//------------------------------//
// Remnants of an Evil King, Part I 
// Story: Spiders and Magic: Rise of Spider-Mane 
// by Maximus_Reborn 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Twenty-Nine "Remnants of an Evil King, Part I"

Twenty-Three Days Remains

When Princess Celestia stated that his departure would be immediate, it was quite a literal term as Peter was already seated on the next available train heading for the Crystal Empire within the hour. The length of the trip was an estimated two hours at the most, much shorter than the three day journey to Manehattan. Although Peter was blessed with the privilege of traveling first class for a second time, he did not revel in the perks therein, choosing instead to read through the portfolio of documents regarding King Sombra that was delivered to him by Princess Celestia before his departure.

In a sense, the unicorn chose to do his homework over anything remotely fun. Peter shrugged. That much would probably never change. His hazel eyes skimmed through each page, from Sombra's origin to his recent defeat. The former king of the Crystal Empire was just a normal unicorn, but after using dark magic extensively, he was corrupted, the power having turned him into a power-hungry tyrant. Like with Discord, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were forced to seal Sombra away with the Elements of Harmony, leaving him as little more than a disembodied mass of rage and shadows.

Peter saw in the paperwork that Sombra somehow regained his physical form during his return, but it was quite clear he was far more powerful in his shadow form. Peter shifted his gaze to his chest, where a small light glowed brightly before seeping back into his coat. Princess Celestia had told him that Sombra's powers of corruption were great, and she made certain to cast a resistance spell on Peter, giving him as much protection as she could. However, it would not serve as an absolute defense, as Sombra could still invoke physical harm on his being, but Peter accepted it, taking whatever advantage he could get.

Now he had to find a means of attack. The Elements of Harmony were out of the question as the wielders had their own concerns to deal with back in Ponyville, but there was hope in the form of the Crystal Heart, an instrument of love, hope, and protection. Just two weeks before Peter fell into Equestria, Twilight and Spike were able to find the lost Crystal Heart, all while resisting Sombra's powers of corruption. With its magic, Sombra had once been expelled from the Crystal Empire, and with any luck, it could help in doing so for a second time.

The stallion paused, remembering the Crystal Heart served as a shield for the Empire, and the reports read that Sombra was spotted in a templeoutsideof the empire. This meant Peter couldn't risk moving the crystal without endangering the Empire's inhabitants. After reading through all the files several times, the stallion reached under his seat, retrieved his backpack, and swiftly placed the portfolio alongside his costume, making certain nopony could steal a peek. He rolled his eyes. Peter had several ideas racing around his brain, but one kept pushing itself to the front.

Perhaps out of instinct, Peter's hoof tapped lightly against his horn, his body lending a hint to his mind, but the stallion shook his head. Despite the fact that it kept pushing itself to the forefront of his mind, there was no waythatidea would work.

He could not performsimplemagic without suffering severe migraines. If he were to try anything as advanced asthat, especially on something as powerful as the Crystal Heart, Peter's skull just might split in two. That part of himself that always seemed to argue with him over everything reminded him of his impending encounter with a certain pink alicorn, the friggin' Goddess of Love. Peter sighed lowly, resisting the urge to facehoof for forgetting something so obvious. Cadance was the Goddess of Love, and if there were anypony in Equestria that could replicate the specific elements of the Crystal Heart, it was her.

Fighting Sombra in his shadow form would be difficult on its own merits, reminiscent of the days Peter had to combat the abstract body of the Sandman. However, with every strength came a weakness, and Parker already had a plan specifically for Sombra. He only hoped Cadance and Shining Armor would support him in his resolve.

"Next stop, the Crystal Empire!" a static-riddled voice called out, and Peter shifted his gaze in the direction of the intercom. "Repeat! Next stop, the Crystal Empire!"

