//------------------------------// // Chapter 9 // Story: Sombra: The Shadow Over Ponyville // by Blaster Master //------------------------------// Chapter 9 The pair of sacks hit the ground hard, their contents wriggling inside against their ropes. The Diamond Dogs truly weren’t taking any chances. Rarity couldn’t see anything inside the burlap (what a tacky fabric!) and couldn’t speak with a muzzle wrapped around her snout. “We bring Ponies”, she heard Rover say in his scratchy voice, “Now Talking Tree brings us the gems!” Talking Tree? Rarity thought. “Yes,” said another voice, “You have done well.” The new voice made Rarity’s neck hair stand on end. It was icy and threatening, yet retained an element of regality. It seemed familiar, but she couldn’t place it. “Yes! Yes!” One of the other Diamond Dogs, Fido, said, “We do very well! And now we get gems!” “That was deal!” The third dog, Spot, added while trying to sound tough, “Gems for Ponies!” The other voice chuckled. It was a dark sound that made Rarity squirm. She feared the Diamond Dogs had no idea who they were dealing with, and they were going to be leaving with something very different then they thought. “Of course… You will have your gems.” Through the sack, Rarity saw a green light glow brightly. She heard a crackling noise, like crushing eggshells, and heard the Dogs start to scream. They didn’t scream for long. “You really shouldn’t complain... All I gave you was what you wanted.” And with that, the voice gave a long, loud laugh of sadistic mirth. And Rarity shuddered to think what kind of madpony she was in the clutches of. *** The day after the hydra attack, the atmosphere was even worse in Ponyville. Nearly a third of the town had been crushed by the might of the creature, even with the rapid response of the Royal Guard. While Sweet Apple Acres had survived relatively well, there were several farms that were nearly wiped out by waves of Timberwolves, some only driven off by the Guards after they’d already finished their work. Ponies were making impromptu shelters everywhere they could to house those who had been made homeless. The guards were finally able to finish setting up their structures and roadblocks, but with so many of them injured or killed, their checkpoints were undermanned. Ms. Cheerilee’s class was cancelled that day, most stores stayed closed, and everyone stayed inside, but nopony even felt safe inside their own homes anymore. And without Rainbow Dash or a replacement Weather Pony from Cloudsdale, the cloud cover had been allowed to increase unchecked. Dark clouds obscured the sky, blocking Ponyville from the light and warmth of the sun and casting the town into a grey despair. Making the town worse was the silence. There was no laughing, happy chatter, or even much talking at all on the streets of Ponyville. If Pinkie Pie were around, she’d sing, or dance, or play instruments to liven the mood. But without her, the townsponies truly saw how much happier a place Ponyville was with Pinkie in it. Twilight Sparkle barely saw any of this, since crawling into her bed the previous afternoon, she hadn’t moved. Spike offered her food, begging her to eat, but she acknowledged nothing. Her misery felt limitless. She had not only failed to find her friends but, because of her status, might have indirectly led to more of them to being captured right from under her nose. She spent hours in the space between sleep and waking, never finding rest. “Twilight?” Spike called quietly but with concern, “I just got a letter. It’s from the Princess.” When Twilight didn’t stir, Spike hopped up onto her bed. “I know you can hear me! Please Twilight, you have to get up! At least look at the letter! Maybe the Princess found something…” When the Unicorn still failed to even roll his direction, Spike decided to take it up a notch. “Twilight Sparkle! Your friends need you! They’re out there somewhere! And you’re not doing them any good moping in your bed! You need to get up! Think about Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Rarity! They love you… And you love them… And they need you now more than ever!” Despite his rousing speech, Twilight only curled in deeper. “Fine!” Spike said, angry almost to tears at his surrogate mother, “Don’t get up! Stay here and let them rot! But at the very least, you’re going to hear this letter!” There was a crumpling sound as Spike unfurled the letter. “Dear Twilight, I have no words to describe my feelings for what is happening to you now. I only just recently got the report from Lt. Broadsword about the attack on Ponyville. It will take me some time to organize another unit to send to help the Lieutenant’s platoon, so you must make do in the meantime. Myself, Luna, and a dozen scholars have been pouring through the Canterlot Archives looking for signs relating to, or the methodology behind, this attack. So far we have found nothing. The magicks described are akin to nothing I’ve read of in Equestria. We are truly baffled. I know this is a trying time, but you must not lose hope. The answers we need are there Twilight Sparkle, but one must have the right lenses to see it. As always, you have my faith and my blessing. Yours, Princess Celestia” Spike angrily crushed the letter in his hand, throwing it in a random direction. There was a few seconds of silence. “Twilight…” Spike pleaded, “You have to get up. Please… You have to do something…Everypony is counting on you. I’m counting on you. I want to get everypony back too, but I can’t do this on my own! I don’t-” DING “What was that part in the middle again?” Twilight asked, her voice almost as husky as Rainbow Dash from crying. “What?” Spike asked confused at being interrupted. “In the middle of the letter, what was that the Princess said?” “I know this is a trying-” Spike started to recite from memory. “No, before that,” Twilight was sitting up now. “Myself, Luna, and a dozen scholars have been pouring through the Canterlot Archives looking for signs relating to, or the methodology behind, this attack. So far we have found nothing. The magicks described are akin to nothing I’ve read of in Equestria-” Suddenly, despite barely moving for a whole day, Twilight was suddenly brimming with energy and blew past Spike, heading downstairs. The infant dragon raced to keep up. Downstairs, Twilight started to use her magic to rip books off the shelves, as she often did when in serious research mode, but she was only looking at the