Everypony, Shining Armor included, gasped in terror as dark crystal spikes pierced Matthias chest and forelegs, and lifted up his body several meters into the air, so now they almost were on the same level.
“No... it can’t be...” was all Shining Armor could think off as he continued to stare at paladin’s limp body. “Matt...”
His mind whirled as he recalled how many times he was unpleasant to the other stallion out of suspicion that he felt something for his little sister; while both of them repeatedly assured him that they were just friends. Shining Armor remembered how he helped him during his and Cadance’s wedding, how he saved Twilight’s life back at that strange facility, how he brought back to life Princess Luna’s daughter, how he saved his own life just few hours ago...
And now, he was dead.
The Captain could hear sobs of the mares around him, besides his wife who was still unconscious, as well as many more from below; along gasps of terror, coming from the crystal ponies. And he found that there were no words that could be possibly said now. The only thing he could do was grieve along them.
Before however he allowed any tears to appear in his eyes, Shining Armor heard something he didn’t expect: laughter. And at once he realized to whom it belong to.
He was here. His head formed from the smoke and shadow that approached the castle, turning most of the crystals in his wake into dark, twisted versions of them. Shining Armor gnashed his teeth in anger at the sight of one responsible for everything - starting with exhaustion of his wife, and ending with the death of his friend - but before he could name him, somepony else did.
“King Sombra...” stuttered a mare among the crowd, who stood the closest to him, maybe trying earlier to see if she could help Matthias in any way or see if he was alive.
Shining Armor burned with rage at the sound of this... murderer chuckling arrogantly at the sound of terror in her voice. By then, he made his decision. The Captain of the Royal Guard did not care that he couldn’t use magic, or that Sombra bested Matthias. If that paladin fought to the end; then so would he.
“My crystal slaves...” that monster said as he gazed the crow of ponies, while Shining Armor was about to turn around to make his way downstairs, when...
“They are not your slaves!” another voice, cold with fury unmatched by even the ice of frozen north, answered the fallen king.
The pain and blood loss almost made Matthias pass out. He somehow managed to bear through it, but was momentary unaware of anything happening in the area, enclosed within his hurt body. When he finally came to, what he heard made his blood burn, and the familiar wrath awakened in his heart.
“My crystal slaves...”
“They are not your slaves!” Matthias Lehner shouted in outrage and disregarding pain, he twisted his right foreleg, breaking the crystal that pierced it.
The other spikes - one that went through his other foreleg, two through lung - were shattered in similar manner as he flexed his muscles, using only his own strength, such strong was the fury that overtook him in that moment. Free of the black crystals, he fell down and landed heavily on the ground below, the adrenaline rush making it feel like small hop.
“They are not your slaves!” paladin repeated to Sombra, who stared at him unfazed by any of this, while Light began to shine through Matthias as it healed his wounds. “And you’re not a king!”
Either he spoke with so much passion and volume; or maybe the Light was in work there. Whatever the reason, his voice carried across the whole empire, and everypony that heard it had it spirit raised at words that Matthias said in defiance of the monster that spread fear everywhere.
“You are nothing but a usurper, thief, tyrant, and butcherer! You delight in causing pain and misery to others and don’t care how much destruction you cause! King is somepony who cares for his subjects, fights to protect them until his last breath is drawn, and leads them with love, not fear!”
While his words stirred the hearts of his friends and crystal ponies, the one to whom they were directed laughed at them in response.
“Your words mean nothing...” Sombra said in his booming voice. “There is no point in fighting for others. Give them time, and they shall turn on themselves, lie, steal, and rip each other to pieces...”
“Looks like I was right...”
“You’re wrong! All ponies, all living beings, when joined together by love and friendship will live free from shadows such as you!”
“Hope is an illusion...” the former unicorn muttered, and while his words were still heard by everypony, it appeared as if he spoke to himself. “It’s better to be alone... Give in to your fear.” his eyes flashed as he directed his attention at the earth pony that stood defiantly before him. “Its cold claws will soon hold you within their grasp!”
“No, they won’t.” Matthias, not about to back down, replied, still emitting Light despite being fully healed. “My heart burns with eternal flame that will never be extinguished, nor will it give in to fear!”
“Then, I shall destroy your heart!” Sombra said, chuckling, as he increased in size.
That was too much for Matthias.
Shining Armor rubbed his ear, for certain that he misheard.
He was amazed like everypony, when Matt spoke, as he was certain that the paladin was dead. He was even more astonished when he broke the spires without anypony’s help, and while the Shining Armor began to be familiar with Light, it now shone through Matt with intensity he only witnessed when the other stallion assumed his alicorn form and saved them from the Queen of Changelings. And like everypony, he was heartened by his speech, which began with outrage and ended with passion that would be expected of paladin.
But Shining Armor must have something in his ear now, for surely, Matthias couldn’t be laughing now. And yet despite rubbing his ear, he still heard him laugh as if what Sombra just said was finest joke he heard.