Everypony roused at the sound of the voice, some waking from a slumber and others stretching their limbs in anticipation. Peter, instead, slid his backpack over his shoulders, but a sparkle from outside caught his eye, prompting the stallion to lean over to the window next to his seat. His hooves worked subconsciously, tightening the straps of his backpack, while his eyes widened at the spectacle that quickly rose from the horizon.

Even from a distance, Peter could tell the Empire was condensed, with simple housing and rural village setting, but what stood at the center was the difference between both locales. The Crystal Spire's size was startling, matching that of several buildings in Manehattan, yet its slick, crystal exterior would make many marvel at its beauty and respect its namesake. This truly was theCrystalEmpire.

A loud hissing sound echoed throughout the vicinity, and the train began to slow to a halt. As he neared the station, Peter stole one final glance at the crystal tower that watched over the Empire before shifting his gaze to the ponies throughout the train. They sat with smiles, oblivious to the danger that waited on the outskirts of their home, and Peter felt a burning sensation build within his chest, cuing a confident smile to form on his face. Once the train came to a complete stop, Peter nodded and trotted out of the opened doors with a simple vow in mind.

He would save everypony, no matter what.





Cadance paced around the room with a deep sense of worry in her light, violet irises. The dark image within the crystal ball remained still, but its mere existence was enough for the alicorn's nerves to stand on end. Sombra nearly took hold of the Crystal Empire a few months ago, and there was a strong chance he would try again. The inside of her chest tightened, prompting Cadance to approach the crystal ball, only to find the darkness within was spreading. Sombra's remnants were growing stronger, and if he wasn't stopped by the end of the day, the fallen tyrant would be back at full strength.

For the sake of her kingdom and the world, Sombra needed to be stopped here and now.

As if the fates heard her cries, the door to her throne room opened, its creaking echoing across the walls. Cadance turned, first spotting Shining Armor trotting in her direction, and while the mare was happy to see the return of her husband, evident by her welcoming smile, she was practically ecstatic to see the stallion following close behind the prince. Considerably shorter than Shining, by several inches, Peter was quite unassuming with his slim build and slender stature, but Cadance knew better, for this pony was truly the Crystal Empire's greatest hope for survival.

Once the door to the room closed, she greeted her husband back with a brief yet affectionate kiss, following with a respectful bow for Peter. "In the name of the Crystal Empire, I thank you for coming, Spider-Mane," she politely stated.

"It's nothing, but let's save the thanks for later," Peter said, frowning at the black mist that formed inside the crystal ball. "Like after we take care ofthat."

"Good idea," Shining Armor sternly concurred, trotting past both ponies as he approached the table near the center of the room. His horn glowed, causing a scroll to magically levitate across the room. It eventually landed on the table, opening to reveal it was actually a map. The stallion placed his hoof over the landmark that was no doubt the Crystal Empire before tracing it a few inches onto a small, red 'x' symbol. "Our sources last spotted Sombra in an abandoned temple in the snowfield. Cadance has used a suppression spell to keep him from escaping and anypony from entering the temple."

Peter studied the map, taking a moment to share a glance with Cadance. "I guess you'll open it for us when we get there?" She nodded, causing Parker to point at the image within the crystal ball. "So what happens if Mist Master fully recovers? Would you be able to keep him contained?"

"We're not going tolethim recover," Shining stated, throwing a long, black scarf over to Peter, which he graciously caught. Throwing a thick hat over his head, for the sake of shielding his ears, the prince slid his own scarf around his neck and shot a glare at the crystal ball. "Which is why we can't waste any time. Let's go."

Shaking his head, Peter threw his hoof up defensively. "Wait. There's something I need to ask you." In a swift act of motion, Parker removed his backpack from his shoulder and retrieved the portfolio from the main compartment. The image of the Crystal Heart was easy find, as it was left in front of the documents inside. Shifting his hazel irises to the princess, Peter placed his hoof over this particular photo. "Cadance, is there a way you can make several replicas of this?"

