float
As the shield flickered, I rested my hand on the sword hilt, preparing for an attack. Luckily for me, the shield held its own as the dark cloud began to thrash against it. But clouds weren't supposed to do that. I took a step out through the shield.
"You must be Sombra, am I correct" Sure enough, I was met with a hiss. I simply shrugged my shoulders.
"you, you are not a pony, what are you?" the voice hissed out.
"A filthy carbon based life-form, yourself?" I retorted, much to the Cloud's chargrin.
"ah truth in sarcasm, how I despise it, what ever you are, Your in my way"
"and your in mine" I spat back.
"then we are at an empass... perhaps an exchange of words?"
"Question for question? sure"
"Your heart is tainted, yet you are among these...ponies attempting to bring peace, why?" Sombra asked.
"Because I can, Why do you seek to bring slavery to this place?"
"Because I will, why do you bring a sword to a magic fight?"
"Because I must, why are we asking questions we already know the answers to?"
"Because I know" the answer was not expected. I looked at the strange cloud with a small amount of shock.
"the pain the crystal heart causes us, you and I are affected in ways that are different to others"
I listened for a brief moment, but then drew a blank.
"Pain is good, reminds me that I am alive, now please, crawl back into your hell-hole and stop bothering Equestria"
the spirit blinked. soon after, it came speeding towards me with a small glint of bloodlust in its eyes.
I jumped back through the shield cutting it close.
Sombra began to thrash against the shield even more.
I slowly watched as small fissures and cracks ran along the magic surface.
I simply sat and prayed that the elements would live up to expectations.
I heard music, laughter and all sorts of sounds emanating from the city square.
digging in my heels, I darted towards the location.
but upon my arrival, the fake was revealed. I took it upon myself to perch on the pedestal looking over the worried faces of each crystal pony. some were angry, some were upset, most were sullen faces.
I took a deep breath and began to speak.
"hello, crystal ponies, a lot of you are wondering what a monster like me is doing in a place like this," each element of harmony stopped as they heard the word monster. "simple really, I'm here to Hold Sombra at bay for as long as I can while this Pony here searches all over for the real Crystal Heart... the only problem is, I've been emotionally compromised... thats why I'm going to be at the shield until all this is over, if by some happen stance that I fail and Sombra makes it through, then you better believe in Ms Twilight here" with that, I slid off the pedestal and walked back to my post.
I looked over my shoulder to see a crystal mare looking at me with sad eyes. "I've seen that look before"
I sat down on the same rock that I had left. "what look, the look of a man with nothing left?"
"no... the look of a stallion who would do anything to keep others safe"
"listen, miss if you think I'm some hero... your sorely mistaken" I looked at her, speaking in a harsh tone.
"I do not care, you once thought you were a hero, the pink one told us of your adventures... how you defeated War all those years ago"
it was hard to believe that two years had passed since Khorne had been defeated. two years of peace, pain and loneliness. It was my own fault for trying to go into exile with Pinkie Pie around.
Harder still when I was called for diplomatic missions to the land of the dragons. those were some interesting days.
until my run in with a dragon named garble... by the time that fight was over, I had third degree burns running up one arm, and a dragon tooth necklace in the other.
Garble was lucky I was merciful. they call him gargle now, he's missing his lower jaw.
so ponies and dragons are allies all thanks to me. Two years had passed, and I was beginning to think Sombra was right about my heart being tainted.
I would have to ask Celestia to give me the once over just to make sure.
A shiver went down my spine as I felt something etch its way in. I then heard the sounds of things being melted in acid.
"miss, I think you better run and warn the others... Just in case"
the crystal mare quickly darted off, I drew my sword and simply grinned.
"It's showtime"