//------------------------------//
// An Unexpected Visitor 
// Story: One Night's Rest 
// by Jhoira 
//------------------------------//

Sombra raised his head in surprise, he didn't hear the thundering of hooves any more. Casting his head around he could see nothing no horde was around him, halted and savoring their time to strike. Then he realized, he couldn't see the house of his youth either. He could see color, something unheard of in this shadowed place. In a flash he realized he was no longer in that shadowed place, he was somewhere else.

Casting about with his eyes Sombra stood up, he was in a large room, a magnificent bed surrounded by crystal walls. Shelves, couches, wardrobes and tables made up the lavish furniture of the room. Realizing he was in some kind of palace he frowned, was this some new trick, showing him what he had lost, or what he could not now have? He walked over and indeed, his leg did pass right through the couch. Scoffing he did notice that it was not like in the shadow world. Here the couch seemed to be solid and it was his leg that dissipated when it touched the object.

"Who's there!?" Sombra jumped and whirled as the voice came from the bed, in which sitting up there was a purple alicorn. Sombra sighed, guessing that it was time for him to be killed by the new princess called Twilight Sparkle, but he was serious about being tired of it all, he'd let it happen no matter which way it went. As he expected the question was followed by a shouted, "YOU!" As the alicorn catapulted herself out of bed and sent a blast of energy towards him.

Sombra was quite surprised, as, if her expression was anything to go off of, was the princess as the blast of magical power went through him as if he wasn't there. Looking down in surprise Sombra saw that he was completely unharmed by the magical bolt. Both of them stared perplexed until a few moments later the door banged open to reveal a blue mare in knight's armor accompanied by a few royal guards. "Princess what's the matter!?"

Minuette and the royal guards looked perplexedly around the room, from the scorched wall back to the princess. Again, brought together by their confusion Sombra and the princess just stared at the other ponies. The princess shook her head, hard, then looked at Sombra again before speaking to her guardians. "Nothing Minuette... Just... Thought I saw something." Minuette nodded and waved a hoof, dismissing the royal guards as she kept her eyes on the princess, who gave her a small smile. "It's alright Minuette, you can go, I'll be fine."

Nodding, Minuette turned, though obviously unwillingly as she closed the door behind her. Sombra turned his eyes back to the princess who was watching him intently, before addressing him. "What are you? You're not my imagination, and you're no illusion. When you were a specter everyone could see you, are you some ghost haunting me now?”

Sombra looked over the princess. He didn’t know the answer to any of her questions. But as satisfying it might be to lie, to confuse and sorry the princess, he couldn’t muster the effort. "I don't know."

Princess Twilight blinked, staring at the past king. She had expected threats, veiled taunting, or any number of other things, or even just laughter, but this was not what she was prepared for. She scowled at him but walked over to her mirror and started to brush her main. "Well, I will figure out how to get rid of you this evening. Whatever you are you aren’t material so you aren’t a threat.” 

Sombra sat back, considering his change in circumstances. He wasn’t material, he double-checked this again and pushed a hoof through the nearby table. He took a deep breath, or at least tried. He didn’t breath, not truly. Huffing he turned to demand answers from the princess who was pointedly ignoring him. “You did not call me here from beyond the world...?”

The princess attempted to ignore the past king but he did see the slight twitch of doubt in her expression. Sombra had become an expert in reading even the slightest expression in those around him. It was required when everyone around you was trying to assassinate you. But that was no longer a concern for Sombra, he was dead already, again, and again, and again.

The princess walked purposely towards the door, trying her best to not glance towards the disembodied king. The king however stood and walked over next to the princess. He had long ago let go of his hatred towards this specific princess and simply help a hatred for the new Alicorns as one. “Do me one favor, princess. Tell me if my empire. Does it prosper as it did under my rule? Are my people still strong, even under the weak rule of your kind?”

The princess couldn’t ignore that mockery, she scoffed, stopping before she opened the door. “Cadence’s people prosper in ways you couldn’t imagine! In ways that your ruthless savagery destroyed!”

Sombra laughed harshly s “You foolish child. You know nothing of how the world works! You are still sheltered from the realities of this world, aren’t you? Warlike griffins, savage yaks, devious hippogriffs, insidious changelings, vicious dragons. All these things and more can only be kept back by a strong leader and a strong army at his back!”

Twilight looked at him a long moment but shook her head. “The world is not your twisted vision of it. We are at peace with all those kingdoms you speak of.” A flicker of sadness flashed across her features. “Did your empire have no allies?”

Sombra laughed, shaking his head. “They would have backstabbed me and devoured my empire. I would not let my people and my empire suffer such a fate.”

Twilight scowled at him, and tried another, but not as violent attack on Sombra, but nothing came of it as it passed right through him. The Princess sighed as she walked out of her bedroom, instantly accompanied by a worried-looking Minuette, though the smile the princess gave her was returned.