“You don’t understand, don’t you?” he heard the paladin ask as he still chuckled, and while this question was directed to Sombra, everypony else did not understand as well. “Let me explain to you, then.” the chuckling cased as earth pony grew serious. “You may tore pony’s body apart and destroy it, you may break pony’s mind and bend it to your will, you might even commit unspeakable atrocities upon one’s soul, but heart... heart is something you will never be able to destroy!”
“It might be silenced, diminished, even physically cut out, but it will still be with pony!” Matthias continued, his voice no longer amused, but dead serious as he spoke from experience. “It will always struggle against darkness; and indicate what is good and what’s wrong. Even if it’ll be nothing more than a whisper, its voice will still reach the pony, and no matter how thick the shadows that surrounds him, it will shine like beacon of Light!”
He paused to catch his breath, and decided to bring this war of words to an end.
“Can you figure out what my heart is telling me?” he asked Sombra, and let the Light envelop him completely, changing his very body. When Matthias answered his own question, he did so as gold alicorn, clad in plate armor: “It tells me to protect everypony from you!”
He was not surprised in the least at Sombra’s reaction. Grow, hiss, and charging his horn for an attack. Matthias flew into the air, and spread his forelegs, extending Light’s protection around him. He didn’t spread it as far as the border of the empire, though. Having already assumed this form once today, he had even less time than usually, and while he would strain himself to remain longer in it, Matthias knew it would be easier to protect only as little area as possible when doing so. Still, Sombra was pushed back, and the black crystals he created vanished.
With slight amusement, Matthias noticed that he now hovered more or less in the same spot where he was earlier when impaled on crystal spikes. The shield he created covered most of the area around crystal castle; except for highest part of it. Sombra hissed angrily, but the paladin was unfazed by it as he glanced at those hate-filled eyes. He could not harm him or anypony else now, and Matthias did not care how much pressure it would put on his mind to maintain this form as long as needed.
“Come on, Twilight.” he prayed. “Hurry up and find the Crystal Heart.”
After few seconds, the paladin noticed that Sombra opened his mouth. He wondered what kind of hiss would come out of them now-
“Can you feel it, my son?”
Matthias felt his jaw drop at the sound of the voice.
“Father?”
“What if this is just more of his magic?” Spike asked as they climbed the staircase in the break between panting. “He makes a door that leads to your worst nightmare... why not a staircase that goes on forever?”
Twilight rolled her eyes, but she knew that her assistant had a point in one thing: this staircase was really long. They weren’t even halfway there, and Spike was even a whole level below her. The lavender unicorn glanced up, wondering...
“Can you feel it, my son?”
Twilight stopped as they heard another voice speak. Both of them heard earlier conversation between Matt and King Sombra, which made the unicorn that much determined to reach the Crystal Heart in time as they realized how close the evil king was. This time, however, a new pony was talking, and despite the hurry they were in, Twilight and Spike listened to it.
“Closing in, all around you? The Light's justice has been awakened. The sins of the past have finally caught up to you.”
Twilight jaw dropped as she realized that whoever it was, the voice was speaking to Matt; and apparently, it was his father! But... how was this possible?
“You will be called to account! For all the atrocities you've committed, the unspeakable horrors you've let loose upon this world, and the dark, ancient powers you've enslaved.”
The lavender unicorn felt like vomiting as she heard what she finally figured to be some sort of Sombra’s trick use the voice of her friend’s father to break his resolve. But part of her couldn’t help but wonder, whenever it was truly a trick, or was there some truth behind it? After all, Matt did admit to being evil...
“Though my soul was one of the first to be devoured by your evil-”
“What?!”
“- there are thousands more bound within this blade, and they cry out for release.”
Twilight head spin as the meaning behind those words hit her.
“Thousands... his own father...”
Face it, lad, you are a monster.
“Look now to your defenses, my son, for the champions of justice gathers at your gates!”
“Are you deaf?”
Her ear perked at the sound of Matt’s voice.
“I already told you as we fought: guilt over my past sins won’t prevent me from protecting my friends or everypony else. I will see them survive what happens today, even if it means I’ll be shunned by them tomorrow. Continue to reveal nightmares of my past to them if you want, it won’t make me drop this barrier any faster.”
“Matt...” Twilight thought as she hesitated, but only for a moment. “You will not be shunned! I’ve known you only as the pony you are now; not that monster you were. I do not care about your past.”
With her resolve to keep true to that statement, as strong as Matt’s to protect all of them could be heard earlier in his voice; Twilight grabbed Spike with her magic, preparing to put the idea she had moments earlier to use.
“Hold on to me.” she told the baby dragon as she put him on her back. “We cannot let Matt have all the glory to himself, right?”
To her delight, Spike grinned happily, also not bothered by what Sombra’s spell had revealed.
His concentration and will faltered for a moment, however, Matthias quickly recovered from hearing once again the words the spirit of his father said to him while he was the Lich King. His reply shut Sombra up, but the damage was done.
“They know enough now...” he thought, heartbroken. “They... they will all hate and fear me.”
