The Heart of Shadows

by TheSilentAuthor


A Solution?

The rain hammered down on the roof of the carriage causing Sombra to sir from his deep sleep. Peeping out the small window he could see that they had made it to the northern fields close to the empire. It was dark outside thanks to the storm but apart from that he could tell that it was well into the evening. Chrysalis also soon awoke from her sleep also.

“My it is really coming down out there isn’t it?” She said.

“Indeed, I haven’t seen the sky so black ever in my life.” Sombra said.

“Any idea where we are?” Chrysalis asked curling herself up next to him.

Sombra turned to her. “No clue but we should be nearing the capital soon. I mean we left around nine and its has been well over eight hours.”

The carriage came to a screeching stop throwing the pair forward crashing into the opposite wall.

“What in Equestria’s name was that?” Sombra growled angrily. “I will be right back.” He said heading for the door.
Stepping outside the rain swept him away like a rag doll pounding him without mercy. “Why did we stop?!?” He shouted above the rain.

“Sir!” Sam’s voice called.

The butler came into view with a lantern so that he could pierce the wall of water.

“Sam what on earth are you doing here?” Sombra said moving forward.

“What do you mean your only twenty minuets away.” Sam said looking at him then realizing the rain must have blinded his site.

“What I mean was why are you all the way out here, couldn’t stand not having me around for three days?” Sombra said with a smile.

“Ha, well sir I am very glad your back and all I wanted was to make sure you came back in one piece thats all.” The butler said.

"You just can't admit that you missed me." Sombra said jokingly.

Sam rolled his eyes. "The only thing I will miss is all the paper work I have done over the last couple of days. Now come on and lets get a move on Dr. Vig has something he wants to try out

"Where is he now and what on earth does he want to 'try out'." Sombra asked.

“At the palace, Vig has been studying cures for your condition. It hasn't been casuing you great deals of pain since you been gone has it?” Sam said going inside the carriage.

Sombra dove right after him, he was filled with both fear and hope.

The carriage was ordered to start moving and soon they began making they’re way through the rain.

“Yes sir Vig has been hard at work.” Sam said. “He thinks whatever he has concocted will eliminate you're illness.”

"What are you going on about Sam?" Chrysalis asked cutting in.

Sombra froze and stared at the confused changeling.“I cant believe I forgot to tell her all about how dangerous my pains truly are." he thought to himself. "Chrysalis I haven't telling you everything thats been going on with me lately." He said slowly. "The pains that have been plaguing me are much more severe than I could ever imagine."

"I thought they were nothing to worry about." Chrysalis said growing anxious.

"Thats what I thought to but Sam found a doctor who said otherwise." Sombra said grasping Chrysalis's hooves. "What I am about to say sounds scary but this doctor says he will be able to stop it in time."

"What do you mean in time? In time for what?" Chrysalis asked.

Sombra let out a sigh. "Vig says that I should be dead and he doesn't know how I am currently alive right now."

"What!" Chrysalis said.

"But its okay cause Vig is going to fix me." Sombra said trying to soften his previous statement.

This proved to be useless as the changeling's body gave way and was thrown into a state of uncontrollable shaking. Chrysalis was soon crying and Sombra tried wrapping his hooves around her. He didn't really know what to say to her. She started mumbling something between her tries but all he could make out was 'sorry'.

"Chrysalis please everything is going to be fine. I am never going to leave you, understand?" Sombra asked trying to calm her down. "Chrysalis please look at me." She looked up, her eyes filled with tears. "Look I was hoping to have this all sorted out before letting you know but I was going to tell you eventually. Right now I am just as scared and frightened as you are but I need you to be strong. Can you do that for me?" Sombra asked.

She stared to speak "But you could...."

"Don't think that way, I am not going anywhere. We are going to get through this together." Sombra said.

She gave him a weak smile letting him know that she was hoping for the best.

"Apologies sir I forgot that she wasn't supposes to know of the situation." Sam said in a low voice.

"Sam its alright I was going to have to tell her anyway." Sombra said. He pecked Chrysalis on the forehead near her horn. "Its going to be alright."

