//------------------------------// // Sombra // Story: The Cutie Alchemist // by Visharo //------------------------------// Sombra: the shady side or section of a bullfight arena ------------------------------------------------------ Starswirl the Bearded and Cadance stood side by side, huddled, trying to keep each other warm. Before them lay the massive spire atop a six pointed star. Normally, Starswirl would be intrigued of this structure. He would spend days here. But this wasn't normal. The weather wasn't normal. This horrible feeling of dread wasn't normal. "Ca-Cadance. Let us le-leave." The gray unicorn gently tugged the pink pegasus in hope of getting her to turn back. To return to the ponies they left behind. Starswirl had just found them, their...love, yes that was the word, and he wasn't about to leave it. "It is c-cold, we m-might g-get sick." Sickness and health. What a strange concept, but one that held many dangers, of that Starswirl was sure. "I can't, Swirly. It's calling me. The heart." Cadance suddenly lurched forwards, her wings buzzed angrily and she got swept away in the blistering wind, straight to the crystal tower. Starswirl yelled in shock, but that quickly didn't last. Cadance needed him and he wasn't about to abandon her! Throwing himself off the cliff, he landed in a snowy bush, causing relatively minor injuries, but with the freezing cold and adrenaline, he didn't notice. Nor did he notice the new sensations or the new words. There are more important things. Roaring a challenge, a challenge to the unnaturalness of this storm, did the stallion charge. Mere countings, that's how long it lasted for Starswirl to end up beneath the crystalline tower. There was a ramp that he quickly found and then scaled. He did not notice the fact that it led inside the tower, nor the beautiful fractions of the light on the crystals, or even his senses telling him that it was warmer inside. No, he ignored all that and he called with all his might. "CADANCE!" He listened as his cry echoed through the halls of perfectly shaped walls. He stood there, listening and hearing, waiting for that reply. Nothing. Starswirl opened his muzzle to cry out again, but then he heard it. A soft whimper. It was quiet, but it was there. Not wasting a single counting, the stallion ran off, heading towards the sound. He didn't notice the shadows seeping in areas with light. He didn't notice the soft cruel laugh. All that Starswirl cared about was saving Cadance. She appeared because of his love for Celestia, Luna, and Sunset, he was sure of it. If he didn't love love's incarnate, then what was he? He could not allow this. Pure determination filled him up and he increased his speed and frantic looks. An archway bore down on him and he quickly passed underneath and rushed in. It was a circular room with a chair in the middle. It would have made him curious, but instead his eyes were focused on the prone pink form to the side. He made a step towards Cadance, but before he could get any closer, a loud whoosh forced him back. He watched in mild horror and fascination as the shadows pooled together. Despite being on the other side of the room, Starswirl could feel the malice oozing from the shadowy mass. A few more countings later, and eyes appeared. It stared at Starswirl and the stallion in turn couldn't do much but stare back. They were red and glowed green. The corners sprayed out a purple mist. The sight terrified Starswirl. He watched as the form solidified more and more until before him was a pony. A unicorn like himself, a dark gray coat, a mane of shadows, and a curved horn tipped with red. "Starswirl the Bearded." The figure threw it's head back and laughed violently before abruptly stopping, fangs glinting in the light. "Here we meet. Oh, my apologies, you may call me...King Sombra of the Crystal Empire." Rage. That was all that filled Starswirl at that moment. It was unlike any other emotion he had felt before, and he needed it fed. It broke him out of his terrified stupor and he charged, his body moving of its own accord. He quickly made it to Sombra's side and he took a swing with a balled fist. His Majesty dodged it with ease and retaliated by pushing the stallion away. "My my, my bearded friend. Still don't know how to use magic yet? How disapointing." Sombra threw his head back and laughed. "Perhaps I need to give you an incentive!" Starswirl watched as His Majesty threw his right arm out and the tip of his horn glowed with malevolent power. It grew brighter and brighter until in the outstretched hand, appeared a staff topped off with a large crystalline piece. Wasting not a single counting, Sombra thrust the staff forwards and a bolt shot forwards, striking Starswirl in the chest. The stallion flew backwards and slid across the floor, his chest burning like it got scorched under the sun. "H-How do you have so m-much power..." Starswirl the Bearded rose up unsteadily, an arm clutching over the magic bolt wound. All these new words just flow into his head without any thought and he decided to trust it, it hasn't led him wrong yet. "Th-that violates ha-harmony." "This is harmony, you old peasant! Harmony gave you the creation of life, the gift of magic, the meaning of love. What is harmony to do but exact a