He spared another second to wail in self-pity at the thought of his friends abandoning him, especially Twilight, but Matthias shook it off. Right now, what mattered now the most is keeping the current evil from harming anypony. He would worry about what’s later after this issue was solved...
If there was going to be any later.
Shining Armor listened to another conversation between Matt and King Sombra; and he could not believe what he heard. He knew that the paladin was once evil, of course, but...
Technically, she's not a monster...
“No wonder he said that. Compared to him, Changeling Queen is an angel.” Shining Armor concluded, wondering if he should...
“Matt, don’t give in to him!”
The Captain look surprised at the mares, which are all looking at the glowing pony with determination, faith...
... and friendship.
“We don’t care about any of this!” Rarity continued. “You kept saving everypony from all sorts of trouble ever since you came to Equestria!”
“Exactly! You are still our best friend!” Rainbow Dash added.
“That’s right, partner!” Applejack exclaimed.
“Yeah, go Mattie!” Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy both shouted.
Shining Armor smiled at the display of such strong friendship.
“They are right.” he realized as he glanced at Matt. “Whoever you were back on Azeroth, it doesn’t matter here... friend.”
Matthias was certain that he was crying, despite it being technically impossible.
He could not believe that they all thought of him as friend. Once again, this world proved to be something completely else from what he knew from Azeroth-
Just then, Matthias reached the limit of how long he could stay safely in this form.
He quivered as he felt seizure attacks, first sign that his mind could not cope with remaining in the body made out of Light any longer. They were durable, but the longer he would stay like this, the worse they would get.
Matt, don’t give in to him!
“No!” he shouted in his head in defiance to his own limits. “I will not fail! I won’t let down the faith they have in me!”
As he concentrated, Matthias managed to notice that Sombra head turned for a moment to look at the top of the crystal castle and his horn flashed, but was too busy to think what that was about.
Twilight glanced down at the golden dome below them once she and Spike arrived at the top of the castle and she nullified her gravity spell. The shadow of King Sombra was surrounding it from all around
“Matt...” she thought as she realized how much effort this must take from him, but then a glint in the corner of her eye caught her attention, and the lavender unicorn turned around to find what she was searching for: the Crystal Heart. “Hang on just a little longer, Matt!” she pleaded as she trotted to it.
“Oh, no...” Rainbow whispered as they all saw Matt quiver for a moment before he regained his balance.
“What?” Shining Armor asked. “He seems to be doing fine for now.”
The cyan pegasus shook her head. Having spent hours training with him; she knew very well what that quivering could mean.
“Matt can stay in this alicorn form only for about two minutes.” she informed him and other ponies. “Any longer and...”
“And what?” Rarity asked her with fear in her voice.
“Well, I didn’t understand his explanation exactly, but Matt told me that he starts getting terrible headaches, as his mind cannot deal with this body or somethin’.” Rainbow told them scratching her head as she tried to remember. “And it gets worse the longer he stays like that...”
Everypony gulped as they looked at the paladin who, despite the pain he was in, somehow still protected them.
The agony he was in was unbearable.
It felt as if his mind was torn asunder, just as Azeroth was few months ago. He recalled the pain he experienced that day thanks to Ner’zhul, and while so far the pain of a whole world was much worse, it only lasted for a short time, while this what he was going through right now lasted for about whole minute, and it is getting more painful with every passing second.
And yet; Matthias hanged on. He was the paladin of the Holy Light, Knight of the Silver Hand, Grand Master of the Order of the Celestial Lights, and once he held the power of a demigod. He refused to acknowledge limits that his mind put on him.
“Even if this is going to break me, I will hold!” he managed to think before another spasm of pain shook him.
Few second later, he lost track of time. A moment longer and he could barely think. His mind unraveled as he fought mortal limitations; threatening to destroy himself.
Finally, even his powerful will could not hold on any longer.
His form of alicorn was shattered and he fell down, barely conscious, as an earth pony.
Something grabbed him; but his nearly broken mind registered at the same time that something was crushing his lungs. With great effort, Matthias opened his eyes...
... and stared into Sombra’s.
Rainbow Dash had enough.
She, like everypony else, couldn’t do anything to help Matt keep up his shield around the castle. She was forced to watch him suffer and finally fall, but now, as he was being crushed by the evil king, Rainbow could sit idle no longer.
She soared into the air and rushed towards Sombra, hoping that if she could distract him long enough, he would let go of Matt. The fallen unicorn looked at her, and Rainbow gazed without fear into his eyes...
Rainbow Dash has fallen.
The sight of the friend that was second closest to his heart right after Twilight be struck by Sombra’s dark magic as she came to save him was more than enough to snap Matthias back into his senses. And while his mind was too broken to ask the Light to give him strength; his rage gave him what he needed.
He lifted his right foreleg, which seemed to be heavier than an ogre, summoned Holy Avenger with last shred of concentration he had left, and shoved it into Sombra’s left eye.
