DarkSparkle Twilight, this must stop! He’s been appearing and disappearing at will around me or Flurry! I don’t want to cast a magic parried over the city, but I will if I have to! InItForTheShipping That would have no effect on the situation. Clock is ticking and unless we find a solution Equestria will be frozen. Is there a reason you wouldn’t grant me full access to the Sombra library? I’ve read everything in the antechambers, but you have barriered the main room. DarkSparkle There are things there I’m not letting you read, especially now. InItForTheShipping An expected response. I was far more prone to illogical emotion at the time. You have read them, though, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to determine the materials were dangerous or not. What did you find out? DarkSparkle We must tell the others. Playing by his tune is getting out of hoof and isn’t helping us! InItForTheShipping It is your decision, of course. Have calculated it to be the far riskier solution, but as Flurry’s mother I assume your logic cannot be relied on so I don’t hold it against you. You are free to tell Princess Celestia even now, and in the unlikely event she happens to know something that would help us, I shall admit my mistake publicly and acknowledge your superior intellect and intuition. DarkSparkle You’re not you without your heart. InItForTheShipping I only have what the Windigo did. So what is your decision? Will you tell me what you found, or will you inform my mentor? DarkSparkle According to Sombra’s personal notes Windigos had a far superior magic than unicorns (and even alicorns) that’s why he resorted to seeking out shadow magic. Apparently he wanted to provide to the mares that a stallion could achieve just as much, but disagreed in the theory that shadow was evil. In his view it was only a matter of poor control on the part of the caster. InItForTheShipping A logical assumption, though oversimplified. Based on following events we see that he wasn’t correct. DarkSparkle Yet for a time he was able to control the elements as well as the Windigos. He also seemed opposed to to something called “the Chameleon Principle”. So far I haven’t been able to find what that was, but it seemed important enough to get Sombra into a rage every time he mentioned it. It was supposed to be a breakthrough that would allow for further expeditions North, but he kept on calling it baseless, and was rather gleeful each time it failed. The last mention on it I was able to find is him commenting that by the rate things were going either the Windigos would die out or the mage researchers. InItForTheShipping Makes sense. As I remember, when you went to the Empire, Sombra didn’t have a problem in surviving in the frozen north, The best course of action would be to learn more about the Chameleon Principle. I would have remembered such a reference, yet strangely enough there is none. For something so important, it should have been mentioned multiple times, especially since it was successful. DarkSparkle Why do you assume it was a success? InItForTheShipping It it wasn’t there wouldn’t have been a Crystal Empire. Are there any indication who the mages involved in the project were? The logical step would be to follow their life and works. DarkSparkle Most of the names I hadn’t heard of, but there is one which you would recognize: Starswirl the Bearded. InItForTheShipping That is an interesting development. I am confident that he or my mentor would shed some light on the matter. It’s surprising that the Windigo hadn’t mentioned either to me in any significant detail, even after the procedure. Hopefully, he’ll know more when we talk. Did you know that Sombra and Starswirl were rivals? I never knew they were acquainted. DarkSparkle It might have to do with the amnesia spell cast over Equestria. Sombra made sure everypony forgot about the Crystal Empire until its return. That probably had to do with it. InItForTheShipping The effect of that spell ended upon the return of the Empire. If ordinary ponies could remember, I doubt a genius such as Starswirl would forget. In addition there would be references in his and other works. DarkSparkle I’m not talking about that amnesia spell. I’m referring the ones before it. To be exact there were two more, if Sombra is to be believed. InItForTheShipping That changes things significantly. If there were two additional spells, the effects of which continue to this day, that would explain why neither the Princesses, nor the Windigo can remember what precisely happened. I must commend you on your research. As soon as we find a way to counteract the induced memory loss, we’ll be that much closer to finding a solution to the problem. DarkSparkle There’s also a note that the original Windigo tribe died out before the rise of the Crystal Empire, way before Sombra was crowned king. InItForTheShipping That’s astonishing. I never read anything about him before becoming king. What was he? A heir prince? A general? DarkSparkle He was a mage’s assistant... and envious of Starswirl’s skill. I’m sorry Twilight, but I can’t do this any longer. I’m sending a letter to Celestia. InItForTheShipping That is your decision. Thank you for the information. It was extremely useful. DarkSparkle