Cadance raised her brow at the suddenness of the question, but she eventually nodded, albeit hesitantly. "I-I can, but they'll be quite small and won't have the same level of power as the original Crystal Heart." A look of curiosity formed on the mare's face. "Why?"

Much to both Cadance and Shining Armor's surprise, Peter's lips curled into a smile. "I have an idea."





Both stallions traveled through the terrain, although the relentless wind made the journey quite difficult, worsened by the snow that fell in its wake. Shining led the way, wearing his hat, a pair of goggles, and a scarf, but the weather conditions forced him to travel slowly, considering how easy the temple could have been missed. Peter followed closely behind, wearing his Spider-Mane costume along with the scarf Shining provided.

However, instead of his backpack he grew accustomed to carrying, now Peter trotted with a knapsack strapped around his side, but the contents inside were precious, necessary to deal with the danger they steadily approached.

"Spider-Mane!" Shining Armor called out, his voice struggling to breach the noise the wind brought. Fortunately, Peter managed to hear his voice, choosing to close the distance between himself and Shining Armor instead of replying verbally. The taller stallion acknowledged his compatriot with a brief glance. "Hey, I know I've been pretty hard on you since we first met. I just wanted to take a moment to apologize and say thanks."

Usually quick with his mouth, Peter found himself too taken aback by Shining's sudden confession, replying with only a wide-eyed expression. The wind continued to blow, not allowing the awkward silence between both stallions to go noticed. Surprisingly, Shining simply nodded, as if he silently communicated his understanding.

"I know it's out of left field, but I only acted the way I did because I was worried my sister was moving too fast. Just a few months ago, she wasn't interested in anypony in the slightest. Now she's head over hooves in love and will fight everypony that has a problem with it."

Shining stopped in his tracks, using his hoof as a shield against the wind, but he peeked down onto the smaller stallion, his stern, royal blue irises seen clearly behind his dark goggles. However, they softened, matched by the smile his mouth bore.

"But my sister's never been happier or more sure of herself. So I wanted to say I'm sorry for thinking you were untrustworthy and thanks for being there for Twily."

Despite the severe coldness the wind and snow brought, Peter felt a strange hint of warmth build within his chest. It was similar to the sensation he felt the day Ponyville's inhabitants embraced him and the night Princess Luna accepted him as a friend. Even now, the feeling of acceptance was alien to Peter. On Earth, Spider-Man fought, bled, cried, and nearly died for acceptance, but he never received any, despite the countless sacrifices.

Yet, in Equestria, Peter was accepted, embraced, and loved, even if it felt he hadn't earned it personally. Shaking his head, Parker was once again grateful for his mask's design to hide facial features. Otherwise, Shining Armor would have seen him smiling from ear-to-ear.

Clearing his throat, Peter waved his hoof dismissively. "It's nothing. I totally understand where you were coming from. Big brothers look out for their little sisters. I get it." He shrugged. "For what it's worth, I wouldn't have trusted me either."

Shining raised his brow. "Why? Is it because you're an alien from another world?"

"Not really." Peter tapped the side of his head and placed his hoof over the spider insignia on his chest. "I wouldn't trust somepony who dresses likethisin his spare time."

The taller stallion's mouth formed a smile with teeth, the Shining Armor equivalent to uncontrollable laughter. While the air around them remained cold, from a physical standpoint, a sense of ease finally took hold, allowing the path of trust to finally open. Slowly and surely, Shining began to understand why everypony held Peter in such a high regard. However, before he could dive further into the subject, his horn glowed suddenly, forcing the stallion to react astutely. He held his hoof out, signaling for Spider-Mane to cease his movements as well.

"Hold on. We've reached the barrier," Shining Armor said, running his hoof against the seemingly-invisible wall.

"How can you tell?" Spider-Mane, uncertain, took a step forward with his hoof extended, and it immediately came into contact with a solid object, erasing all doubts the hero may have had. Brushing the snow from his mane, Peter tilted his head to the side. "Okay. Never mind. How will Cadance know to let us through?"