Shout of pain and anger that came from the evil unicorn almost made him drop the blade. It was so loud that most of the crystals he created around him - black and twisted as he – shattered, and everypony who could cover their ears.
Matthias gnashed his teeth as he retreat Holy Avenger for another strike; which never happened.
Sombra turned his ethereal head to gaze at him with his good eye as he increased the power of the magical grip Matthias was in, and extended it to the neck, too. Paladin tried to resist, but the lack of air and sheer pressure, which caused his throat to be caved in, soon took away the last remains of his strength.
His foreleg fell, and Holy Avenger slipped from his grasp, disappearing before it hit the ground.
“So... this is it?” crossed Matthias’ head as Sombra eye, burning with hatred, locked with his. His vision began to fade. “Am I really going to die, and fail everypony... again?”
Soon, he was almost completely surrounded by darkness; and he knew that he would soon find himself among it once again. With his last breath, he summoned an image of Twilight, wishing he could have...
“Hey!”
“Huh?” Matthias thought, feeling a slight pressure being taken off from his neck.
“Up here! I got the Crystal Heart!”
“Spike!” he realized, delighted that his sacrifice wouldn’t be in vain, as he noticed another sound: and angry roar.
“That is mine!” Sombra growled.
The force that was about to kill him disappeared and Matthias gasped for air as he hit the ground. Realizing that the fallen unicorn probably went after the Heart, but knowing he was in no condition to do anything about it, the earth pony crawled towards nearby Rainbow. With a basic pray, he released her from her nightmare, even if he was too weak to do much more.
“It’s going to be alright.” he thought, feeling his consciousness slip away. “Spike’s got the Crystal Heart, and they can use it to...” Matthias trailed off as he realized what he just thought, and felt himself steered back awake. “Why does Spike have it? Twilight was the one who was supposed to do that. She wouldn’t risk failing Celestia’s test, unless... unless... she was...”
Fear, much stronger that he ever felt, gripped his heart as he imagined Twilight dead. From it, hatred, compared to the one he had for Mal’Ganis, was born.
“I WILL KILL YOU!!!”
That was all what was in his mind as he got up from the ground and chased after Sombra.
He didn’t need to look for him: he could clearly sense him from such small distance. That bastard was atop a giant black crystal that was rising crosswise towards something glittering, but Matthias paid no attention to what it was as he jumped on the crystal block and run up to Sombra, mindless of his exhaustion. There was only one thing that he could see right now: the monster that took the life of the one that mattered to him the most. The paladin managed to notice, however, that his enemy became corporeal. Matt realized that the glittering thing must be the Crystal Heart, who by just being at this distance restored his body. He speeded up.
Paying no heed to the high they were on right now, Matthias slammed into King Sombra just when he was about to catch the Crystal Heart, knocking them both down.
The unicorn only eye snapped in surprise as they both fell towards the ground, which quickly turned into anger as he tried to punch Matthias, while making his horn glow. The paladin, mindless that something pink flew next to them seconds ago, easily deflected the blow as he climbed down on his body while they were in the air. The paladin got a better shot at Sombra, and delivered his hoof into his face, knocking out that stupid crown off his head. He was about to punch him again, but the evil unicorn twisted his body and now it was he who was on top. Unfazed, Matthias hit him again, and then he felt that they both landed in something hard, much too soon than he anticipated.
Matthias felt his spine break.
The shock caused by the injury rendered him stunned for a few heartbeats. He watched as King Sombra, who along with him was atop the crystal pillar which was getting higher, while realizing that he could no longer feel half of his body. But he paid it no thoughts as he noticed that the fallen unicorn, foolishly thinking him to be done, had his head turned, so that Matthias was on his blind side, and was gathering enormous magical energy in his horn.
Pulling himself away from the stunned state with sheer willpower; the earth pony rose on his forelegs, and slammed his head into Sombra’s, near the base of his horn.
The horn broke, and the magical energies gathered within him exploded, throwing them both away.
As Matthias once again was falling towards the ground, this time much more wounded. He passed out, but right before that, he saw a flash of bright blue light enveloped everything.
Twilight gasped as strange magical surge went through her body, not causing her any harm, but destroying her prison. Also, as she noticed once she glanced at her hoof, crystallizing her.
The unicorn quickly turned around to see what was happening outside, and saw to her amazement, that everything that was dark about the empire with the black crystals and the sky was replaced by light, vibrant colors. The Crystal Empire and its citizens returned to their former look and glory.
Twilight sighed with relief; but then she witnessed one thing about the scene below that could freeze her blood.
Matt was falling.
He kept his eyes closed as he slowly came to, wondering what just happened.
“Am I dead?”
Matthias couldn’t feel any pain, but then again, his spine was broken... But no, now that he concentrated, his back was whole as if somepony healed him. His mind also seemed as clear as it was before he nearly let it fall apart.
He could hear some murmuring around him, but he couldn’t open his eyes, afraid of what awaited him once he woke up.
Afraid to see Twilight was dead.
“Matt?” as if thinking about her summoned her to him, he heard her worried voice speak to him. “Are you okay?”
