//------------------------------//
// Vengeance Renewed 
// Story: The Return of the King 
// by MisterEdd 
//------------------------------//

Masking the unexpected return of his magic was not difficult for Sombra. Flash Sentry would spend barely even a minute in the dungeon with him and Twilight was busy at the moment, leaving him all alone to experiment to his heart's content. His magic, unfortunately didn't come back all at once, initially just basic telekinesis and being out a practice for a year meant that it wasn't at its full potential. Slowly but surely, his strength increased as did the weight load, switching from a book to his cot. Why Sombra chose to remain tightlipped about this was due to a myriad of reasons.  

For starters, he preferred to have an ace up his metaphorical sleeve. Should Celestia ever decide that he should be permanently placed into isolation or threaten him like she did that one night, he'd like to be able to "persuade" her not to do so. Then there was the secretive aspect, relishing in keeping this hidden for himself. For so long, Sombra's magical prowess had defined him, even in his life as Prince Tourmaline and losing it made him realize how much of himself he'd lost that day. Much like a long-lost child, he wanted to keep a tight hold on it and never let it go.   

Regrettably, if Twilight knew about the return of his magic, she'd alert her precious teacher and he'd suffer the consequences, meaning that his marefriend had to be kept in the dark with everypony else. There was a nagging voice at the back of his mind that said even though they loved each other, she didn't like his usage of dark magic and would no doubt try to change him. Sombra stared ruefully down at Twilight's photograph. As much as she meant the world to him, he knew where her loyalties truly lied and it was with Equestria, not him. It hurt but it had to be done.  

Taking a deep breath, Sombra focused on the spot, his horn slowly filling with energy. A small dot appeared on the stone floor, steadily growing until it formed a black crystal no bigger than a tooth. Sombra concentrated, beads of sweat appearing on his brow, his jaws clamping together as he poured everything he had into the crystal. It crackled and expanded, forming two mini-crystals, shifting to become two inches tall before the strain became too much. He disengaged, panting heavily as his chest burned and his horn ached from the effort. 

Chattering on the other side of the door made Sombra's heart pound, his nerves twinging with apprehension at being discovered. He hastily levitated his cot back into place and arranged the blankets so that the surface beneath the cot was concealed. The door was slightly ajar and Sombra snatched up a random book, flopping atop his cot and managing to crack the book open just as the door swung open to reveal Celestia herself. She finished chatting with some royal guard before turning to the prisoner, apparently unaware of his recent activity. 

"Hello Sombra," Celestia greeted with her usual friendliness, though Sombra wasn't buying it. 

"Celestia," he responded. "How can I help you? You don't visit unless there's an ulterior motive."

"'Motive?'" Celestia parroted, genuinely confused. "Is it so wrong that I'd want to see you?"

"Yes."

She frowned and it took all of Sombra's willpower to resist a smirk. "I know you don't trust me-..."

"Understatement of the millennium." 

"-...but I do care about you." Celestia was right next to the bars. "Are you alright? You're sweating."

"It's hot in here," Sombra said without hesitation, having thought of a lie and thought it up quick.

Celestia bought it. "I'm sorry to hear that but there's nothing I can do." 

"So why are you here? And don't say that it's because of my health." 

One golden flash later and Celestia was in the cell with him. Sombra navigated himself backwards, ensuring that his body was blocking the bed and the black crystal that'd sprouted up underneath it. He stared suspiciously at the mare. "Now what are you doing?" 

"I wanted to be close to you," she replied morosely, taking a step forward. "Why are you so cruel to me?" 

Sombra didn't have time for this. "I thought we already settled this. I let you kiss me and you said you didn't feel anything." 

"I didn't! B-but I still love you." Pink, watery eyes searched his. "Maybe if we tried again-..."

"No! It's over, done!" Sombra waved a hoof between them. "You and I...we're finished. I have somepony else now. Do you understand?"

Celestia was in tears. "But we're married! I am your wife!" 

"You were," Sombra acerbically spat. "Our vow was 'till death do us part' and I fulfilled that stipulation. Or did you forget that you sent your student and her friends to kill me?"  