The carriage came to a stop, Sam opened the door and lead the pair to the palace. Sombra was greeted by the shower of rain that fell from the heavens but was quickly inside the warm corridors of the palace.

“Where is Vig?” Sombra said entering through the door.

“Oh hello and welcome back sir.” A servant said with a smile.

“Yeah, yeah glad to be back where is Vig?” He repeated.

“Doctor Vig is in the old study sir.”

Sombra quickly walked away from the servant and began climbing the stairs to the old room where his father use to hold council. He made sure not to leave Sam or Chrysalis behind despite they're lack of speed. Bursting into the room he clearly disturbed the doctor in mid thought.

"Vig I have returned!” Sombra shouted.

The doctor took out a heavy black box and set it on the table. He motioned Sombra to come over to look inside. Sombra hurried over and Vig started to open the box as Sam and Chrysalis entered the room.

"Ah, my prince you have returned finally. Good thing to cause I am pretty sure I got some solutions that might just work." Vig said with a smile.

“Might work?” Sombra responded.

“The solutions. You know the answers that will cure you of you're pain” The doctor said sarcastically.

“Yes I know what you mean but have you tested any of them yet?” The prince said while making a move forward only to be cut off by Vig.

“Well sir nothing has been officially tested on any live organism.” Vig said.

"But you said that you had solutions that may just work." Sombra said with a frown.

“Yes sir but I would highly advice that we don't try anything until morning. Also you must be very tired from your trip.” Vig said biting his hoof.

“Vig, I need you to at least try something tonight, please. I cant keep living like this, is there anything or something minor you could try? Can you at least tell me you can preform some sort of magic spell just to get me through the night." Sombra asked,

The doctor stood still for a second. "Well there is something small I could do."

"Anything will be fine." Sombra said.

Vig paced around Sombra. "It would give me some practice. My lord, tomorrow I want to try a highly controversial procedure that many of my fellow doctors would brush off as mere wizardry. This 'surgery' is nothing more than a spell that will, hopefully show me what the source is of your illness and cure it. Now I don't clam to be a wizard so I think I should try to at least to attempt the spell firstly if you are willing."

"Yes anything just go right ahead." Sombra said.

Chrysalis came up from behind and placed her hoof on his shoulder. "Dear, are you sure this is safe? I mean what if something happens to you?"

"Chrysalis, if this could help cure me by tomorrow I don't care if its unsafe. As long as it work I will take the risks that comes with it." Sombra said.

Chrysalis retreated to Sam's side as Vig took out a heavy leather bound book. He began searching through pages until he came to a spot where he obviously marked the spot.

"Okay, so this is just a small test run nothing major until tomorrow. If I mess up you may have me exiled or if any physical harm is done upon your body I will not protest execution." Vig said in a low voice.

Sombra smiled. "You have no fear of any of those things, now proceeded with our test run."

Vig walked forward so that he could stand in front of Sombra. Reaching within a pocket he pulled out an amulet with the figure of a unicorn on it. It was red, red like a ruby and from what Sombra could tell the rest was silver. The doctor began humming a strange chant and soon the room began growing dim for some unnatural reason. Sombra began growing afraid but he was determined to tuff it out. Vig's eyes began to grow red and soon an aura began forming on his forehead. It was strange, for the aura began taking the form of a horn in the middle of the pegasus's forehead. With flash of his 'horn' Sombra felt the energy of the spell begging to take its affect on him. It was a glorious feeling; so much relief he had never experienced was now flowing through him. Feeding off the energy Vig began focusing on the spell. His horn grew brighter and stronger as he said aloud the ancient spell. Soon he held back his head and finished the spell blinding Sombra with a red aura. The jolt of energy surged through Sombra's body knocking him out cold.


Fire, it was a fire he could from what he could tell. Sombra woke to find that he was sitting in his from room but it seemed different. The colors where all gone and now the once great throne room was black. This didn't bother him as much as the smell that was invading his nose. It was the smell of all kinds of things being thrown onto a great fire. Glancing at the window Sombra forced it open to reveal the entire empire engulfed in flames.

"What, what has happen. Somepony tell what is going on!" He shouted.