counter balance?" Sombra was walking up and down, but after the last word, he turned and faced directly to Starswirl. "I am that balance! I am that evil, the destroyer of lives, the corruption of magic, the teacher of hate. I am Sombra, King of the Crystal Empire, and I shall reign forever!" Something made him mad. Starswirl wasn't sure what or who, but he was mad. He charged forwards again but this time instinctively reaching outwards with a hand, and soon enough, a staff appeared. Giving no time for Sombra, Starswirl braced himself a fired a crackling energy through him, to the staff, and out the other end, hitting Sombra directly. In that moment, Starswirl decided to take a look at the staff he made. It was of normal make, wood old but sturdy, a golden inlay already crumbling, the grip rough and untreated, but most importantly, it shone. Determined rage was what drove him. Shot after shot did Starswirl fire magic bolts to the one who hurt him the most, King Sombra. It was at that moment did the stallion decided that His Majesty was no longer worthy of the crown. The crackling energy sparked and fizzled out on the columns and walls. The magical endurance of Starswirl was incredible, and so was his spell casting ability. With a growl, the stallion whipped his staff in a circle around his head, summoning a whirlwind with such intensity, King Sombra had a hard time staying on his hooves. But the he had enough focus to throw a bolt at Starswirl forcing him to roll to the side to dodge, abandoning what he was doing previously. While he was rolling, he heard a crack and he knew that the dark unicorn was still throwing bolts after him, so he kept on rolling. In the corner of his eye, Starswirl noticed the wall getting ever so closer and he needed to do something otherwise he'd be burnt badly. After half a counting, Starswirl hurled himself to the left, effectively dodging yet another magic bolt in addition to no longer in any danger of banging against the wall. He never stopped rolling. He waited until he heard another bolt miss and he quickly shifted to the side he was allowed full range of his arm and swung his staff and created a bolt of his own. Instead of the dark bubbly substance with a putrid green hue of Sombra, Starswirl had a pure white glow to his magic. His aim was true and it hit His Majesty on the side, not enough to damage him, but enough for him to flinch away. Starswirl took his chance and leapt to his feet and once again charged the King. Before Sombra could do anything, the charging unicorn swept his wooden staff upwards and the dark stallion flew upwards. Starswirl wasn't sure how tall the structure was but he couldn't see Sombra anymore and could only hear his roars of outrage. He could worry about him later, right now, Cadance. Starswirl ran to the prone pegasus and shook her. "Come on Cadance, wake up!" Starswirl checked her eyes and underneath the eyelids, they were glowing unnaturally, but she was still breathing. Before he could do anything else however, a loud whoosh entered the room, sending Starswirl sprawling. Determined not to be on the floor again, he quickly got up and faced the dark King once again. "Starswirl." Sombra smiled with a calm demeanor. "You surprise me." "Must we fight?" Starswirl tried for peace once more. His arms trembling and his chest aching. "Of course not, you could surrender." The dark unicorn tilted his head and grinned. "But of course, if you did that, I would just kill you and that pegasus over there. You don't want that, so we have to fight. It's what Harmony wants." Without warning, King Sombra whipped his staff forwards, a beam of icky darkness shot forwards. Starswirl instinctively thrust his staff forwards too, a pure white streak that clashed with Sombra's. A loud crackle and sparks filled the room. The brightness was to intense for Starswirl to look directly at it, but he dared not to take his eyes off his opponent. During this statement, he chose to lament over the tragedy of the situation and the new words that have entered his head. The two beings of tremendous magical power stood there, their awesome powers colliding and not budging, neither giving ground. Then the strained semi-silence was broken by a loud guffaw from King Sombra. The dark lord doubled over, but his staff and magic never wavered. "Oh Starswirl, this has been the most fun I've had in eons. We really could have been the best of friends, but unfortunately, I have to end this." Sombra grinned wildly, his fangs shining in the refracted light. He took a step forwards and thrust his staff forwards and then he stepped again. Slowly, Starswirl felt the pressure increase more and more, the dark beam inching ever so close. The intensity of the magic was too much for Starswirl and he couldn't break away, the only thing he could do was howl, howl for the pain and the aches. Just before Sombra could claim his prize another flash entered both of their visions. This one pink and warm. His Majesty started shrieking, an ugly sound, and stumbled away, hands covering his ears. Starswirl collapsed to the ground, too exhausted to continue. Through his half lidded gaze, he saw Cadance step in front of him. Something was different about her, but before he could decide what it was, he blacked out.