"I'm sorry! I thought I was doing what was right!"

"No, you did what you thought was right for you!" 

All semblance of dignity and poise was lost, leaving Celestia resembling like a regular, brokenhearted mare. Her chest was heaving, tears steadily rolling down her cheeks. If Sombra had any pity left for her, he wouldn't show it. He refused to budge even an inch for his mortal enemy. He tried being reasonable, he tried anger and even compassion but nothing worked. This mare was a lost puppy jumping at a bone that she couldn't reach and never would. 

While he had her attention, Sombra rubbed salt in the wound. "Congratulations Celestia, you finished the work your vile mother started only this umbrum ending up coming back." 

Tremulously, Celestia's gaze narrowed, her teeth bared in a grimace. "Don't you...ever...speak an unkind word...about my...mother!"  

"Your beloved mother was a coldhearted, vicious, vindictive-..."

"Stop it..."

"-...bloody-thirsty, war-mongering, greedy-..."

"Stop it!"

"-...egomaniacal she-devil that ripped apart whole families just for her own sick pleasure!" 

"Stop it!" 

An intense flare of magic smacked Sombra square in the chest, sending him colliding with the wall, pinning him against the mortar. Through his pain, he witnessed the alicorn radiating with golden energy, her mane and tail streaks of fire. Slitted orange eyes zeroed in on him, burning with intense rage the likes of which he'd never seen before. Her breathing was ragged, uneven as she appeared to contemplate something, something that was no doubt horrible. Then, just as suddenly as it came, the energy died down, the flames receding to their normal rainbow colors. 

Sombra was released from the hold he'd been in and sank to the cot, a slight twinge of fear touching his heart. She could've killed him, he realized. She wanted to kill him. Celestia blinked, trading the orange eyes for her regular pink ones. She stared around at the aftermath of her outburst, noticing the scattered books and toppled furniture before her gaze found him, remorse and horror quickly taking ahold of her.      

"I...I didn't mean to..." Celestia's tears resumed. She moved as though to try to comfort him but kept her distance. "I just couldn't stand to hear you talk about Mother like that. It...it wasn't her fault! I was only a filly! How was I supposed to know that my mother would take my words to heart!"

Slowly, Sombra encroached on Celestia's personal space, standing four feet in front of her. 

"What are you talking about?"  

Celestia didn't appear to notice him, staring past him, past the wall, as though piercing time and space with the vacancy of her gaze. "It was during the last year of the War. I was so young. Father was on the front lines so I never saw him. I wanted us to be a family again..."



More than a thousand years ago...


The filly giggled at the doll flopping around in her baby sister's hooves, hitting the floor as she began to gnaw on one of the legs. Celestia loved playing with Luna, enjoyed watching the yearling thrash and throw her toys. Their father was leading some big grown up's fight while their mother was either talking to her advisors or staring out the castle window. That left just Luna and sure, she was too little to play the kinds of games Celestia wanted to play but she was excited that she'd one day teach them to her. Celestia gently pried the doll away with her magic and floated it above Luna's head, making it do a little jig and eliciting amused laughter from the infant. 

Nearby, Queen Concordia sat moodily, watching her daughters. She envied their innocence but also thanked Faust for it, as the Umbrum-Draconequus War as they were calling it, had taken so much already. King Solaris, her husband and their father, had insisted on leading the war effort personally and every day she feared that she'd be delivered the news all wives feared to receive. Alicorns, as the populace was generally unaware, were not in fact gods and most certainly not immortal, instead merely having been granted eternal youth and a very prolonged lifespan. They themselves learned this the hard way during the Destruction of Alicornia and the near-extinction of their race.  

Concordia had begged Solaris not to go but with that charming confidence of his, assured her that his draconequui guards would keep him safe and able to return to her and their daughters. He sealed this proclamation with a kiss, vowing to return to her once the war was over and peace was achieved. That was two years ago. He would briefly stop by with updates but those were often months apart. She was beginning to fear that the war would never end.    