Soon flames climb up the palace and engulfed the throne room leaving Sombra in a pit of fire.


“Is he going to be okay?” a voice murmured.

“He will be just fine Mrs. Chrysalis. I don’t know why his body had acted so oddly to the spell.” Vig's distinct voice ran through the darkness.

“Do you think the spell even worked?” Another voice asked.

“I don’t know that was a pretty high level spell I preformed. Anyway it couldn’t do any harm to him, we just have to wait until he wakes up.” Vig said.

Sombra’s eyes slowly opened to blinding light and soon a blurry Chrysalis absorbed his vision.

“Hey you.” Sombra said with a smile.

Chrysalis clench Sombra tightly. “Thank goodness, thank goodness, don’t you ever do something like that again!”

“Don’t worry I don’t think I will need that again.” Sombra said sitting up. “What time is it?” he asked Sam.

“Nine o’clock sir.” The butler said.

“At night?” Sombra asked.

“No you passed out and stayed that way until nine o’clock in the morning the yesterday after the day you came back.” Sam said shaking his head.

“My was I really out that long?” Sombra asked tugging Chrysalis away so he could get up.

“Yes sir you were, slept like a baby. How do you feel Sombra?” Vig said cutting in.

Sombra rolled his hooves around in amazement. “Incredible, I haven’t felt this great since I was a young colt.”

“So it seems the test run worked. But to be safe please we have already prepared for the main event” Vig said.

Sombra flopped back down on the bed with no question. He then noticed that he was in a hospital room instead of his palace. Vig placed his hoof near Sombra’s heart and began making mental notes.

“Well your heart sounds fine that’s a good start but as far as I can tell I think you’re ready for the full treatment.” Vig said stepping back.

"Ready for anything doc." Sombra said with a smile.

“Um dear, you sure you're ready for this so soon.?You did just wake up from being knocked out by the spell mr. Vig is about to use again.” Chrysalis said.

Sombra let out a chuckle. "Don't worry Chrysalis I am sure Vig has adjusted to the spell by now."

Vig stumbled a little at these words. "Um sure whatever you say sir. Everything is already been prepared and all the necessary precautions have been prepared for. Everything is ready to go whenever you are ready.”

“Excellent, I want to proceed immediately.” Sombra said holding his hoof up.

The bed was propped up a bit as a pair of nurses rolled in a transportable medical table. Soon he was wheeled down the hall and soon into the a large open medical room.

“Sunshine, will you be a dear and please close the curtains.” Vig said escorting Chrysalis to an empty chair then taking his by the table. “Sam do you wish to step out, I know you are not to found of any medical operations.”

"I think I will be fine Momir thank you for asking though." The butler said.

Chrysalis stood up and cautiously made her way to Sombra's side. "You sure you want to go through with this?"

Sombra gave a encouraging smile to let her now that he was still going through with it.

“All right lets get started. Last night was just a bit of what I have to preform today so that is why I have found a way to amplify the amulet I will be using. So before we start let me just say a few things. If any part of this operation you feel is hurting you just say the word and I will stop.” Vig said.

"Gotcha." Sombra said.

"Now my prince I need you to take a deep breath and close your eyes." Said Vig.

Sombra closed his eyes awaiting for the doctor to act.

Vig started saying the spell out loud and very slowly, building up to the proper exaction. Sombra took a peaked at what was going on. Vig's strange amulet was glowing with a great red light and soon it began crackling with aura. The doctor kept repeated the phrases over and over until he fired a shot of magic at Sombra. Sombra let out a cry of pain as the magic course through his body eventually resting in his chest.

"Phase one done. Going into phase two." Vig said out loud.

Sombra was hit with another jolt of magic causing him to grind his teeth. This was one of the most painful things he had ever experienced in his life. All the pain he had been feeling was nothing compared to this. After phase two Vig kept announcing phase right after another sending a constant stream of spells. Each one caused more pain than the last almost sending Sombra into unconsciousness. Once phase fifteen was over Sombra began fading out into darkness. He looked over to see Chrysalis clenching her seat watching with anxiety on her face. With that Sombra closed his eyes and let himself go.