"Don't worry. She already knows," Shining confidently stated moments before an array of blue energy gathered in the shape of a rectangle, forming a makeshift door.

The spell remained in place, prompting both stallions to gallop through the magical energy. Once within the field, the 'door' disappeared, and due to the containment aura, the wind of the blizzard could no longer be felt. While the temperature inside the force field was still cold enough to contain the snow that fell before the spell was cast, it was certainly more tolerable without the chill of the wind.

Shining nodded. "Let's hurry. I don't know how long Cadance can hold the field."

The path ahead was clear, and the temple was within their sights. Its foundation was aged, evident by the cracked masonry and fragile exterior. The temple's size was respectful, smaller in comparison to Canterlot Castle yet large enough to fill a portion of Ponyville. Despite the blanket of snow covering its body, the jet black details underneath could not be hidden.

Spider-Mane tightened the straps of his knapsack and shook his head disapprovingly. "You know, why is it that the bad guys always choose the darkest, most depressing places to hide out? Doesn't that just scream 'Villains-R-Us'?"

Ignoring his banter, Shining slowly approached the temple with caution in each step, and Spider-Mane followed, shifting his gaze throughout his surroundings. Meanwhile, several black tendrils escaped from the temple, diving into the snow to conceal their whereabouts. As they slid through the frozen terrain, approaching the outsiders, the commanding source stepped from the entrance of the temple. The silver armor he wore was heavy, for each step he took sent small tremors through the ground.

It's wearer was strong, gifted with a bulking physique that matched Shining Armor's. His piercing crimson gaze was venomous along with the fanged smile on his features. Once the being stepped from the shadows, allowing the light of day to give way to his presence, Shining paused, his eyes widening at the black stallion that approached.

"Sombra," he growled, causing Spider-Mane to stumble to a stop.

His smile disappeared, a wicked scowl taking its place. "That'sKingSombra, freeloader. What right does a fake prince have to speak down onto his superior?"

Spider-Mane exhaled. "Great.Anotherbad guy with a superiority complex. Like I haven't seen enough ofthose."

"Sombra. You know why we're here." Shining Armor took a few steps forward, keeping his iron-clad gaze centered on his enemy. "By Equestrian law, you are under arrest for crimes against ponykind. Will you surrender without incident, or will you resist?"

Spider-Mane prepared to join his friend's side, but his senses blared, warning him of an imminent danger. He searched around, tilting his head at the sight of four, small tendrils that surrounded his position. Sombra scoffed before his eyes glowed brightly, causing the tendrils to erupt from the ground. Shining shot back, mouth agape at the danger that surrounded his friend, but once he turned to face Sombra, the black stallion raised his hoof and brought it down, cuing the tendrils to do the same.

That same moment, all four tendrils swelled, increasing in length and girth until they stood nearly five times the height of the average stallion. Spider-Mane sidestepped the first tendril's attack as it slammed viciously into the ground where he previously stood, managing to leapfrog over the second once it lowered for a swipe attempt. Each tendril hissed, as if frustrated with their inability to catch their elusive prey. Glancing off to the side, Spider-Mane galloped through an opening at full speed, but the tendrils followed, ripping through the snow in their pursuit.

Meanwhile, Shining Armor charged after Sombra, his horn glowing brighter as the gap between them narrowed, but with a wicked smile, the black stallion lowered his crimson horn, firing a beam directly for his aggressor. However, Shining retaliated with a magical shot of his own, and both beams met in a collision, canceling each other out with a violent shockwave. The force sent the white stallion flying back through the snow until he skid to a stop, but Sombra remained undeterred, not having budged an inch.