covers. “Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!” Twilight chastised herself, “Of course there wouldn’t be any record of this magic in Canterlot if- Spike! Where are those boxes of books from the Crystal Empire!?” “In the basement!” Twilight practically ripped the door off its hinges going through the door. “But Twilight!” Spike said, following her down the stairs “Why do you need the books about the Crystal Empire?” “Because it’s old! As old as Equestria itself and it was missing for a thousand years! This magic we’re dealing with must be too old to even be in the Canterlot Archives! But if-” Leaving her thought incomplete again, she magically ripped open one of the boxes of books and started to sort through it. Ever since their first visit to the Crystal Empire and the discovery of the ancient Crystal Library, Twilight had been begging Cadance to have some of the books there transferred to Golden Oaks Library for her to read, but with all the responsibilities of ruling an empire, Cadance had had no time until recently to make the transfer occur. But Twilight, with all that had been happening recently, had nearly forgotten about them. But now the Crystal Empire books snapped stunningly unto her focus. Finally, she found what she was looking for, a book titled: “Arcane Arts of the Crystal Empire”. She only prayed that this book had the answers she desperately needed. *** At the edge of Ponyville, a pair of Royal Guards saw a strange pony hobbling towards them and crossed their spears. “Halt!” One declared, “Identify yourself!” “I beg you, please must let me pass free! Twilight Sparkle is who I must see!” “What’s your business with Ms. Twilight Sparkle?” The other guard demanded. “I have many questions to answer and secrets to tell! For I know who has cast Ponyville under his spell!” *** Twilight closed the book, her eyes blazing. Everything made sense. Sort of. “I know who’s behind this,” The Unicorn declared aloud. She couldn’t even believe it could be who she suspected. There was no way it could be true, but it was the only logical conclusion. “You do?!” Spike asked, holding a mug of tea for Twilight “Who!?” “It’s so obvious I can’t believe I never saw it before; there’s no record of the kind of magicks happening here because these magicks aren’t native to Equestria. The Unicorn Kings of the Crystal Empire had a lot of powerful spells that were lost through time.” Twilight read off the list of spells in the book. “Mass Weather Manipulation, Creating and Controlling Golems, Mind Control, Possession… A lot of this is old and some of it goes into the realm of dark magic…” “So, whoever is attacking our friends and Ponyville is a powerful Unicorn who would have access to ancient Crystal Empire magic.” Spike clarified, “But Twilight! That doesn’t narrow anything down! There isn’t anypony like that!” “Yes there is,” Twilight corrected grimly. “Who?!” Twilight opened her mouth to state her theory, but was interrupted by a crash from upstairs, along with a familiar voice. “I must converse with you, Twilight Sparkle! To stop this plan most diabolical!” “Zecora!” Twilight and Spike said simultaneously. They both ran upstairs to see the zebra accompanied by two guards. It was apparent by the way she stood that Zecora was injured and tired. “She says she’s a friend of yours, Miss Sparkle,” The guard informed. “She is,” Twilight clarified, “You can let her go, I’ll take her from here” The guards saluted and left, closing the door behind them. “Good to see you, my favorite Unicorn. But we must act quickly to remove this thorn!” “What is this about Zecora? What happened to you?” “Not so long ago while I was in my home, in the Everfree I felt a presence roam. So dark it was, and full of anger. Never had I felt so much rancor. I felt it spread into the trees, though the forest it moved with ease. I knew that it would be Ponyville’s scourge, so I resolved that the evil I would purge. I travelled by day and also by night, that deep in the Everfree there’s no light. And then I saw it there among the trees, an evil spirit I could not appease! I tried to use my enchanting power, to trap him within a magic flower. But my prison was overpowered, and I was very nearly devoured! I had no choice but to flee, or else it would have slain me! It pursued me, intent to kill, but found I had the stronger will. After many days and nights I have come back, to find somepony to help me attack. For if this darkness is not stopped soon, there is no place that will be immune.” Listening to Zecora’s story, the pieces were beginning to fall into place. The culprit was in the Everfree Forest, deeper then anypony dared to venture; even Zecora. “How do we get there?” Twilight asked, “How deep in the forest is it?” “If you follow I will be your guide, and I will show you the way inside. Alone it took me many days. But together we could find faster ways!” “I need to tell the Lieutenant!” Twilight said, heading for the door. “Wait!” Zecora interrupted, “I did not wish to hurt their ego, but with these guards we will be too slow. The Everfree is cramped, predatory, and dark. Bring too many and our prospects will be stark.” Twilight hated to admit it, but Zecora had a point. If she informed Lt. Broadsword, he’d probably want to send half his company marching into the Everfree Forest. And if that happened, it would be pretty likely few of them would return. She didn’t like the idea of going in alone with Zecora, but liked the idea of bringing an entire army into that death trap even worse. “Alright Zecora, give me a minute.” She turned to Spike. “Twilight!” Spike exclaimed “This is crazy! You can’t go to the heart of the Everfree Forest!” “Spike, whatever’s causing this is there. And I think there’s a good chance my friends are there to. I have to go.” “…I know,” Spike admitted, “But at least take me with you! I can help!” “Spike, the Forest is no place for a baby dragon. Besides, I have an important job for you. If I don’t come back in a few hours, I want you to tell Lt. Broadsword about where I’ve gone and send a letter to the Princess… Tell her that the threat is in the forest, tell her that I’ve gone to try to stop it and find my friends… And… That she was the best teacher I’ve ever had and that I don’t know what I’d do without her.” She gave Spike a significant look. “Or the many gifts she’s given me.” Spike threw a hug around Twilight, unable to contain himself anymore. She nuzzled him back. “Good luck, Twilight.” “Good luck to you, Spike.”