A hoof touched him gently, and Matthias knew it to be hers, but that would mean...
“Am I in heaven?” he asked in confusion, still refusing to open his eyes.
For his question he was awarded with amused giggles and chuckles, and a faint, annoyed sigh.
“No.” Twilight’s voice answered, also amused.
Matthias snarled, realizing what it meant.
“Figures they would start torturing me in hell with Twilight’s nagging.”
If it wasn’t for the fact that he became closely familiar with this feeling, he would have assumed that pain in his ear was some kind of torture. But as it so happened, only one unicorn could pull his ear in such manner whenever he annoyed her.
“You’re alive, genius.” she finally said, and was barely heard through the wave of laughter that arose after his earlier comment.
Inexplicably enormous joy erupted within his heart, not only because he was alive, but because that meant she was too.
“Thank the Light!” he prayed, happy, and fought hard to not jump up and embrace her.
Instead, Matthias calmly stood up, and asked as he finally opened his eyes:
“So what happen-”
He blinked. In front of him stood Twilight and the rest of his friends, but they...
... they were made out of crystals.
All of them, while retained their colors, became more... vivid, shining and sparkly. Their manestyles also slightly changed. Matthias glanced sideways and saw the crystal ponies, which are now really made out of crystal.
“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me!” he exclaimed after few seconds as, realizing that Brann was right all along he slammed his head into the ground, which almost didn’t hurt at all.
Twilight glanced at her friends, confused by Matt’s reaction, and saw that everypony was too. They were standing near the small crater that he created when he hit the ground. The only reason why he was still alive after fall from such high was because his body too became crystal.
She shifted her gaze back to Matt, whose pure white coat was now shimmering, as his golden mane that instead of simply falling down his head like it normally did was now neatly kept.
“He looks like a prince...” Twilight daydreamed for a moment; before she reminded herself that they were in company of not only her brother, sister-in-law, friends, but also of the entire population of crystal empire. “It wouldn’t be good if I started blushing for no reason.”
It was bad enough that everypony laughed at what Matt said, and while she could appreciate that first comment, the other one pissed her off.
Twilight shook those thoughts off her head and decided to focus at issue at hoof, just as Matt lifted his head from the ground.
“I’m crystal too, aren’t I?” he asked as he rubbed his head.
“Yeah, but why...” the unicorn was about to ask, but wasn’t sure how to exactly finish that question, other than that: ‘... are you acting as if you lost your mind?’
“You’ll understand once Brann will get back.” Matt replied, getting back on his hooves and glancing at himself. “His going to be all up in my face about it...”
Twilight, who also looked at him, felt her heart sank as he stood up. The Crystal Heart hasn’t changed one detail on his body: his scars. She noticed in the corner of her eye few crystal ponies back slightly away, and while Twilight herself long since gotten used to their sight, she could understand that.
Before she could make any comment about this, however, Cadance stepped up to Matt.
“How are you feeling?” she asked concernedly, although Twilight suspected that since she herself was completely healed by magic of the Crystal Heart and so was Matt, despite the ordeal he went through.
“Well, since before I passed out,” he started, “I’m pretty certain my spine was broken, most of my ribs crushed, my throat was caved in, and my head felt as if there was a legion of crypt lords roaming around in it. However, all of that seems to be healed, so I have to say that I’m pretty good now.”
Twilight jaw dropped as she heard him describe the extent of his injuries as casually as if they were talking about the weather; and heard several ponies gasp.
“Thank you for your concern, Your Highness.” Matthias finished, bowing.
“Thank you, sir Matthias, for holding off King Sombra for so long.” the Princess replied, emphasising ‘sir’, probably as revenge for his insistence on using her title.
The lavender mare saw with amusement Matt frown a little, but to her confusion, his frown soon transformed into pure horror. Before she or anypony else could ask or react; he jumped forward to Cadance and violently pushed her away. Twilight, despite her shock, managed to support her sister-in-law before she fell, and then turned to Matt...
She gasped as she saw him standing on his hind legs, and looking as if holding something in front of him, while his face was twisted in pain... And, to Twilight terror, there was blood coming out of his mouth.
The answer to everypony unspoken question was revealed the very next second.
It was first only a shimmer of the light, but soon became darker, like a shadow. Then the shape of a pony registered, and all realized what, or rather who, this was.
King Sombra.
He was standing in the form Princess Celestia showed her; instead of the smoke form she saw today. There were few differences however, like the fact that he was missing his crown and few pieces of armor, the left side of his face (which was the side that she could see) looked as if it was burned, along with his eye, and he had many wound and gasp covering his body from which blood and purple gas were pouring from.
But none of that, or the question how did he survive both the explosion that Matt caused when they fought and the power of the Crystal Heart, matter to Twilight, as she registered one thing that caused even greater fear in her heart than that the nightmare she saw earlier.
King Sombra’s horn, pulsing with his dark magic, was thrusted through Matt’s chest.
