//------------------------------//
// Chapter 7: Welcome to your new home 
// Story: What a wonderful world 
// by a touch of sparkles 
//------------------------------//

They were left in that room for some time after the acid was dumped on them. The princess was wanted it seemed, Sombra didn’t know, he couldn’t understand them. They were left there to suffer as the acid never stopped burning. Eventually though, the princess did come back.

The chains floated behind her again and the clipped onto their collars. They were yanked to their feet and hooves, their aching legs wobbled as they pushed forwards. They were dragged down the corridor, the heavy chains around their necks made them appear smaller as their heads hung low. There legs didn’t move with the usual grace they did, weighed down and landing heavy. 

They were led into a nicer part of the building lined with lavender crystal, the sudden darkness to light was harsh on the eyes. They continued to be pulled through the building following the princess. Eventually they were outside and they saw the world around them. 

There were many of those ponies in one big crowd. Sombra noticed that there was a podium on one end. An umbrum was on that stage also in chains as a pony stood next to them. Yelling random things and pointing at the crowd. Sombra looked around some more to find many large box like crystals, hollowed out like caves all around them. Before them however was the giant crystal in the centre.

It stood on four legs then rose into the sky like a spire. It shined so bright Sombra could swear it could set something on fire. Sombra was used to mountains towering above him, but they felt almost welcome. This did not, and they were being led straight to it. 

Each leg of the castle had a door on it, they were dragged over to one which when opened had a staircase both ascending and descending. Another two of the ponies, yet more bulky and wearing armour the same blue as the princess's jewellery, stood at the entrance. The spears they held were used to poke and prod them, pushing them down the staircase. Sombra winced as he tried to hide under his dam, he stumbled down the steps as he was forced to go down the steps faster than his weakened legs could carry him. 

They were shoved into a room in which they were led to another. There was no more pretty crystal along the walls, just beige and grey stone. The smell of blood attacked his nose so violently his head recoiled and his nostrils flared in disapproval. The room they were taken to had three heavy metal doors. There were two guards on the side of either door, like statues.

The princess gave a single stomp of her hoof and the guards came life. They grabbed the lead chains out of the magic and pulled them all away from each other. Sombra tried to reach for his dam but a guard bucked him to the ground. 

Sombra struggled as the guard pressed him down with his hooves, his ribs whined under the pressure. He looked up to see his dam and the others all struggling against other guards. He watched as the one on his dam dragged a tool to and thro across her horn. She grimaced as it cut through slowly but when it hit the soft veiny core she screamed in agony as the blood supply was sliced. 

Sombra wriggled trying to get free, he wanted to help her so desperately. But the guard’s hooves pushed down harder and the was a sickening pop and crunch as his still developing rib bones snapped. He wailed as the splitting pain racked his body. 

His dams head shot upwards on instincts, the saw slipped in the guards hooved, pulling the last thread of her horn off and tearing her eye straight open. She lunged forward and in a single stride her jaw, lined with pointed teeth, clasped around the guard’s head. Despite the armour his skull crunched and his body went limp. The strange red blood splashed down on Sombra’s face. She wore a face of pure rage, her toothy smile directed at every guard and the princess. 

“I think we got a mother and foal” a guard said to the princess.

“I gathered that” she scowled back to him. 

The other umbrum had now cowered into a corner, spears pointed at their necks. The guards seemed both scared and expecting such a thing to happen. The lead chains were wearily reconnected. The guard that approached Sombra and his dam was visibly shaking. The princess however was having none of it.

“Give it here” she bucked the soldier in the head, making him drop the chains. She swiftly linked the chains back on their collars, then she clasped a metal band around his dam’s mouth. It was tied on by a thick leather strap that went behind her head. She thought with it but she could just open her mouth to let air in. 

They were taken through one of the heavy doors where they were greeted with more of the bar lined cells. While the ones on the right were empty, the other each had an umbrum in. They too were wrapped in chains and their skin had been corroded away. some cowered in the corners, other who were more strong willed tried to snap at the passing guards.

Sombra limped as it hurt to move his front legs, he leaned partly against his dam’s. His breathing was laboured and the foul smell didn’t help. A bar door opened and screeched. The elder stallion was shoved inside, his already weak body didn’t help his chances of fighting back. Then the other stallion was forced into another.

The princess attempted to separate Sombra from his dam. He whined in panic as he was lifted up in gold. She swiftly had her side sliced open by his dams flying hind claws. Despite not being deep, it made her drop Sombra. His dam stepped over him as he crumpled on the floor. A hiss was forced out through her lips. 

“Were not getting you separated are we” the princess hissed back, she rejected the help of her guard with her wound. She caught her breath then dragged them further down the rows of cells. They got to the end where the larger cell sat in the middle. Then they were almost thrown in.

“Welcome to your new home Freaks”