Shining quickly rose back onto his hooves, but one of the four tendrils broke from the group, choosing to attack him instead. Before anypony could react, Spider-Mane flipped high into the air and delivered a powerful spin kick to the tip of the wayward tendril, knocking it to the ground with authority, but before he could land, another reached out, wrapping its way around the tiny stallion. With a crackling whip, it threw Spider-Mane across the vicinity until he eventually crashed into the force field, sending waves of convulsions through the magic trajectory.

Shaking his head, Peter pushed himself from the wall and dove into a free-fall, speeding back into the fray. Shining quickly turned his attention to the trio of tendrils, who eagerly awaited the airborne stallion, and howled as he fired magical shots at their bases. Currents of magic coursed through the creations of darkness, holding them in place long enough for Spider-Mane to land and immediately exact retribution with unyielding hay-makers for each tendrils.

Like fallen oaks, the tendrils fell, causing small tremors with each landing. Sombra's eyes widened, revealing his mild shock, but they instantly fell into a glare, allowing his rage to take form. All four tendrils seeped into the ground, rushing back to join with their commander, and once they surrounded him, each poured through his armor and into his body. The earth shook in response, forcing Shining Armor and Spider-Mane to hold their ground to keep from losing balance. Before long, Sombra slammed his hoof into the land and roared while a black mist exuded from his being.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Spider-Mane exclaimed, reaching into his knapsack with great urgency. The mist surrounding Sombra continued to spread, threatening to consume everything within the force field, but before such a thing could occur, Spider-Mane zipped his knapsack shut and extended his hoof, revealing a small, pink crystal heart in his grasp. "Hey, Sombra! From me, to you! With love!"

Rearing back, Spider-Mane threw the crystal towards the midst of the darkness. Sombra watched the jewel near his position, smiling at the audacity of the young stallion, but Shining stepped forward with his horn glowing brightly, causing the seemingly harmless crystal to explode with an luminous array of light. The smile on Sombra's face dissipated, along with the black mist that manifested from his body. He staggered, prepared to unleash a rebuttal spell, but something was amiss for the black stallion, the light finding a way to repress his dark magic.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Sombra yelled before a hoof suddenly crashed into the side of his face. A glancing blow, but the black stallion attempted to use his magic for a second time, only to fail again. Spider-Mane delivered an uppercut, cracking the underside of Sombra's muzzle. Dazed, the black stallion stumbled, managing to give his attacker a spiteful scowl. "What have you done to me?!"

"It's not what I did. It's what Princess Cadance has done." Spider-Mane took a step backward and lowered his body. "I like to call them 'Mini-Crystal Heart Grenades'. Fill 'em with magic and they explode, releasing a light with the unique magical properties of the Crystal Heart. For anypony pure of heart, it's harmless. For somepony like you, it's the equivalent of a flash bang with the joys of disorientation."

Leaping from the ground, Spider-Mane brought his lower hooves to his chest and thrust them forward, delivering a drop-kick to the center of Sombra's face. The impact generated a shockwave powerful enough to free snow from the ground and into the air. With the velocity of a bullet, the black stallion was launched into the temple, destroying what seemed like several walls in the process, but after a series of echoes, the crashing eventually ceased somewhere within. Spider-Mane landed on his back, but using the strength in his legs, he was able to skip back to a vertical base.

Shining trotted to the entrance of the temple, and much to Peter's surprise, the prince smiled, patting him along the shoulder. "That was good work. It seems your theory was spot on about the crystal's light."

Spider-Mane shook his head before peeking down on the knapsack around his side. "Don't thank me. Thank your wife. She was the one able to recreate these little flash bangs." He patted the bag, more so the contents inside. "Speaking of which, we only have four left. Do you think they'll be enough?"

"Let's hope so." Shining proceeded to travel into the temple, but he paused, turning to wait for his friend. "It's time we finish the job. Are you ready?"

Nodding, Spider-Mane joined Shining's side, and both stallions prepared to face the darkness, not as individuals but allies. Peter smiled underneath his mask. "Time to kick some bad guy booty."

To be continued...