“Matt!” Twilight screamed as she prepared to cast a spell that would separate the two, but then a storm of shadows appeared around them, blasting everypony away.
She gnashed her teeth as she attempted to move closer, regardless of pain, all her thoughts centered on the stallion she loved, but could not reach or help.
“Matt!” she screamed again, along with her friends and family.
He turned his head to her with great effort; opening one eye to regard her.
“Stay back!” Matt told them, his eye red with green iris, and purple smoke coming from it.
Matthias had no idea how the hell Sombra survived, but by the time the paladin realized he could still sense him, all he could do was to push Cadance out of the way as the fallen king attacked her.
The reason why he attempted to attack her became obvious to Matthias as he felt powerful force assaulting his mind. The essence of Sombra entered him through the horn that pierced his chest. He must have wanted to transfer himself into Cadance, an alicorn, seeing as his body was grievously wounded and his power diminished.
With all his will; Matthias fought back. He could see it: a wave after wave of shadows, all crashing into him, attempting to wound him, to defeat him. Matthias felt his mind being once again torn, while the fallen king assaulted him, wanting to break him.
Give in!
“Never!”
For all his strength; Matthias realised that their odds were even. Had he been not restored by the Crystal Heart, it would have been over in a second, but even so he was taxed by the long day.
A memory of how he became corrupted by the Lich King, and later how he merged with him, awakened in his mind.
“I will not let this happen again!”
You will.
“No!”
Why fight it? Think how much you could gain.
Matthias ignored the whispers as best he could. With his mind becoming the battlefield, they gained in power and number; and soon, there were a thousand of them, surrounding him with allures of power.
... You could have everything...
... There is nothing we couldn’t do together...
... Just imagine the power we would have
... All would fall before us...
... Everypony would bow down before you...
... You could rule the world...
... Your reign would be absolute and eternal, and so the peace it would bring...
... You could have anypony...
... Twilight, Rainbow, Luna, Celestia, Cadance...
... You would rule over everything...
“Everything?” his thoughts finally responded.
Everything...
Twilight had no idea what was going on; but she knew it couldn’t be anything good.
She tried spell after spell to either pull Matt away or, in her fear and rage, kill Sombra; but not a single one of them reached their targets within those shadows. Nor did the spells of Cadance or Shining Armor, or Rainbow and Applejack attempts to push through the storm of darkness that surrounded their friend and Sombra, had no effect.
And now...
Everypony watched in horror, how Matt’s shimmering coat, pure white as snow, became sickly... bone-white, and lost its crystal hue. Twilight recalled how she and her friends all turned gray while under Discord’s influence, as he turned them all into opposite of their true selves, and realized that this must be what’s happening here now.
“No!” she protested in her thoughts. “Matt couldn’t fall so easily! There must be something other...”
For all the atrocities you've committed...
Before Twilight had a chance to shake that thought away angrily, another change came about Matt, which caused her to stare in terror at him.
A bulge appeared over his right scapular blade that quickly became bigger, and soon everypony screamed as a long bone pierced Matt’s skin, emerging from his body. The bone quickly sprouted three more at its end, which violently slammed into the ground, creating claw marks-like cracks in the crystal-made road.
“Is that a... wing?” Twilight thought, fearing what was happening to her friend.
... You will have everything you ever wanted...
... We will be unstoppable...
“We shall rule over everything! Our power unimaginable! I shall be-”
- King!
Just when Matthias was about to say in unison with the other being what he would be, something stopped him.
A memory…
He, barely five years old at that time, was sitting on his father lap. Both of them were sitting on one of the balconies of the royal castle that overlooked Tirisfal Glades. Young Arthas watched as the sun was setting over his father kingdom, while King Terenas spoke:
“My son, the day you were born, the very forests of Lordaeron whispered the name: Arthas.”
He perked up at that, and glanced at the direction of Silverpine Forest, wondering how the trees could whisper or knew his name. Terenas, noticing that, chuckled before continued talking:
“My child, I know I will watch with pride as you grow into a weapon of righteousness.”
That gained him Arthas full attention back; as he began to hope this meant that his father would finally let him learn how to fight with a sword and other weapons. Seeing his son enthusiasm; Terenas warned him gently:
“Remember, our line has always ruled with wisdom and strength. I know you will show restraint when exercising your great power.”
Arthas nodded, remembering from his history lessons how some kings abused their power, not of their line, of course. He intended to keep it that way.
“But the truest victory, my son, is stirring the hearts of your people.” Terenas told him, and smiled. “I tell you this, for when my days have come to an end, you shall be King.”
Arthas eyes went wide at the thought of his father being dead; and tears formed in his eyes. He quickly hid them, not wanting Terenas to see him crying like a girl, when he stated something that young prince knew for a while now: that someday, he would have to replace him on the throne.
“I just hope this day won’t come for a long time.” Arthas thought as he hugged his father.
It all came back to Matthias in less than second.
“Father...” he sobbed in his mind, not being able to put how much he was sorry, ashamed, how much he failed him.
Never again.