The sound of a heart beat soon filled his ears. Opening his eyes he saw that he was back in his throne but it was all black and grim. He quickly sniffed the air, the smell of fire wasn't in the air but he kept hearing a constant heart beat. Looking down on the ground he saw a heart. This heart was made entirely made of crystals as far as he could. It glowed with a light blue glow and it seemed to invite him to grab it. Grabbing it Sombra held it up and looked into its shiny center. At first it seemed that it was any other rock but then something caught his eye. A figure appeared inside the heart. It was a unicorn but its horn was distorted, it had an odd red tent to it seemed almost unnatural. It eyes matched Sombra's red one but instead of the rest being white it was green. It's coat was black as night and it's mane matched. Sombra stared at it until the unicorn locked eyes with him. He couldn't explain but this pony filled him with fear and despair. Its eyes began illuminating a strange purple aura.

"Sombra." It called out in a deep voice.

Sombra dropped the heart upon hearing his name. The heart began violently shaking shooting out a purplish black aura all over the room.

"Sombra we are one" The voice called out again.

"Go away, leave me alone whatever you are." Sombra yelled.

A bright light began filling his vision


"Where am I now?" he said to himself.

Sitting up he found himself resting in his bed. Then it struck him, he felt perfectly fine. No pain, aches, or sore spots all of it was gone. He sat there for a second waiting to see if the pains where to return. After a good ten minutes he leaped out of bed and bounded to the door. Throwing it open he galloped down the hall and stormed the stairs with great speed. It was early into the night so hopefully everypony wasn't asleep yet. Heading to his throne room he opened the door to find it almost empty except for a few servants cleaning it up.

"Hello sir is something the matter?" one asked.

Sombra looked around. "No but I do have a request for a few things."

"Yes sir anything." The servant said.

"Fetch me Chrysalis and Doctor Vig at once." Sombra ordered.

The servant rushed out of the room as he took his spot on the throne. He was grateful that his pains where gone but these 'dreams' he had frightened him more. He knew that it was probably his paranoia but both dreams occurred right after Vig preformed the healing spell. Could the two have a connection?

"Sombra!" Chrysalis voice called out. The changeling rushed up to him. "Sweetie shouldn't you be in bed resting?"

"I am fine Chrysalis, I feel one hundred percent better already." Sombra smiled.

"You mean it actually worked?" Chrysalis asked.

"Yes as far as I can tell but I want to hear it form Vig first." Sombra said."Chrysalis I am sorry for not telling you early but I didn't want you to think that I was going away."

"Its oaky Sombra I understand." Chrysalis said curling up next to him. "Next time tell me when you are being threatened with a life ending condition."

"I promise." Sombra said.

As soon as the words escaped his mouth the doctor appeared at the door.

"You summoned me sir?" Vig asked.

Sombra stood up and walked over to Vig. "Yes I actually wanted to ask you something?"

"Well sir you should be in bed resting I mean lord knows what that spell did to you." Vig started.

Sombra reinserted himself. "Vig the spell worked but I need to ask you some questions."

"It did? Wow I can't believe it actually.....I mean well I knew it would according to my notes. Oh, questions why yes fire away." The pegasus said.

"I had two odd dreams after being exposed to the spell. They were almost nightmarish, is there anyway that the spells could have caused me to create these?" Sombra asked.

The doctor shook his head. "I don't know sir. These spells where created by the wizard Dregstar so there is no telling what all they have hidden in them. If you are continued to be trouble by these dreams just let me know. But I think it was just your body's way of dealing with stress." The doctor said.

Sombra lowered his head. "Thank you, you are dismissed."

"Good night my prince." Vig said walking away.

"Chrysalis." Sombra said.

"Yes dear?" Chrysalis asked.

"Come, I am very tired and don't think I have the energy to get to my room on my own. I know its not proper but could you help me up?" Sombra asked.

Chrysalis kissed him on the cheek. "Sombra I am always here to help you." she said in a sweet voice.


Sombra closed his eyes, letting sleep over take him. Before drifting off the same deep voice from his nightmare entered his head.

"Sombra." it called.