"Your Majesty." The chamberlain was a light reddish-brown unicorn-as were most of the castle staff-with black markings around his mouth and limbs and a wavy, teal-blue mane. He was garbed in a dark green doublet and feathered cap, a large golden key pined to his chest served as a reminder of his position. "There is a soldier here from the front line with news of your husband."    

Concordia's chest ached, her throat dry. "Send him in."

The chamberlain motioned to a young pegasus no older than fourteen but possessed the battle-weariness seen in his elders. His right ear, temple and part of his cheek were covered in burns, leaving the skin bare and his armor was severely dented and scratched. It was regrettable that somepony so young had been reduced to such a state but that was the price of war. He bowed before Concordia, his movements slow and stiff, as if he were racked with pain and trying not to worsen it.

"Rise," Concordia bid him, feeling her chest tighten with every passing second. "What news do you have?" 

"Your Majesty," the pegasus began mournfully. "Your husband, King Solaris...was slain in battle." 

The queen toppled forward, seizing ahold of the back of her chair and supporting herself on the chamberlain's shoulder. She knew it. Deep down she knew it but held onto to the foolish hope that she'd been worried over nothing. "Are you certain?" 

Nodding grimly, the pegasus replied, "I witnessed it myself, Your Majesty. He fought bravely but the enemy was too strong and he was eventually overwhelmed." He then added, "His...his guards were not with him."    

Concordia snapped her head up. "What do you mean?"

"They...they were separated. Called to the other side of the battlefield." 

"Thank you, that will be all." 

The pegasus bowed and was led out by the chamberlain, the doors booming as they shut behind them. Concordia slumped back into her chair, her body numb but somehow able to feel everything. Colors blurred, sounds faded, the whole world spinning around her like a top. Her Solaris was dead and the war still raging...all because of those loathsome umbrums and the equally rotten draconequui. Anger and sorrow resided in her chest but hatred overpowered them.  

"Mother?" 

She became aware of a tiny hoof clutching at her skirt. Celestia stared confusingly up at her.

"Mother, what's wrong?"

Levitating the filly into her lap, Concordia held her tightly to her chest. "Your father is gone, my dearest. He is never coming home." Her voice quivered, her throat feeling raw. "The umbrums took him away." She wept and pulled Celestia in closer, sobbing at the loss of her true love.

"No, not Father! He promised he'd come home! He promised!"

"I know, little one. I know."

"I hate them! Why can't they all just go away? They should all die!"

Slowly, Concordia peeled Celestia away to glance down at the filly, her countenance vacant. 

"You're right, dearest." she said tonelessly. "Yes...they should, shouldn't they?" 


Present Day


Sombra could only gawk wide-eyed as Celestia finished her tale, sniffling and viciously wiping at her eyes. He stumbled backwards, catching himself and teetering left and right to try to keep his balance. Hearing such an admission had left him stunned, his mind scrambling to gain its bearings. All this time, he'd blamed Concordia for Dravite Hill, citing her as a cruel, remorseless mass murderer. Now it turns out that she was merely the fire and Celestia the one who held the matches.

"It was you..." Celestia shook her head tearfully but Sombra wasn't dissuaded. "It was you all along."

"No, I didn't mean to..." 

"You did it!" Sombra began breathing heavily, scarlet eyes alight with anger at the deceit and subsequent revalation. "You killed my family, my whole race! And this whole time you knew and let the blame fall on another's shoulders!"  

Celestia reached out to him. "Sombra, please it wasn't like that..."

Sombra smacked the hoof away and Celestia recoiled from his sudden aggressive display. He soon paced around her in a predatory fashion. "My family would still be alive if it wasn't for you. I wouldn't have become the monster I am if you hadn't loosed your mother on us!" 

"I didn't know. I-I was young and angry. Please, I didn't-..."

He abruptly stopped, his back facing her. "Leave me. I don't want you in my sight." 

"Sombra-..."

The umbrum whirled on her, lips curled around his bared fangs. "I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!" 

Celestia had never teleported away faster than she did then. 

Purple haze flowed from Sombra's eyes. "Let it be war upon you, Celestia Solaria. May your death be my wergild."