Matthias stated into the shadow that invaded his body and tried to corrupt his mind, shaking it away.
“I already am a King!” the paladin told him, his soul becoming alicorn as it began to shine. “I am the King of the Fallen Lordaeron, and it is my duty to uphold the ideals for what it’s people stood, and keep their memories alive!” gazing into the void, he added. “Look into them! Face the memories of my subjects!”
And with that, he unleashed everything.
Every memory he stored within the depths of his mind, every human he killed, every man, woman and child, were seen now by Sombra. Every moment of their lives, their hopes and dreams, that Matthias would use to give strength to his spirit; and their deaths, which he attacked the shadow with.
It was too much.
Twilight gasped as she heard a scream of pure pain, worried that the worst have happened; but to her surprise and delight, the one that utter such noise was King Sombra.
In the same heartbeat; Matthias was enveloped in the Light. His coat returned to its true color; and the strange bone-limb was destroyed, leaving no trace that it ever existed, as the Light pushed away the shadows.
When King Sombra tried to escape, however, Matt did something nopony expected him to do.
He grabbed him.
The golden chains appeared around them, which further limited Sombra's chance to escape, all while his horn was still within Matt’s chest.
“This works both ways!” he told the fallen king, his eyes burning like suns. “Just as you tried to invade my mind, I can do the same!” hardening his grip on Sombra, Matt glared down on him. “Let’s see what you hide in the depths of your soul!”
There was darkness everywhere.
Whenever Matthias looked, the maelstrom of shadows expended in every direction, threatening to destroy him should he come close.
And yet, despite that, projecting his spirit as an alicorn; he steeled himself...
And dove into madness...
Everything seemed to erupt.
Ponies backed away from the two ponies who dueled inside their minds while their powers clashed outside. Light and shadows surrounded Matt and Sombra, clashing with each other violently, and threatening to strike anypony close.
Twilight and the rest of Matt friends couldn’t do anything.
Only pray.
The forces with which Sombra defended himself sought to rip him apart. Matthias spirit was assaulted from every side, and he was in incredible pain, but he refused to give up now.
Not when he was so close.
After what seemed like eternity; Matthias finally reached him.
A small colt, thin as if he hasn’t eaten anything in years, was there. His coat might have been once orange, and mane yellow, but they were now dulled. The colt was clearly sick. Matthias felt his heart break at the sight of just his look, not to mention that he was crying too his hooves, not having anypony to comfort him.
“Hey!” he shouted to him.
Matthias would prefer to call out in gentle voice; but the constant tries of shadows to rip him asunder made him a bit hasty.
The colt stopped crying and looked up. Surprise and a flicker of hope appeared on his read from tears face as their eyes met.
“Come here!” Matthias called out, motioning with his hoof. “I can save you, if you let me!”
Slowly, the small pony rose up and trotted over to him, stumbling all the way. Hope was in his orange eyes as he reached for paladin’s extended hoof, grabbed it...
Scream of pain was torn from his throat as his hoof disintegrated into shadows.
“No!” Matthias yelled in horror and defiance. “It cannot be too late!”
The colt looked away from his injured limb, and replied:
“But it is.” his voice was weak, sad and resigned, barely a whisper. “It’s too late to save me.”
“No! I will not let that happen! I can still save you, I swear, just give me a chance!”
“It cannot repeat! I won’t let somepony suffer as I did!” Matthias thought frantically as he tried to reach the colt.
“I’m so tired...” he said, looking at Matthias with plea. “All I want is for this to end. I want to rest. Please...”
Tears were streaming now from both of them, the colt crying from all that King Sombra did, and Matthias for what he knew in his heart that he had to do.
“I’m sorry.” the paladin finally whispered, agreeing.
“Thank you.” the small colt replied, as his sick face brightened up by smile.
“I’m so sorry...”
Twilight glanced in surprise at Matt who finally spoke, as the chains surrounding him and Sombra disappeared, and the fight between Light and shadows have calmed down. The unicorn mare continued to look at her friend, who shoved the evil king away, freeing himself from his horn; although now his blood flowed out of it and pulled his right foreleg back. His intention became clear to all as Holy Avenger appeared in his grasp.
In front of an entire Crystal Empire, Matt thrusted his sword through King Sombra’s chest.
What happened next was beyond her ability to understand.
The sky was darkened; even though the ribbons of light still shone from the central tower. Out of nowhere, wind blew, strong enough to make everypony brace itself. Screams pierced the air, but they did not come from crystal ponies, or her friends.
It didn’t come from Sombra either.
A huge smoke, similar to the one that Sombra himself was not so long ago, flowed away from the fallen king wound but seem to be even darker. Somehow, the screams came from it, as it rose into the sky. As the dark cloud formed into the sky, a thousand eyes opened within in; each red, green with purple flames coming out of them, and all looking down on ponies.
Twilight stared at the bizarre sight, when the screams stopped, and became replaced with whispers that were loud enough to hurt her mind.
There is no escape! Not in this life, not in the next!
