//------------------------------//
// 8~Ancient History 
// Story: The Shadow's Edge 
// by Centurion Pike-Wall 
//------------------------------//

Shining cast a quick gaze at his host and his family as he reached for another helping of dumplings. In addition to him, his wife, and Ciaran, there were three additional Umbrum. Two of them were younger foals, both being relatively young and energetic. He didn't know how young, but only one of them had the distinctive Marks that every Umbrum had. The other was perhaps the biggest pony that he had ever seen. This stallion, Alastor, had a long dark tan mane parted by a long cut down the middle, and routinely gave Shining his own gaze with pale purple eyes. 

"So, what's the South like?", the younger foal, Sable, asked. 

The other one, Caliban, said, "I heard the South is covered entirely in grass. Is that true?

"Sort of", Shining said. "It's not as cold, so that allows grass to grow in more places."

The foals gave excited whispers, while Ciemny said, "Now now, children. Please don't bother our guest too much."

"No, it's fine", Shining said, stopping to take another spoonful of soup. "I really don't mind."

At his refutation of their father, the two foals let out a burst of questions. He was able to make out a few specific questions, such as the color, the animals, or things about his old home. Despite his brief laugh, he couldn't help but feel a brief pang of homesickness welling up in his throat. 

"So, uh", Shining said, trying to distract both himself and the foals. "What do you do?"

"We herd goats", Alastor said. "We take them out into some of the spots where plants break through the snow and let them eat, then take them back. We do the same for some of the other families; they give us some things in exchange."

"How many?", Shining asked. 

Alastor shrugged. "Between ours and some of the others, about seventy."

"Part of the reason we move every few months", Ciemny said, cutting in before Shining could ask another question. "The Spirits are generous, but even their gifts aren't infinite. When we move, we allow them to replenish their gifts, and so when we return, we are able to keep our living."

Ciemny's wife nodded, while Alastor shrugged and added a bit more soup to his bowl. "What about you?", Ciaran asked. 

"I'm the Captain of the Equestrian Royal Guard", Shining Armor said, straightening up and smiling. 

Alastor turned back to him, his eyes now gleaming with a bit of interest. "You're a Professional Soldier?"

"I wouldn't really call myself a Soldier", Shining said. "Equestria isn't really that... military-focused. I mean, it works, but my duties are mostly administrative and Law Enforcement."

Alastor nodded, seemingly a little bit sullen. Ciemny looked over at the stove behind Shining, sighing. "Ciaran, could you get some more wood? Fire's running a little low."

"No worries, father", Ciaran said, lifting her bowl to her lips and slurping down the broth.

"I'll give you a hoof", Shining said. 

Cienmny said, "No, no! You don't need to."

"Don't worry; it's fine", Shining said. "I've been meaning to talk to her about something, anyway."

"Right", Sable snickered, joined by her brother. 

"I'm married", Shining said, returning a snicker as he finished sliding on the heavy jacket. 

The two of them moved outside, Shining following Ciaran. By now, the sun had gone down, the sky being a strange pattern together thanks to the gray of the shifting clouds and the dark blue of the sky that could be seen through it. Around behind the tent was a tall pile of wood and ice blocks. 

Ciaran gave Shining an axe, pulling out a few logs. "We should only need a few", Ciaran said. "Enough time for you to ask me what you need."

"You said you'd tell me why Umbrum like King Sombra?", Shining said. 

Ciaran froze, holding the axe above her head freezing. She looked at him, her thin features contorted in a look that Shining couldn't figure out. Worry? Contemplation, perhaps? "Right", she finally said, letting the axe fall and splitting the log down the middle. "I'll cut them into fourths, and you shave off the bark. I'll tell you the story."

After Ciaran split one of the half-logs in half again, she said, "We've lived here since... Well, for as long as we've been around. The North is our home, and the grace of the Spirits allows us to remain here."

"What does this-", Shining asked. 

Ciaran cut in, "Just giving you a bit of context. Anyway, thousands of years ago, what you call the Crystal Ponies came here. We don't know why: Some kind of Invasion, plague? Anyway, they came here by the thousands. They took over prime grazing land, drove away prey, attacked foraging parties. Conflict was unavoidable."

"One side would raid the other", she continued, splitting another log down the middle. "We to try and drive them out, them to keep us away, or simply out of retaliation. It continued like that for years, until the Bright Ones created... something."

"Something?", Shining questioned. 

Ciaran shrugged. "We call it the Infernal Sun. They called it something else. Crystal... something, I don't know; the Old Texts aren't really clear. Whatever the case, it emitted a light so bright and powerful, it could kill us. A burst of power, and hundreds or thousands would be dead in moments. They used this and some of their soldiers to hem us in. They would force us to flee from our old Keeps or ancient sites, or would massacre us the Sun."

Shining returned his gaze to the wood, shaving away the bark. He felt a chill run up his spine, despite the heavy coat he wore. "That... Princess Celestia didn't say this."

"Maybe she didn't know", Ciaran suggested. "Maybe she didn't care."

"That doesn't sound like her", Shining defended. "The Princess is the kindest pony you could ever meet. Besides, if she didn't care for Umbrum, why did she help me and my parents?"

Ciaran lowered the axe, looking to Shining. Her eyes seemed dim, while her lipless mouth was in a form that vaguely resembled a frown. "I don't know."

She swung the axe suddenly, the harsh impact causing Shining to jump. "Anyway, once they cornered us, they cast some kind of spell. It locked us in a void; a place not of light or of darkness, but of... stillness. Imagine being stuck in a ball, unable to move, and crammed in like pickled onions with thousands of others. That's at least how some of the ancients described it."

Shining shuddered, a sense of dread pounding in his skull at the thought. He'd always been uncomfortable with tight spaces, even if he disregarded his size being a factor. Something about them just rubbed him the wrong way, and so that description made him uneasy. However, as the thought ran through his mind, it left behind a thought; a potential answer to his question. 

"Sombra freed you?", he ventured.

Ciaran nodded. "We don't really know how he escaped, but he was able to conquer the Crystal Empire. He used the Crystal Ponies to free us. However, your Princess' came, and he made us flee. His sister, Ira Ceannaire, swore we'd never forget him and what he did for us."

Ciaran gathered up the wood, holding the barkless logs next to her. "That's why we revere him. He set us free, and exacted vengeance against our Imprisoners." She then walked around him and went inside, leaving Shining alone with nothing but his thoughts.