Gaze into the heart of DARKNESS!
A black goat with seven eyes that watches from the outside...
Your friends will abandon you.
She threw a side glance at her friends as she grabbed her head, aching from all the whispers that all seemed to erupt at the same time, and saw them and everypony else do the same.
You are weak...
Your heart will explode...
Tell yourself again that these are not truly your friends...
The DARKNESS devours ALL!
Your soul will know ENDLESS TORMENT!
Give in to your fears, and you shall be-
“Begone.”
The calm voice cut off all the whispers, and Twilight felt the pain that erupted in her head disappear. She looked up.
Matt stood up and gazed into the dark cloud without fear. He was in his alicorn form, but it was different. His coat was still gold, as his mane that looked like flames, but he stood now as tall as Celestia. Gone was his armor, for which he seemed to have no longer need; such was the power that emanated from him, and instead, something was placed upon his head.
A crown.
“This world has no place for one such as you.” Matt continued, his horn brightening. “Turn into nothingness. Begone!”
With last word, a beam of Light was shot from his horn, and hit the cloud. All its eyes closed in pain as it gave one last scream... and then, in a flash of light that made everypony turn away, it fallen silent.
Whatever it was, it was no more.
Twilight opened her eyes as soon as the light dimmed to tolerable level, and searched for Matt. He was in the same place he was a moment ago, once again in his real form and glancing down at...
... King Sombra?
Matthias watched the dying pony as he stood at his side, knowing that he could do nothing to save his life, even if he saved him from his torment. He observed the movement of his chest that continued to slow down. The one good eye the fallen pony had soon lost its flames, as well as green hue, and became orange instead of red.
His horn turned to ash.
“He wasn’t even a unicorn...” Matthias realized with sadness. “That thing must have sprouted it so he could use magic...”
As he contemplated about that; the pony slowly turned his head towards him.
“Is it... over?” he asked, spouting blood.
Painfully aware how eerily similar this situation was to his own death, Matthias put his hoof on the other stallion shoulder in comforting manner.
“No king rules forever.” he repeated the final words his father’s spirit told him, and then gave a weak smile: “I guess that’s why Equestria is ruled by Princesses.”
The dying pony also smiled weakly at the poor joke, before his eye widened slightly.
“Princesses...” he murmured, as if recalling something. “Princess... That’s right.” he finally said as he turned his sight to look into the sky, which was now bright blue, with ribbons of light in many colors coming from the tower of Crystal Castle. “That’s why I returned there... why I agreed to this...”
He paused as an attack of coughing seized him that made him lose even more blood. Knowing that this pony wanted to finish telling his thought before death took him, Matthias pressed his hooves against his chest, limiting the bleeding. He was aware that ponies surrounded them now; but paid them no mind.
“I wanted to see her...” he finally continued. “... My heart’s princess, one last time... and tell her... that I understand... why she did what she did... I just wish she hadn't... I wish she could've... learned to let things go...” the pony eye half closed, as he was about to finally rest. “I guess... I should... too...”
With those being his last words; the pony known as King Sombra passed away.
Matthias closed for him his eye completely and whispered:
“May you find peace in death.”
He could hear some sobbing in the background and recognised among few Fluttershy’s voice. Matthias wished they didn’t have to see this; but there was no helping that.
“Matt...” Cadance finally broke the silence. “What was this all about?”
The paladin sighed; feeling extremely tired.
“I could feel it as we fought.” he started. “A small part of him, almost gone, that cried from pain and loneliness, as great Darkness that transformed him into monster known as King Sombra continued to devour him.” Matthias sighed again, feeling the familiar sense of failure. “I tried to help him when the chance presented itself, but when I ventured into his mind, he was too far gone to be saved. All I could do was grant him rest.”
“That monster...” Twilight asked him, uncertain. “What was it?”
“Something that should never had existed.” Which was all he going to say in this matter. “It is gone now.” Matthias took a deep breath, knowing that there was one more thing he had to do for the dead pony. Or rather, ponies. “Princess Cadance,” he started, turning to her. “the ponies who were guards of the Crystal Empire fell in battle against King Sombra thousand years ago.” There were few more gasp from crystal ponies, and Matthias guessed that they had no idea about it. “He raised their corpses and used them as soldiers during out fight. I had to reduce their bodies to ashes, which are now scattered outside the empire. Please, see to it that those remains will be treated with reverence, Your Highness.”
Cadance, to her credit, quickly recovered from hearing his news.
“Of course, you’ve got my word on that.”
Matthias bowed to her, and then turned to the body of pony that was as much cause of this as another victim.
“I will bury him somewhere in the arctic.” he said as he trotted over to the dead stallion. “I trust that it’s not a problem?”
“Of course it isn’t.” the Princess replied gently.
The paladin bent down, and lifted the fallen earth pony up, putting him on his back. As he trotted towards the border of the empire, escorted by eyes of his friends and crystal ponies, he opened his mouth and started singing:
An Karanir Thanagor
Mor Ok Angalor...